Skyrimstands as one of the most popular video games in recent history. Nearly 10 years have passed since its initial release, yet it is still the subject of plenty of discussion within the gaming community. There are 9 different versions ofSkyrimnow across various gaming and non-gaming platforms, but withThe Elder Scrolls 6in Bethesda’s plans going forward, it’s possible fans may have seen their finalSkyrimrelease. The multiple versions ofSkyrimstand as a testament to its success, but they may also signal a need for something different among theSkyrimfanbase.
With such a long gap between the release ofSkyrimand the eventual release ofThe Elder Scrolls 6, fans may be seeking an alternative. The game should be different enough fromSkyrimto feel fresh, but familiar enough to capture the experience that madeSkyrimsuch a big hit with fans. Fortunately, it appears there are many video games out there that share some key characteristics withSkyrim, many of which have been compared with the open-world RPG. Fans may have a long time to wait for therelease ofThe Elder Scrolls 6, but there are plenty of games that can tide them over until then.
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Kingdom Come: Deliverance
WhenKingdom Come: Deliverancewas releasedin 2018, it was the recipient of numerous comparisons withSkyrim. While the two games are quite different, it’s easy to see where the comparisons come from.Kingdom Come: Deliverance’sprotagonist, Henry, starts the game as a blacksmith’s son, immature and inexperienced. However, as the game progresses, Henry grows into the role of a savior, ultimately becoming a key figure in the civil war ravaging the lands of Bohemia. This isn’t all too dissimilar to the Dragonborn’s road to discovery, starting the game as a horse thief but eventually savingSkyrimfrom Alduin.
Skyrim’sside questsand beautifully rendered landscape are rivaled byKingdom Come: Deliverance. WithinKingdom Come: Deliverance,there exists the same sense of freedom that has enabledSkyrimto survive and stay relevant for the best part of a decade. The player isn’t funneled into completing the main quest ofKingdom Come. Instead, they can approach the game at their own speed, completing side quests to earn coin or improving their skills in combat. The player is encouraged to experience the land of Bohemia at their own pace, resulting in aSkyrim-like experience.
There are a number of differences betweenKingdom Come: DeliveranceandSkyrimthat fans may want to keep in mind before playing, though. For starters, the game is based on reality, a fact that may put off fans ofSkyrim’sfantastical world. The narrative ofKingdom Come: Deliveranceis based on a true story, and themythical creatures ofSkyrimare nowhere to be found. Despite this, the settings don’t feel all too different, so this may not put allSkyrimfans off. Another concern fans may have is the fact thatKingdom Come’sHenry is a voiced protagonist. Unfortunately, if players like to impart some of their personality onto a game’s main character, they may struggle here, as Henry’s character arc is predetermined.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The similarities betweenThe Witcher 3: Wild HuntandSkyrimare fairly obvious. While the Witchers themselves are based on Slavic mythology, the fantasy world ofThe Witcher 3will appeal to the same kind of crowd asSkyrim. The world map is expansive and filled with mythological creatures to kill. While the combat is a bit more complicated than inSkyrim, the experience of traveling around the world and encountering new enemy types remains intact.The Witcher 3’screaturesand mythology mean that the game has an overlap withSkyrim, and in turn it may appeal to the same audience.
The feeling of freedom inThe Witcher 3is the closest thing to the freedom offered up bySkyrim’sopen world. It is this that makes The Witcher 3 such a good candidate to replaceThe Elder Scrolls 5. Traveling from town to town inThe Witcher 3, there’s a palpable sense of excitement when approaching a notice board. It’s impossible to predict the quests and random encounters that await a player when they discover a new location, and this is a major part of the experience. The addictive and distracting side quests ofThe Witcher 3bear a close resemblance to the side quests inSkyrimthat blew players away at launch.
As is the case withKingdom Come: Deliverance,The Witcher 3has a voiced protagonist inGeralt of Rivia. The background of Geralt is predetermined, eliminating some aspects of role-playing from the game. The players have many options in their approach to the game, however, which allows them to decide much of Geralt’s personality and leave their own impact on the quests he encounters. Despite the fact that Geralt is a voiced protagonist, the player still has a similar level of control over Geralt’s actions to what can be found inSkyrim.
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Enderal: The Shard of Order
UnlikeThe Witcher 3orKingdom Come Deliverance,Enderal: The Shard of orderis a mod, but it functions as an entirely new game.Enderalcomes from SureAI, publisher ofNehrimfor TheElder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. SureAI has made a name for itself inThe Elder Scrollscommunity by creating these expansive mods, andEnderalhas done nothing to harm its reputation.Enderal: The Shards of Order’snew setting, increased difficulty, and darker story make it enough of a departure to feel like a new experience, invoking feelings of playingSkyrimfor the first time.
Enderalhas a number of quality-of-life improvements over the base game of Skyrim, as well as some that leave it feeling a bit more grounded in reality. The player has to approachEnderalat a reasonable pace, ensuring they don’t attempt to take on enemies too soon. While inSkyrimthe player is thrown in at the deep end, having to battle their way out of Helgen, inEnderal, the player will initially struggle to even defeat a wolf in combat. These changes leave the game feeling like a breath of fresh air without changing the core experience ofSkyrimtoo much. Almost everything that aSkyrimplayer may enjoy aboutThe Elder Scrolls 5is emulated inEnderal, making it the perfect replacement forSkyrim.
Skyrimis available now on PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
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