It goes without saying that The Elder Scrolls is one of the most famous RPGs in gaming. Having a total of five mainline games and a slew of spin-off games, The Elder Scrolls games have captivated many fans thanks to its incredible world-building and lore. The long wait for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was worth it, as the highly-anticipated game was lauded with critical acclaim and fan adoration that lasted long after its initial release.
However, over time the game has been spread out so much that many people believe that it is overrated, with many arguing there are far better RPGs out there. With that in mind, here are five reasons why Skyrim is the greatest RPG ever made and five ways that there are better alternatives out there and why.
10 SKYRIM IS THE BEST: The Lore Is Massive
Mentioned a little earlier in the intro, The Elder Scrolls' lore is incredibly beloved by many fans. Since Skyrim is from a franchise that spawns four other RPGs along with a bunch of side games, this makes Elder Scrolls one of the biggest in-game worlds out there.
Not only does it have the already intricate franchise lore, but Skyrim expands on it greatly. Players get to learn about the history and minutia of Skyrim while also discovering more about previously introduced concepts and ideas like the Dragonborn.
9 BETTER ALTERNATIVE: The Witcher 3 Had A Better Story
Although Skyrim's lore is incredibly massive, the storytelling is incredibly straightforward. As the Dragonborn is controlled by a player, they won't have a lot of personality save for what the player adds. The same goes for the allies they meet, as they are primarily just companions that follow the Dragonborn around.
This is why some gamers enjoy The Witcher 3 more. Not only does it have a lot of lore similar to The Elder Scrolls, but the story is also incredibly compelling with many memorable characters like Geralt, who are riveting to see.
8 SKYRIM IS THE BEST: There's A Huge World To Explore
Even on its own, Skyrim is absolutely massive and is riddled with content. Every place players visit in Skyrim has something to offer. Whether or not this is a small town or a city like Whiterun, there is always something to do there. A good example is unique quests that are very specific to the city that players have to visit.
Other times, gamers can have quests that happen somewhere around the outskirts. It is absolutely amazing which leads to a lot of choices when it comes to how gamers conclude the quest.
7 BETTER ALTERNATIVE: Fallout: New Vegas Had A More Engaging World
While Skyrim is absolutely riddled with extremely good content in its world, it doesn't have much in the way of personality. Another Bethesda game that has been in the minds of the masses is the Fallout series, since its games are loaded with personality.
Known for its alternate history where the Cold War turned hot thus leading to the nuclear wastelands of the game, the worlds and denizens of Fallout are incredibly quirky with a variety of many quests. This is very much the case when it comes to a specific entry: Fallout: New Vegas, which takes the adventure to the eponymous New Vegas. Each place in New Vegas is distinct with quests that are simply memorable.
6 SKYRIM IS THE BEST: There's A Large Variety Of NPCs
While it may seem obvious to some, one of the most important parts of Skyrim is the number of NPCs players can interact with. Because Skyrim is so vast, there are over a hundred NPCs waiting to be talked to. Because of this, it really makes the world come alive when gamers visit the towns.
Even though a majority of them are just clones with some even sharing voice actors and lines (namely the town guards), they at least make up for it with their unique quest chains and overall levity.
5 BETTER ALTERNATIVE: Persona 5 Had An Incredibly Good NPC System
That being said, a series that makes very good use with the NPCs in the games is the Persona series. But for now, Persona 5 will be the main focus. Here, the game has a concept called Social Links which allow the players to hang out with their party members.
This extends to the many confidants in the game which act as NPCs as well. These confidants give players the opportunity to use them to do a bunch of small quests and get bonuses along the way. As a result, the Persona 5 NPCs are more impactful and useful when compared to the numerous but otherwise pedestrian ones seen in Skyrim.
4 SKYRIM IS THE BEST: The Quests Can Be Taken Into Wildly Different Directions
An interesting thing that can happen with Skyrim is how there are unique quest chains. Although it isn't anything to write home about, it is pretty impressive that a lot of the quests are unique. Some of them are pretty deep while others are quite straightforward.
But what makes them the most interesting is how these quests can sometimes have radically different endings that are dependent on the player's choices. This gives players the chance to experience the same quest in a wholly new way with each succeeding playthrough. One quest that comes to mind is 'The Companions,' where each mainline objective can branch out into a different set of side quests depending on what the player chooses to finish first.
3 BETTER ALTERNATIVE: Xenoblade Chronicles Has A Deep Quest Chain Mechanic
As interesting as the Skyrim side quests can be, some JRPGs handle their side quests as well if not better. Xenoblade Chronicles is known for its absolutely incredibly storytelling and engrossing mechanics. Utilizing a system called 'Affinity,' players are able to see the growth of not only their party members but the places they visit as well.
Why is this important? On top of the fact that side missions reward players with quest chains and more Affinity, these quests can give players something not seen in Skyrim: emotional investment. Players get to connect with the world they're protecting on a deeper and more intimate way when they see that each successful quest they have improves the community.
2 SKYRIM IS THE BEST: Players Can Choose A Side
When players first boot up the game, there are introduced to a classic The Elder Scrolls trope: being a prisoner. During this time, they are immediately shown that there is a war tearing the realm in two. On one end is the Imperial Empire and on the other are the Skyrim Stormcloaks.
This conflict is a major aspect of Skyrim's lore and although it isn't delved in too much in the main story, its politics soon bleed over. In fact, the Dragonborn has that opportunity to choose a side, if they want to. Depending on the player's choices, whoever's winning the civil war will have their presence more felt throughout the game world.
1 BETTER ALTERNATIVE: Fire Emblem: Three Houses Makes Players Feel Like They're Really In A War
That being said, for gamers that want the war to be more of the focus, they can't look any further than the Fire Emblem franchise. The entire series is known for its war elements, though Three Houses in particular is pivotal.
Similar to Skyrim, Fire Emblem: Three Houses allows you to pick a side. However, players get to see and bond with everyone in their regiment/class while also understanding their individual motivations, politics, and allegiances. This allows the wartime story to feel richer and personal when compared to Skyrim, where the war is more of a background event and the soldiers are really just NPCs waiting for orders.