Well, Bethesda were the pioneers i grand you that. But many companies have been the pioneers in their field of expertise and then they have been left behind. So i guarantee you that the new Elder Scrolls game will be a lot more like the TW3 in terms of story line and characters, and that’s why you won’t be seeing a new Elder Scrolls any time soon. As for the mediocre game you said, of course you are entitled to your opinion. But it is just your opinion. My self i like fleshed out characters who act and behave like real people not like dolls. I like decisions that make an impact, i like gorgeous graphics that no mod can surpass, i like imaginative quests and side quests, i want to identify with the characters and be moved by their stories, i like cities which look like cities, not villages with 20 people in them.

I remember I reading monolith soft blowing bethesda hard at some point. So they def played Skyrim.

witcher 3 wouldnt even exist the same way without Skyrim, it would probably be another linear corriedor like witcher 2. Everyone can like any game they want, I prefer Skyrim for it’s possibilities, freedom, emergent gameplay, and magic. Some others might prefer just a story on top of a mediocre game like the Witcher 3.

I feel like Watch_Dogs is another example of a game which doesn’t owe its open world design to Skyrim.

It resembles closely the same structure as other open-world action titles that they established with success in 2009 (two years before Skyrim) when they released Assassin’s Creed II.

It follows the same scale and structure as Xenoblade Chronicles released a year before Skyrim. They are two vastly different RPG games too. They barely resemble one another in mechanics, design or even the sub-set of open-world design.

I enjoyed reading this article, but I feel it generalizes way too much in exactly ‘how’ Skyrim was influential. It is, but not in the way the author recites.

Lol the Witcher 3 world is way more interesting and unique than skyrims generic fantasy world number 450. The quests,animations,dungeons, characters,dialog,main story,gameplay,etc are way better in Witcher 3 than skyrim. I love skyrim has much has the next person because of the freedom it allows but Witcher 3 is just better in almost every way

“leave that behavior for the chics”

Wow.

There is no other game on Skyrims level yet. Witcher 3 came close but fails in many ways except story and dialog.

Witcher 3 is not a RPG as there is no role to play. You’re a Witcher with only swords and magic and its world is nowhere near interesting as Skyrims.

Honestly I have forgotten over the years what a Masterpiece is until I played this again. The immersion has yet to be matched and the gameplay as you can literally be what character you want.

And let me also say the graphics are breathtaking and elevate this game tremendously. Skyrim Game of the Year again? lol

This isn’t a game its a work of art.

are you even paying attention to games recently? Indies blow 99% of the time and there are tons of great games this generation. Sound like you are just complaining to complain, leave that behavior for the chics, guys should have more pride than that.