Elves, Orcs and Nords. Bows, Swords and Magic. Snowy mountains, rich green forests and long abandoned ruins. So begins my adventure in Skyrim.
Released for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on November 11 2011, Skyrim is the sequel to classic RPG games Arena, Daggerfall, Morrowind and Oblivion as well as being the sister franchise to the Fallout series. Having only played the previous games at friends’ houses, I decided to buy the newest iteration of the Elder Scrolls story after growing fed up of paying forty odd quid for games which lasted about five hours. With Skyrim I hoped for a game that would offer some decent replayability, an interesting storyline and an intuitive and engaging experience. Suffice to say, I haven’t been disappointed...
Image Credit: Doctor Mobius
Graphics:
The quality of the graphics in Skyrim is, for the most part, simply incredible. Strong praise indeed, since I play on a standard definition telly. I can’t imagine what it must look like for those gamers blessed with the opportunity to engage in some big screen, high def adventuring.
Every facet of the environment is expertly rendered; the gravel paths look rough, dusty and well trodden; the pine trees are weather ravaged and worn; and the various ruins are believably aged and battle scarred. The effect of this is that the player feels like they are part of a living, breathing world with a history stretching back centuries, as opposed to feeling like you’re playing a game which is ultimately a twenty first century product. The textures throughout the game are vivid and sharp, without the blurry and out of focus smudging which has plagued many open world titles before it. The attention paid to light and shadow becomes particularly noticeable when playing as a stealth character, with the latter useful for picking pockets and silently assassinating foes, while the night sky presents a spectacle all by itself as bright hues of green and blue intermingle as far as the eye can see.
One of the very few flaws in Skyrim’s graphics can be found in a principal element of its construction: for a game which has conversation and interaction as core elements, the facial expressions of many of the characters are considerably lacking. Perhaps I was spoilt when I played L.A. Noire, which had the greatest facial animation ever added to a video game as its main selling point. I don’t expect Bethesda to use the same technology in their games – after all, if L.A. Noire was three discs, think of how many you would need for Skyrim – but at the same time could they not have polished this aspect up just a little bit?
Image Credit: Alexander Savin
Sound:
Skyrim’s menu screen is very simple, with the logo superimposed onto a basic black background. However, let the game sit on this screen long enough and the music will kick in. It’s amazing. Then play the game itself and pay attention to the melody quietly but powerfully resonating in the background. Predominantly an orchestral score, it’s clearly a reflection on the Viking inspiration behind the game’s setting, which makes it a perfect accompaniment to the narrative. Put simply, whether you’re wandering through the expansive rural areas, pick pocketing in the bustling towns or fighting dragons, this music WILL make you feel like a badass. Guaranteed.
Gameplay:
Around five minutes into the game, the player is given free rein to create their character. Choosing from a variety of different races, the customisation menu then offers a number of presets. From here, almost every single aspect of a character’s face can be changed, from the colour of their scars to the shape of their eyebrows. It’s essentially Fallout’s character creation system gone mad, with nigh on every conceivable facial feature able to be altered. Normally, spending so much time programming a part of the game which will rarely be seen would be considered a waste of time and resources, but in this case it’s just another example of Bethesda’s attention to detail and emphasis on role play adventuring.
Aside from customising a character’s physical appearance, their clothes and their armour, players can also choose from a diverse range of methods for dispensing with their enemies. As an example, I currently have two separate accounts; on one, my character uses bows and arrows exclusively, while the other uses predominantly magic to safely navigate the world. By destroying everything. With fire. It often feels like I’m playing two different titles altogether, such is the way that the game forces you to adopt alternate approaches to quests based on your current skills and weapons.
Moving from character selection to the portion of the game which is essentially the ‘tutorial’, the player is forced to decide between two paths. A refreshing change from the linearity of many modern titles, this is nothing compared to what awaits when the game begins in earnest. The ‘Do What You Like When You Like’ mentality is a brilliant one and it’s taken to the very extreme with Skyrim. Let me give you some examples: feel like running through the main quest? Some people have done it in three hours. Fancy doing none of the main quest and spend your time killing giants, stealing jewellery or smithing powerful weapons? Feel free and watch hundreds of hours disappear into thin air. I’ve only just begun the game, but I know that it will keep me entertained for many months to come!
Image Credit: rexxgon
Problems:
As many of you have no doubt read, heard or experienced, Skyrim is not without its problems. Stories of dragons flying sideways into mountains, saves being corrupted and items disappearing with no explanation are commonplace. However, although I’ve only played for a short while compared to most, I have *touch wood* experienced no such problems. The frame rate is smooth and I’ve had no issues with buildings, trees, people or animals randomly ‘popping in’ to the environment. I’ve also had problems when completing quests, although as I said it’s early days. I run the game from the disc, so perhaps installing it to the HDD is a detrimental move? Please comment and let me know your own experiences of glitches and annoyances, as I only have my own (limited) experience to go on at the moment.
Verdict:
So, is Skyrim worth its asking price? If you enjoy RPGs, or just fancy having a go at a game which offers a richer and more expansive narrative than most, then the answer has to be yes. So far I’ve only scratched the surface of what the game has to offer, and it’s thoroughly enjoyable. The only point to consider is this: ensure that you have enough time to play it, as you may end up going without food or sleep or calling in ‘sick’ to work for a few days!
