Top 10 Games Similar to Skyrim

It's impossible to find a game that can completely replace Skyrim — the creation of Bethesda is too unique and inimitable. However, there are still plenty of projects with similar mechanics and atmosphere. In this selection, we've gathered the ten best games in the spirit of Skyrim!

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was released a few months after Skyrim. Ken Rolston, a former lead developer of The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, had a hand in Reckoning. The studio 38 Studios released the game before going bankrupt — and it was their only project.

In Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, the storyline is similar to Skyrim. The hero starts from scratch — he wakes up in a pile of corpses after literally coming back from the dead, to go through a mass of trials and eventually change his fate.

In Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning — as in Skyrim — you need to set character parameters: choose a race, skills, and other important things. The game features a unique «fate» system, which allows unlocking various fates and developing a skill tree. The adventure also has an open world, consisting of five regions. The locations are visually appealing and encourage exploration.

The combat system of Kingdoms of Amalur is much like what Skyrim offers. It incorporates the developments of past successful role-playing actions and slashers. The founder of 38 Studios in one of the interviews stated that the combat of the adventure resembles a potent mix of God of War and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Slaying foes in Reckoning with swords, blades, and spears, while simultaneously using magical abilities, is an invigorating and yet captivating pleasure.

Greedfall was released not so long ago — in 2019. In this role-playing game by the French studio Spiders, as in Skyrim, there's a branching character development system, and all decisions made in combat and in interactions with characters affect the entire open world.

Greedfall also offers to explore an open fantasy world. Only, it's inspired not by medieval Scandinavia but by 17th-century central Europe. The story begins with the player, in the role of an emissary from the Trading Conglomerate, needing to explore new lands. But the protagonist, like other explorers, faces obstacles from local inhabitants and aggressive supernatural creatures — it's with these that you must fight, while simultaneously engaging in strategic political gameplay.

Dragon Age: Inquisition was created by BioWare — as many know, these are experienced developers who create large role-playing adventures. Unfortunately, they haven't released anything new for a while, but in the next few years, they will finally break the silence — a new part of Dragon Age is already officially in development, as is a new Mass Effect.

The game doesn't have as expansive an open world as Skyrim, but the presented regions are full of hidden places and locations that you immediately want to explore. In Inquisition, just like in Todd Howard's creation, you also need to choose a race, appearance, class, combat style, and other attributes. Players have the opportunity to create their own weapons and armor, and although the main storyline is linear, there are many branching paths to the finale.

And yes, in Dragon Age: Inquisition — just like in Skyrim, and in Dragon's Dogma — dragons play a very important role.

The events of Middle-Earth: Shadow of War unfold in the fantasy universe of J.R.R. Tolkien, which alone can be considered a claim to a grand adventure and a picturesque and well-developed world.

This adventure is a continuation of the action RPG Shadow of Mordor. The game develops the Nemesis system introduced in its predecessor, whereby the surrounding world changes depending on the player's actions. The system's algorithm is great in that each playthrough is noticeably different from the last. A similar experience is offered by Skyrim, though Todd Howard's game has a simpler Radiant Story system — this system generates game content on the fly, giving the hero new quests that motivate exploration of every nook and cranny of the world and, logically, level up. Thanks to quest generation, each Skyrim playthrough feels unique.

Like in Skyrim, the open world of Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is populated with elves, goblins, and other creatures that may not play a major role in the story but are incredibly charismatic and charming. They are the heroes of side quests.

Dark Messiah of Might and Magic is a dark fantasy adventure from the renowned studio Arkane — these developers are known as masters of the immersive sim genre.

Immersing yourself in the world of Dark Messiah Of Might And Magic is as pleasant as diving into the universe of Skyrim. Both games share a similar visual aesthetic that references the aforementioned world of «The Lord of the Rings». Even the orcs in Dark Messiah seem to have stepped right out of the pages of Tolkien's great book.

However, Dark Messiah focuses less on exploration — the game places a greater emphasis on vivid battles with enemies and leveling up the hero to defeat foes more effectively. Here, like in Skyrim, the player decides how to play — stealthily, blasting through with magic, or pumping strength and power to bulldoze through. There are three skill trees to upgrade, on which the player spends experience points.

Dark Messiah also boasts excellent physics — better than many modern games. Partly for this reason, battling foes is so engaging. You can throw them onto spikes, drop boxes on their heads, or smash furniture against them. The game even allows you to douse enemies with flammable oil, then set them alight. The project by the authors of the best immersive simulators provokes exploration of the combat system and physics possibilities. Why does the adventure have such sophisticated physics? It's simple — it's developed on the Source engine, which was used in the creation of Half-Life 2.

Dark Messiah also shares with Skyrim the presence of secrets and hidden places, which, due to the lack of an open world, are admittedly fewer in the game from Arkane.

