Skyrim Review

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Put both hands on arrow. Remove from knee. Read review.

 by Devan La Spisa


When I first picked up Skyrim a part of me went into the game slightly skeptical thinking there was no possible way all the hype could be true. But within minutes of playing my doubt was swiftly kicked in the boys and tossed down the stairs, allowing me to be captivated by this daunting and expansive title. Now the idea of a Bethesda sandbox being large is no real surprise to anyone. Yet the level of depth and your ability to get lost in a wonderland of side quests is unlike any other game on the market. Everything you do in Skyrim has purpose and is not only meaningful to the game but to you as a player. Some may call this the best game ever, others will say this is to be expected from an Elder Scrolls title. As for me I think its about damn time we get to play a game like this.

Story: 4.5/5

Finding yourself bound up at the start of this tale, you sit across from a group of rebels you had nothing to do with. Yet through guilty by proximity you end up sharing the same doomed fate as your fellow prisoners in a town run by Imperials. Within seconds of arrival you are sentenced to a swift beheading that at the last possible moment is interrupted by the one of meanest Dragons you’ve ever seen (no joke this thing is gnarly). A heart pounding escape later your story begins.

Now the main storyline revolves around you being the Dragonborn, which is discovered just in time for you to fight off the loads of flying lizards that now plague Skyrim. Through this you gain the ability to take the battle to the new menace, learning more about what your new powers mean to the world around you. But what makes the story of Skyrim so captivating is not the driving force of the main chronicle. Its the story in combination with every other offshoot quest that you find that determines your tale. What you do in the massive world around you uniquely crafts your story. This ability to choose your own adventure in a unrestricted open world is nothing revolutionary to the gaming industry, especially in the genre of the sandbox RPG. Skyrim takes the genre to new heights with the freedom you are given to make the story personal.

Your inner hero or villain can go about unchecked and roam around inflicting what ever you want on the people you meet. These choices however don’t come without repercussion. There are consequences you won’t see coming until four to five game play sessions later giving you those “Oh yeah....that guy.” moment you will learn to cherish. With an exploration element being one of the driving forces of this game, players have a sense of decisiveness not seen in many titles. Whatever you do in the game, it was you who made it happen. Skyrim trusts you enough to let you go out on your own without having to drive you down a series of hallways and talking points (...looking at you Final Fantasy 13). Its a breath of fresh air in world where a game’s choices feel more like a standardized test and less like an option.  

Gameplay: 5/5


One of the more amazing aspects of Skyrim is their simple yet deep combat system. It offers a level of diversity not often seen in most games today. Right from the get go your shown a sample of each of the three primary play styles, those being the warrior, mage, and thief. Each comes with their own skill sets that can be cross trained at any point with no penalty. In fact the idea of experimenting is actually encouraged, giving your character a personalised feel.

Now if the idea of melee combat seems like the route most accustomed for you then in for a treat. In this reviewer’s opinion some of my greatest moments playing were when I was knee deep in enemies swinging my blades like it was going out of style. There is just something so rewarding about charging someone head on and driving your axe into the side of their temple for the killing blow. The variety offered for the warrior type is plentiful, especially in the weapons department. There are three primary weapon types which are the sword, axe, and mace and each have a one or two handed version. You can also add a shield to the mix for more protection or even free hand with a one-hander to get your parry on.

As for the thief the whole in-your-face element is swapped out for a more indirect and subterfuge driven play style. This section of development is where we find our archery, knife combat, sneaking, and all the benefits that go with being under the radar. Even though this format required a bit more patience to play it didn’t make it less enjoyable by any means. You trade off the barbarian style of charging headlong into battle for a more tactical approach that favors backstabbing along with other less honorable methods. Attempting to get the drop on your target before he sees you definitely gives a heightened level of suspense. I found myself hold my breath as I crept behind guards hoping they wouldn’t notice so I could watch that beautiful throat slitting animation again (and trust me you never grow tired of seeing it). Also the added bonus of being able to steal almost anything with no repercussion made for a very happy wallet.

Then there was the magical path which in my opinion was the most difficult play style compared to the other two. The level of diversity however found in the mage section made this one of the more interesting way to progress. For the caster at heart you will not be disappointed by what Skyrim has to offer. From raising demons to smashing a lightning blot into someones face you can be the cast-all-do-all mage of your dreams. Life expectancy and survivability tend to dwindle on the low end though as some creatures will be able to lay in some serious hurt while in your cloth robes so bring some potions. Aside from the increased difficulty the combat is unlike anything you will experience in this game. Especially when you begin finding some of the high level spells that pack a massive punch. More than once I was shifting into panic mode as I let the spells rip trying to keep the last bits of my health intact. A real treat indeed.  

Yet Skyrim wouldn’t be Skyrim with out the plethora of mighty shouts you get to unleash upon your enemies. While laying waste to scores of dragons that love to drop in from time to time you get to collect their souls. Which works out well since scattered around are runes that teach shouts. These have different effects from knocking someone back to even breathing fire in their face. As you spend souls you get to unlock different shouts giving an added incentive to keep hunting those fire breathing demons of the sky (As if you really needed one). This feature works well because not only does it give another form of customization but it is fun just toying around with each new one you stumble upon. Plus the variety of shouts you can collect makes them useful regardless of play style.  

Aside from the glorious combat there is a multitude of other ways to deposit endless hours into this game. For starters the different forms of crafting allow you to build almost everything you can consume or equip in the world. Yet despite this system being a bit simplistic it tends to work out rather well. I thoroughly enjoyed not having to watch some load bar simulate the unrealistic five second it took to make my legendary daedric sword.  But one of the greatest things is still just getting lost in the lush and savage world that is Skyrim. The ability to explore any castle or far away ruin you may see is a precious commodity this title delivered flawlessly.

Graphics: 5/5

Visually this title is sublime. Bethesda succeeded in building a game that looks just as stunning as it plays. The graphics, though not photo realistic, do a perfect job at crafting a world that allows for that total immersion effect. You’ll get lost in the game staring off into the distant forests as you try to soak in all the detail in front of you. While playing I kept experiencing moments where I would have to take a screen shot then stare in awe at the landscapes that looked like they belonged in a Bob Ross painting (tons of happy little bushes). Even the sky adds to the flare with its twin moons and the constellations that match the perks menu. The attention to detail that was poured into this game is unreal. If the point of graphics is to place a veil over your eyes to hide the numbers going on in the background then Skyrim has succeeded tremendously. Not to mention that with the recent addition of the High Resolution texture pack this work of art looks ever better.


Overall: 4.75

The acclaim for Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls series continues with this latest installment. The scale of Skyrim is immense but what makes this delicious game cake so captivating is how every bit of it is chock full of enjoyment. Each side quest, sub story, and bounty you go on has the makings of a grand adventure you can’t predict until you’re in the thick of it. The freedom to be who you want paired with a beautiful world that expands as far as the eye can see makes for an addictive combo. You can easily spend forty hours plus playing and still not scratch the service of what this title has to offer. As someone who went into this game a skeptic I am walking out a believer with a high standard for the games I play in the future. The variety to be and do what you want gives a freedom that lets your imagination get lost in this masterpiece. When it comes to massive time sinks this one comes platinum clad. Fus Ro Dah!

Rundown:

+  Intense combat that can be exicuted in a variety of styles
+  Beautiful world to explore that's as expansive as it is breathtaking
+  Story the develops and reacts to your choices.
+  Hours of game play allows you to get lost in this massive title
+  Incredibly user friendly allowing even a newcomer to the sandbox style to    enjoy

-  Main storyline not as compelling as rest of game.
-  A.I. at times not so intelligent.