Speak like a Nord

There are a lot of voices in Skyrim that sound the same; this has always been a thing with the Elder Scrolls that I remember. But at least it is tons better than Oblivion. There are some great voice additions to the cast and some surprises like Christopher Plumber and Claudia (Ivanova) Christian who does a fantastic job with many of her female characters. You can hear repeat voice work with a few of the characters and many of the male characters share the same voice actor, it’s a minor niggle in a game that is packed with some great dialogue. There are some off performances and some wooden ones, but again, it’s a small price to pay for such a great adventure. The main character has no voice and that works really well for me, since I tend to put my own voice in inside my head and you’re not tied down to a particular voice for the image you have in mind.

Epic Anthems and Solemn Themes

Skyrim offers some of the most stirring music in a video game yet. The main theme (Sons of Skyrim) is full of pumping orchestral highs and dramatic chants, sung in the language of dragons that Bethesda crafted for the game. An epic tale of the battle of good versus evil and the rise of the great Dragon: Alduin. Like Wagner’s Ring Cycle and music of that ilk it evokes the Nordic theme perfectly. Skyrim’s fantastic score, composed by veteran composer Jeremy Soule who has been involved in the Elder Scrolls and other games for years and years is the best music that has come from this composer yet.

It matches the on-screen action and exploration perfectly and a version of it kicks off during many of the dragon battles, yet another great addition to the atmosphere that actually makes the blood pump and has elicited big smiles from the local peanut gallery.

To Save or Not to Save?

Skyrim has a robust save system, the load times are not too bad at all and there’s 3 autosaves as well. It is wise to save frequently and definitely after every major victory.

Problems?

The game hasn’t really given me any issues since I’ve had it. I haven’t experienced any major bugs and the minor stuff is so minor it doesn’t bear mentioning. Also, I have the whole thing installed on the 360 and there have been no texture issues at all. There are some occasional pop in moments when getting close to certain features in the landscape, but they are few and far between. It certainly doesn’t mar the game for me. It should be noted that the draw distance for this game is the best yet for the series and creates some amazing visual moments.

Addictive...

Bethesda has managed to create a truly fascinating world, full of addictive gameplay and interesting quests. They have evolved the franchise to such an extent that if the next game in the series is anything like this one, I’m there...right there with all the Elder Scrolls fans just waiting for it. I can only imagine what a return to Morrowind might bring if it has the same ethos in design as Skyrim and the same attention to detail...

Until then though, I’ll be walking the snowy tundra with an eagle eye upon the air for dragons to slay and monsters to kill. Knowing that as a pure single player experience, Skyrim is the game that will last me years and years as I can never truly see everything that it has to offer...

I often wonder if with such things as Radiant AI and Story, if I could truly ever say that I could see everything in this lifetime?

I have a sneaking suspicion that I probably couldn't. Which is kind of scary!

DOVAHKIIN DOVAHKIIN
NAAL OK ZIN LOS VAHRIIN
WAH DEIN VOKUL MAHFAERAAK AHST VAAL
AHRK FIN NOROK PAAL GRAAN
FOD NUST HON ZINDRO ZAAN
DOVAHKIIN FAH HIN KOGAAN MU DRAAL!