The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Review from Barry - Wednesday, 21 December 2011 @ 5:06pm

At the time of writing this review I am currently 86 hours into Skyrim. 86 hours. This may not seem like a large amount of time for someone such as yourself, young and carefree with all the time in the world to play games and dance about. But for one such as me, with a newborn baby at home and extremely busy end of year at work it speaks volumes for how much I dig this game.

Earthquake Insurance is not sold to the home owners of Solitude

As I am sure you are all aware, Skyrim is the fifth title in the extremely popular “The Elder Scrolls” series of video games - and like in the previous games - Skyrim sees you once again starting the game in chains. It turns out you were busted crossing the border into Skyrim. The Imperials have an immigration policy that Julia Gillard would kill for - they picked me up at the border, and without further ado, "processed" my arrival, deciding that I was best off without a head.

What follows after this is completely up to you, like previous TES how you play and where you play is a choice for you and you alone. Become the Arch-mage at the college of magic or even attend bard school, hell you are free to bugger off a live in a cave surviving off hanging moss and snow berries if you want.

Parry, block, FIREBALL

If you do choose the snow berry option you might wish to pick up a few weapons before heading off to that cave because there is a good chance that something is going to try and kill you on the way. The world of Skyrim is nearly as full as the world of Dark Souls with things that want to kill you, except unlike Dark Souls - they die instead of you. Much like the freedom of what to do, the freedom to loot is also in your hands. When an enemy dies you get access to everything they were wearing, holding and sometimes even their toes.

The sheer amount of freedom given to you can become more of a burden than a benefit, with no solid time frame or urgency to complete the main mission some players might get lost in a sea of endless quests and lose interest. It is something that I myself have done in the two previous TES games - Morrowind and Oblivion. Amassing a fortune the size of Scrooge McDuck, running the Thieves, Mage & Fighters guild but not saving the world at all and then losing interest. With no penalty for not completing the main story there is a good chance that the same may happen in Skyrim

Would you jump off here?

Much like the quest freedom given to the player, the combat in Skyrim is is just as open. Laying waste to all that oppose you with a traditional sword and shield combination is just as acceptable as a sword and a fireball spell, or dual daggers with some sort of enchantment. If however, you wish to become extremely overpowered, simply use a bow and stealth to wipe out your enemies from afar without them knowing where you are.

If you need to take a break from wiping out the bandit population, you are free to hone your skills at the blacksmith forge or start combining all the berries and herbs you have picked up into random potions at the alchemy table. There is also the dark arts of enchanting your weapons and armor that is well worth a look into. All of these professions have their own skill trees and unlocks that you can level up, or completely ignore.

Look to the heavens to level up your skills

The only thing in Skyrim that you are not allowed to ignore is the outstanding graphics. Standing atop snow capped mountains looking down the breathtaking vistas, while aurora borealis light up the night sky is a regular occurrence in Skyrim. You are also just as likely to come across a lush secluded valley complete with picturesque waterfall kicking up water spray, these are just some of the many amazingly detailed things you will stumble across in your travels.

It is hard to capture the essence of Skyrim in words, like the matrix you need to see it to believe it - but its obvious by the amount of detail which Bethsada has put into this game, that it is a labor of love. In a world this large (and boy is the map big) the amount of little side quests that you just stumble across is just jaw dropping, like the Bards Leap - which presents you with a waterfall that you can jump off if you so choose to. If you do, and survive, you will be greeted by the ghost of a bard who failed to survive, who then sings you a song that levels up your speech ability.

Pros

• Outstanding visuals
• Extremely refined combat system
• Unparalleled level of character customization
• Sandbox or story driven, depending on your play style

Cons

• Can get lost in the sea of quests and lose interest
• Easy to become overpowered in combat