Hello RPG Addicts,

welcome to another short review about Skyrim and the appropriate sense of awareness. Please gift me some of your precious time to explain.

A lot of gamers I talked about, regarding Skyrim, were just enthusiastic. From mind-blowing, over-whelming to "I love Skyrim!", every reaction was sooo positive.
Well, we forgot those who sold their home, including their PC, in order to head towards Skyrim, preferably by ship.
Summarizing these comments we could easily adopt this game for every interest and everything is well! Really?

Yesterday I could play Skyrim without any flaws for about six hours, finally, now in at the end of January 2012, after using the Skyboost mod (Many thx to the programmer, kudos!).
And this was really fun, after the annoying stutter was gone ... in most cases.
I really liked the idea of the dragon, always somewhere up there, always obeying, looking for their prey.
Sadly the good mood I was about the flawless game-play, did not last for long. Something was wrong in Skyrim. But what?

Let's assume that all computer role-playing enthusiasts were 11 to 12 and a half years of age, the puzzles would have done good so far.
Pushing 4 stones with 3 symbols in the right order, wasn't the most predictable thing to do, but the symbol was just like the one in another dungeon?

***spoiler warning start***
And looking for the saphirdragonclaw made me just wanting to have another easter egg to look for. OMG, a tool in skyrim I need, and I do not have a clue where to find it?
I looked in every corner of the dungeon, just to find out that the barkeeper gives you the claw after you picked up the journal of the mad dungeon inhabitant and brought it to him.
This was really hard because I was not thinking bout how easy the solution could be!
***spoiler warning end***

Darn it. The search for a real puzzle isn't solved yet, I know it might be there! Sue you Bethesda, I will find it, even if it takes a whole year.

The surrounding story tells about a bitter, harsh and sacred war for land, freedom and religion. Really good, if I just could influence it somehow.
The best part about this story is the lore. the books which you find around in skyrim. I just hoped that one book might find its solution or some connection
in the real...(ups, did I say real??)...in the world of Skyrim. But it didn't.
OK, lets talk about war and revolution, about gods and religion, politics and money. Where is the part for me?
Money isn't a big thing in Skyrim. But it should. It is way too easy to have loads of. Did I really have to steal or ambush something ... in case there would be any option for ambushing something
Politics? Are influenced by me, they influence my game-play, the mission I am about to solve.
Religion? Perhaps the best part of Skyrim, but there is no real line between magic and religion. I would prefer else.
Gods? They only appear with a echoed voice at their shrines, giving you some mission, search and rescue. simple and ... I missed the complementary word here.
Revolution? I really would like to set Rifton on fire, Oh yes! The stupid Earl there...
War! Like hordes clashing into another, metal bursts and fireballs scorching the air? Where? Pls give me a note in any case you find this in Skyrim.

Skyrim is the best Elder Scrolls title so far, and I like to congratulate gamesas for it, like many others.
Of course some remnants fight for the Elder Scrolls in general and stick with MW or else. Just like they have never heard about Skyrim, and how it could destroy their view.
What Skyrim does well is its appearance. And this was achieved without using DX11, or the latest hardware available to help in this difficult issues.
Eye-Candy at its best.

Conclusion:
My impression of Skyrim is that the game is an adventure, more than a crpg. But for an adventure it is too ridiculous easy, I might laugh my way out.
For an CRPG there is too less of things I would like to influence. And everything in skyrim leads to its total explanation. Why? Does a CRPG have to?
Innovation to me is
an interactive plot,
power which can be influenced and changed, not only by words, also by the sword & battles,
NPC's that change their mind or intention, for money or glory or honor,
circumstances that change and I have to adopt my game-play,
more of what makes me having to think about what I am doing with my alter ego,
instead of just clashing monsters and following an well-signposted trail supported by pop ups substantiating a sense of achievement all the way.
This is something I would prefer in my job, not in my favorite computer game!


Dear gamesas, Skyrim was close to what I would need to imagine how the innovative computer game should be.
Finally we are able to look further, despite the technical issues in the past. Good job, keep on! Game design is finally on its way up there beside Art, 3D algorithms and AI packages.
Thank you for the time reading. Have fun!

I agree. A lot of people complain about certain aspects of Skyrim, but it never ceases to impress me personally. You are right about the puzzles, they are ridiculously easy. But on the whole this is a fantastic game.

That's a good read and I agree with what you are saying, its not perfect but its pretty close.

I agree, it's wrong direction or to little movement. Spells getting worse, combat improving but not anything that would make condemned loses sleep over. Npcs getting shallower, npcs getting more realistically looking (age, build, ect.) but it's hardly the tale of the fat Orc and the worn down ladies face that doesn't look like 1918 Europe... I might not be such a fan if they didn't have such great lore, it's a big kicker in these kinda games.

not a bad read, and totally relatable, to a point i must comment on:
Hircine does in fact interact quite well with you, in a not so bad quest line, and Sanguine also rubs elbows with you

Sheogorath

that was a good read and I do agree
I agree puzzles are really easy but the game is great.

I would add that the support, in specific the update patches, is very good, and not typical for Bethesda regarding older titles of the Elder Scrolls series.
A short glance on the new Beta patch revealed that there is no need for the SSE2 plugin Skyboost anymoore.
This is very welcome, and hopefully Bethesda is going to continue this great service, which indeed makes a game good as well.