Skyrim - Your Reviews and First Impressions

[Ganonloth30]

Well I thought the first main opening with the city under attack by the dragon felt un-elder scrolls like, but once i was free of that i was completely blown away by the scenery and the freedom, just like an elder scrolls game is suppose to feel like.

[Frost Mage]

About the Ultra Settings test with you Mars, would anyone happen to know what consoles runs at roughly?

[An Elf With An Axe]

Loathe! :
-Lack of companion depth. All they do is comment on the scenery.
-Villages are a bit too small. I mean, Ivarstead consists of two cabins, Winterhold is basically only the College.
-Dialogue options. I'm a damn wizard! I know what an elder scroll is! I understand Nirn's metaphysics! I know who the Dwemer are! I AM NOT AN IDIOT! ARGH! Everyone seems to think that I'm some sort of brawn over brains guy.
-Lack of unlock spell. Why? There was no reason whatsoever.
-Lack of water walking spell. Why?! There was no reason whatsoever either!
-Dunmer voices. The trailers lied again! But even if they could not be made raspy...why the bloody hell did it have to be a cockney accent?

You missed one... The rain still goes through the over hanging roofs outside... just like it did in Oblivion... and Morrowind...

[Axeforhire66]

I'm about 100 hours in, and I can safely say that I like Skyrim much more than Oblivion. I don't think I'll end up liking it more than Morrowind though, but that game just holds a special place for me. It's pretty much the game that got me into hardcore gaming. But anyway...

Pros:
-Sprawling, vast game world. The environments are diverse, and the world is just huge. I'm making a point to not use fast-travel (I am using fast travel to the cities, but only to cities) and it takes forever to get around the world. I like that. It makes everything feel like an adventure.
- Improved level-scaling. I like that it took a step back from Oblivion and made it so leveling up is actually worth something. I can't speak for others, but I like getting my head bashed in because I'm too weak then returning later to kick some ass. I think it could still be reduced a little more, but I can't complain because it keeps the game challenging and rewarding at the same time.
-Items, items, items. I was a little upset at first when it was announced that they were making the chest and leg armor one combined piece, but honestly it's not that big of a deal now because it feels like there is a much wider range of armor.
-Many, many quests. It's always great when there are quests galore to complete.
-The story is actually really good in Skyrim too, possibly some of my favorite arcs yet. I actually care about whats going on, and the lore is rich and deep (which is to be expected)
-The combat is improved too, I still see room for improvement, but as long as it's moving forward I'm happy. It does feel much more visceral and brutal this time around.
-Improved difficulty modifier. The previous games had broken difficulty sliders. But with Skyrim, I started out on Master difficulty and it was challenging but not ridiculously hard. Later on in the game, it got to the point where it was ridiculous and I bumped it down a level to Expert. But it seems like its much improved on this level, it challenges me but isnt too unrealistic.

Cons:
-I absolutely HATE that there are some containers that I can't loot. While we are on the topic, I also got incredibly angry the first time I found some items that I couldn't loot. If there is a fork or a candle on the table, I should be able to take it. I know it's a junk item, but seriously why can't I move it around? It also makes it so I can't get rid of it in my house.
-Slightly dumbed down items. I know I said items were great in my pros section, but in a few areas they took a step backward. There seem to be less junk items, which i thought helped flesh out the world.
-You can only wear one ring. That's just stupid. I have ten fingers. I was fine with two, but only being able to wear one ring is just downright silly.
-They nuked spellcrafting. They added smithing as a crafting skill, brought back enchanting as a skill and added cooking as an activity. Why did they take out spellcrafting? It's not THAT big of a deal, I just like to customize things is all.
-The miscellaneous quests are cool, but I would like to get more story out of them. A lot of the quests are incredibly forgettable, even more than anything in the Scrolls before. And in my journal, the entries for the misc quests are as simple as "collect 5 wolf pelts for grognog gro-braknusg." And while we're on the topic...
-The journal is pretty messy. I want more information about the quests. They pretty much made it so it isnt a journal, the player character has no personality in the entries. It's not really written from his point of view so it's like having a book telling you what to do. Also, it's not detailed enough to quest without using the quest marker. I wanted to play without using the quest markers but I cant because the quests are lacking detail.
-The compass. It's right up there in the middle of your face. I know, you can disable it, but that also disables subtitles which I need.
-The menu. The list-style menu from Oblivion is back, with some slight differences. It just gets really cluttered and there is no way to organize your stuff. It's in alphabetical order and you can't change it. The favorites menu is the same way, but I think its an improvement over the oblivion console hotkeys.

