The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

What can you say about a game like the fifth "Ancient Scrolls"? It can definitely be called a sensation of sorts, and this cannot be called flattery. But, perhaps, first things first. The game itself belongs to the genre of single-player RPGs, and we can say with confidence that it fully justifies this. Variability in character development, a wide range of quests and a huge open world (more on that later).

Let's move on to the analysis of the game itself:

1) Gameplay. Being an RPG, Skyrim provides us with a lot of scope for leveling up our character. Having, albeit in smaller quantities in relation to the predecessors of the series, a set of diverse skills, each player decides for himself who his alter ego will be in the next playthrough - a warrior who breaks skulls with hammer blows; a magician who incinerates the enemy with the forces of the elements; a thief who can unnoticed bypass an unwary victim and deal him a fatal blow.

However, there are some downsides. The combat system of this masterpiece is its weak point. Depending on the difficulty of the game, it comes down to either "poke to win" on Novice difficulty or "poke to win" on Legendary difficulty. But regardless of the difficulty, any battle that involves close contact turns into the most ordinary calling of the enemy, without any tricks or tricks. But this oversight is easily balanced by the presence of a very well-designed ranged combat system, the use of magic and the most important aspect of any self-respecting Dovahkiin, the famous “Fus-Ro-Da”, in other words - Shouts (Tu'ums), which allow you to take a fresh look at the mechanics battle, helping you with good effects and crushing the enemy with the dangerous powers of the voice of the Dragons.

What can I say? The gameplay can be given a solid 9 out of 10, let's move on.

2) Plot. Skyrim is huge. Truly huge. Even after spending more than a year or two in this magical world, you can always discover something new (as I, after three years of playing, discovered that the game has an Argonian companion “hidden” in the Black Ford). A large number of quests (coupled with the Radiant AI system, which constantly creates random mini-quests) will not let you get bored. The most diverse (but ultimately a little monotonous) guilds that can satisfy a wide variety of needs. Do you love a bloody battle with fire in your heart? Your Companions are waiting for you. Do you want to gain knowledge about the subtle matter of magic? The college will quench your thirst. Are you looking for help to use your ill-gotten gains? Find the College of Thieves and begin your adventure.

What are the downsides, you ask? Naturally, not without them. The main plot is not intrusive, and does not always drag in (personally, my lazy self has never gained the strength to stomp all the way to Ivarstead on foot, I’m a Dovahkiin, where are my carriage with my personal coachman?). Who cares about Alduin and devouring the world when I haven't collected all 30 red roots in a cave, or scoured the entire game looking for collectibles for my Thieves Guild shelf? And every guild, unfortunately, in this game begins with the fact that you, a green newcomer who has just joined the guild, take on the task of raking out the Augean stables, and after a week you become the leader of the guild... True, that’s all for everyone I don’t care, this status won’t give you much reverence anyway (only a couple of lines of dialogue before the fight with Tsun in Sovngarde).

So my rating for the plot here is 7.5 out of 10.

3) Graphics and music. The graphics in Skyrim were gorgeous for its time, and more or less presentable even today, although not without mistakes (yes, children, you little twin goblins, I’m talking about you). But what cannot be taken away from the game are beautiful views and landscapes. Sometimes, going to the top of a mountain, willy-nilly you will admire the beauty of this world.

As for the music and sounds, Jeremy Soule did an amazing job. Each soundtrack literally makes you listen to it, forgetting about everything, and even outside the game you can listen to them endlessly.

What is the estimate? For the graphics, with a discount for the release date, you can give a solid 7.5. But for the music you can only give 10 out of 10, and not a hundredth less.

4) Optimization.

Eh... The Achilles heel of the entire Bethesda studio is the game engine. Bugs in their games have long become memes among the gaming community. Just look at the cost of a very budget flight into space, which can be easily and simply organized for you by the nearest giant. However, it cannot be said that Skyrim is very demanding on hardware. Not at all. The Elder Scrolls are very unpretentious, and will run on very, very weak devices (except for potatoes, probably). So, putting aside the bugs, the game can be safely given 9 out of 10.

5) Replayability.

Well, why, what, Skyrim (and indeed all games from the Bethesda studio) can’t handle this. The variety of leveling will allow you to start the game again and again, and each playthrough will no longer be similar to the previous one (unless you try very hard to go step by step, or if you are not a speedrunner). But even if you are bored with the game and tired of the monotony,... *drum roll* Mods will come to the rescue! Hundreds, if not thousands of game modifications will allow you to breathe life back into Skyrim, deepening its atmosphere, or changing it beyond recognition. Or do you prefer something fun and crazy? The modders even tried to take this into account (oh, the replacement of Alduin's model with Thomas the Train...). In other words, you will return to Skyrim more than once, or twice, or even ten. And even after a few years, you will still remember your old friend, and, having abandoned the newfangled RDR2 and Bannerlord, you will again hear the good old “Hey, you! Are you awake?”

In short, for replay value you can safely give it 10 out of 10.

What can I say in the end? Skyrim is definitely a game that every self-respecting gamer of any gender and age should play, and which can be safely given the title of one of the best RPGs of the 21st century.