Just overall the best game I've ever played, they've truly outdone themselves on this game. It is art and will always be known as one of the greatest rpgs ever created during this era of games. I can see my self easily putting 200-300 hours in Skyrim over the next few years until TES 6 is released.

This game is seriously amazing! i dont understand what type of person would rate this game negatively?? The sound, graphics, gameplay - its all pure beauty. Best money i have ever spent!!

Amazing GOTY. It made me **** This is better than Oblivion and it is the best RPG i have played, it does have some glitched but those glitched willl be patched soon.

Godlike. There is absolutely nothing in this game I would change so far. No more sleeping to level up, new talent trees, animation is WAY smoother than it ever has been. Buy it and keep it.

Competing with nostalgia-rich classics of the genre, critically acclaimed "hardcore" offerings, deep PnP style multiplayer RPGs as well as Oblivion and the (superior) Morrowind before it, Skyrim still comes out on top to become the best game I've ever played.

It combines the vast explorability and intoxicating atmosphere of Morrowind with the eminent playability of Oblivion, and turns the art style, world design, voice acting, story and most everything else up to 11 to create an almost perfect high fantasy/sword & sorcery RPG experience.

Visuals: 9.5/10 Audio: 10/10 Gameplay: 10/10 Story/Quest Gameplay: 10/10 RPG Mechanics/Design: 9/10 Content/Scope: 10/10
Overall: 10/10… Expand

Easily beats any wRPG out there this decade. The character development is actually simpler than most Elder Scrolls games, streamlining everything you need and canning everything you don't. Also, it's implementation of a perk system similar to Fallout means that development of your character hasn't lost any depth and each character to every user is as unique as they are. The visuals are stunning and the vast, expansive environments, while sometimes barren, suggest a living, breathing world creating the perfect sense of verisimilitude. I wouldn't want every inch of a game-world to be populated by enemies and NPC's, it takes away from your suspension of disbelief and always reminds you with a shattering crash that you're playing a game. Sadly, this is often the case in Bioware RPGs but is in no way present here. Many people online are complaining about the use of Dragons in the game, saying it is unoriginal without obviously knowing that Dragons have been intergral to the polt since Elder Scrolls I: Arena. The first 4 games have all been leading up to the return of the Dragons and now that it's happened, expect every other Elder Scrolls to be as epic as this one is. The combat system is fluid and intuitive. You can go from being a beginner new to the series to slicing up some enemies while throwing fireballs at everything else with ease. It's available to casual gamers by not requiring micro-management and being a great game you can take at your own pace and the hardcore gamers by allowing amazing depth in both development and gameplay. The item/spell creation system has basically infinite possibilities and the game is so packed full of extras that perfectionists will probably do good to never play any game ever again if they hope to get absolutely everything there is to offer. One of the most anticipated RPG releases ever, and it's for great reason. The stroy is heavily focused on which is something games fail to do nowadays and it seems Bethesda recognise videogames as a legitimate story-telling medium rather than a cash-cow business (*cough*Activision*cough*) and don't rush their development, instead pouring heart and soul into a game and releasing when it is done. The quintessential wRPG, pick this game up now and feel euphoria.… Expand

Yea there are glitches, but that doesn't stop this game from being an absolute masterpiece. after only 3 hours of play, I realized this is probably the most engrossing game i have ever played. It's amazing how much content is packed into one game. The game extremely addicting, the sound is amazing, the graphics...oh the graphics they are absolutely phenomenal. If you are looking for game you can pour hundreds of hours into, Skyrim is for you.… Expand

I've yet to find anything not to like about this game. The graphics are excellent, the textures are sharp, the models are smooth, the draw distance is beuatifull, the load times are incredible - main menu to game in ten seconds!
As for the gameplay they've fixed a LOT of what was wrong with previous games, balancing the various playstyles very well and making it all generally a lot of fun. Love the menu system too.… Expand

A masterpiece in every sense of the word. Everything that was great about Fallout 3 and New Vegas has been incorporated into a streamlined game play design from Oblivion, and the standout has to be one the incredible visually pleasing 'perk' interface display. Game play is masterfully crafted and the world truly feels like an epic, living and breathing fantasy world. And dragons, the game's dragon 'mini boss' fights are simply an experience you cannot miss. Buy this game, you will not be disappointed. GOTY contender, and arguably inevitable winner for many gamers.… Expand

An absolutely outstanding game! Not just one of the best RPGs of the year, but, one of the best RPGs every created. The best installment of the Elder Scrolls yet and the (highly) likely winner of numerous Game of the Year titles.

Skyrim is a huge brilliant open world rpg and shows us exactly how the genre should be done. Rather than funnelling you into doing the main quest, after a brief start, it sets you free to go and see and do whatever you want. It has such a huge amount of content that other games charging the same price while containing so little content seem like rip offs. Everything about this game, minus the bugs seem perfect. GOTY no doubt.… Expand

This is quite possibly the best game ever made! 70 hours into it and I'm still finding new things to do and the thing that really gets me is that of the over 300 dungeons in the game, none of the ones I've been to have been just re-skinned, they are all original! Mad Props to Bethesda!! Using my MW3 disc as a coaster to hold my beer!!!

So disappointed! I will go straight to the point -Low resolution texture from 2006 -Awkward quick menu to get the right weapon/spell in few moves -Never-ending loading time -Can't casts spells/ uses weapon while mounted -Stupid AI Oblivion was even more fun! After all, that game was not ready at all for release. I think they were forced to release it for the famous date of 11/11/11. (sorry for my English)… Expand

After seeing countless previews and gameplay vids,I was already expecting a magnificent game.But this!This has taken my already super high expectations and bashed me around the head with them while laughing maniacally like Cicero.Beautiful graphics,amazing audio,and the sheer amount of content make Skyrim the greatest RPG of all in my eyes and possibly the greatest game ever made.A special shout-out goes to the elegant menu system and awesome spells.Also,the excellent duel-wield system is the best I've used in any game. While I noticed occasional pop-up and low-res textures,as well as some melee issues,I simply don't care.A majestic GOTY from me.… Expand

O melhor jogo do ano,sem dúvidas estou fascinado com tudo q está dentro e fora do enredo me oferece ..
Cada hora que eu paro pra jogar esse jogo é uma nova surpresa um novo artefacto,as lutas com os dragons são incríveis! agora vou parar de escrever pq Skyrim precisa de mim!

