The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim was an installment into a game series by the company Bethesda that released in 2011. Five years later, the game is still looked fondly of by fans and retains the popularity it had when it was brand new. People can still load up their old Skyrim games and have hours of fun despite the amount of time that has passed since the game’s release. There are a few factors that play into Skyrim’s popularity and why it has kept it’s fanbase.
One reason the game is immensely popular is the overall theme and atmosphere of the game. Skyrim takes place in a medieval fantasy setting filled with wizards, orcs, knights, and magical creatures. The player plays as the Dovahkiin, or Dragonborn; a legendary warrior with the ability to slay dragons and steal their power. Throughout the game, the player is confronted with several enemies, different paths to chose, and even a puzzle or two.
Another reason the game remains popular is because of the amount of things there are to do in the game. There are several quests and stories that can be discovered and followed all throughout the game that each have their charm. Slaying the ultimate dragon, assassinating an emperor, and becoming a werewolf are all different quests that can be completed on any playthrough of Skyrim. The map featured in Skyrim is large and filled with secrets and mysteries that need to be discovered; every random shack in the woods or seemingly average townsfolk can hold the key to an epic adventure and the player has the ability to chose what to do.
Along with the ability to chose what to do, Skyrim also give its players the ability to chose how to do it. Players can customize their Dragonborn and play the game however they feel it the most exciting. They can chose to be bulking orc who charges into the fray with an axe in hand or a nimble elf who deals with his or her enemies from a distance with a bow and arrow. The player can experiment with different combination of weapons, magic and armor. There are so many ways to play the game that every time you start again it feels like you’re playing a different game.
Skyrim is a game that cannot be easily overshadowed by its successors; however, the continual joy people still get from the game make it so it doesn’t need to be replaced just yet. It gives the player the freedom to play however they want in a interesting and well thought out world. There will almost always be secrets to uncover and quests to complete. Skyrim will continue to be popular and fun for many years to come.
