For many, it feels as though Skyrim goes on forever, and not necessarily due to its storyline. With Bethesda delaying Starfield until next year, hopes of hearing anything about The Elder Scrolls 6 may be fading. Given all this, fans are sticking with the 2011 epic RPG, which is not to say that a bad thing. Skyrim is still a good game, though riddled with issues, and looks pretty even after all these years. However, it could always stand to look prettier, and that's where mods come in. Lots and lots of mods.
The YouTube channel Digital Dreams recently uploaded a video which shows Skyrim in all its glory. That is to say incredibly souped up with over 1,500 mods, which go to great lengths to really improve the overall visuals. The video shows just how breathtaking this decade-old game can still be. Anyone who plays the game knows that, while the vanilla experience is fine in and of itself, there are so many ways to modify it and make the experience better that it seems silly not to, especially on PC. Still, this many mods is insane, and it's actually surprising that the game boots up at all.
It does look pretty magnificent however, especially the lighting. The main Skyrim graphics mod that's been used, according to a link in the video description, is Elysium Remastered. As the name suggests, it's an improved version of Elysium, which is an add-on that puts emphasis on the visuals, implementing hundreds of modifications, as well as offering support for Creation Club. Comparing Digital Dreams' video to what the game originally looked like in 2011, it's quite striking to see just how far things have come and how skilled the modding community is.
This is also not the first time the YouTube channel has done something like this. They've also shown what Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion looks like with 8K visuals and hundreds of mods installed. There is something about seeing an older game be given a graphical boost. These games were held aloft as the cream of gaming visuals when first released, and now mods make the original versions look dated.
It will be interesting to see whether the elusive Elder Scrolls 6, Bethesda's best-kept secret, will be just as stunning. Much like the previous entries, it will likely be considered gorgeous upon release, but no doubt the modding community will be out in force when the game comes out to continue making improvements to the original format.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - Anniversary Edition is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Source: DSO Gaming