After a bit of a late start to my Skyrim-playing (fencing, school, and work are starting to consume me), I finally got some time to catch up this weekend. There was a fencing tournament, and I showed up for the foil event, but once that was finished I split and started sinking time into Skyrim.
By the time I had put down the controller Sunday I had harvested blood from the different races of Tamriel, become Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold, found an Elder Scroll, and spoke to an evil Daedric prince, and defeated several dragons. That’s not even all of it either! There’s something about Skyrim that just…absorbs me. I have to mentally tell myself to put the controller down, something that I failed to do on Saturday night/morning when I stayed up until 5:00 A.M. unraveling the mysteries of a runed lexicon I had received.
If I had to pin it on something, I would have to say that it’s the world. I remember the biggest moment in Oblivion, for me, was right when I stepped outside those sewers and saw that gleaming lake and the world of Cyrodill. In Skyrim, I get that same feeling every time I get to the top of a mountain road and look down at the valley below me. The landscape in Skyrim is absolutely stunning. I’ve walked to my destination on more than one occasion just for the sake of enjoying the landscape, even when it was across the map. The trees, the sky, the dirt, the water. It all works in tandem gradually immersing me into the game play the longer I’m exposed to it. If you ever get a chance, walk around at night in search for a clear sky. The aurora borealis effect that’s displayed is down right beautiful.
Thanks Bethesda, thanks for creating such a fantastic world.