Overall, it's an amazing game. Even though I had a large list of cons, it's because I'm a huge fan of the elder scrolls and get really nitpicky. But honestly, it's probably the second best game I've ever played after Morrowind. Bethesda is truly a legendary company, and each person there is a master of their craft. All of my complaints are minor in the grand scheme of things, and I might get the PC version when I have a capable PC so I can mod in the small changes that I would like. Excellent [&@%!] game.

[Axeforhire66]

Loathe! :
-Lack of companion depth. All they do is comment on the scenery.
-Villages are a bit too small. I mean, Ivarstead consists of two cabins, Winterhold is basically only the College.
-Dialogue options. I'm a damn wizard! I know what an elder scroll is! I understand Nirn's metaphysics! I know who the Dwemer are! I AM NOT AN IDIOT! ARGH! Everyone seems to think that I'm some sort of brawn over brains guy.
-Lack of unlock spell. Why? There was no reason whatsoever.
-Lack of water walking spell. Why?! There was no reason whatsoever either!
-Dunmer voices. The trailers lied again! But even if they could not be made raspy...why the bloody hell did it have to be a cockney accent?

You missed one... The rain still goes through the over hanging roofs outside... just like it did in Oblivion... and Morrowind...

I did notice that about the dialogue. It seems like everyone things you are a fool regardless. I spend a lot of time reading the books and immersing myself in the lore, so it's silly that everyone has to tell me everything and treat me like a simpleton. And I agree about the dunmer voices. I was excited from the trailer, then when I met my first dunmer I wanted to scream. Why would they tease us like that?

[MARS]

About your item gripe:

It technically isn't an item. This is probably done in order to conserve processor power.

[deadknight]

The game is amazing....i can see that is definitely better then Oblivion..and maybe better then Morrowind...

I like the dual wielding thing though not too much dual weapons....just weapon and spell..mostly

The UI (user interface) is kinda funny, but i get used quickly with it. I already got about 120hrs of gameplay and my character is still pretty weak (lvl 30)...but i dont care....Best game i played in years

[Mai'ik]

better than oblivion?? Well, The graphics are better, and the story doesnt leave you sitting on the sidelines as an observer during the crucial climactic moment of the game like oblivion did, but, to be honest, Over all, I personally feel that oblivion is a much better game.. This game with all its trickery deceit and ugliness feels too much like it was developed as a serious version of a Peter Molyneaux game..

[MichaelTh1rte3n]

You really liked Oblivion?

Not to offend but I found Oblivion a game that had so much potential but was doomed by being poorly executed...

Graphics: are irrelevant after meeting a standard in my opinion, Oblivion looks good and Skyrim looks good so let us leave that there.

Atmosphere: I think Skyrim sinks Oblivion here, the towns feel like real medieval towns and the characters feel like real people... not running around talking about mudcrabs in a badly acted manner! dungeons are a real gem in terms of atmosphere.

Combat: Skyrim again for me, Melee is now exciting and flashy with the finishers, archery feels powerful and very LOTR style. Magic takes a bit of a hit but duel casting helps. Oblivion was very repetitive in this department.

System: Skyrim feels slick and well put together, leveling is simple and early bugs aside the game plays pretty well for me. I am sure Oblivion had its fair share of bumps in the early days.

Immersion: Oblivion lacked this for me, questing for rare and powerful armors only to discover every bandit and hack in town has them when you return really kills the immersion, as does men taking 50 arrows to the face to down.

Oblivion to me was a great idea but Skyrim was that idea realized, only downside is Sean Bean was not the star of Skyrim <.<

the initial bliss of the game has worn off on me now though and it now ranks nicely between the two N64 Zelda games in my top list now... naming a game better than MM, madness! what was I thinking! great game but not without flaws.