Parabéns BETHESDA...

played the game 30 hours now (i live in germany and got it on monday) and i love this game. it's all i was expecting and even better. after the first half hours i was a little bit disappointed because it didn't look so great in this area but the rest of the huge world looks fantastic for an open world game. noone should forget this, it's no linear world the developers know what you will do next so they program everythin very easily, no, you can do what you want. going 3 mile west killing some bandits? do it! or going 5 miles north and searching for iron ore? do it!

i'm the kind of gamer who loves to sneak through the buildings and steal everything and in this game this alone can cost you weeks of your real life^^ for me i give this game a 10/10. graphics 9, sound 9 (music alone would get a 10 but some other sounds aren't perfect), gameplay 10 and lasting appeal a 10 which i would count very high in this game because it's not a 40 hour singleplayer which would be a ot it's much more… Expand

Great game! So much better than Oblivion and so close to Morrowind. Love it. Every RPG fan should go and own it immediately. Todd Howard is great man, and I hope he'll make us great Fallout 4.

Skyrim, If I could sum it up in one word it would be 'stunning'. Skyrim has a rich constructed land filled with endless of hours of content, from fighting the major villains in the game, Dragons, to exploring dungeons in search of treasure, or fighting in the civil war. It is all up to you.

Presentation
Skyrim may not be the pinnacle in graphic evolution, but it looks breath-taking, the world and the characters have all been rendered brilliantly, and certainly pushes the xbox 360 graphically to it's limits. Trees move in the wind, fog rolls down the mountains, rivers run realistically and this is all heightened by the amazing sound. However there may be the odd low texture, or bug here or there; but to be honest who doesn't expect the odd glitch here and there, especially when you are adventuring in a humongous word such as Skyrim. Games are never perfect, and I for one don't expect them to be, but the odd bug in here and there may be annoying, but it never ruins the experience. Gameplay Skyrim's game play is one of the best I have seen. The detail to each quest and the main story itself is amazing, and I can vouch that you won't be stuck with nothing to do within this game for the coming months. Combat has been improved upon from Oblivion and each hit you can feel, and enemies stagger from each swipe. The magic system has also been re-vamped from Oblivion, such as dual-casting, to combining spells. All the dungeons and areas to explore feel unique, you can now marry on Skyrim, as well as hire or accept adventures to come with you. The Radiant AI and Radiant Story vary the locations and purpose of smaller quests, based on actions you have made. NPC'S react to certain events and the world feels more alive as a result. The 'motto' for the game 'You are what you play' certainly lives up to expectations, there are no pre-defined class choices, you level up based on what you use and do. For instance if you go around hacking and slashing with a two-handed mace, while wearing heavy armour, you are going to level up your two-handed and heavy armour levels. Or you may what to have a sword in one hand and a spell in the other, while wearing light armour, thus you will level up in those areas.

The Score
If you liked Oblivion and Morrowind, you will be genuinely pleased with Skyrim, it improves on all aspects and personally smashed all my expectations. Yes some people might complain the graphics are not the best, or the AI may muck up a few times, but that is something you have to expect in all games, especially a game of this magnitude with over 300 hours of content to keep you busy, so your bound to run into the odd bug. Overall Skyrim is a beautiful game with deep lore and conflicts to keep you immersed into the world. Certainly a contender for Game Of The Year.… Expand

How can a game with so much to do feel so empty? Regardless of what you do, it never feels like you've impacted the game world in any meaningful way. Or forged an meaningful relationships. Or even had meaningful conversations. Let me get this straight: Skyrim's people --who supposedly thought dragons were a myth, like Godzilla-- find themslves in the midst of a FULL-FLEDGED DRAGON INVASION, and it ranks maybe 5th on their conversational priority list, after the civil war, their lost amulet, the fact that you're wearing light armor, and the weather. And when you singlehandedly stop said invasion, what do you get? A few comments from guards to the effect of, "Hey, stopping that dragon crisis was awesome, bro." Then it's back to "I took an arrow in the knee." The faction quests, with the possible exception of the Thieves' Guild, are similarly uninspiring. Oh, and my wife in I have a sham marriage , in which I show up every week and she gives me gold. I'd like to converse with her, but she can only say four lines of dialogue. Bottom line: maybe this is the price of a truly open world -- i.e., it's miles wide and an inch deep. And to be fair, there's plenty of mindless fun to be had. But I'd trade most all of these random dungeons and dragon/troll/mammoth battle royales for some sense that what I'm doing matters. If it's an RPG, Bethesda, I want to play a role, not just be a roving bringer of destruction and taker of loot.… Expand

Awesome game! it is really that good oh gawd play it play it NAO goddammit son get over here damn, i want skyrim but im poor cake is also good, but skyrim is better!

From my very first 1991 RGP on the NES called Crystalis until today, I have never felt compelled to go out of my way to thank the developers for their hard work and passion.
Thank you Bethesda Game Studios.

I have been playing The Elder Scrolls games ever since I had the epic opportunity to play Morrowind. It left me breathless and eager for more. Oblivion was a great sequel, yet I felt that Bethesda could do better with the newer platforms that were available. I have long awaited the release of this title, Skyrim, and have been slightly antsy that it would simply be too much more of the same. Well, all I can say is that I have been blown away! Skyrim has taken everything that was wrong with the previous titles and turned it around. The days of spending hours trying to figure out how to level up your character are long gone. Simply create your character and play. It is as easy as that, really. The graphics have been upgraded to an astounding level for the 360, and the character movements have become amazing! The intro had me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn't stop playing after that. The new system is perfectly blended with the old, yet has a new edge that pulls rookies and veterans into a new world of beauty and RPG-fun like no other role-playing out there. Thank you Bethesda. You have given me a reason to dive head first back into the world of video games again.… Expand

Simply Epic in scope. Between this and BF3 my PC gaming is assured to be great throughout the end of 2011. Thank you for yet another masterpiece Bethesda!

