No I don't. This is a gripe I also had with Oblivion. Everyone is like OMG the world is ending or OMG it's civil war, but I don't see signs of it ANYWHERE. Sure there are dragons but they only seem content attacking me or random wolves. There are no random filler villages burned to the ground or being attacked there are no random war parties fighting each other. The world doesn't really change at all no matter what I do, I understand part of this is the result of the TES idea of "you can do whatever you want so let's keep everything open". But seriously I don't feel like much changes.

I think KOA:R and Two Worlds were both designed with TES in mind and they both failed to take the crown, but competition is definitely a good thing for TES. I'm excited about Risen 2 too, I'm not expecting a Skyrim killer but at least a Risen with more Gothic in it.

No, no I don't. I don't even have facebook. In fact the idea that random guards know that I'm the leader of secret factions like the DB or TG is ridiculously stupid. This is how bethesda makes you feel accomplished, by having random guards talk about it. I'm sure they can do better than that. And it's not like every single NPC in Bioware games know who you are or what you've done.

People have been spoiled by Bioware. Yeah everyone they meet is responding to something I did just a while ago...

The problem of course is that Mass Effect 2 and DA:O (I didn't play DA2) is set in a very limited space with a limited set of NPCs to talk to. So the ones you're going to talk to are obviously going to respond to your actions - mainly because they're (going to be) involved with the PC at some point or another.

What Skyrim does do badly is that despite that Skyrim has a reputation system, few NPCs actually respond to that. And that the guilds are not in some kind of conflict with each other. Or that people don't respond in the civil war quest line.

How Skyrim compares to other games was never the point...how Skyrim compares to OTHER Elder Scrolls games is...you point misser you!

In interviews with KoA's devs they say they are focusing on using old school RPG mechanics.That is what many seem to be looking for so maybe KoA is a game they may want to try.

2fold reason for this suggestion

1My state gave them around 6mil to move the HQ here.If they do not suceed RI has pissed away more money it can't afford

2If some of the critics go play KoA and like it they won't be back.Everybody wins

There are definitely war parties fighting each other. Haven't you ever run into a battle between a group of Stormcloaks fighting a group of Imperials? They aren't big, major battles, but they definitely have skirmishes.

And as for the dragons, while whole villages aren't burned to the ground, I have run into shacks out in the woods where there are burned corpses and the place looks like a dragon took it out.

Actually regarding random people commenting on the things you do, they definitely do this. Various people identify me as being a Companion, and even mention specific things about the Companions depending upon my progress through the Companions quests. So this definitely does happen; I'm not sure why people claim it doesn't.

Skyrim has a lot of bugs and glitches, but that's just because it's really big and there's some really complex programming in I guess.

Bioware does the story part better than anyone else...but it's an illusion that our choices make a difference in the game. It's all scripted. The worlds are all linear and there are only a couple choices you can make as a player. It's easy to write a story when there are only two or three different scripted outcomes.

Bethesda creates WORLDS. Skyrim never ends. One can live and interact in the world until TES VI. The story can't be as detailed in TES games because there are unlimited ways players can get to the same place. Everyones game in TES is different...from character development to storyline to quest order. Hell...I have a level 22 with zero kills (not using calming magic or companions either)....try doing that in any other RPG out there. Even the latest Deus Ex requires you to kill bosses before advancing to the next area.

And KoA:Reckoning....I bought it on release day. Played it for about 8 hours and now it's back in the box sitting on a shelf. I tried to like it...but it's missing something. A mini map that can't be hidden and shows everyting, exclamation points over quest givers, highlighted treasure chest (so you don't miss them)....it feels and plays like an MMO created for single players. No sense of exploration, discovery, or adventure. I don't like it.

I'm a TES devoted fan.

edited because I think it's funny that I called myself a TES "f a n b o i" and the forum editor changed it to "devoted fan".

I agree. What you said is totally true. Skyrim takes the time to create an actual world, where one can go to where he sees. Of course there is an end to every thing. But Skyrim let's a person travel everywhere throughout the world.

Exactly. Nothing wrong with it but panning Skyrim while comparing it to Bioware's latest titles is misleading.

You're only getting into contact with a select number of NPCs and they all happen to be involved with the protagonist in one way or another.

That's easier to write then having an entire open world continent respond to every little thing you've done.

Im playing KoA and I think is fun. Its very "gamey" and entertainment. Its nice to change things a bit after all the "realism" and "seriousness" of Skyrim.

KoA is a lot closer to MMO, you can even reset your skill paying just 1000g for it, so its a one character deal. Prabably theres something around 30-40h of gameplay there.

Overall, I kingd of agree with the OP, SKyrim is far ahead in terms of freedom, customizing, roleplay and "replayability".

That said, Skyrim is worth more our money, but theres no problem in playing KoA too. Its nice to just explode things for sometime.

On a personal note, Salvatore disapointed me, the story is a mess. The introduction is kind of ok, but after that you dont care anymore, you just do the quest to see the nice fireworks of your new skills.

Thanks OP, those things are exactly what I hate in fantasy games. Even Skyrim is guilty of ott power ranger armour.

these are just opinions and it is totally irrelevant. From where do you get the notion that games should have a real world realistic art direction to be ''good art'' this is just laughable..
second Amalur , which I've only played a few hours is fun so far , for one it's got better combat. Third , just go watch TV if you want real world looking video games.
And last I'm not preferring any game , just saying how ridicilous it is to somehow try and compare two games that try to do very different things.

http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1345765-kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning-thread-2/