In one interview, Jack Emmert, the Chief Operating Officer of Cryptic Studios, stated that Neverwinter is not a traditional MMO, but a story-driven adventure closer in spirit to Oblivion — the predecessor of Skyrim.

The Neverwinter universe is based on Dungeons & Dragons. Hence, the game shares many visual similarities with Skyrim, with Todd Howard's project being largely inspired by this tabletop game. For example, in Cryptic Studios' game, you also need to customize your character's appearance, class, and race, as well as set their initial attributes.

Neverwinter lacks memorable characters and side quests, yet its gameplay, like Skyrim's, is action-oriented, involving both magic and melee weapons. However, the world consists only of separate locations and a vast number of corridors.

Many consider Skyrim to be a vast game, and that's true. But The Elder Scrolls Online is much larger, thanks to Bethesda's nine years of supporting its MMO project with new story content, opening additional locations and quests.

By the way, the events of The Elder Scrolls Online unfold about a thousand years before the story in Skyrim begins. In TES Online, you also need to create a character first, in order to explore the vast open world, which contains many quests atypical for MMORPGs, more akin to those found in Skyrim.

Unlike Skyrim, the world of TES Online is populated not only with memorable NPCs but also with other players. Nothing stops them from joining forces to create history together.

Any Skyrim aficionado will feel right at home in TES Online, as both games share similar interfaces, controls, and other components. In short, the adventure can be called the main clone of Skyrim, offering a similar experience but on a much larger scale.

In terms of gameplay and world structure, Fallout 4 is very much like Skyrim. The game features a vast world, countless quests, diverse factions, and numerous activities that can easily extend gameplay to hundreds of hours. Fundamentally, Fallout 4 is so reminiscent of Skyrim that if you ignore the post-apocalyptic setting and futuristic guns, you'll immediately feel like the Dovahkiin.

The game can be criticized for its compressed main storyline, base management, and clumsy shooting, which is practically useless without the V.A.T.S. aiming system — but its merits far outweigh these flaws.

Fallout 4 is filled with amazing quests — the personal stories of Cait and Paladin Danse are proof enough. Digging into the relationships between the synths, the Brotherhood of Steel, the Institute, and other factions is captivating. Getting into power armor and mowing down hordes of raiders is a fun process. In the end, it's easy to leave the Vault in search of your son and spend a hundred hours wandering the Wasteland, forgetting all about the main quest.

The main difference from Skyrim lies in the setting, leveling system, and the absence of dragons — otherwise, the games are similar. If you've had your fill of the fifth The Elder Scrolls and are looking for something similar, give Fallout 4 a try.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is reminiscent of Skyrim with its vast open world, impressive number of quests, and leveling system — the more Henry swings his blade, the more skilled a fighter he becomes. The main difference lies in its commitment to realism: the hero won't encounter fantasy creatures along the way, and for survival, he must sleep, eat, and treat wounds.

Combat in Kingdom Come: Deliverance is sophisticated. In the heat of battle, Henry must choose the direction of his attacks, combine hits, skillfully block, and manage his stamina. Even a single skilled warrior can pose a challenge, and it's not advisable to rush into a crowd of enemies even towards the end of the game.

Many other details also contribute to the immersion. For example, if you put on a knight's helmet, the hero won't have to worry about protection — but the visor will limit visibility. You'll have to choose what's more important: strong armor or full visual contact.

Of course, Kingdom Come: Deliverance has its flaws. Not all quests are engaging, and hunting rabbits can be downright frustrating. Plus, the story's finale feels rushed, and the initial hardcore challenge fades away towards the end. However, the strengths of Warhorse Studios' creation far outweigh its weaknesses.

The development of ELEX was led by Piranha Bytes, the studio famous for the Gothic series. Surprisingly, the team has not changed its approach: even the futuristic setting with laser guns and jetpacks is not enough to make the games fundamentally different. However, fans of the Nameless One are unlikely to be disappointed — and Skyrim enthusiasts also stand to gain. The main thing is not to expect an adventure as polished as Bethesda's.

The main feature of ELEX is its setting. The story tells of a distant planet, much like Earth, that was devastated by a meteorite. Civilization was destroyed, and the land became overrun with a mysterious mineral called Elex. Some use it to gain magical powers, others for scientific progress, and some just get high on it. The protagonist must choose a side and confront a universal evil.

The hardest part is getting through the introduction and getting used to the gameplay. At first, ELEX seems maximally unresponsive and unfriendly, where clunky controls and high difficulty make it hard to even properly fight a rat. However, once you get the hang of it, Piranha Bytes' creation charms with its heartfelt nature and detailed world.

If you can overlook the budget constraints, awkward animations, and other rough edges, ELEX can be a great alternative to Skyrim.

