Why do I Still Play Skyrim?

Skyrim; it’s one of the greatest RPG’s in at least recent history. However, not a huge base of fans still remain playing this incredible title. Why is this?

While I cannot answer for those who have left the game, I can explain the rationale behind us that are dedicated to the latest Elder Scrolls game.

The Gameplay

Yes, I know; this is a game article, and thus it is “chickening-out” to say that the one of the main appealing factors of the aforementioned game is its gameplay. But Skyrim truly keeps you reeling, combining its captivating quest chains with an appeal for exploring the truly massive province in the land of Nirn.

The quest chains in Skyrim are what you are first approached with. Not only are quests the most sought-after part of modern RPGs, but they also must have a good story mixed in with excellent mechanics to entertain the gamer.

Skyrim’s quest chains, despite lacking in terrific story, still include amazing twists and turns in the story-line that add to the enjoyment. Additionally, unlike other RPGs, Skyrim does not have default quests like “kill 10 boars”, but rather comprehensive, deep, and rich stories that keep the gamer wanting more.

However, the best part of Skyrim, in my opinion, is the ability to explore any area in the game; especially incredible is the fact that Bethesda (the company that created the Elder Scrolls series) rewards you for exploring, placing treasure chests and awesome items in places only accessible to those who actively adventure around the tundra-like terrain of Skyrim. With roughly 350 locations to discover, Bethesda truly put a ton of time and effort into rewarding the Elder Scrolls-veteran who knows that exploring is an amazing strategy.

The Combat

The combat in Skyrim differs from that of the previous ES games. Instead of a spell being a separate thing from the weapons and/or shield in your hands, spells can be equipped much like a sword. The mechanics of combat also work well in the newest iteration of the ES series; strategy must be used to defeat stronger enemies, so much that just smashing a mace into the foe 10 times isn’t a viable survival strategy.

The variety in Skyrim is so large that there is an innumerable amount of play styles. Whether you are a sword and board paladin, or an illusion magic battle mage, every way to play is viable and works well if thought about before-hand.

The Community

Not only does the Skyrim community create great mods with extra content, but they also have enhanced the graphics by ENBs that many PC gamers can not go back to vanilla Skyrim. Skyrim modders are constantly working on improvements to content, weapons, graphics, audio, and other things that appeal to us–those that are playing.

As you can see, there are several points to why I, along with others, still play Skyrim. It is an amazing game that still draws me in, and keeps me enjoyed with its absurd amount of content.