A game so well made it gives me chills. The attention to detail is for my part never before seen in a videogame. I was very hyped for this game, and I was very surprised when Skyrim exceeded ALL of my expectations. 60$ for a game this scope; it's a real bargain.

MW3 doesn't even compare to Skyrim. Different games and different pros and cons. I spent almost 300 hours on my perfect stat character in Oblivion, so I'm sure that the same thing will happen with Skyrim. Also, while playing Skyrim, I won't have to listen to 12 year old telling 'your mom' jokes or people camping in corners with claymores set then brag about how good they are. I'll know that i will be playing both Skyrim and MW3, but I will definitely have more fun with games like Darksouls and Skyrim over dealing with unskilled players in MW3 who are all talk. Quick question, how can so many people who bought MW3 at midnight be so terrible at the game? Played a team deathmatch game, i was 16-2, last 3 guys a combined 8-32...… Expand

Been playing this game for 4 hours now, easily one of the best games I've played this year. If you liked Oblivion you'll really love this. They vamped up everything and included more things to do. Visually, it's stunning, gameplay is stunning. I'd write more, but I need to continue playing!

Amazing depth! Games this big should cost $100, but don't tell them that or we will start paying that much. Im not big on RPGs but every now and then you have to have a immense single player game to go along with the others. This is a game you can spend hundreds of hours on.

Simply the best game I have Ever played. I have spent 3 Solid days in Skyrim and they have been some of the most beautiful most memorable gaming experiences I have had and I have barely scratched the surface. I concur with most of the reviewers here in saying I have No IDEA how anyone could give this a negative review. There is just so many ways to play to many paths to take so many different ways to experience the game I don't think there is a way anyone couldn't find a entertaining way to venture forth in the world. I don't even know where to start with this game. Everything about it is extraordinary Bethesda went above and beyond the call and have made The Best RPG world any game has ever seen. Every environment is alive and every cave I have explored is unique. There are not enough good things to be said about this game. Easy 10/10 if you have Any interest in games do yourself a BIG favor and pick this up ASAP… Expand

I can't believe the people putting '0' for Skyrim to be legit accounts.. i'm 21 hours in, and it's the most breathtakingly well made game, complete with extremely improved combat when compared to Oblivion (which was still ok'ish combat), beautiful atmosphere thanks to the incredible score and scenery.. and the story.. it's SO much better and more coherrent than any previous Elder Scrolls title.. it's emotive.

10/10.. I know I haven't finished it yet.. but I think 20 hours with any game this good, you know it's a rare find indeed.… Expand

Yesterday one of my friends on Xbox Live messeged me and asked "so hows Skyrim?". I get a lot of messges about games and how they are and normally its no problem to respond, but when I came to reply there were no words. I had been playing for 2 hours when the messege came and I was lost in The Elder Scrolls, this happened with Morrowind and Oblivion, but never like this. I was a Bosmer (wood elf) , I was a scout sent by the Council of Mages at the Arcane University, I was Binwin the Swift. I was completely engrossed as this sneaky archer hunting stags on the turndra of Skyrim. In the end I replied with "there are no words to describe this game but I will try, this is a game like a fine wine, not to be gulped and rushed but to be sipped and appreciated, to enjoy every hidden flavour and depth, this is a game to ruin your real life." Now I have finished with all that, I will try and be more specific, this is an RPG which really means it, this isnt a game where you are given a hero pre made, you make this hero, you know his or her past, you play that character how you want. You choose the route you go, never being told, you cant go this way or that way. You are surrounded by a world created by people whos love for this world pours from the game like a fine mead from a tankard into your dry mouth, and after one sip you need more . You are surround by sounds and a score so epic nothing from the outside world can penetrate, including your wife telling you to get the plates out for dinner. If you decide to buy this game in essence you are buying into a world, a journey to find epic dragons and a fantasy land which will see you through not weeks, not months but years of gameplay. This is how RPG's were meant to be.… Expand

Great game

I'm so confused at all the people who wrote negative reviews. They all say "it's the same thing we've been seeing for the past few years" and yet it's like they don't actually play it, they just watch walkthroughs. The story starts of relatively slow then gets progressively better, it takes more than 10 minutes to get into but once you're in, there's no going back! Graphics? I don't really give a **** about them but they're mediocre. The sounds are very high quality and it makes the experience all the more enjoyable. I'd give it a 9.5/10 for some very minor bugs and some bad animations, but it really doesn't subtract from your experience all that much unless you care about graphics THAT MUCH.… Expand

I have had this game for a week now, and I have literally had a hard time sleeping because I am so excited to continue playing it. It is the best game I have played to date, hands down... it is the best. Even with the glitches, it does not matter... Other games do not compare... but it isn't like they ever had a chance anyways. I laugh at anyone giving this game a negative score, if you cannot see the value in this game, then you are not much of a gamer after all… Expand

Incredible game, my only few complaints from Oblivion have been taken care of, because fighting is SO FUN now! I spent the first couple of hours just running around exploring. GOTY for sure!

I have nearly 50000g and this is the best game I have ever played on any console period. It is also the best value for money too, if you can give this game your time it will reward you in so many ways. Not perfect, but a true to the word epic masterpiece.

I have put 50+ hours into this so far and i still havnt done everything in the game, This this game is beautiful and deserves goty. If you have played this game and didn't enjoy it i feel sorry for you.

A game for babies who can't handle challenge or difficulty:-

It seems game companys today are terrified of making their games a challenge. They simply want to create visual immersive exploration with NO THREAT OR CHALLENGE to the player whatsoever. And Bethsoft leads the pack when it comes to dumbing down.

- Gold rains from the sky. You get so much gold you end up finishing the game with millions of gold coins and nothing to ever spend it on, as everthing you need comes from loot. Having so much gold destroys the fun of looting, thieving and saving up for something special [Of which there is nothing to save up for in this game]

- Hand holding. No need to think. Quest counters show you the way. This game caters to the "i cant read teh books" X-Box crowd who dont want to study the journal or actually LISTEN to the npc tell you what to do when it gives you a quest.

- Combat is easy. Dragons are easy and dumbed down. AI is easy and dumbed down.

- Stats are removed, turning it into an action game instead of a true RPG.

