The frozen landscapes of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim are a captivating place to lose yourself in, but what if you want a change of scenery? There’s no shortage of video games like Skyrim to satisfy your craving for magic and swordplay, so here are some of the best.
Dragon’s Dogma
While Capcom’s high-fantasy action-RPG may have been slept on when it first released, it has since become something of a cult classic. What it lacks in polish it makes up for with gigantic battles and a robust combat system that requires both dexterity and strategy. Climbing up the side of a gigantic dragon to stab its weak spots simply never get old in what can only be described as Shadow of the Colossus meets Skyrim.
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If you’re looking for strong writing and deep lore, then Dragon’s Dogma might not be the game you’re after. However, if the aspect of Skyrim that appealed to you most was felling great sky lizards with only a sword and bow in hand, then this fantasy brawler will more than satisfy. It also has an incredibly unique companion system that allows players to share their helper with others around the world. A new kind of remote work.
Dragon Age Series
If the mystery and the overwhelming might of the dragons is what you like the most about Skyrim, then any of the games within BioWare’s beloved fantasy series is sure to captivate you. While its combat may depart from the real-time magic flinging and sword slashing of Bethesda’s iconic game, the world design and characters go a long way to immersing players in the various stories.
And what stories they are! You’ll struggle to find narratives as deep and captivating as the ones in any Dragon Age game. While the second installment is often written off by fans as disappointing, it’s still a fantastic game that’ll appeal to players looking to take up their swords and slay some monstrous fantasy creatures. If you want the cream of the crop, then I’d suggest going with Inquisition, the third game. You needn’t start with the first two, and there’s a reason it won a bunch of GotY awards.
Baldur’s Gate 3
The most recently released entry in this article, Baldur’s Gate 3 took the RPG community by storm with its jaw-dropping depth and fantastic writing. The amount of free-form exploration and combat in Larian Studios’ Dungeons & Dragons adaptation is simply staggering, which isn’t even going into the amount of content on offer. Many players take around 70 hours to just to clear the game’s first act. Considering that there are two more chapters after that, it’s safe to say that you’re getting some great value for your hard-earned cash.
While that’s all impressive, what really stands out in Baldur’s Gate 3 are the characters. With some of the best dialogue and voice acting you’re likely to hear in a video game, each one stands out as a unique individual with wants, needs, and hopes. Dwarfing the companion system of Skyrim (and most other games), they go a long way to turning an excellent fantasy adventure into something even more special. If getting lost in a narrative and side-tracked by deep side-quests is your thing, Baldur’s Gate 3 will keep you happy.
Elden Ring
If the open-world exploration is what keep you coming back to Skyrim, then one of the games worth considering is Elden Ring. While it may be a relatively recent release, it’s thought of by many as one of the greatest games every made. Adapting the soulslike formula to grant players an unprecedented amount of freedom in how they explore the world, Elden Ring is littered with iconic locations to discover as well as encounters that’ll leave you feeling exhilarated, if a bit battered and bruised.
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That’ll be the major hurdle for most folks: Elden Ring is difficult. While many would describe Skyrim‘s combat as fairly basic, FromSoftware’s monolithic title is hard. Players will need to master the mechanics if they want to stand any kind of chance against the many bosses scattered around the world. Yet with that challenge comes the feeling of satisfaction when you eventually smite the foe that’s been causing you so much grief. It’s digital euphoria.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Before Larian Studios went on to create Baldur’s Gate 3, they struck gold with Divinity: Original Sin 2. Set within the developer’s own fantasy world, it’s a deep and complex RPG that asks players to immerse themselves in the world. As can be expected, it’s sharply written and boasts an extensive script for the various companions you’ll pick up on the way. Yet the true victory of Original Sin 2 is the combat system. A turn-based approach similar to what you might find in XCOM, the combat of Original Sin 2 is strategic, tactical, and incredibly engaging once you learn how it all clicks together.
That’s all well and good, but for Skyrim fans, the main draw here will be the character creation system. Offering a robust selection of options, players can create whoever they’d like, building on the foundations of their adventurer with sprawling trees of skills and abilities. If telling your own story is what appeals to you about RPGs, you won’t go wrong with Original Sin 2.
Fallout: New Vegas
Built on the same engine as Skyrim, Fallout: New Vegas is a sprawling adventure that’s as deep as it is wide. The game actively encourages players to get lost within the Mojave Wasteland, discovering secrets and encountering unique characters. It may not be the prettiest game, but what it lacks in visual flair it makes up for with excellent writing, fantastic side-quests, and some of the best DLC ever released.
It’s also one of the most free-form games that you can hope to find, allowing players to engage with the world however they’d like. The flexibility on offer is genuinely wild, even more than a decade after its release. There’s very little railroading, so strike out on your own and build your own legacy in a world that wants to see you either rise above or sink to the furthest reaches below.
