AN ARROW TO THE KNEE
Skyrim, a game that won Ultimate Game of the Year, Top Gaming Moment, and Best RPG, is one of the best fantasy games of all time.The game was published by Bethesda Softworks, a company best known for creating The Elder Scrolls RPG series, based upon the original programming of Julian Lefay. The first chapter of the series, entitled The Elder Scrolls: Arena, was released in 1994. Since that time, numerous other chapters have been released (Daggerfall, Morrowind, Oblivion) including Skyrim. Additionally, the game has had three spin-offs: Battlespire (1997), Redguard (1998) and The Elder Scrolls Travel series.
Unfortunately, for a game that had won three awards, their graphics werent was landed them there. They arent awful but theyre slightly below average. Their GPU (graphics processing unit) was only standard, and I personally believe that fantasy-type games should put an extra step into detailing the graphics bc these kinds of games have a lot of scenery and magical elements that would just not look as pretty as they should without better design. The difference between the PS3 graphics and the xbox graphics are very small, except for the face that in the xbox version, sometimes the textures dont load. Bethesda commented on this and said to refrain from installing into the xbox HDD until they fix it. The PC version isnt amazing either but at least it looks a generation ahead of the consoles. Especially if you play it with high resolution and full settings. One of the specific details Ive noticed on all platforms is the shadows; they flicker, a lot. Which doesnt help the already there problem that theyre all over the place. Its the reason why if you look at a screenshot, you cant tell if the sun is on the left side of the sky or the right, since the shadows fall in all directions.
On a better note, the controls are easy to learn and you dont have to be an experienced gamer to get used to playing. Every function you need is easy to find. Also, the basics are all taught in the very beginning of the game: how to hit, how to block, how to access magic, how to pit pocket, ect. And when youre taught a dragon shout, youre also told what the function on the shout is and when you should use it. The inventory is very clean, you dont get lost looking for an item and you can throw things out and pick things up by pressing a button (when the action appears on the screen). One of the fun challenges in the game is that you can only hold so much. Once youre carrying a lot, (the limit depends on your level) you wont be able to run bc youre carrying a heavy load. However, as you level up you can choose to sub-level either your sorcery, weaponry, or stamina, it also increases the amount of weight youre allowed to carry. You can tell how much an item weighs by only viewing it in your inventory where its details pop up on the side of the screen without getting in the way of your inventory list. Its all simple.
If youre worried about the graphics ruining your fun, dont worry. They dont ruin it at all and Skyrim is an amazing and exciting game youll have fun with. The land is h u g e, theres no boundaries or limits in the gameplay. Theres no area you cant walk to. Every mountain you can climb, every river you can swim in, every land piece you can walk behind. Youre not stuck in a dome or arena and theres no invisible walls that will force you to stop and turn a different direction which is my favourite part of the game. The level designers must have had a blast building the map since its so vastly huge and unlike any other game. You also have the freedom of doing anything you want in it. Every gameplay experience is different bc every person who picks it up and plays it is different. You can have your character be kind to the characters or be rude, you can be hated accross the planet or have a friendly reputation. You dont always have to follow the storyline either. You can go on quests if you want, or you can wander off and slay animals and discover new lands, or you can even have a lazy day and hang out at the pub all day drinking wine and listening to villagers tell stories. Skyrim is a super cool game thats the closest we will ever get to living in the fantasy world, and you will enjoy every moment playing it.
"One of my friends made an interesting point about Skyrim the other day. All of the beverages in the game are alchoholic. So what if theres no dragons or elves or sorcery, what if everyone is just drunk off their ass?"
