What is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim?
The Elder Scrolls is a renowned series of western-style RPGs from Bethesda Game Studios. The very first Elder Scrolls game, The Elder Scrolls: Arena, came out on PC in 1994. Since then, there have been 14 releases under the Elder Scrolls moniker, including expansions and add-ons. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the first core Elder Scrolls game to be released since The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion dropped in 2006.
Like previous games in the series, Skyrim is all about taking your customized character through a main campaign rife with side quests to complete, locations to find, items, weapons and armor to acquire, and more. Skyrim can be played in both first-person and third-person perspectives, depending on the preference of the gamer.
What's new?
Since the initial Elder Scrolls game was released in 1994, the series has undergone a series of changes and transformations. Coincidentally, we recently posted a story about five major changes between Oblivion and Skyrim, and you can read that story for more details.
Succinctly, changes The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion veterans can expect in Skyrim include changes to statistics (such as the removal of the Acrobatics and Athletics skills), changes to the game's core attributes (things like Intelligence, Agility and Speed have been removed), and of course, the addition of dragons.
That's right. Dragons!
How Big is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim?This is no doubt one of the most common questions when it comes to an expansive western RPG like Skyrim. According to Todd Howard of Bethesda, Skyrim is essentially the same size as Oblivion, the previous game in the series. However, there will be more topographical diversity in Skyrim, from towering, snow-capped mountains to thick forests and more.
Additionally, there will be at least 120 unique dungeons in Skyrim, as well as five major cities. Those five major cities are in addition to eight or nine smaller towns that you'll also be visiting during your campaign.
So yes, while Skyrim and Oblivion are essentially equal in size, it's all relative. Skyrim still promises to be a complete time-sink to those who are willing to dedicate the necessary time to the experience.
Prepare for SkyrimChanges From Oblivion | Skyrim is Enormous | The Gods of Elder Scrolls |
Will Skyrim support multiplayer or cooperative features?
Skyrim won't support either feature. It's a single-player game made with the single-player experience in mind.
When does Skyrim come out? How does it look so far?
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is set for release on November 11, 2011. It will come to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. From what we've seen of the game so far, it looks awesome. Unfortunately, we've yet to get hands-on time with Skyrim.
What should I play to prepare for Skyrim's release?
An obvious game to play while preparing for Skyrim is its predecessor, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. In between Oblivion and Skyrim, the same studio also created another western RPG, Fallout 3, which is considered one of the best games of the generation by RPG aficionados. Both games are more than worthy of your time.