I was more hyped then anyone for this game. Everyday, I was prowling the forums, desperately searching for information. But now, after reading so many querulous posts, with so much dissatisfaction about the game, and throughly considering each and every one, I am totally torn on this game.

No, I am not talking about Destruction being underpowered (Although that may be the case, that's another thing I'm unsure about)...

On one side of my mind, I love the unique dungeons, mind-blowing graphics, and significantly improved combat. Many things that need to be improved, were improved. One of the biggest changes was the vast improvement to the character aesthetics, whether it be player or NPC.

Then on the other hand, the quests are shallow and a little too go-fetch-this for my liking, the gameplay is generally uninteresting, and the quest lines are short and unfulfilling. I really don't want anyone to take this as one of those "OMG I HATE SKYRIM I <3 MORROWIND" threads, but I'm slightly losing interest, but I'm still enthralled and addicted. While I'm not playing, I have a Skyrim craving, and feel like I need to play it, but when I play it, it's dull and unfulfilling. The quest lines are no longer than 7 hours, and the miscellaneous quests (Other then The Forsworn Conspiracy) are all go-fetch-this or go-fetch-that.

I look at the forums every day, and I see plenty of posts like, "I hate this game!" or "Never playing again!". And I don't feel that way, but something about this game is disappointing. And I don't understand, I just really wish the game was more deep and interesting. It's very saddening to see a series that I love lose it's touch. Don't get me wrong, I still like the game, it just doesn't have the flare of the others. Feel free to share your thoughts, and please no flaming, it's just my honest opinion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=lqD54UyyWdY#t=161s

Or maybe they could just hire a writing staff?

You are vastly over-thinking a game if you don' know how you feel about it AND you let a forum influence your view. forums aren't even a good representation of a player base.

its a bit late for that you think?

This. I can't say anymore then: This.

I learned my lesson when i eagerly anticipated Oblivion. I think the only reason i am pleasantly surprised by some of Skyrim's improvements is because i completely ignored it right up until it was in my hands.

[[Very nicely put put =3
I agree completely.
Fantastic game, and clearly Bethesda is learning from it's mistakes as games have progressively gotten better from Oblivion to Fallout to Skyrim.
But it's still missing something. Modding community will hopefully fix that. Also looking forward to paying MORE money for DLC lol...]]


[[lol me too, i've only ever been disappointed by pre-game hype. *cough* fable *cough* ]]

Just play the game and don't think about what other people think about it. You have to experience and grow your own opinion on the game. Eventually the game will be enjoyable for all once we survive the modding tidal wave. With a variaty of mods to choose from each person will be able to get THE gaming experience they crave for.

Uhh, I play on console. I'm not overthinking it, it's just that the quests are very shallow, and I suppose I can just pray that there is some in-depth DLC expansion; because the original quests, quest lines, stories, and guilds are very shallow, very dull, and uninteresting. It's like everything I find that seems cool, then just ends, and has nothing further to offer. Also, the quests need more variety, I'm getting pretty tired of looking at dragon claws and turning three rings, or looking up and then turning a few pillars. I don't want to say it, because I hate when I see it, but it seems like the approach from BGS coming in was Graphics>Gameplay, when really Graphics=Gameplay. All aspects should be improved in the next game in any series.

I agree with you, sreach108. Though, most people are too glazed over here with the so recent release. It is just as shallow, if not more shallow in many areas, than Oblivion was.

It doesn't mean you can't enjoy it still, don't get me wrong, because I am. This just feels like more of the same to me except with regression in some areas.

It's not glazed over as it's a matter of opinion. A majority of the forum is filed with negativity anyway so saying people are "glazed" over is pointless and the complete opposite.

You don't think people are on a high on a newly released game? Have you been around for any other game launches?

I can understand your concern, and I think it's a problem endemic to video game RPGs (and heck, video game stories) more generally. Most games with stories can be http://www.geekstudies.org/2011/01/the-games-of-the-year as "running errands for psychopaths," generally just going from point A to point B and killing everyone who you're told to kill. It's the rare quest in any RPG that goes far beyond this.

That said, Skyrim is big. Part of the reason it might feel shallow is that the meatier quests are only a small portion of the game at large, but I'm finding that there's still more meat here than in the majority of its peers. (Forsworn Conspiracy is an excellent example; A Night to Remember is still about fetching things, but the writing was just so hilarious that I felt it transcended that status.)

