[Emzy Baby!]

My main character is level 53 and many, many hours of playtime, and sure I've spent a lot of time in Riften, but for some reason it wasn't until recently that this city began to grow on me, and now I consider it my favorite city in Skyrim. It's definitely one of the most beautiful, especially at night. The weather is a little crappy but if you use Clear Skies that's not an issue.

And thanks to patch 1.9 I was finally able to become the Thane of Riften (well, I also never really pursued it that hard), and man the view out the backdoor of Honeyside onto the water is the best of any player house in the game.

Plus Riften's got some of the best NPCs in Skyrim. Mjoll and Marcurio are very unique followers, and I always love having them along with me.

Anyways, I felt like I had to do some praising of Riften, and thought this might be a good place for anyone else who wants to wax poetical on what they love about this city.

[Marcin Tomkow]

Any Hearthfire home + library tower = better view

[Tom Flanagan]

I hate Riften. Bad framerate and terrible citizens.

[Lucy]

+1

I'd mention that I do like Honeyside, though. The house itself seems nice and cozy and the view of the lake is great. Too bad the city that it's in is so awful.

[Michael Korkia]

Riften has a bad framerate!? I don't think I EVER had a problem with Riften's framerate (PS3 user to boot!). Now... Solitude on the other hand... or Morthol if your save file is bloated...

Riften is my FAVE city - but I'll admit I'm a big-time theif and this place has a LOT more going for it than just the thieve's guild.

Tons of hidden chests (particularly in the Jarl's manor)

TONS of silver dishware to use for your homes or to sell.

Great lootable outside area (3 Guard towers by the stables has 3 "confiscated goods" chests with respawning loot).

Nearby to one of the most profitable Draugr dungeons ever (if you have Barenzia stones collected, that is!)

Lots of guards to maul over as a werewolf.

TONS of vendors that aren't hidden behind load-screen doors. (4 in the main courtyard, 6 in the ragged flagon, 7 hidden behind individual doors) and the Ragged Flagon is open 24/7! TWO blacksmiths!? Unheard of!

Black-Briar Meadery can net you several thousand gold in easy-to-carry bottles.

Lots of food barrels (if you like selling produce at other farms) - as well as TONS of fish barrels = lots of clam meat.

Great rustic view with convenient river to dump guards and thief bodies into.

Seriously - I said it before back in another thread - Riften is like the mage's college, but for those who believe money is magic!

((Yes, I know money is EZ to get... but this is a THIEF we're talking about here! ))

[Nadia Nad]

Ohh man yes the framerate. The city is so crumby and corrupted.. not even the pretty sight of Imperial guards could make it look even slightly better. It's a terrible city in general but an swful city on PS3.

[Melanie]

It is terrible, particularly around the marketplace.

[stephanie eastwood]

...I guess I must have the lucky PS3 - because I NEVER have any lag problems with Riften whatsoever, and my save file is 21 meg.

Solitude? Sure do! Sometimes even Whiterun.... but NEVER in Riften...

[gary lee]

I'd like to show my appreciation of Riften by burning it to the ground and starting from scratch. Oh wait...

[Emma]

I get terrible framerate in Riften, Solitude, Markarth and just a little in Whiterun. Windhelm is near perfect, Falkreath and Winterhold are okay I guess, I never go there. Morthal is the worst.

[Lucky Boy]

Well, I feel bad for the folks who get performance issues in Riften. Despite the corruption, I like the atmosphere of the place. The fishery, the meadery, the open air market... the nymphomaniac bunkhouse owner.

And Ingun Black-Briar... my morbid little budding alchemist buddy. Thanks for all the free Blacksmith's and Enchanter's elixirs. My non-alchemist characters really appreciate it.

[Rachel Tyson]

Trash town trash people.

[Chloe Mayo]

Yeah I like Riften. I'd say it's right behind Markarth for my favorite city.

I like the layout, with the canol running through and the ratway etc. The whole thieves guild/black briar thing going on is pretty interesting.

It's also one of the more racially diverse cities, which is refreshing.

[Gisela Amaya]

I love Riften. Laila the Jarl is really cool, and every time I play a new, I make sure Maven never gets to be Jarl. I hate that [censored]. The town is homey otherwise. The blacksmith Balimund has an appreciative attitude, and calls you friend if you help him out. I also like to brawl with the stable manager who remains a good sport after a fight. The environment in the Rift is very colorful, and rich with life, and history.Yes, there is a small frame rate hit when I fast travel to the city hold, and rotate my character around to view the market, but it recovers quickly, and is virtually a non issue for me.

[Matthew Barrows]

I love Riften. Definitely my favorite city in Skyrim, and The Rift, too, my favorite hold in Skyrim.
Despite the corruption and all, Riften is a very beautiful city. And also, I like the Jarl. One of my favorites.

[Iain Lamb]

Indeed, the diversity. Argonians and Dunmer living amongst each other in harmony. None of the stupid strife like up north in Windhelm. Kinda makes that place trashy in comparison.

They even allow Khajiit... sorta. Under certain conditions. No caravanners, but under certain circumstances there's a cat running about unmolested.

[Crystal Birch]

Welcome to Riften! The only town which has real businessmen.

So if you are interested in doing business and getting rich then join us.

- The Thieves Guild

[Vincent Joe]

Riften is only good for 1 thing, the face sculptor (face butcher)

[Emma]

Only if you're a console-playing Untermenschen.

(Yes, I'm just yanking your chain.)

[Laura Simmonds]

I'd never live in a house where the mannequins inside could murder me and my family. D=

[Kellymarie Heppell]

I agree, Rivet City is great. A lot of merchants are there, corruption is there, drug addicts are there. People preaching things you don't care about are there and mostly, most people treat you like crap. Great place for a pirate to hang out.

[Charlotte Lloyd-Jones]

Do you have any DLCs?

[Pete Schmitzer]

I get terrible FPS drops in Solitude and Dawnstar is DG is installed. Whiterun is really laggy with DG and has a very little bit without DG. you wanna up your quality of gameplay? Get rid of DG, i promise you.

Without DG Markarth, Morthal, Winterhold and Falkreath run oh so smoothly.

[ImmaTakeYour]

....that's Windhelm I was thinking about!

[Enie van Bied]

I like Riften a lot its my third favorite city/town has a nice layout and it has the thieves guild