- Classes are removed. Guess they don't want console gamers having to THINK about what past their characters have.

- Visuals are typically X-Box blurry and ugly. No consideration for superior PC machines that could render 10 times that clarity. You'd think companies would make a hi resolution pack of PC gamers to sell more copies to PC owners.

Typical Bethsoft game. No challenge rubbish for console gamers. Give it a HUGE miss or mod the heck out of it to make it MAYBE worth playing.… Expand

Just wanted to cancel Merrill4Life critic, which as always is full a **** Look at the user history and you will notice that this user always destroys everything competing against the DA2 debacle. His reviews are copy/pasted just to promote DA2, EA and Bioware, which has nothing to do with Skyrim, just like my review. But mine serves the purpose to cancel his.

Open, grand, beautiful, rich and several other words have ebeen used to describe this game, and it is all true. A long awaited sequel, that delivers on every promise, which in it self is an achevement. Games like these are one in a billion.

Amazing! Exceeded all of my expectations, and all my friends expectations, and then some. The BEST Elder Scrolls--and open-world RPG--to date. Though I bought it for the 360 I also plan to purchase it for the PC at some point (something I'm not ashamed of), to take part in the excellent modding community.

This is the best game i've ever played in my life.
If you liked oblivion you'll adore this one; if you didn't play oblivion you must try Skyrim and lose yourself in tamriel's land...huge,wonderful, endless, beautiful, surely GOTY.
Bethesda did it again..
a Must buy

Skyrim is an amazing game building on what Bethesda achieved with Fallout 3 and Oblivion to create a superb RPG with a good story so far anyway gizzilions of side quests and great graphics there are a few bugs but they don't damage the experience and will hopefully get patched if you are an RPG fan you need to get this game!!!!

This game is fantastic, the improvements over Oblivion are huge. The way the fighting has changed (mainly magic). This game definitely has the most potential this year to be GOTY.

This is simply an excellent game. I mean, it is a must have. I can not stop playing it. This game will probably cause me to fail calculus and chemistry and my girlfriend to break up with me. But seriously, you should defiantly get this game.

Pay no attention to the user mors125, he/she has no idea what they are talking about. I am a good 20 hours into Skyrim right now and i have experienced no glitches. It is in no way a broken game. It plays perfectly and is one of the most immersive gaming experience anyone could hope for. These people rating such a game with a 0 are not true gamers, they are sad trolls. Even if you do not like a game, rating it a 0 is just ignorant. Go play something else. and rate that game instead.… Expand

Beautiful graphics and new engine? check. Improved combat (dual wield, perks, shield bashing etc) check amazing, beautiful artistic direction? check Epic music that makes your heart melt or race? check Massive world to explore at your own leisure and get completely lost in? check Just a fantastic game. I honestly can't think of anything bad about it. Its fun, its exhilarating, its witty, hilarious, terrifying (those spiders...) and utterly captivating. Buy it, or you're a fool.… Expand

please note that i would give this game a 9.8/10 not a perfect 10, as no games are perfect.
Skyrim is the best RPG to come to 360 by far, full of a vast wilderness, engaging story, and countless side quest that will leave you wishing the day wouldnt end. so far there have been almost no bugs, so whoever wrote the negative reviews are crazy or never played an elderscrolls game.
though it hasnt happened to me i'm sure there are game freezes, so save every once in a while ( dont rely on auto save)
there are numerous creatures to hunt, foxes, dear, elk, mammouth, hawks each provide you with materials to make new armor and weapons.
honestly the game is just big to sum up in a little review if you like RPGs get the game it's fun, has a good story, and there is enough to get lost in.
By far, skyrim is the best RPG on 360… Expand

This is the game to own this year. Skyrim could easily last you for a year. Bethesda ALWAYS do a fantastic job in their games. You may encounter a few glitches or weird IA behaviors but who cares? This is an amazing game that is released each 4-5 years. Bethesda knows nothing about milk cows!!

The game is amazing

Esse game é incrível, gráficos lindos, boa jogabilidade e ótima interação com cenário e personagens. Você está andando pelos lugares e derrepente pode se deparar com lobos ou outros tipos de bichos, tem animais andando pelo cenário parece real, é difícil ver um jogo assim, as quests são locas você não precisa ir logo ao objetivo principal, as quests secundárias são divertidas.… Expand

This would be a _fantastic_ game if it didn't crash every 30 minutes. Outstanding gameplay, fantastic graphics but buggy as all get out.

error: Your review must be at least 150 characters long.

Unbalanced, unpolished, uninspired, and shallow.

If I were to define Skyrim in only four words, that is about what you could expect from me. For as interesting a world Skyrim is to look at, the developers seemed fine filling it with repetitious, "uninspired" quests, given to you by countless amounts of npcs', none of which in possession of what I would call an actual personality. The gameplay, while serviceable, is rather unpolished and doesn't meet up to the standards set by other action games of today. Character development, not only weak, is rather unbalanced. The game rewards you for boosting skills you may have no interest in using, and the whole point of actually leveling your character seems trivial, being that enemies scale with you. Long story short, this is a rather flat experience. Sure, if you set your standards low, the sheer amount of content, as lackluster as the majority of it is, should last you a long, long while. Anyone looking for something thought-provoking and memorable, however, should look elsewhere. The game is a nice looking, yet very generic hack 'n' slash loot fest. If that is something that interests you, you will probably love this game. If you are looking for something more, this game should be avoided.… Expand

Perfect. Just perfect. I've been waiting 5 years for this game and here it is. Much more than I've expected. Graphics, gameplay and plot are perfect and it gets you into the game. But I've found some people who are rating this game 5 or less. And they are comparing Skyrim with other games. Other games shall be compared with Skyrim, because there is no other game that even comes closer to Skyrim. The game is perfect, glitches make it fun, there are a lot of choices to make and they change the gameplay. Best game ever made.… Expand

In two days Ive played 21 hours. This has fixed anything I could have ever imagined to be wrong with a game. Some in the negative section claim bugs and a sloppy PC port but so far I havent seen one single bug on my PC. The vistas are simply amazing and I think the throat of the world takes the cake for the largest whole mountain ever put into any video game. One thing I have noticed is that you level up at about 1 per hour. I think this was intended because when you hit 50 you hit the soft cap and they wanted everyone to get up to or near 50 so that you can spend all yours perks. (50/250 still doesnt seem like enough lol) Simply amazing game and I feel like Christmas has come early this year.… Expand

A world to explore and pillage. Bethesda has taken the best aspects of all their previous games and improved on them. UI took a few minutes to get used to. Skyrim feels ominous on my low level character, I do not relish the thought of exploring those dark woods at night. I feel I need to prepare, something I never felt in Oblivion.

