I Always Return To Skyrim

"I used to be an adventurer like you. Then I took an arrow in the knee."

If you consider yourself a gamer in any capacity, you've undoubtedly heard this line before. Or if you're like me and countless others, you've heard this line so many times you'd like to introduce an arrow to that NPC's face to never hear it again. If you're unaware of what game I'm referencing here, I'm of course talking about The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. An RPG made by Bethesda Studios that first arrived all the way back in 2011. It's hard to believe the first time I battled a dragon on the outskirts of the city Whiterun, I did so on my PS3. Since then, however, we've seen Skyrim released what feels like a hundred times over. I'm talking the likes of PS4, Xbox one, PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X (and more) and I'm sure if Elder Scrolls 6 isn't published soon enough, we'll even see it on the next generation of consoles. (Let's be real, we'll probably see new releases of Skyrim 10 console generations from now too)

Alright, alright, enough of the history lesson and complaining about the lack of Elder Scrolls 6. I want to get into why Skyrim is a game that no matter how many times I swear it off, I find myself, yet again, waking up in an imperial prisoner wagon heading to Helgen to be relieved of my head. (Seriously, if you aren't understanding these references, stop reading and go play Skyrim. Right now! Go!)

"Hey you, you're finally awake." The first words all of us hear the first time we delve into the seemingly endless world of Skyrim. Words I heard just recently when starting another new game after watching a YouTube video casually comparing Skyrim mechanics to a newer age game. (Spoiler alert: Skyrim does things that we still don't see in massive-budget games released today. Bethesda didn't just set the standard, they shattered it!) When I finally was given control over my newest created character, I promised myself a list of things I would absolutely do differently this playthrough. I wouldn't stealth archer my way through every dungeon, I wouldn't steal the overpowered elven sword and elven bow out of display cases early on in Whiterun, I would work my way through the actual storyline instead of getting distracted by the hundreds of miscellaneous quests I'm given walking by random NPC's. How's that list of promises holding up almost 20 hours into my playthrough, you ask? Well, as I stealthy used my elven bow to pick off some bandits hiding in a cave that an innkeeper asked me to investigate while I completely ignored the main storyline, I came to the realization that I don't need to play Skyrim any differently when I find myself having just as much fun as I did almost 14 years ago.

That's the beauty of Skyrim though! You can choose to play the game however you want, in any direction you want and at any pace you want. Want to conjure familiars to fight for you while you hurl fireballs and lightning bolts at your foes from a safe distance? Have at it. Want to become the ultimate rogue who turns invisible and pickpockets or backstabs everyone in eyesight? Go crazy. Want to try a pacifist run and complete the game without killing anyone or anything? Well that actually doesn't seem possible to me but heck, I'm sure there are diehards out there who have discovered some insane way to pull it off. The point is, even for a game that is over a decade old, it's hard to ignore the impact Skyrim has made not only on myself and millions of others but also, its impact on gaming as a whole.

Like I mentioned before, the entire reason I began another playthrough of Skyrim was because I stumbled upon a random YouTube video that included footage from the game. According to my Steam library, I last played my special edition version on PC back in 2018. (Who knows when the last time I played it on console. I even got the virtual reality version on Playstation at one point. Don't ask why. I was young and foolish. Still foolish but definitely not young anymore) It honestly felt so good to lose myself again in this fantasy world. Especially where my real life is changing so recently and rapidly due to my career change. (See previous blog post for a heck of a lot more detail about that) Skyrim is the type of game where you can sit down to play a few quests or upgrade your gear and next thing you know, hours have passed where it felt like minutes instead. I think that's a really important aspect of gaming that I struggle to find with newer releases these days. Gaming sometimes feels like a chore instead of something I can lose myself in and really feel immersed with when I want to forget all the shenanigans that comes with adulting.

Now I won't go so far to say that Skyrim is my favorite game of all time or that it's complete perfection. The combat system alone is something that diehards will complain about for hours at end. (Well deserved too. It's the weakest part of the game in my opinion) However, Bethesda really nailed it to make it seem like no single playthrough can feel like another. I could sit here and tell you about the number of times I've seen the fabled headless horsemen or how my favorite quest was inspired by the movie The Hangover. Honestly though? I'd be happier if you just went and played Skyrim again or for the first time if you live under a rock. (Totally kidding. Sorta) I promise you won't regret it and I sincerely hope you can feel similar to playing Skyrim like I do!

Are you a fan of Skyrim like me or am I just coping because Bethesda refuses to give us Elder Scrolls 6? Let me know!