Skyrim, the ‘endless adventure’ released

The numerically pleasing date of 11/11/11 held the promise of the much anticipated multi-platform release Skyrim, the fifth title in the Elder Scrolls series.

Created by Bethesda Software, the same company behind Fallout 3 and Oblivion, Skyrim is the must-have title which RPG fans have been slavishly awaiting for.

Between red-hot releases such as Modern Warfare 3, Batman Arkham Asylum and Battlefield 3, Skyrim looks as if it will make the most impact in the hearts and minds of gamers.

Skyrim is an open-world title in every sense of the word. Players are free to explore every facet of their surroundings. If there is an object in the distance, players can travel their on foot or by horse to explore it.

As an added bonus, Skyrim is practically an endless title, as the game generates random missions on the fly.

A rich back-story introduces the player to the frozen lands of the Northern most province of the Elder Scrolls fantasy world. As usual, the player is cast as a nameless nobody but quickly rises to power during the course of the game. Skills are learned intuitively, through practice and perseverance and the system of “levelling-up” is tied organically into Skyrim.

The player is cast as a “dragon born” and capable of stealing the souls of dragons “in order to prevent a great evil from prevailing,” Todd Howard, director of Skyrim said, “In Elder Scrolls, dragons have been in the lore but they haven’t been in the game. In this game, dragons have been reborn.”

Players on PC, Xbox and PS3 are in for a long journey, as the world of Skyrim stretches 41 square kilometres. With customisable game mechanics, eye-pleasing graphics and a vast selection of quests to enjoy, Skyrim may become the premier blockbuster holiday hit this festive season.