Simply put, this decade has been showered by a bunch of RPGs. Some made sense and were beautiful, like Morrowind and Dark Souls, others not too much, like Oblivion. And there was 11.11.11. Believed to be the end of the world. Not for me. It was the start of a revolution in gaming and entertainment. A revolution in media industry, in art. You know those videogames that make you pretend you're the main character when there's nobody around to make fun of you? Skyrim accomplishes that wonderfully. I often find myself studying the Dragon Language and letting out some shouts just for fun. Why? Because of the joy I experienced when I played TES: V. The first time I played the game, I shed manly tears at the beautiful scenery and how much Bethesda improved after TES: IV released. The character models are now fluid, the facial animations make you see the huge leap from the disastrous mess Oblivion was to this improved version Skyrim provides. The character attack and walk animations were horrid in Oblivion, while Skyrim feels more lifelike and fabulous. Fighting a dragon is so exhilarating and breathtaking, especially about the fact Dovahkiin is similar to dragons. The magic system is really well worked on, and it works really well wielding different spells in each hand, or either hack and slash through bosses while spraying fire at them, or maybe even firing icy spikes from your hand while you defend from your enemy's strikes using a shield. The art style is gorgeous, the amount of different things you can do such as alchemy, enchanting, cooking, blacksmithing, making clothes and armor, killing animals for some game or for some hide makes you spend many hours playing. It's just wonderful how Skyrim executes the most important aspect of a game: content. The awe to experience when you fail to create a potion or the fun to experience when you learn a new spell is incomparable. TES: V makes your outer self change while still hooking you to the beauty of the game. All I have to say is this new, amazing, marvellous RPG deserves a plain 10 as a token of not peace, not kindness or lack of being sincere, but as a well deserved Game of the Year. Skyrim stands out as the best RPG I've played.

Congratulations, Bethesda. Few can accomplish building this beautiful kind of game.… Expand

This is literally the best game I have played. It's so good that it confuses me how it is even possible. The main thing that confuses me is how magically the loading times for this game are significantly shorter than those of it's predecessor. This game has much better graphics, complex textures, excellent lighting effects, sophisticated AI and somehow they made the loading times shorter. It has been greatly streamlined and leveling up is a lot more fun now! Much better balanced than the last games as well. In ES III Morrowind, melee was heavily favored because magica did not replenish over time. In Oblivion, magic was highly favored because it did replenish and you could also make ridiculous custom spells that made you essentially invincible and arrows were too hard of a skill to level up as well as hard to come by. In Skyrim, it is unfortunate that I will only have one lifetime and therefore will only have enough time to make the most of either a magic, warrior or stealth character. I have balanced my character to do all three with a focus on magic because each one is more fun than the others! Three very distinct play styles with many sub-classes between them. The gameplay is finally that good and also set in a massive, beautiful world full of really fun things to do. No doubt I will be playing this until the next Elder scrolls game comes out.
I know there are only so many regions in Tamrielle to base games in. So I hope that when they run out, they find another continent so that they can keep making games.… Collapse

This game is the best RPG I have ever played it is so immersive !! The attention to details is amazing and the content is so large that this game would last for month

For the gameplay alone I'd say this is a leap forward. We haven't seen this mix-and-match system outside of Bioshock games and Clive Barker's Undying, and it really deserves more time in the sun. ...but its the detail of the world that sucks you in, I just spent 3 hours scouring mines for ore and making armors, sometimes picking flowers and catching butterflies for alchemy on the way... I can't remember having this much fun with the 'little things' in an RPG for a very long time. Its hard to express the feeling when a game lives up to all the expectations you've put on it. I am awed at this game. Sure, there are some flaws on the PC version with controls and the UI, but the patches are forthcoming in a day or two. I haven't even started any real questline and its already obvious that this will suck 100s of hours of my time. Well done Bethesda. 10/10, and I don't give that score lightly.… Expand

Absolutely incredible, but this game. Fantastic graphics, immersive atmosphere and much varied gameplay serve for a momentous game in gaming history. O and say buy to your girlfriend and you normal everyday life cause its now over.

This has been a complete and total new experience to me. Compared to Oblivion, it feels like next-gen in AI and richness of the gaming world.

While the limitations of the 360 and it's storage medium are showing in some places (low res textures in some places), it really doesnt take anything away from this perfect game.

How the two douchebags could give this game anything below an 8 is beyond. This is a qoute from the review"(It's no wonder RPGs are becoming less relevant, it's because companies like Bethesdea, Cdprojekt, and Eidos keep rushing out FPSs in RPG clothing to appeal to the CoD crowd. Stay away from this trite and unimaginative game, if you must get your FPS fix get Battlefield 3 or better yet wait for Mass Effect 3. There is a reason Dragon Age II was proclaimed "Game of the Decade" and Skyrim falls flat on it's face in it's attempt to take the crown)"WTF is he talkin about. This is a must buy.The first timeI went to the top of any mountain and look out into the distance I got a Chubb!!!!… Expand

This game is everything I had hoped for. It is huge, beautiful, and full of character. Every system has been greatly improved upon, from the FX, to the combat, to the animations. This will most likely be the best game that this console generation is capable of providing. You get so much game, I feel like it should cost more... A+ superb.

Para mi es la aventura más grande que he jugado en mi vida. Supera a Zelda Ocarina of Time, GTA San Andreas y por supuesto a Oblivion. Magia en estado puro.

