I've been playing Skyrim a few hours a day since it released and so far I am amazed and let down all at the same time. It definately has recaptured that epic feeling of true freedom in a video game that Morrwind had...yet in alot of ways it feels like I've lost alot of freedom in my character and what i can do. The melee and archery has never been better, the chance for an instant kill sequence regardless of the enemies health was an amazing entry as well making archer enemy types a feared opponent. It makes sense that an arrow could kill you out right, I'm happy it was included.

While I understand them taking out the character stats to more streamline the game, I can't help but think I am playing a dumbed down version of the series. I find it insanely annoying that I am required to have my speech skill increases apply to my leveling just for buying and selling. I'm not haggling, I'm making a purchase. The sprint is a welcome entry into the series...but what happened to the epic feel of playing a character that can jump 15 ft at high levels or have an incredible run speed? I can shoot lighting out of my ass, raise people as zombies but I can't increase my physical prowess? Navigation has always been a downside to ES games..but not being able to pull yourself up over a ledge or climb a wall seems like something that should have been included in Oblivion.

Casting is boring. No other way to put it, after you experience the dual casting and its awsomeness...you realize that "wow, this is it?" Having to rely on premade spells and thats all you got? Not being able to make your own spells in an Elder Scrolls game is criminal. It seems the spell system has been completely dumbed down, losing our mark and recall along with levitate in Oblivion was bad enough. Now I can't even craft my own spells? The only thing in Oblivion I liked was that you could still make spells such as heart attack (a spell that drained the targets fatigue then thier health...basically they would fall down and then die after trying to get up) as well as the true openess of character creation. Unfortunately I am having to play on the 360 as my old rust bucket digital type writer wont handle the game. I find it sad that I am looking forward to the the mods that will truly make the game more than playing the game as is.

I am enjoying myself with the game right now...I find it sad that I still look to a game almost 10 years old as my fix for true sandbox rpg gameplay. I'm starting to wonder what the next ES game will be taking away from us. Just a simple request from an avid fan Bethesda, in ES 6, put more focus into adding gameplay features with out taking away features and less on graphics. Graphics are nice, but the number of followers Morrowind holds should be testimony that people would rather put up with sub par graphics in exchange for great game play. Definately 10 times better than Oblivion, but the over all experience pales in comparison to the earlier entries in the Elder Scrolls series.