I still can’t get over The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Are there any games that can replace it? I want to try something newer, with better technology, but I hope they can be as rich and interesting as Skyrim.
Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is on sale on Steam right now. I’ve only played through the prologue, but it seems pretty good so far.
Finished it recently and will certainly play it another round to catch things I missed. Nice game…
I also came to recommend this, I have played a lot of the game. Same exploration and basic leveling mechanics, similar balance of silly humor and serious story, really fun underrated game
Grab the DLC, too, or no?
Edit: TY for recco, bought :)
Looks interesting, anyone knows if it can run on Linux?
Yes, I beat it and only played in Linux.
Protondb.com is your friend, but also essentially everything can that isn’t multiplayer, and most of that can as long as it isn’t from EA or China.
Ok you want something as rich and interesting as skyrim, so I’m assuming open world games are your jam.
There are three games you should play.
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Red Dead Redemption 2 - it’s a Western, the world is very believable, and it makes you feel like you’re really part of it. You can follow the main story line, or you could spend your days hunting and fishing. You could travel from town to town playing every poker game you can find. You can conduct train robberies, breed horses, really, there’s just a whole lot to do.
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Cyberpunk 2077 - this is RDR2 but in a scifi dystopian future where the corpos own everything, sex is for sale on every billboard and every ad break, and the only justice is what you can achieve on your own. You’ve got a ticking time bomb in your brain and no time to fuck around. In this world where you can’t trust anyone, somehow what really matters are the friends you make along the way. (seriously)
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The Witcher 3 - from the same studio that made cyberpunk, the Witcher 3 is truly a masterpiece of storytelling. The one caveat I have for this game is that it starts hard, almost “souls-like”. But get past that first rough hour and there is an extremely rich world with a seemingly unending collection of stories to become a part of. This may be the most skyrim-like of the games listed here, but you’re in for a treat, because this is a much better game than Skyrim.
All three of these games are gonna make you feel real feelings, they’re all actually better at telling stories than Skyrim is. The Witcher 3 in particular loves to live in the grey zone, it’ll make you make ethical choices that matter, and you probably won’t like any of the possible outcomes. But this is a good thing!
I’d throw Kingdom Come in there, too
Looking at the basic gameplay loop and quest design, Kingdom Come is probably the closest to Skyrim. Just with the realism dialed up to 11.
The first thing I thought when I played it was mechanically, this is exactly what I wanted Oblivion to be.
In retrospect I probably should have mentioned the horizons games as well, but I just finished with cyberpunk, so that’s been on my mind.
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Have you tried Skyrim: Anniversary Edition, Skyrim: Special Edition or Skyrim: Legendary edition? /j
skyrim with kinect was genuinely the best version
Love the idea that you can actually scream the shouts :D
Oh man, have you heard of Dragonborn Speaks Naturally? You can scream the shouts, for sure, but you actually say the lines of dialogue your character speaks to NPCs to select them! Paired with VR (and a hundred other mods) it’s one of the craziest game experiences I’ve ever played!
Oh wow
ive been dreaming of that being in a game
Witcher 3. That castle ruin over there? Might have some loot. Or a Cockatrice. Or a psychological horror story of 10 parts. Or nothing at all, who knows. And you might stumble over Excalibur by that lake.
Also get the “Blood and Wine” DLC, absolutely worth it, even if you’re not into the story. And the HD Reworked mod if you like it more realistic and dark, one of the best reworks ever.
Edit: there’s now Next Gen too, huh.
I can give you older and with worse tech - Morrowind is better than Skyrim
morrowind storyline and world building is peak.
Add in OpenMW and Tamriel Rebuilt.
Tbh, I really need to get into Morrowind myself. I’m excited for Skywind and kinda waiting for that to come out instead, since I have a lot of projects keeping me from gaming this year
This is how you honor the sixth house and the tribe unmourned.
So is Oblivion, though in terms of “better” it belongs in the middle spot it happens to occupy numerically as well.
Eh, I tried Oblivion, the Cyrodiil seemed to be quite small, while both Morrowind and Skyrim are quite gigantic for their time.
The expansion helped for sure, Shiv Isles.
True though it was for sure smaller (unless you ever tried to “no fast travel” rule yourself then you’ll find out how big it is real quick lmao), but (and I concede Morrowind is just better, it just is there’s no way around it), but while Skyrim was large, effectively “who cares” because it was empty and dull and drab and gray. Cyrodiil is smaller but it’s absolutely gorgeous and vibrant throughout (even in the snow covered regions so that’s no excuse.)
