Skyrim Anniversary Edition Review

Skyrim Anniversary Edition

Release: November 11, 2021
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Genre: PS5 Reviews, Reviews, XBox One ReviewsXbox Series X Reviews
PEGI: M
Comments:

 

Comment

Skyrim first launched 10 years ago, so it feels rather odd to be reviewing it now on its third generation of consoles at this point, but here we are….

The game’s main story revolves around the player’s character, the Dragonborn, on their quest to defeat Alduin the World-Eater, a dragon who is prophesied to destroy the world. The game is set 200 years after the events of Oblivion and takes place in Skyrim, the northernmost province of Tamriel. Throughout the game, the player completes quests and develops the character by improving skills.

The game continues the open-world tradition of its predecessors by allowing the player to travel anywhere in the game world at any time, and to ignore or postpone the main storyline indefinitely. The game is similar for those not familiar with Elder Scrolls to Fallout but instead of guns and machines, you have magic and swords.

There isn’t much to say about this game that hasn’t been rehashed over and over again, but with the Anniversary Edition, we do get the benefits of it running on current generation hardware. The Anniversary Edition contains a copy of the Special Edition, as well as the expansions Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn. The Anniversary Edition also includes 74 Creation Club mods, all 48 currently available ones plus 26 new, unreleased ones, adding up to a total of around 500 new gameplay elements for Skyrim.

Unlike Special Edition, the Anniversary Edition is not offered as a free upgrade to any existing players. However, current owners of the Special Edition on all platforms will receive “three free pieces of Creation Club content: Fishing, Survival Mode, and even new quests with Saints and Seducers.” Additionally, current owners of the Special Edition on the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 will receive a free upgrade to an “enhanced version” of the Anniversary Edition.

This game could be played forever with the amount of content, mods, and options in ways to play it’s mind-boggling. While the game certainly still feels the same this edition does get a boost graphically which makes it look very nice without having to go through a complete overhaul or remake.

There still is some of that Bethesda “jank” we come to expect with these games but often actually makes me laugh vs taking away from the experience. During my most recent playthrough, I decided to attack a mammoth, cause why not? It was about 75% defeated and suddenly as it was rushing at me it completely submerged under the snow and disappeared. Confused I stayed on guard and looked around.

Then out of nowhere it burst from the ground like a giant mole and flung my then corpse across the mountainside. I was completely flabbergasted and couldn’t do anything but laugh.

But all joking aside this game is a masterpiece and a standout title for Bethesda, it always has been and always will be. Now can we get this treatment for Fallout 3 and New Vegas? Please?

Trailer