Archive for June 8th, 2011

It’s dragon hunting season and Bethesda’s issuing permits. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, has players witness first hand the rebirth of these fierce creatures. Bethesda has gone to great lengths to incorporate them into every aspect of the game. As avid fans of the series know, Skyrim is just one region  in the massive world of Tamriel.

The folklore of the Elder Scrolls series plays a very important part of each installment and Skyrim is no exception. The prophecies in the actual Elder Scrolls of the dragons returning have finally come true. Players will discover early on that Skyrim’s civil war is the last in a series of events that signals the return of  Alduin, the Nordic god of destruction. Alduin assumes the form of massive dragon and is Skyrim’s biggest threat; a threat so great that even the entire world of Tamriel may be in danger. That’s where you come in.

You are the last of the Dovahkiin (Dragonborn), a dragon hunter appointed by the gods to stave off  the invasion of Alduin and his minions known as Jills (a race of black dragons). Because the player is Dovahkiin, they are given the ability to use dragon shouts. The shouts are battle cries that are spoken in the native language of the dragons, which by the way, Bethesda has created an entire language for. They grant the player with abilities such as teleportation, slowing down time, or even summoning a dragon to aid in battle. Players gain access to these abilities by slaying the dragons they come across and absorbing their souls. According to Bethesda this will be no easy task. Dragons are always present in Skyrim and players may encounter them at anytime. Similar to Bioshock’s Big Daddies, these encounters will be difficult and serve as a test of a players abilities. At times a player may be confronted by a single dragon and other times they may have to take on a small group. Along with a slew of other monsters and adversaries, players should be busy for hours. The monsters aren’t the only thing they’ll be up against.

Just like previous installments in the series, Skyrim is an expansive world. Most of the terrain is mountainous but still contains lush forests and serene clearings to please the eyes. Bethesda promises that almost all 16 square miles of Skyrim will be accessible to players, including over 150 dungeons. A unique feature that has been added to the game is a dungeon monster level lock system. Upon entering dungeons all monsters within will lock to the players level permanently. Even when revisited at a later time. This prevents a player from unknowingly entering a high level dungeon and being overwhelmed. It’ll take hours to traverse the region so be sure to pack provisions and stop for pee breaks.

So if you’re up to the task of embarking on an epic adventure, look no further than The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Release date : 11/11/11