I have a problem. Well, let me rephrase that: I have a gaming problem. In a way, it’s a good problem, but it still follows me whenever I try to play an RPG. You see, ever since I played The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim a few years ago, I can’t play any other High-Fantasy RPG. I’ve tried. I really have, but I honestly think that Skyrim has ruined me for any other RPG.
And I am totally okay with that.
Because it’s the best modern RPG ever.
Now, when I say “modern RPG,” I am referring to games done for the PS3/XBox360 generation and newer. I don’t think that you can compare games like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VII with more modern games.
However, I do feel that the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the best we have right now in terms of the combination of setting, game play, and story. Let me explain:
Most people who adore Skyrim will comment on its expansive open world. I will admit, that it is probably the best open world map to date. The scenery is gorgeous. Most of the items in the world are very interactive. The people in the world are interesting. The places are fun to explore. I’ve gone walking around the map just for fun. I’ve even read about people who create characters and don’t even play the game; they just make up their own story and go hunting animals, collect things, and just have fun. It’s so in-depth with lore and back-story that it’s hard not to fall in love with Skyrim.
Even though the open world is amazing, my favorite part of the game is actually the game play itself. I have never quite come across anything quite like it. For me, even another Bethesda heavy-hitter like Fallout 3 doesn’t compare. Sure, Skyrim is a first-person, action RPG. A lot of games are. The thing that really makes Skyrim stand out is the leveling and experience system. It’s very simple: you level up what you use. Whatever angle you want to play with Skyrim, you just have to use it to level it. In this way, players are not pigeon-holed into a certain class. Do you want to be a mage who has thief tendencies? Go for it. Do you want you want to be a warrior who also can use magic when needed? Yep! You can do that. Do you like being a thief who enjoys two-handed combat? Why not?
For me, since I have a bit of gaming OCD, I love being able to play all three play-styles. Why not? I hate having to decide what class to play because two hours later, I want to change it. Skyrim lets me do whatever I want, and I love that! For console, I was a bit limited because there are only so many perks a player can add in Skyrim. However, on PC…oh dear, on PC…it is GLORIOUS for OCD gamers like myself. Okay, there is a bit of cheaty, cheat, cheating going on, but only to add the perks when I run out of levels.
Interestingly enough, there is more to love about Skyrim than the setting and the game play. The story is also pretty darned good. It’s not spectacular, but it’s not bad either. I wouldn’t say that it’s BioShock or The Last of Us quality, but it will hold your attention for many, many hours. The story of a person who discovers that they are Dragonborn and sets out to save the world from ending isn’t too shabby. The fact that there are hundreds of hours of relevant side-quests make things pretty interesting as well. I’ve heard of people complaining about the side-quests for Skyrim. Sure, some of them are menial, but the big ones have their own story-lines. It’s the reason why some people have literally spent more than a thousand hours in the game.
Lastly, there is something special about Skyrim, and it may have to do with the fact that gamers can easily make fun of it without damaging the integrity of the game. How many “arrow to the knee” memes have you seen? How many times have people made fun of the fact that one can eat 99 raw potatoes in the middle of the battle to gain health? What about trying to kill a chicken? Or, my personal favorite happens to be: why are all of the lights on in a dungeon that hasn’t been visited by anyone in hundreds if not thousands of years? It’s fun to make fun of Skyrim because it’s a game that no one has to defend as being good. Some people might not like it, and that’s fine. But it’s hard to argue that it’s a bad game. Therefore, when there are some “silly” elements of the game, it’s enjoyable to point out the shortcomings because even though there definitely are some, no other game even comes close.
There are a lot of games that I have enjoyed over the years, but there are few that I truly love. The Elders Scrolls V: Skyrim is one that I absolutely will love forever, even when newer and better games come out. I have about an estimated 415 hours on the game right now between console and PC, and I have thoroughly loved every minute of it. I actually cannot think of another game that I have spent so much time on. That’s the power of Skyrim.