The first few quests, up until after Dragon Rising, has a certain dark, grim, gritty feel to it, particarly Dragon Rising.

Just the whole "where did this dragon come from?" feel and then Balgruuf sending you, Irileth, and those guards to fight Mirmulnir at the watchtower feels perfect - it feels like what the game should have been.

I feel like most of it fell apart once you have to go visit the Greybeards, and even more so after you come into contact with the Blades and Paarthanax.

I would have preferred that mystery and ambiguous throughout all the game. Like you have to go each hold and do similar but varied quests like Dragon Rising to help quell the dragon uprising and defeat the Dragon priests, all the while trying to figure out a way to defeat Alduin. Then in a final battle you and the Jarls and heir Housecarls and guards engage against several dragons at once and defeat Alduin.

Sort of like how in Oblvion you had to go to each city and close the gates which would affect the final battle.

Yeah the main quest went downhill for me once you met the greybeards. But I don't agree with your idea for a final battle, I was happy with the way the main quest ended.

I look back now, and I agree. The beginning was pretty well done with the whole introduction to the dragons, but afterwards it all fell flat. I just found the entire main questline underwhelming and boring. And quote myself again on the topic:

As for the ending, the excitement started picking back up when you captured Odahviing and fought your way to Sovngarde. This was when I thought it was getting exciting again. The whole idea of going to Sovngarde was awesome, until you finally faced Alduin. This was when the main questline went downhill, again. Not only was it a poor excuse for a final boss fight, but it's not even between the Dragonborn and Alduin, but three random characters you barely know, nor care about, that accompany you randomly. I thought that completely broke the tension between the Dragonborn and the World-Eater and if not made an already easy boss fight, a cake walk. After that you go back to Skyrim and no one cares about what you did.

What was suppose to be "the end times" ended up being a couple dragons flying around that you had to put down and the Dragonborn had to go fetch things. Oblivion did a wonderful job capturing the atmosphere of the Oblivion Crisis. It literally felt like all of Tamriel was falling apart. Oblivion gates opening up across Cyrodiil attacking cities, Mehrunes Dagon himself breaking the barriers between Oblivion and Nirn, it really set the tone. If only Skyrim did something similar (like what I quoted), maybe it would not have felt so much like a snooze fest.

Your ending seems a little far fetched. It's weird.

I'll second that feeling. I did the MQ once last year just to have done it. It wasn't horrible but I won't do it again. There are plenty of more interesting things to do in Skyrim.

The beginning of the game was well done and I agree it all falls apart when you get to the greybeards. Oblivion's main quest was light years better then Skyrim.

The beginning was so well done because that's what the Press has time to play when making reviews. That's the reason why the mine near the standing stones has so much dialogue and stuff compared to other similar locations. Not blaming Beth for anything, I sure would make my best effort to polish the first 20 minutes of the game to make it look good.

For me both mainquests (and what they triggered) were repetive: Dragon spam vs Oblvion gates spam

I did end the mainquest in Skyrim just before Sovngarde (the dragon in Whiterun ready to fly there), because I was so damn tired of fighting dragons.

In Oblivion I just went through the (relevant) gates as fast as I could using sneak & invisibility.

edit: they censor GOD-DAMN, but DAMN itself is okay at these forums?

Looongest intro everrr.

Try Half-Life. Or ME3.

So true.

That's why I use the save before you create your character.

HL's intro is magic; the beginning of the most epic odyssey of the modern era.