Furthermore, my fundamental issue with Skyrim is the quests are just…dull. The main line is ok (Oblivion’s was better and Morrowind’s better still), but the side quests are abject dogshit, and the side quests historically were my favorite part. I stole a goddamn Elder Scroll, I snuck past every Ancestor Moth, I became the mother fucking Gray Fox, and in skyrim “hey you remember that same dumb silver vase you stole from one dickhead’s house? Steal it again from another dickhead’s house. Gray Fox? Whodat?” I loosened the bolts on a man’s stuffed moose after sneaking through his crawlspace to avoid his paid security, and got a bonus for it, and eventually became The Speaker. In skyrim “go kill that guy. Cool do it again.” The most memorable part of The Brotherhood in skyrim was from oblivion, by Lucian Luchance’s ghost.
I’m gonna be real, I kinda didn’t like skyrim and don’t think I’ll get 6. I’ll replay the oldies. My only real complaint with Morrowind is beast races can’t wear helmets and boots (I understand “human ones wouldn’t fit” but think given their existence in-lore it would make sense for them to have seen humans wearing them and gone “hey let’s do that for our shape.” I do however accept that the Cats and Lizards might still not though, Argonians being newly freed and technologically behind, and the Kitties need their claws but should have helmets, even if only leather.) My only real complaint with Oblivion is I wish they’d have left a bunch of shit from Morrowind like crossbows etc.
Amen brother! After playing Morrowind and Oblivion and then getting Skyrim I was so disappointed. Feels like a mass appeal version of Elder Scrolls that was hollow compared to the other two
As someone who started with Skyrim, I still wait for Skywind to release. I honestly tried Morrowind, but for a modern generation of gamers, it’s simply unbearable as far as game mechanics, controls, animations etc. go. I stopped straight at Balmora, because I can’t get used to it. And OpenMW can’t fix all that.
100% fair! Personally I think Oblivion is better for those reasons too. Morrowind is really magical though, some of those more open systems provide opportunities that modern hand holding systems just can’t recreate. It is definitely worth the time to get accustomed too, kind of like acquiring the taste for craft beer or fine wine. Stuff that you originally found offensive might become some of your favorite parts. No map markers so you have to read and follow directions is a good example of that. On the surface, it’s a pain compared to modern games. But acquire the taste and suddenly you realize you’re paying more attention to the world around you, mentally mapping landmarks. It’s really immersive and cool in a way that walk towards this symbol isn’t.
All that to say, your opinion is totally valid haha
I actually enjoyed not having quest markers! That gives a sense of discovery that felt fresh and new despite the old roots, and I hope Skywind won’t force quest markers on the user (although I also hope they will be added as an optional feature).
I just want to see things looking and moving more naturally, along with sensible keybinds and more.
By far. Such a disappointment.
And Fallout 4 was the same, fight me (probably not you “fight me,” I bet you agree based on your TES opinions.)
Hard agree on Fallout 4! It was the same feeling I got from Skyrim. Something like “Ah, this series I love isn’t being made for me anymore”
I got your back when the fight breaks out
My dude, I did a no fast travel run of Skyrim, so Cyrodiil won’t scare me :D
As per quests - yes, they don’t really adapt to your current progress, and that might be a problem for some. It makes sense to complete all sorts of side quests alongside the main one. But still, I kinda like the feeling I can go somewhere and be pretty much no one even though I’m about to slay Alduin. Feels like a breath of fresh air.
I didn’t mind the non-levelling quests so much but, for example, it takes zero time to become the Archmage of Winterhold, but then every magical person outside the college still treats you like a novice who can barely be trusted with a fetch quest. It’s a little immersion-breaking in both directions
I see the point!
Not even just “they don’t adapt,” Skyrim’s side quests might as well not exist they’re so damn boring. “Oohhh a race war” who cares I want to steal cool and varied stuff!
The “race war” was actually one of the most entertaining parts to me - that’s an entire new dimension of struggle besides the main dragon story! Honestly, I think they could handle it better, adding more details, as it’s one of the major things we’re introduced to early on in the story.
Honestly I’m inclined to agree with that, and that’s my problem with it. It shouldn’t be the most interesting part but since everything else was so boring it ended up that way.
The major disappointment was that after III and IV had such rich lore and worlds, but by V they must have fired the guy that could write. Having seen what they could do vs what they released was just sad.
This might just be too obvious, but nobody’s mentioned it… Have you played the other Elder Scrolls, like the Oblivion remaster?