[Snoweater]

Skyrim + Oblivion quest stories + Morrowind diversity and length = best game ever made.

[Mucro]

So now after a month + of playing, I have come up with a short list of cons for the game.

I like the companions, of course. But:

Spoiler:

The whole Werewolf thing for me kind of put the focus away from being a Warrior

So I did not feel like it was a true fighter's guild in this respect.

This is a silly one, but I wish there were some more British accents. it's only trivial, but for me there are no many American accents. The kid's are so bloody annoying.

Speaking of that, if you don't want us to kill kids, then don't make them so [&@%!] hate-able!

I love the Wild, exploring and everything is so great. The cities are great, towns are, forts are, everything is. But for me, it's making me miss the feeling of Oblivion. I don't know what that is, but I've been greatly wanting to play it again.


At this point, Skyrim is 9.7 out of 10.

[Drizzt Do'Urden]

Magic was nerfed, bad....

[N'wah Nern]

Alright, I've played for quite a while now and, while I'm still not finished the main quest, I think its time to go over what works and what doesn't.

Pro:
Dungeons are so much better than the previous games now. It seems that a good deal of them are unique and have small storyline to them, either spelled out in journals or in object placement. People may say "There are really only three dungeons: Dwemer, Crypt, and Cave", but I think there is enough variety both in what these dungeons contain and what you find yourself doing there for them to be considered good. And it is much much better than Oblivion (empty Eleven ruins that don't seem lived in at all) or even Morrowind (which only had a few truly interesting dungeons outside of its expansion packs).

(Though I think they may have a point with the crypt dungeons. Seriously it seems like Dragur and spiders are the only enemies in those.)

Magic effects (such as blast, gale, glyph, and cloak) and duel wielding were good additions.
I enjoyed the new books.
The over world does not seem empty, there's always a cave to find or bandits to take out or giants to avoid. Plenty of aesthetic variety too.
Stealth and thievery works much better now. My Assassin can murder somebody from the shadows and not be caught, guard don't seem as psychic as they did in Oblivion.
Though too short, guild quests seem to have more story and character to them. I actually come to connect with the NPCs, though they sometimes lack dialogue when I feel they should have something to say.
Story seems to have some good lore backing it.
Some actual choice in who you support: Imperials or Stormcloaks. Any step in the direction of Fallout New Vegas is a good step.
I like the Perk system. I just wish there were some more ways to define my character at the start of the game.
NPCs are no longer blobfaces. Appearance customization was much improved, though I still would like some more hair options.
Music is amazing.
Dragon fights were well done, though as I leveled they became too easy. Maybe that's as it should be though. I'm not sure.
Shouting is awesome.
The world feels very, well, Elder Scrolls. I think it definitely seems grounded in lore in the way Morrowind was. That goes a long way.
Good to see the return of the carriage.

Cons:
Level Scaling. This is not good Bethesda. Stop trying to tell us it is. It doesn't work and makes you seem lazy and gives your critics ammo. It means Alduin (the world eater) is just as hard at level 1 as he is at level 50. It makes leveling your character pointless. All it means is cool equipment and MAYBE it makes killing Dragur slightly easier.
SPOILER:

Spoiler:

There is a moment in the main quest where you fight Alduin and then he just flies away because "You can't kill Alduin now" "Why?" "Because you can't". Why did he even need to show up? What was the point of that fight?

Not enough Spell Variety, Spells available to learn are too beholden to level scaling. I should be able to learn high level spells at level one, they just shouldn't work or should eat up my magicka.
AI is horrible. Follower AI especially.
What's with the bugs and glitches and horrible patches? This is 2011 Bethesda, we won't put up with that anymore.
Guild quests are too short. Make me feel as if I'm earning my way to the top, not "ZOMG you're amazing and you instantly are promoted even though you just joined".
Small nitpick: Too many old books, not enough new books. Why are the citizens of still reading 200 year old books, most of them concerning Morrowind for some reason in Skyrim?
"Hmm" "Yes" "Did you need something?" "Need something?" Stop this Bethesda. At least make the NPCs seem clever when they have nothing to say.
Combat still feels too un-strategic. Not sure how you would fix that though. Weak-spots on enemies? More ability to control your swings?
Needs more armor options and pieces like in Morrowind.
Smithing is abusable. Nothing should ever be abusable.

