The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, in all its iterations (from the original release to the Special Edition), has offered players a finely detailed game world with immense potential for player immersion. Playthroughs can (and do) reach hundreds of hours, but only insofar as a player is immersed in the adventure of shaping Skyrim’s future—as you come to do as the Dragonborn. Players enter the cold north of Tamriel a prisoner; however, that is not what you will be remembered for.
The latest iteration of The Elder Scrolls series continues in delivering a storytelling experience built to engage players of all skill levels. The history and lore of Skyrim rests within hundreds of volumes of books dispersed across the conflict ridden homeland of the nords; and, after being freed from bondage, players wield a variety of weapons and spells to combat ancient dragons and embark on a plethora of quests.
While Skyrim is a stunning game (especially when augmented by mods), a hollow emptiness lurks beneath the expectation of excellence.
After the initial release in 2011 I immersed myself in the chance to defeat a dragon god that hand been flung through time. Then I moved on to spending hours becoming the pivotal force in driving the Stormcloaks to victory in civil war embroiling Skyrim. Achieving the guildmaster rank in the Dark Brotherhood, Companions, College of Winterhold, and Thieves guild provided little sense of accomplishment.
I delved into countless dungeons, rode dragons, crafted enhanced sets of armor and weapons of all kinds to try and kindle a dying passion for Skyrim. Still, there is a point you reach—especially without any of the DLC or available mods—where the game loses its luster. Though I could never surmount Karstaag (partially because I didn’t know he existed at the time), my level 96 Nord knew no even. Dawnguard and Dragonborn were welcomed and completed quickly upon their release, both enjoyable expansions.
Six years and one re-release later, Skyrim remains a flawed but worthwhile gaming experience buoyed by its potential as a modding platform—which vastly improves the replayability and life of the game depending on your platform.
Beyond the enamoring sense of discovery and exploration engendered by the storytelling and action of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the gaming experience lacks dimension and nuance. The player’s actions and accomplishments have little impact on the game world and many quests are limited in scope and reward. City guards and other NPCs across Skyrim will treat you as a nobody regardless of saving the world, earning the favor of Daedric Princes, and taking part in a multitude of other quest lines that should popularize your character throughout Tamriel.
Combat is also ultimately shallow and repetitive. Weapon movesets lack variety. Felling enemies lacks the reward of a hard-fought battle. Players can sneak through altercations or take them head on alternatively slashing, smashing, or firing arrows/spells to overcome foes. Beyond this binary of stealth and open confrontation, very little remains.
Though Skyrim is replete with its own history, politics, and mythology, the entire experience depends on whether or not the game is able to immerse you and for how long it is able to arrest your attention.
It is worth noting that Skyrim: Special Edition for the PS4 is a largely inferior port when compared to either Xbox One and PC. File size limitations makes certain mods impossible to support on the PS4. Still, the several thousand different mods available for the game are viewable on Bethesda’s official website.
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