Along with seminal titles like Bioshock, Fallout 3, and Dark Souls, Skyrim is a game to point to when arguing that games can now be considered an art form. Unlike certain other high-profile franchises, The Elder Scrolls series has not rested on its laurels and the changes and improvements are obvious. The new UI (particularly the perk skill trees) is excellent and makes levelling so much more exciting and interesitng that the 'add-to-your-stats' style levelling in Oblivion. And addictive? The only reason I'm not playing the game right now is because we have friends round... stupid social life :P… Expand

My hat is off to Bethesda for releasing a game that is worth my money, nay, worth 10 times my money. It is sad that developers keep taking the playtime down. The standard used to be 10 hours and now games like MW3 offers a measly 5 hours. With Skyrim you will get 500 hours of quality playtime and if that isn't bang for your buck then I don't know what is. In recap, kudos to publishers Bethesda and Rockstar for keeping gaming standards high, and shame on Activision and EA for polluting and diluting good gaming by caring more about their shareholders than their sheepish gamer population.… Expand

Skyrim is a worthy sequel to oblivion. It takes an already great experience and polishes it to perfection. There are a few bugs here and there, but nothing that can't be fixed with a patch, and certainly nothing that can't be overlooked for the games extremely entertaining game play as well as it's immensely immersing story. Not to mention the infinite number of side quests that will make this my go to game for years to come.… Expand

An incredible game experience that anyone must try at least one time, do it and you never regret it. Excellent work done, Bethesda! One of the most beautiful games of the year.

Coming from someone who hated Oblivion,I must say this is one of the best games I've ever played.
Lets just get this out of the way,YES there are bugs but seriously who cares?! The map is freakin huge what do you expect.
Now I absolutely hated oblivion,so I was skeptical buying this but i'm glad I bought it now.
There is so much to do and see.If this doesn't get GOTY then accuse my french but you can Suck my balls.
I could list 101 reasons to buy this game but I have a feeling this review is too long as it is.
10/10… Expand

perfect game, oblivion rulez !!!!!!!Amazing GOTY. This is better than Oblivion and it is the best RPG i have played, it does have some glitched but those glitched willl be patched soon.fu** glitched.

Simply put, this game is a masterpiece of modern gaming. The series has improved immensely from Oblivion in just about every way. The graphics are beautiful, the world massive (as we have come to expect from this series), but the major improvements can be found in gameplay and overall presentation. The combat is revamped and plays better than ever and the world truly feels living and breathing. buy this game.… Expand

This game is loads of fun and there is a ton to do. That being said, after a few days of non-stop addiction this game grows very stale. Searching dead bodies, unlocking chest and selling goods starts to get real old. The combat interface is simply put "Awful." When you go to use your power move, there is no adjusting your aim. So you just will randomly swing hardcore at the air. Who would do that? Also, the glitches are funny when you first start playing, but they start to get very annoying after a couple day. If you need some comparison, it is Oblivion with dragons. Nothing else. 6/10.… Expand

Mmmmm, WHERE to start? Obviously, many users now know of the many bugs, glitches, borked gameplay issues, errors that have plagued various versions of SKYRIM. -From broken quest lines to missed triggers, flying horses, missing heads on player-toons, backward dragons and more, SKYRIM's reviews have also been blessed with PERFECT 10s and desultory 0s, depending upon the multivariable motivations or largesse of individual reviewers. And, while this writer's XBOX version game state evidences missing heads, collision errors between AI and objects, poor pathing, disappearing textures, falling thru the world, hardlocking of the console repeatedly; it does NOT, at least presently, demonstrate sack-crushing lag. . . . BUT, of course, IF game reviews were based solely upon game design documents or designer-fantasies, then EVERY game might garner accolades and generous sell-thru at retail. SKYRIM, on the obverse, has enjoyed massive sales, skewing reviews, and growing condemnation from irate gamers and a limited number of gaming publications and sites, late to the party, due to an avalanche of bugs and broken content. Many users and reviewers have touted argumentation that a game with as much vision as SKYRIM would be bound to have anomalies and glitches. Yes, due to sheer size and scope, a larger aggregation of code would tend to increase the possibility of glitches or odd circumstances. Conversely, when a specific version of a game does NOT work on the system or console that it was designed for; then, something is amiss. Emergent gameplay does NOT mean, random crashes, falling thru the world, disappearing npcs, backward dragons and other oddities; particularly, when nearly ALL of those issues could be easily reproduced, by testers, prior to launch and remedied. Yes, BETHESDA dropped SKYRIM on 11-11-2011, but it might have actually worked as intended IF they'd waited a bit; maybe 11-11-3011. So, then, the conundrum remains: Is SKYRIM worthy of a 10 due to its ambition or a 0 due to its faulty and broken implementation? Alternatively, should movies be rated based upon any future "Director's Cut" version or secret "second ending" on a proposed DVD release or the version the moviemakers shovel into the theaters for your initial approval at launch? Can a game garner GoTY accolades and awards when, in fact, it does NOT run as intended or, not at all, in the case of the PS3 version? For BETHESDA-supporters to intimate that the game's problems are due, in large majority, to the limitations of various hardware is specious; seeming logical but utterly false when closely examined. Moreover, reconsider all the various and SIMILAR issues that other titles from BETHESDA have had, including curiously similar problems with FALLOUT: NEW VEGAS, its own DLC and savegame corruption, incompatibilities and base code issues. . . . BETHESDA, have created their own fact-pattern; repeatedly releasing games with issues and hurried remedies, often to no avail.… Expand

I do not blame those who give this a bad rating...i used to hate oblivion with a passion. The gameplay and system just didn't work for me and i didn't understand what Bethesda was trying to do. But eventually a friend convinced me to try it out for a few days and truly get into it...and i finally realized what Bethesda was trying to do. This game is literally an art, and is by far the greatest game EVER created. This gameplay is not for everyone, but please do not get on here and say the mechanics and graphics are bad because they are some of the greatest ever, and if you did not realize that the second you put the game into your xbox, then i feel sorry you. If i had only one word to describe Skyrim, that word would be perfection.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Best Game In History of Games.

Yes.

Best Game In History of Games.

Yes.

Best Game In History of Games.

Yes.

Best Game In History of Games.

Yes.… Expand

Materpiece!
This game has everything any gamer want:
Excellent story, graphics, sound and gameplay.
I dont know who will hate this, but if you hate it, you dont know what a good game is.