I should never have to ask: "What was the point?" when I'm playing a roleplaying game.

Suggestions:
There can never be enough character customization, in terms of appearance, equipment, class, and factions.
Does it have to be Good vs Evil all the time? I understand this is high fantasy, but the ES lore offers so much more.

Overall, I'm having a lot of fun, but immersion is getting broken a lot. But when I'm immersed, I'm immersed.

Very good game. I wonder if Bethesda actually reads these. Or if they just use focus groups.

[OPMarty]

The game in general is overall good, but there are things to steer you off the path of what you were supposed to do, like Mucro said. Things like Werewolves kind of don't have a relation to the quests and are fun to play around with, thus making (me) lose track of my quest, these are not necessary or demanded by the game's needs. People are kind of arses sometimes. Great game though. Fun, hundreds of hours of gameplay, Overall - 9.5/10
Based on first experience, of course, would have been a perfect 10/10, though there are cons found later.

[Frost Mage]

While after done with the related quests, yes, being a Werewolf doesn't have anything to do with the story. However, being a Werewolf is a key part of being with the Companions. And the more things that can get you off track, the better. People can be idiots, whether that be in a racist, sarcastic, or downright rude manor, and it all brings Skyrim to life, especially when that "arse" is an Altmer in Oblivion . And by the way, I know PartyBroskies in real life, and I can tell you guys for a fact that he hasn't played Daggerfall, Morroiwnd, Oblivion, or even more than an hour of Skyrim. Remember, just because I set up Daggerfall on your computer doesn't mean you've played it. It also doesn't mean you've played a game when I bring it over for an hour . Food for thought.

[OPMarty]

While after done with the related quests, yes, being a Werewolf doesn't have anything to do with the story. However, being a Werewolf is a key part of being with the Companions. And the more things that can get you off track, the better. People can be idiots, whether that be in a racist, sarcastic, or downright rude manor, and it all brings Skyrim to life, especially when that "arse" is an Altmer in Oblivion . And by the way, I know PartyBroskies in real life, and I can tell you guys for a fact that he hasn't played Daggerfall, Morroiwnd, Oblivion, or even more than an hour of Skyrim. Remember, just because I set up Daggerfall on your computer doesn't mean you've played it. It also doesn't mean you've played a game when I bring it over for an hour . Food for thought.

Two things Frosty, one being that I don't know you, and two being that you don't know me - how would you know whether I have played a game or how long I've played a game. I wouldn't lie to the nice people of the forums. I've played all said games. I've played them for more than an hour, more than twelve hours, etcetera. You do bring up a good point but they aren't very good hearted most of the time (I'm talking about the game now) and I don't feel TOO strongly on the subject, but they are kind of off putting. Good night everybody!

[Frost Mage]

While after done with the related quests, yes, being a Werewolf doesn't have anything to do with the story. However, being a Werewolf is a key part of being with the Companions. And the more things that can get you off track, the better. People can be idiots, whether that be in a racist, sarcastic, or downright rude manor, and it all brings Skyrim to life, especially when that "arse" is an Altmer in Oblivion . And by the way, I know PartyBroskies in real life, and I can tell you guys for a fact that he hasn't played Daggerfall, Morroiwnd, Oblivion, or even more than an hour of Skyrim. Remember, just because I set up Daggerfall on your computer doesn't mean you've played it. It also doesn't mean you've played a game when I bring it over for an hour . Food for thought.

Two things Frosty, one being that I don't know you, and two being that you don't know me - how would you know whether I have played a game or how long I've played a game. I wouldn't lie to the nice people of the forums. I've played all said games. I've played them for more than an hour, more than twelve hours, etcetera. You do bring up a good point but they aren't very good hearted most of the time (I'm talking about the game now) and I don't feel TOO strongly on the subject, but they are kind of off putting. Good night everybody!