Final Fantasy 15 is often criticized for its rushed story, grind, and final chapters, where heroes are confined to narrow and unimpressive corridors. The developers even removed significant episodes from the story to insert them into paid DLC. However, all this does not negate the fact that it's an excellent game with an outstanding atmosphere.

In terms of epicness, Final Fantasy 15 even surpasses Skyrim. The heroes face enemies so dangerous that Alduin could only dream of — the number of gods and monsters the size of the screen is countless. Moreover, these mighty beings are even available for summoning: gods can drop by the arena and give the opponents a beating.

The game also deserves praise for its atmosphere. Gradually, the writers reveal the antagonist's personality and show the scale of the threat looming over the world — eventually, tension builds to a breaking point towards the finale, and the resolution is moving enough to bring a tear to the eye.

Plus, Final Fantasy 15 is filled with activities that Dovahkiin can only dream of. Heroes can participate in Chocobo races, take photos in picturesque locations, and engage in cooking. If you delve into all the mechanics, the adventure can stretch out for a hundred hours.

Discussing The Witcher 3 (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt) is not easy — all the praises have been sung long ago. Yet, it's impossible not to include the game in this collection. Perhaps, CD Projekt RED's main hit is quite different from Skyrim, but for gamers who love interesting combat, sophisticated quests, and well-developed open worlds, there's no better option.

The Witcher 3 was released seven years ago but hasn't aged a bit — the game is still cited as an example for other action-RPGs. Nothing will make the community forget about the choice between Triss and Yennefer, the drama around Ciri, the tragedy of the Bloody Baron, and the epic battle with Eredin.

Horizon Forbidden West is one of the most beautiful games in recent years. The developers have managed to create a mesmerizing open world: Aloy will venture into dense forests, climb snowy mountains, and even explore the underwater world — each biome is a pleasure to behold. And visuals are not the only merit of Forbidden West.

The game also deserves praise for its sophisticated combat. Aloy will have to fight robots of various sizes: each of them has its own vulnerabilities, so it's not wise to rush into battle upon sighting a threat. It's better to study the enemy, set traps around the arena, think through tactics, and only then engage in combat.

In the end, the story in Horizon: Forbidden West is also good. The plot is not unusual, but thanks to its scope, worthy animations, and abundance of wow-moments, the narrative is captivating.

If the idea of running through a post-apocalyptic world and shooting robots with a bow intrigues you, but you don't have a PlayStation, take a look at the first part. Horizon Zero Dawn may not look as cool, and the NPCs there are stiff, but otherwise, the game is good.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an excellent example of how to make open-world games. Despite the limitations of the Nintendo Switch, developers created a beautiful open world filled with many impressive views. And the gameplay doesn't lag behind either — fighting monsters, solving puzzles, and saving Zelda is fun.

Breath of the Wild is full of amazing features — like its realistic physics. Is a raging river blocking your path, and there's no bridge nearby? Just cut down a tree — it will serve as a bridge. Need to power a door with electricity, but the energy sphere is too far away? Lay out metallic objects along the path, as iron is an excellent conductor. It's this depth of gameplay that made The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild a hit.

Dragon's Dogma has many parallels with the fifth The Elder Scrolls — even the local hero is closely connected with dragons. According to the plot, a huge fire-breathing beast attacked the town and stole the character's heart. Somehow, the chosen one survived: now he is ready to seek revenge against evil and reclaim his essence.

Like Dovahkiin, the local hero finds himself in a vast world, quests pour in from all sides, and enemies abound — among them are ordinary bandits as well as elaborate monsters. Fighting the villains can be done not just with blade and magic, but also more intriguing methods. The hero is so agile and strong that he can grab foes and break their necks, as well as climb large creatures to stab them in their weak spots.

Dragon's Dogma is a more hardcore game than Skyrim: it doesn't hold your hand and regularly throws challenging obstacles your way. However, it's precisely for this reason that fans have come to love the title.

Elden Ring has become the most expansive and ambitious project by FromSoftware, setting a high bar that will be hard to surpass. The open world turned out to be immense, rich, and diverse — the number of bosses, intriguing enemies, and unique locations is simply countless.

At first glance, Elden Ring retains the souls-like foundation. Enemies are fierce, dying happens often, and there's only one chance to reach the place of death and retrieve «souls» — all this is new to Skyrim fans but familiar to genre aficionados.

However, innovations successfully refresh the concept and make the game slightly more similar to The Elder Scrolls. You can traverse the world on your horse, Torrent. Along the way, there are outposts that can be cleared stealthily. The open world, hiding a multitude of optional bosses and locations, adds interest — no one could have imagined that an open world would fit so well into a souls-like.

Elden Ring turned out to be such a monumental game that getting lost in it for hundreds of hours is easy. It's no wonder that at its peak, 950 thousand gamers were slashing through it, and 90% of the reviews are positive.

***

What Skyrim-like games would you recommend? Write in the comments!