Normally in a game that i love i will say that the only bad thing about it it that is has to end. In this case, the game does not end. I have played for 72 hours and I'm only level 35. The game satisfies all needs and it doesn't make you do the storyline. The world levels up with you which allows the game to always be a challenge, and i love the system that they have for leveling up. The only thing wrong with this game is that the world is so big that it is bound to have some glitches. I honestly don't see how you could play this game and not love it.… Expand

A masterpiece of a game that can be related to a rare object in history, but in entertainment form. Games like this are rare. Not only have they improved upon nearly all aspects of Oblivion, but they have added a new sense of individuality, depth, and quality of the world. It may be smaller than Cyrodiil, but make no mistake, Skyrim is much larger. The character creation is fantastic, and to give away no spoilers, can really take up quite a lot of your time as you delve into it's in depth features. The graphics are some of the best I've seen, and being on a console, it looks fantastic. The story already seems to be more realistic than Oblivion's (in terms of progression.) Look no further, this is the game of the year. No. It's the game of the century.… Expand

This game is just excellence on all levels, from the gameplay to the soundtrack, i just love it! The story is brilliant and so are the many adventures that await you!

The first few hours in, I'm enthralled. The storyline is rich, should you choose to follow it, but the game actually rewards you for actually utilizing its sandbox style regardless. Every area and encounter is different each time you play, and the soundtrack can really get you into the game. Other developers need to step up to this standard now. The renewed engine is great, and even with a PC gaming rig built 2-3 years ago, you can still run on high resolution with great FPS. The game play is solid, and although sometimes melee feels like you're not actually hitting the target, that is more than made up with the improvements to archery and magic use. Overall, this is the best Elder Scrolls game in the series so far, and one of the best RPG genre games of all time.… Expand

What a great game!! So big, so beautiful, so much fun to play. In my 10 years of gaming, I haven't seen anything like this, Skyrim's world is so well done, full of life, every little detail is accounted for. What I noticed is that you never stop doing quests and they're so much fun to do, that they will eat up your time for at least 1 month! Everything feels perfect, I'm giving this game a 10.

Amazing game. One point off because the menu system took a huge step backwards. Tons of stuff to do, looks great, load times kind of long but not too annoying. Worth it.

There is virtually no choice and consequence whatsoever. Quests rarely have any branching paths or variables that hold lasting effects according to your actions; indeed, as demonstrated by Skyrim and Oblivion beforehand, Bethesda fasely believes that "role-playing" amounts to little more than "having alot of stuff to do." Combat is incredibly flawed and was not improved upon over Oblivion in the slightest; enemy A.I. is without any complexity or variation, and this, coupled with the lack of precision in attacks ("WOAH LOOK AT THAT CAMERA FLYING EVERYWHERE WHEN I SWING REALISTIC!!!111!!!11") reduces battles to little more than mindless hack n' slash fests, with the only "challenge" in these battles being how well you can last out against objects with inflated stats (This isn't Skyward Sword, or Dark Souls, where you actually have to think and adapt your strategies accordingly to different battles; the only difference among Skyrim's foes, most of the time, is what numbers are attributed to each NPC).

The leveling system is terrible and encourages mindless grinding. While "practice makes perfect" works in theory, you aren't actually practicing when you level your one-handed skill, for example; you're just repeatedly hacking and slashing to get higher points. This stands in opposition to games such as Dark Souls, where you are rewarded for tackling tough enemies that require thought to take down. In Skyrim, you are rewarded for doing nothing.

On that note, level scaling is terrible. Early on, abilities seem to be balanced; there are fair benefits to going with either a melee or magic build. Later on, the system becomes incredibly broken, giving unfair advantages to melee builds and rendering casters useless.

The animations are still hideous and robotic, and differ little, in quality, from Oblivion's (In fact, many of them seem to be ripped straight FROM Oblivion).

Quests are poorly designed and feel like standard MMO fair (Which should be inexcusable in a game that is NOT an MMO); unfortunately, there is no hint of quality story-telling to mask this problem (It's as if Bethesda's writers spent a little too much time in the young adult literature section of the local library and came back believing they could write quality fantasy with compelling characters).

While the overworld is nice and gives the illusion of complex design, dungeons are still cramped, narrow corridors without any nuance to their design. The environment itself should be a challenge; if there is no challenge present in the dungeons, it is pointless to include them.

The game does feature quality music, and the visuals are pretty (Except when you get a little too close to a wall or the ground and realize how low-quality the textures can be), but that isn't enough to mask the game's mechanical flaws. Skyrim may be a great nature walk simulator, but it's a bad game.… Expand

Patch arrived and my issues are fixed. As promised, an updated review. Skyrim is just huge you can spend countless hour walking around and finding things to do virtually everywhere you go. The simplified systems make character creation fast and not nearly so easy to mess up. Visuals are stunning at every turn. The lack of acrobatics/athletic skill takes any reward from walking from place to place, but not everything is instantly lit up on the map either so you get in some good foot time and that's good for the immersion. Combat is refined and magic is now fixed. You even get your fallout combat moments every now and then, albeit they are less gory and explody but still epic. The thing that keeps this from a 10 (Perfect) is a coop. Because even with all that they add. There is always that thought in the back of your head of how many more times amazing it would be if you could blast a real player with magic or share with them your equipment.… Expand

A beautiful and mystifying game. A true step forward in the series, and a mark of excellence. Small inconsistencies will be fixed with patches soon, but none are game breaking. Unimaginative sequels take note! (MW3) this is how you make a sequel. There are honestly too many high points about this game to list, so just go play it! Special thanks to Chopper79 for completely missing the point, enjoy playing MW3 with the rest of the sheep.… Expand

Skyrim is a real work of art. I've poured more than 20 hours into it and have barely scratched the surface. Anybody who says that Oblivion is better is just stuck in a nostalgic land. Skyrim offers an RPG experience like no other. Be who you want to be. That's exactly how Bethesda wants you to play it; and play it like that you will, because Bethesda perfected the Western RPG genre with this chapter in the Elder Scrolls Saga. Dragons, Draugr and Daedra. What more do I have to say?… Expand

If You liked Oblivion you will love Skyrim, it's everything Oblivion was and improved to near perfection. Hundreds of hours of gameplay with almost infinite things to do. The sound and immersion, the dragons, the magic, the world of Skyrim itself, it's all close to excellence.
The bugs are still there though, like the animations which are pretty bad and the melee combat that, once again, could be better.