Well, not to get this thread too off topic, but I do know this guy. He's just trollin' as usual. Anyway, I don't think you deserve to rate a game you haven't played.

[Lymond]

Sorry to interrupt the frosty-party exchange.......but to the point....

Skyrim is my best game experience of all time. Played mostly sports games until Morrowind. Skeptically tried Oblivion, assuming it would pale in comparison to Morrowind. Oblivion offered a better game experience but it did not have the "fear factor" that Morrowind offered. In my view Skyrim gets it just right. Immersion is the word people are using and I think that is what I like best about Skyrim.

I've done most of dark brotherhood and thieves guild, a good part of the civil war and main quest...but am in no hurry to complete any of them. Having a great time trekking around...mostly north in the snowy hinterland....but I occasionally have to get down to the southwest to take out some of the Foresworn. At present I am plotting a way to start a war with the Thalmor.

[Araldmar]

So far Skyrim has proved enjoyable enough.

The dungeons are far better, spell animations are better and new abilities such as Smithing and Dual Wielding are a welcome bonus.

But I still prefer Oblivion mainly due to Skyrims quests. I have yet to come across a quest in Skyrim I can instantly recall in near perfect detail. I could do this for almost every quest in Oblivion.
Skyrims quests (and guild questlines) are short, boring and, though I regret saying this about a Bethesda game, lack depth.
I am not criticising all Skyrims quest, some were moderately enjoyable. But the majority of them were not.

The guilds were also terrible. The college of Winterhold was way too short (there was as many quests in Oblivion to get into the Arcane University alone) and didnt explain anything. What was the Eye? Why were the Psijics interested? What was Ancano trying to get from it? The Companions, short and uninteresting as well. The Dark Brotherhood and Thieves guild were "alright" but nothing compared to Oblivion.

And Skyrim feels so bland. The people have nothing interesting to say, they dont talk about rumours in other parts of Tamriel and it is difficult to gain information.

And magic. So many of my favourite spells gone. And to throw oil on the fire, spellmaking is gone too.

I am not trying to compare Skyrim to Oblivion but I really cant help it. Skyrim is a good game but lacks the depth and lore I feel Oblivion had.

Nearly 600 hours in Oblivion and I only stopped because of Skyrim. 100 hours in Skyrim and I am starting to grow tired of it.

Sorry for the rant but it was good to get it out of the system

[Lymond]

I agree with Araldmar's observations re lack of quality of Skyrim's quest for the thieves guild, dark brotherhood and Mage college as compared to Oblivion. Agree it's hard to not compare them. I don't mind the changes in magic, spells, etc. Morrowind had things I liked that were "missing" in Oblivion and while there are things that are "missing" in Skyrim it is what it is and simpler magic kind of makes sense for the warrior culture in Skyrim.

What totally works for me with Skyrim is the atmosphere and basic gameplay. One way for me to explain this is that in Oblivion I was never scared like I was in Morrowind. It was too safe, too comfortable. In Skyrim, Even at a higher level with good armor and strong archery skill I am still at the edge of my seat and working up a sweat of anxiety when I am exploring....particularly in the dark caves. The towns, the npc's and topography seem much improved over Oblivion. For me, these improvements allow me to overlook the fact that the "guild" quest lines are weak.

[EltonJ]

Okay, the best part of the whole game, for me, was the Marriage quest. I think it offered a positive view of Marriage if a bit amoral and unrealistic. Marriage is a custom that goes back thousands of years, and it symbolizes the coming together of two souls.

That, and I loved the immersion.

Okay . . .

The Companions Quest and the College quests were totally and completely anti-climatic. 6 stupid quests, 6 quests and you control the Companions or the College. You don't climb your way to the top. The Quests in Oblivion were long and arduous. They made you fight hard to become Archmage or Guildmaster of the Fighter's Guild.

Plus, the Psijic Order. There's nothing to build upon with the Psijics. What stake did they have in the Eye of Magnus? Why is Ancano such a threat? If he is a spy for the Thalmor, why does he want to control the Eye of Magnus? How did he want to control the Eye of Magnus? Why can't you investigate him or the Psijics?

