My Life in Skyrim
As a gamer, it's often the case I'll allow myself to be utterly immersed in a game world, but no series has managed that more than The Elder Scrolls. I briefly fell out of love with Bethesda as I didn't like their treatment of my beloved Fallout series, nor was I the biggest fan of Oblivion. Before that, however, I got my introduction to TES from the second game in the series, Daggerfall, which still remains a firm favourite of mine, alongside its successor, Morrowind.
Once again, Bethesda have created a world in which I allow myself to be totally ensnared by in Skyrim. Whether it's wandering the snowy mountains or chipping fire wood to sell for some quick money, I have allowed myself to get totally into a character and I'm playing the game as purely as I can and a few niggles aside (such as the terrible menu system) I'm loving the series all over again.
I've created a lot of characters so far, but the one I've stuck it out with is my namesake Nord, and together we've had a great time exploring his homeland. Main quest aside, I've spent upwards of 60 hours with this Nord and my favourite companion, Lydia. We've cleared cave systems of bandits together, discovered ancient shrines and protected towns from vampires.
Rarely, though in games I allow myself to become as immersed in a world as I have here. I bought my first home in a city called Whiterun, and whenever I return home I'll hang up my armour and weapons on their racks and do my business in the town in street clothes so I blend in with the other civillians, where I'll trade, discover new quests and interact with the locals. When I leave for a new adventure I'll go back home and pick out the best weapons and armour for my current expedition. Usually it'd be a case of fast travel to town, grab a quest, sell some loot and fast travel back out, but doing that feels like it would be a disservice to the world they have created and I'm all too happy to indulge myself.
I've spent a long time simply gathering materials and ore to create myself new weapons and armour, going hours without so much as seeing an enemy character, and it still manages to feel like time well spent. Despite her relatively useless AI, I've also grown fond of Lydia. Finding myself rather worried if I can't find her or I think she may have died somewhere – after all she does have a rather silly tendency to walk right into traps. I look at it like she's protecting me, it's the best way, really.
Worrying about myself being a little too into the game and my companion aside, I could write for hours about the little experiences myself and Lydia have found while travelling. We've saved a stray dog from a cruel bandit who wanted to gut him, we've helped a woman who was being harassed by an unruly bard and we've went right to the opposite end of the spectrum and slain dragons together. We've discovered some great equipment, among it eight glass arrows which I always carry but refuse to use, because they're still a really rare thing for me right now.
Little things like that help draw me into the world and have done nearly every day for the past week and it looks to show no signs of growing boring or tedious. Each dungeon myself and Lydia have raided has been a different experience, each mountain held different secrets and each time we encounter giant spiders I get a horrible feeling and look around my own bedroom convinced I'll find a hideous beast sitting on my wall smiling at me.
In short (I know, too late), Skyrim is one hell of an experience, and one I wasn't too sure about with my dislike of the previous series entry. I was pleasantly surprised, and am happy to be proven wrong in my previous worries and complaints. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to get Lydia, get my armour and my bow and go hunt some deer so I can make some stew later on.
P.S. Don't let yourself get attached to Lydia, it's frightening the things I've fought to try and protect her. I'm a bit worried about myself, really...
Once again, Bethesda have created a world in which I allow myself to be totally ensnared by in Skyrim. Whether it's wandering the snowy mountains or chipping fire wood to sell for some quick money, I have allowed myself to get totally into a character and I'm playing the game as purely as I can and a few niggles aside (such as the terrible menu system) I'm loving the series all over again.
I've created a lot of characters so far, but the one I've stuck it out with is my namesake Nord, and together we've had a great time exploring his homeland. Main quest aside, I've spent upwards of 60 hours with this Nord and my favourite companion, Lydia. We've cleared cave systems of bandits together, discovered ancient shrines and protected towns from vampires.
Rarely, though in games I allow myself to become as immersed in a world as I have here. I bought my first home in a city called Whiterun, and whenever I return home I'll hang up my armour and weapons on their racks and do my business in the town in street clothes so I blend in with the other civillians, where I'll trade, discover new quests and interact with the locals. When I leave for a new adventure I'll go back home and pick out the best weapons and armour for my current expedition. Usually it'd be a case of fast travel to town, grab a quest, sell some loot and fast travel back out, but doing that feels like it would be a disservice to the world they have created and I'm all too happy to indulge myself.
I've spent a long time simply gathering materials and ore to create myself new weapons and armour, going hours without so much as seeing an enemy character, and it still manages to feel like time well spent. Despite her relatively useless AI, I've also grown fond of Lydia. Finding myself rather worried if I can't find her or I think she may have died somewhere – after all she does have a rather silly tendency to walk right into traps. I look at it like she's protecting me, it's the best way, really.
Worrying about myself being a little too into the game and my companion aside, I could write for hours about the little experiences myself and Lydia have found while travelling. We've saved a stray dog from a cruel bandit who wanted to gut him, we've helped a woman who was being harassed by an unruly bard and we've went right to the opposite end of the spectrum and slain dragons together. We've discovered some great equipment, among it eight glass arrows which I always carry but refuse to use, because they're still a really rare thing for me right now.
Little things like that help draw me into the world and have done nearly every day for the past week and it looks to show no signs of growing boring or tedious. Each dungeon myself and Lydia have raided has been a different experience, each mountain held different secrets and each time we encounter giant spiders I get a horrible feeling and look around my own bedroom convinced I'll find a hideous beast sitting on my wall smiling at me.
In short (I know, too late), Skyrim is one hell of an experience, and one I wasn't too sure about with my dislike of the previous series entry. I was pleasantly surprised, and am happy to be proven wrong in my previous worries and complaints. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to get Lydia, get my armour and my bow and go hunt some deer so I can make some stew later on.
P.S. Don't let yourself get attached to Lydia, it's frightening the things I've fought to try and protect her. I'm a bit worried about myself, really...
COMMENTS
Angelfromabove - 03:13pm, 18th July 2016
Yeah ive been killed many times by various nasties lurking around in order to protect my friend...I dont know why I do it!
dldeadbolt - 03:13pm, 18th July 2016
Yeah ive been killed many times by various nasties lurking around in order to protect my friend...I dont know why I do it!
What? Please... it's every ****** for himself in my game. Heck, I roasted a guard for looking at me funny:u12 The quest where you have to assasinate the old bat at the orphanage? I hit her repeatedly with a sledgehammer. Another quest where you have to stab a tree to get its sap, thereby damaging it? Nope, got someone to pray to it to get a sapling, thereby keeping that tree alive and go on to plant more... Oh dear god, I'm an enviromentalist! *goes to throw himself off the tallest mountain he can find*Angelfromabove - 03:13pm, 18th July 2016
BURN THE HIPPY!
dldeadbolt - 03:13pm, 18th July 2016
BURN THE HIPPY!
Did that, and that preacher in Whiterun:u03