Plus, because Skyrim is so big, I feel like a lot of the appeal is, by design, not just in completing quests, but in simply exploring the game as both a world and as a system. Sometimes I feel like the quests are largely just there to give you an excuse to get out there and have weird, brief, thrilling, unexpected encounters, and in this, I think Skyrim beats the pants off other open-world games.

In other words, I empathize with your desire for more quests with narrative depth, but I'm pretty pleased to have a game that offers such excellent moment-to-moment interactions and wonders.

I've been on multiple forums around the time of their game release and right off the bat they are filled with a majority of negativity. That's usually how it works. Especially with sequels.

At least they tried =]

yep.

I just think if you look at this game in an objective light, it's not much different than Oblivion and even comes with it's own set of pitfalls.

I liked the game overall. I am about to complete a few more quest then start my second character. But when it comes to story I feel the depth of the dragonborn wasn't there. Such a great character concept fell kind of short to me but I love everything else. Some bugs here and there but the look and feel of the game was amazing. What this Elder Scrolls does do for me is make my character feel more immersed in the game. I go hours thinking only one goes by cause it feels so natural being a part of this world. I like the direction Bethesda is going, I just hope it is improved on and perfected.

mind blowing graphics? lol

too much hype can only hurt your experience
only games I get hyped up for are certain rockstar games
somehow they never seem to disappoint

I think it's the lack of roles to play.

What I mean is, the factions are pathetic. TES used to use the factions to make each playthrough unique. Fighter's Guild would offer you benefits befitting a warrior and a unique story, Mages would give you benefits for a mage and another story, Thieves', Assassin's, other misc factions.... But in Skyrim....they svck. They're like 8 quests long, if that. It ruins your immersion when a guild literally says "Welcome to the guild, would you like to be a member of the high council? Ah thanks for returning this, you're the leader now."

And once the faction is over....what do you do? I'll tell you what you do, you go run sidequests. But...There's nothing special about the sidequests. Using magic doesn't unlock a new option in the sidequests, nor does using stealth. Having high stamina doesn't reward you a different reward from a high health character, nor does it make the quest any different. Hell, many of the side quests actually have 0 diversion or personal choice: you do the same thing no matter the character because you have no choice. The result is, no matter the character, in the end they're all gonna spend 95% of the time doing the exact same stuff and acting the EXACT same way while the 5% that SHOULD help make them feel unique is incredibly small, not to mention lacking in rewards.

So why replay? What is there to do after one character has done it all? Of course you can restrict your character from doing it all...or can you? Some of us have issues restricting ourselves for the sake of restricting. I'm one of them. I can restrict my character from helping someone out if he's a jerk, yes. I can restrict my character from supporting any elves because he's racist, yes. But the problem is there's just so many quests that are just....basic mercenary work. It's your character looking for work. Nothing more, nothing less. Then there's so many others that your character is basically guided to. Excuse me? You just walked into this house? Oh, that means you're now working for Molag Bal. What's that? You saw a dog? Oh then clearly that means you now have to run an errand for Clavicus Vile. Did you see a Redguard on the street? Now you have to save his family. There's no personal initiative, everything comes to YOU. I feel it's counter-productive to roleplaying when EVERYTHING comes to you, because many people will simply feel obligated to complete every errand that's personally brought to them. And as I said, the quests aren't welcoming to your unique characteristics: it doesn't give a greedy character a unique way to solve the quest, but rather they just won't do it at all. I'd prefer if I could solve it my own way, personally.

And thus, it lacks roles to play.

As someone who has put 100+ hours into the game since it came out, I'd have to say that it's a hellofa dungeon crawl. I love it. It's late here on the east coast but tomorrow I'm going to be starting dark brotherhood questline. I am through with most of the major thieves guild quest line. I love all the fetch quests. For me, they're fun and I'm a gamer who's into the witcher, Dragon Age, Mass Effect which are all excellent games. I'd say Bethesda does need a better writing team but their game is about you as the pc watching and interacting with the world around you and that world is beautiful.

I agree completely. Also what annoys me is the lack of new things you can do in terms of home improvement. I appreciate the bookcase and weapon plaques. Just not as many options as I thought. A barracks perhaps? Servants? The cities are smaller and a lot more dull, to me. Crafting also seems to make the game way too easy. Yes, I play master. I'm having to set so many restrictions on myself. But I guess I was just expecting too much. Oblivion is my favorite game of all time, and I'm glad I can still say that. Hopefully future dlc will allow us to enjoy it more.

Forget the DLCs. Mods HAVE and mods WILL save Elder Scrolls! I'm just feeling bad for buying the best "car" aviable and finding its spoiler is broken.