For me it was Witcher 3 and the dlc. Love that game so much…
And a new DLC is coming soon!
Kingdom Come Deliverance 1 was great.
But it’s a Medieval RPG, not fantasy. So you won’t find elves or orcs or magic.
Edit: Actually nevermind, don’t play it, it’s too strict of an RPG, not for everyone, (i.e. fighting more than 2 people can kill you easily unless you master the combat, using a bow won’t give you the center reticle, saving the game needs a specific item or you need to sleep in a bed, wearing a helmet will limit your vision to the shape of the visor, etc)
I suggested this because my Skyrim was modded to be a strict RPG as well.
All those things you added can be added to Skyrim as well via mods
Yeah that’s what I said, I suggested KCD because I was playing a modded Skyrim.
If OP wants the feel of vanilla Skyrim, then KCD is not the right choice.
got any recommendations on favorite mods from your Skyrim version?
It’s been a few years since I played it, so I don’t really remember most of them and even if I did, there’s a good chance they are outdated or are replaced by newer mods.
And the sequel is of equal quality, the combat was simplified a bit but I like both approaches.
The sheer amount of high quality narrative across both games is pretty unique. There’s very little that feels like filler busy work, which was what most of skyrim felt like for me. Especially after oblivion.
I hear great things about it, I didn’t mention KCD 2 because I didn’t play it.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Witcher 3
Kingdom Come Deliverance
I was so disappointed with a Witcher game. I forget which one it was, but good god, what a bore the intro is.
The first two were super janky. 3 is one of the best video games ever made.
The witcher does a pretty good job IMO.
If you’re fine with a preset player character. That’s a big difference, I never could get into any of the Witcher games because of it.
By contrast in games like Skyrim or BG3 I can come up with my own character with their own backstory, personality, motivations and, essentially, their own story (within the confines of what’s in the game).
I played 1 for a little while, 2 right up until sneak mission, but 3 lost me. Is it really worth a second try?
Honestly I think 3 is, I bought it back when it first came out and I just didn’t get into it, I got bored before the main quest line finished and quit. I tried it again earlier this year and suddenly I can’t put it down, I don’t know whats different this time around but I’m glad for whatever it is.
Sold.
3 is one if the best games ever made, and that’s a widely had opinion.
Sold, I’m a half hour or so from beating twilight princess, and witcher 3 is next.
Say hello to the Baron for me.
Depends on what you actually want. If it’s the first-person RPG experience, there’s a handful such as Tainted Grail and Cyberpunk 2077. If it’s using a slightly different system or closer to traditional RPG, either the Witcher or BG3 or Expedition 33.
But modding… I cannot find any other RPG that gets better if it is modded, as Skyrim – and Morrowind and Oblivion – pretty much designed to be modded.
There is Neverwinter Nights 1 and 2.
Its different, few mods are about extending the original Content, and few about graphics, but so many mods with their own stories, even integrating card games long before Witcher came and with widely different stories. Its awesome.
Also NWN: Mask of the Betrayer is among the best RPG stories I have played, only surpassed by Baldurs Gate 2.
Skyrim is actually the last skyrim-type game to be manufactured until Bethesda announces Skyrim 2 hopefully sometime this year.
There are a lot of good recommendations in here, but if you like Skyrim that much have you considered playing a total conversion of it? Enderal: The Shards of Order Is so different that is basically a completely new game, but within the concept of Skyrim, it’s engine, and a lot of its assets. Think the change from ocarina of time to majora’s mask, but even more extreme
Baldurs gate 3 is not quite the same thing, but has similar themes. You are an adventurer saving the world (most of the time) who collects an inordinate amount of items. It’s one of the only other games I have over 800 hours in.
I’ve heard of this game as well; it’s great.
You should definitely play baldur’s gate! Very little resemblance to Skyrim besides being a fantasy game, but the story, build variety, characters, setting, literally everything, is fantastic. I’m almost through my first playthrough of bg3 and it’s been tons of fun
Have you looked at the gothic remake? It’s probably not as big but it should scratch a similar itch. But it’s not as free form, you’re playing as a set (male) nameless hero.
Otherwise… no not really. I could recommend wildly different games and genres that also feature exploration, but skyrim is just very good.
Yes, truly unique
Omg playing this now and good lord this game was and is incredible.
It’s been so long since I played it that I forgot everything and it’s so fun to play the remake!
It’s crazy that the original Gothic 1 predates all other games mentioned here by years. It is even cited as a main inspiration for the Witcher series. And the remake is really good.
