5 Reasons Why Skyrim is One of Best RPGs Ever

After about 40 hours into the game, I don’t think it’d be crazy, at all, to declare/claim that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is one of the greatest RPGs of all time. Although I will probably be putting upwards of 150-200 hours conquering this epic, I doubt that much could dissuade me from this original opinion. Even with all the hype leading up to Skyrim’s release (usually not a good thing), the game has surpassed most peoples’ expectations. I would name it the greatest RPG ever, but frankly; I haven’t played every single one. In my opinion though, it definitely is the best, and believe me, I’ve played quite a few. It has cemented itself as not only a worthy successor for a storied Elder Scrolls franchise, but also as one of the greatest role playing games ever made. Here are 5 reasons of why this is:

A huge improvement to Oblivion’s, Skyrim’s combat is masterfully implemented. While it’s not at the level of Dark Souls’ combat, it’s still one of the best systems for a first person RPG – especially one not completely centered on the fighting. Also, with vastly enhanced magic, and the incorporation of shouts, Skyrim’s combat is top tier. The magic is a much larger part of the game than before; it’s so fun to combine different spells, or two of the same spell to create stronger combinations. With the new leveling system, you can afford to delve into both melee and magic quickly, which adds a whole new dimension on how to approach combat. Also, the companion system is better than ever, with stronger companions than the useless ones in Oblivion, and a more streamlined system than Fallout.

Skyrim. Is. Beautiful. Even in a harsh world with disheveled cities and torrid weather, Skyrim shines through as a graceful and truly beautiful land. The graphics test the limits of the PS3/Xbox360 systems, and while having some shadowing and light issues, include some of the most breathtaking views in video gaming. Character models look much better than the silly looking characters of Oblivion, boasting the capability of having some very attractive characters. The animations are top notch, much more fluid than RPGs before Skyrim (jumping/running in any other Bethesda title). Also, the mouth to voice synching in this game is impeccable; they’re so much better than, say, super mutants in Fallout 3/New Vegas. All these things, along with amazing set pieces and effects (anything having to do with dragons), make Skyrim a gorgeously presented game.

As an Elder Scrolls game, ridiculous amounts of content is expected. Skyrim goes above and beyond this. Side-quests are interwoven so well with the main quest that it’s almost indeterminable which is which. These side-quests, the bread and butter of Elder Scrolls, have become far more interesting and significant than before. They’re incredibly well-written, each with its own unique twists and turns, none quite like the other. And the sheer amount of them just makes you want to exhaust every speech option with everyone and everything in the entire game. No other game has such a diverse repertoire of things to do outside of the main quest. Let’s just say that I’m 40 hours into Skyrim, and I haven’t even been to all the main cities yet because I’ve been so preoccupied with side-quests.

Without doubt, I can say that I have never been more encapsulated by a video game than Skyrim, and I believe that many others would say the same. You’re thrown into the game in a similar fashion as the other Elder Scrolls games, except with more urgency because you’re *spoilers?* TRYING TO RUN FROM A DRAGON! It tosses you into a world filled with deceit and tension, with more depth behind every single character. The world is far more rugged than Oblivion, and the monsters are tougher. Even worlds as disheveled as the wastelands in the Fallout series cannot even hold a candle to this game’s setting. Also, the way the factions are introduced and how they are slowly molded to how you perceive the land of Skyrim is unparalleled, and a testament to the game’s immense storytelling.

The music of Skyrim is the key to it being one of the most immersive games of all time. All the emotions that you go through are propelled by the songs that play, from the grand theme during dragon encounters to bards playing on lutes. There aren’t many games in which I’ll actually sit down on a virtual chair and watch a bard play for a couple of minutes. There’s only so much fear, joy, or "tense-ness" one can feel within a video game, but Skyrim does its best, and succeeds, in forging a great atmosphere for the player to experience. It is a huge improvement on the previous Elder Scrolls titles, which had rather redundant music, and is accompanied by other great sound enhancements, including the voice acting and ambient noises. The music of Skyrim certainly does its part, and is the number one reason of why the game will go down into video game history as not only a truly enveloping game, but as one of the greatest RPGs ever made.