Even for the newcomers in this saga I couldn't recommend any other game to buy this Christmas, none other deserves that much the money you'll pay.… Expand

I am a fan of multi-player epics like Modern Warfare, Battlefield, and Halo, but I have to say this may be the best game i now own for the 360. It is incredibly detailed and immerses you in a complete movie like experience that doesn't end in 2 hours. All around i have to say that this is a must buy for any owner of any console.

Skyrim wins for most overrated game of the year. Seriously, I find nothing good about this game that is worthy of getting all of the attention it is getting right now. This game is probably more overrated and overhyped than COD has ever been. Battlefield 3 **** on this game so bad yet all of the awards this year only talked about this **** ass game.

Skyrim lives up to all expectations. The game looks amazing. I find the missions, content and dialogue are far improved from Oblivion and all add up to more immersive gameplay. This feels like a game which has not been rushed but has had care and attention to detail given to it all the way through production. The map itself is huge and I would imagine 100+ hours easily on this game. For £40 that is a bargain. This is definitely going to be my game of the year along Battlefield 3. If you're a gamer this is a must have. No arguments.… Expand

Let me just start of by saying that I have NEVER posted a review on this website. In fact, I signed up to it just now so I could post a review about this absolutely epic game. Skyrim is the first game I've ever played in The Elder Scrolls franchise, and now I know what I've been missing out on! The game is not without it's faults, granted, but it angers me to see users posting reviews entirely structured around the graphical faults with the game - due to it's sheer size and scale, obviously there are going to be some graphical hiccups (and minor ones at that). With that being said, TES: Skyim is with out a doubt the best RPG experience out there to date, offering a vast, rich and detailed world complete with layered characters and meaningful interactions. See that mountain in the distance? Go climb it!… Expand

Simply superb, a must have.

One of the greatest (if not the greatest) games I have ever had the privilege of playing. Never took the time to even write a few sentences worth of a review for a video game before but this is one game you do not want to miss. I had never played any of the Elder Scrolls games before and was highly skeptical of this one when it came out but because of the overwhelming number of positive reviews I decided to give it a try...least to say I'm glad that I did. Buy this game now.… Expand

Horrible and disapointing game. Skyrim is everything Elder Scrolls fans did not want. Its smaller,stripped,mainstreamed,buggy and ugly game. If this is the new direction of Elder Scrolls then this serie is dead for me. It certainly won my FOTY(Fail of the year) award this year.

I'm probably just a minor crowd here but it seems this and oblivion aren't the games for me.. I don't want a game where I can explore walking about and looking at the scenes. Those are good but not a main selling point for me. I'm tired of this game showing up when i try to find top 10 RPGs of 2011. I'm into RPGs for captivating stories.. games that fill me with a sense of purpose when I get around a main turning point. I want to read a story book without having to open a book :). In this game the story seems to be in the background with other features shining in the foreground. That doesn't represent the Role Playing Game genre to me.. But.. from the ratings this game is generally getting, it seems I am a rare breed.… Expand

Great game that is making the 360 show its age. My only real complaint is that everything is SO dark. I know they want you to use the torch but talking to dark elves when the sun is up makes it impossible to see their face. I would have appreciated a little more than just an overall brightness adjustment and I do have a nice TV. One thing that this game has which is very rare but amazing is the ability to map any button to any button like a PC game. Setting it up like Halo controls is amazing.… Expand

Western RPGs don't get much better than this. The amount of effort that has gone into this game is apparent. If this doesn't make game of the year I will be very surprised.

Just breathtaking! This is everything I have wanted in an RPG from Bethesda! Surely a game to last me to the end of the 360's cycle. Graphics are great for what kind of game this is. So much detail and consideration was taken into consideration when this game was made.

This is quite possibly one of the best games I, personally, have ever played. I don't say that lightly. Ever.
(Although, it should be noted that I also say this about Fallout 3.)

Over the time between announcement and release, I had my fair share of change in skepticism, especially once the major hype-wagon hit. I couldn't help but feel like I'd get affected by the hype and then be disappointed when I initially played it on release. This was not the case.
Of course, I see a few bad reviews on this website, but from what I've read (and I did not read all of them), the reviewers that scored it negatively were not fans previous to Skyrim, or even familiar with typical Bethesda RPGs, so perhaps a few did get caught in the hype web. If you are a fan of older TES games, though, or even the current Bethesda generation Fallout series, you shouldn't worry about Skyrim based off these reviews; as long as you are familiar with the gameplay and layout of these games, and you enjoy them for that layout and gameplay, you should enjoy Skyrim.

Graphically, the game is incredibly beautiful. Months, years and decades beyond Oblivion in almost every way, except for maybe character movements. The gameplay has also been improved greatly, mainly spellcasting, to a point where I can hardly believe this is the next game in line after Oblivion and Fallout. Being able to duel wield spells and single handed weapons wasn't even this satisfying in Bioshock 2!
It should also be noted that 3rd person is even more a viable option than it ever has been, though it still seems primarily a first person game. The only thing so far that I haven't seen much improvement on is the Sword combat. It still feels as though your whacking your opponent with a small plastic spoon instead of a large iron sword.

I haven't gotten far enough in the main story to really score it in any way that would be fair.

The sound is amazing, from everything to walking on cobblestone to the the flapping of giant dragon wings which are a sure sign of a battle to come. There are the occasional "broken record" moments when a certain sound is interrupted repeats a few times. It's nothing game breaking by ANY means, but it is rather noticeable if you use a Turtlebeach headset.

There is no multiplayer which I really see no reason to downscore the game for.

Overall, Skyrim is an incredible improvement over Oblivion and Fallout, so much so that it's hard to believe these were all released to the same console. I can't say enough good things about this game, and I've barely played much at all in comparison to what there is. Don't miss this game, and if you've never played a Bethesda RPG before, at least rent it and give it a try.… Expand