As for the Companions: why couldn't it be drawn out longer? Like do a couple of more quests (like 7) in-between your quest of honor and your infection of Lycanthropy? Make me earn being in command of the Companions or the College.

There are some lingering questions with the storyline.

Plus -- the Thalmor is very creepy in a Dark Lord of the Sith kind of way. Why isn't there a quest line to KICK THEM OUT of Skyrim?

[DarthRane]

Skyrim is disappoint.


I played it for four hours already, and its just an improved version of oblivion.

The graphics are so-so, like any other 5th generation game, but not what i anticipated.

The intro was kewl, but after that, the game became redundant. also, the quests don't seem all that un-scripted from what I could tell, as the NPC's seem to make predictable actions and were slightly buggy at times.

The Music was good, Jeremy soul never disappoints, and the environments were very fluid and felt realistic.

When I went into the first town and talked to some of the NPC's, It felt like i was having back flashes of oblivion, and once again, the voice acting is canned and computerised just as oblivion was :C.

Gameplay is also very "yawn", i wish there was gore in the game, because by hitting wolves with a sword, you'd expect blood to come gushing out, and their limbs being dismembered, but no, they just die a dry death.
I don't like that, because its not realistic (fallout did a better job, but it was overly-done gore-wise to the point it WASN'T realistic, on the other end of the spectrum).

Also, I'm not really fond of dual-wielding weapons, it just doesn't feel right in an elder scrolls game, but I like the improved critical hits system (reminded me of fallout, but with out V.A.T.S).

despite those those gripes, I think i can safely say that skyrim is worth the investment, but its really a noobed-down version of the elder scrolls games, so be warned.

When has there ever been gore in an elderscrolls game? So nothing changed in that aspect, if you don't like duel wielding *GASP* and wait for it...... don't duel wield. I have seen aspects of both duel wielding magic and weapons both in games and real life obviously real life pertains to weapons but you get the idea. I agree with you on the critical hits system.

My issue is there is more pause time in fights when switching between stuff I much prefered switching on the fly without the combat being paused I lose a lot of my immersion because of that. I also don't like how dumbed down the skills and even the weapons are. They got rid of more and more weapons I miss morrowind with it's MULTITUDES of weapons from spears to javelins to katana to dai-katana etc. I do wish the smithing was a little more in detail but it is a nice step in the right direction bout time I could start making my own armor lol. I also don't like how conjuration still is about as [&@%!] pore as it was in oblivion they need to go back to morrowind conjuration where you summon as many creatures as you want (as long as they were different) and they need to add MORE creatures for conjuration they dumbed it down even more in this than they did in oblivion at least oblivion had way more choices are far as actual summons. But I would like to see summoning become a much more viable option to make a primary skill for a character cause at this right it don't do much. My storm atronauch and even dremora lords get smacked in about 1 -3 hits every time. Those are the strongest creatures you can summon :\ and at this point I would like to see a new selectable race do something to bring back dwemer or ice elves SOMETHING I just want to see a new race this is supposed to be a fantasy world and you have several races that are basically just humans, you have the elves which do vary but still that goes more towards nationality than race imo. then you finally have 3 that are actually unique the meow meows,orcs, and argonians. GIVE ME MORE RACES

So yeah on the plus side I like how life like the wild is could use more variety of wild life but still much much better than it used to be. I like that they added actually cooking in now i can actually do something with all those foods haha. I like that enchantment is now more so it's own skill. I love running into dragons randomly as I wander the world (ran into my first elder dragon the other day that was epic) I like that there are much more quests that give you choices. I also enjoy the little random encounters in the world ex. running into hunters chasing down elk, and having thiefs try and stop me and big thing i think worth noting WEREWOLVES thankyou for bringing those back, and the ring even though you can't use the ring without being a werewolf which kind of sucks cause I liked being a werewolf and a vampire at the sametime in morrowind looked all messed up and what not

Overall i think this game is great it has it's pros and cons just like morrowind and oblivion but I still think it lives up to the reputation that bethesda has made for itself

[demonhellcat]

I just started playing Christmas so these are just first impressions. I've played roughly 20 hours so far and I'm level 12.
Platform: Xbox 360

Pros:
-Contrary to others complaints I like the simple, extremely flexible leveling system. I typically like creating just one uber powerful character that can do almost anything and this makes it possible.

