The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition

I have this on multiple platforms. I have spent way too much time in this game. Recommend to eveyrbody.

...war never changes. Wait no this is the wrong game, damn... umm...

DRM-free is wonderful! This GOG release is a wonderful thing for GOG to do, it's a perfect example of what makes GOG so great. I'm really enjoying GOG's release. Skyrim is obviously in the mid-to-low range in terms of Role Playing quality, but Bethesda still made it much more fun to play than most other RPG games. The combat system can be fun, but 10% skill-choice & strategy, 20% hack & slash and 70% obtaining new weapons/enchantments. Other cons: many worthless spells, a poorly implemented two-hand control system. Bethesda's combination of cheesy story, stupid characters and bad voice acting could have been worse, but I'm not sure how (I suggest that you, at various points in the main quest coversations, after you finish your Hard Cringe, save the game, then punch the character and reload). Oblivion was better in some ways, but less fun. Modding can only help so much... Game stability on Windows 7 or Windows 10 is excellent (some tweaks needed in Windows 7). The Steam version is less stable and takes more system resources. On multiple PCs and setups I've done testing and I can get GOG's latest version of Skyrim SE to run flawlessly without mods on Windows 7 or Windows 10. But I want mods. While DRM-free, modding was my reason for purchasing this game so I've removed 2 stars. (Bethesda's closed CK modding setup is really to blame, but that's a separate issue that I won't discount stars on this review for). Modding: There may be some tweaks I'll find to get more mods working, but after quite a lot of time and effort only about 10% of the SE mods that I have previously used can be made to work on GOG's version. A few important mods and tools that didn't work last year do work this year, fortunately. In comparison, the modding experience is way more diffficult than it was for Oblivion or Fallout 4 (I have 100% of my old mods working on those games using the version released by GOG). Hopefully this situation can be improved by some sort of compatibility patch or mod.

This game has become the definition of a running gag. Bethesda has some nerve to basically rerelease the same game over and over again, sprinkling some mods, MODS, to make it look a little bit better. The game itself has been released a long time ago and over praised to a ridiculous degree. It is practically an embodiment of the phrase "wide as an ocean, deep as a puddle". The vanilla experience covers really boring combat system, oversimplified magic, repetitive quests and a world that is bland and monotone. There is very little replay value in a game where you can be ANYONE at the same time. Become the assassin, thief, companion, mage all at once, as nobody cares about your qualifications or affiliations. It's a one big, tasteless sludge. If not for the mods, this game would've died years ago.

I love the Elder Scrolls Universe and look forward to more! Mods make this game amazing! In fact, I would have never thought that I would find a hobby in modding a game other than the game itself, but 15 years later and still enjoying the process! It's not for everyone, but everyone is not for me anyway.