-The menu UI and "favorites" list are much improved. The favorites quick menu is so much better than a radial.

-Armor and weapons do not degrade with use, thank you. The smithing skill is a nice replacement to the old armorer skill.

-Talking to NPC's is better now that the camera doesn't zoom into there face.

-The graphics are very good in a macro sense, the immersion and overall environment is beautiful.

Cons:
-Combat has evolved little over Oblivion, the slow motion kill scenes aren't pretty, luckily they don't happen too often.

-Load times on the 360 are noticeable when your in town entering/exiting buildings quickly in succession.

-Graphics up close aren't great, lighting and reflections on shiny objects can look weird sometimes.

Overall, it's still the best game I've played this year. I'm sure it will keep me addicted for 100+ more hours not counting DLC.

[Samaelthedestroyer]

well where do I start..

I got the game for christmas and have been playing it non stop. I like it a lot, but it seems like bethesda is going down a slippery slope. Skyrim is way more centered on x-box than it's predecessors. I play it on ps3 and it seems like beth isn't too bothered about that version, which really annoys me. The faces and bodies are a HUGE step up from oblivion though, they went from ugly potatoes to realistic looking people. I haven't done any guild quest lines other than the companions and was pleasantly surprised to find out

Spoiler:

werewolves are back.

The armor looks better, oblivions was too generic. I am a fan of the addition of perks, it adds to the replay value as unlike the last es games you cannot become a master in everything. Dragons are better then oblivion gate IMO, I don't have to deal with generic "hell" maps any more, instead I get to live the dream of slaying dragons. The game is however very dumbed down, from the armor to the disposition, it's all been simplified. I like how there are more voices (except for that cheesy Arnold Schwarzenegger voice, you know what I mean) the voices really help bring npcs to life. No sailing yet, but maybe I just haven't looked hard enough. tl:dr version, it's good and I like it, but it's streamlined really badly.

[order_venom117]

While after done with the related quests, yes, being a Werewolf doesn't have anything to do with the story. However, being a Werewolf is a key part of being with the Companions. And the more things that can get you off track, the better. People can be idiots, whether that be in a racist, sarcastic, or downright rude manor, and it all brings Skyrim to life, especially when that "arse" is an Altmer in Oblivion . And by the way, I know PartyBroskies in real life, and I can tell you guys for a fact that he hasn't played Daggerfall, Morroiwnd, Oblivion, or even more than an hour of Skyrim. Remember, just because I set up Daggerfall on your computer doesn't mean you've played it. It also doesn't mean you've played a game when I bring it over for an hour . Food for thought.

Two things Frosty, one being that I don't know you, and two being that you don't know me - how would you know whether I have played a game or how long I've played a game. I wouldn't lie to the nice people of the forums. I've played all said games. I've played them for more than an hour, more than twelve hours, etcetera. You do bring up a good point but they aren't very good hearted most of the time (I'm talking about the game now) and I don't feel TOO strongly on the subject, but they are kind of off putting. Good night everybody!

Well, not to get this thread too off topic, but I do know this guy. He's just trollin' as usual. Anyway, I don't think you deserve to rate a game you haven't played.

Pic of you two giving the camera a thumbs-up or it didn't happen.

I'll have to agree with the last two posters in this thread. I do think my criticism might have been a bit too harsh at the time but I stand by a majority of it. I still firmly believe Daggerfall>Morrowind>Oblivion>Skyrim. Personally, I like my game having a challenge. Skyrim's deliberately streamlined gameplay leaves very little to be desired by TES/FO/RPG veterans. Don't get me wrong, it's fun but it's a step down. The sooner people can get over that fact*, the sooner we can start taking more arrows to the knee.

*Bethesda Curse: Every game by Bethesda will always be showered with accolades; however, the overall quality of game will be inferior to its predecessors.