Skyrim is worse than Oblivion in every way

[RhodokMasterRaceOfficial]

that isn't emergent from gameplay

Frankly, I find your choice of companions downright appalling.

 

[MilesBeyond]

Also, the thing with Skyrim is that once you accept that it's more of a walking simulator than an RPG, it turns out that it's actually a fairly fun walking simulator. Wander around, explore some woods, kill some random guys, harvest some ingredients, build a house... I feel like with Skyrim, Bethesda finally made the Fantasy Life Simulator they've always wanted to make. And on the one hand it's sad to play Daggerfall or Morrowind and then go to Skyrim and think "This is the same series?" But on the other hand, it's relaxing and mindless, and frankly pretty cathartic when you're getting cabin fever from being cooped up inside during the winter.


In other words, when I'm in the mood for an Elder Scrolls game, if I want something that's more on the crunchy side, with fun mechanics that reward experimentation and different builds, I'll play Daggerfall. If I want to just explore a fantasy world or LARP, I'll play Skyrim. If I want a bit of both, I'll play Morrowind. Where does Oblivion fit into that? It doesn't.

 

[Agame]

Also, the thing with Skyrim is that once you accept that it's more of a walking simulator than an RPG, it turns out that it's actually a fairly fun walking simulator. Wander around, explore some woods, kill some random guys, harvest some ingredients, build a house... I feel like with Skyrim, Bethesda finally made the Fantasy Life Simulator they've always wanted to make. And on the one hand it's sad to play Daggerfall or Morrowind and then go to Skyrim and think "This is the same series?" But on the other hand, it's relaxing and mindless, and frankly pretty cathartic when you're getting cabin fever from being cooped up inside during the winter.


In other words, when I'm in the mood for an Elder Scrolls game, if I want something that's more on the crunchy side, with fun mechanics that reward experimentation and different builds, I'll play Daggerfall. If I want to just explore a fantasy world or LARP, I'll play Skyrim. If I want a bit of both, I'll play Morrowind. Where does Oblivion fit into that? It doesn't.

It took 7 years, but we have the answer: Skyrim is the best walking simulator!

 

[Hassknecht]

Also, the thing with Skyrim is that once you accept that it's more of a walking simulator than an RPG, it turns out that it's actually a fairly fun walking simulator. Wander around, explore some woods, kill some random guys, harvest some ingredients, build a house... I feel like with Skyrim, Bethesda finally made the Fantasy Life Simulator they've always wanted to make. And on the one hand it's sad to play Daggerfall or Morrowind and then go to Skyrim and think "This is the same series?" But on the other hand, it's relaxing and mindless, and frankly pretty cathartic when you're getting cabin fever from being cooped up inside during the winter.


In other words, when I'm in the mood for an Elder Scrolls game, if I want something that's more on the crunchy side, with fun mechanics that reward experimentation and different builds, I'll play Daggerfall. If I want to just explore a fantasy world or LARP, I'll play Skyrim. If I want a bit of both, I'll play Morrowind. Where does Oblivion fit into that? It doesn't.

500% agreed. If you turn off your brain, load a few graphics mods and just enjoy the scenery, Skyrim is actually decent. It's a dress-up simulator, and it does it well. Anyone who thinks it's an actual RPG can fuck right off, though.

 

[Ash]

turn off your brain

enjoy the scenery

dress-up simulator

Skyrim is actually decent.

Are...are you male? If you're female, I'll forgive you.

 

[Hassknecht]

turn off your brain

enjoy the scenery

dress-up simulator

Skyrim is actually decent.

Are...are you male? If you're female, I'll forgive you.

I stand by this. Skyrim is a fun, mindless LARP simulator without the actual RP, so it's just dress-up :D

 

[Ash]

Personally, "fun" and "mindless" being in the same sentence I find to be a contradiction or oxymoron.

 

[Balor]

If you want to play 'dress-up', I think you are much better served by Path of Exile or similar games.
No lofty pretences, just, well, 'grinding gear'.

 

[Ash]

Personally, "fun" and "mindless" being in the same sentence I find to be a contradiction or oxymoron.

Or anything that can be described as mindless fun is low quality fun that also gets boring very, very fast precisely because it is mindless. At least in the context of game design.

 

[Okagron]

"Skyrim is worse than Oblivion in every way"

And? They're both trash in their own unique ways.

 

[Ash]

Yes, but we must determine which is shittier.

RPG Codex > Connoisseurs of Shit.

 

[Hassknecht]

Personally, "fun" and "mindless" being in the same sentence I find to be a contradiction or oxymoron.

Or anything that can be described as mindless fun is low quality fun that also gets boring very, very fast precisely because it is mindless. At least in the context of game design.

Indeed. Skyrim is not something that can be enjoyed for long. It's something for when you come home from a shitty day at work and you don't want to use your head anymore.
Well, at least that's how I see it. Of course Skyrim is pretty much garbage from any actual critical point of view, but y'know, it's a low-effort power fantasy. Like a crappy 80s action movie, preferably with Dolph Lundgren or Michael Dudikoff in the lead. You know it's low brow shite, but for 1 1/2 hours it's decent entertainment that doesn't require you to think.
Or junkfood. You know it's crap, but it's fine from time to time.

 

[MilesBeyond]

Personally, "fun" and "mindless" being in the same sentence I find to be a contradiction or oxymoron.

I hear you, and for me, it's a stage of life thing. When I was working at a grocery store, the absolute last thing I wanted was to come home and play something mindless. When I was in grad school and was spending 12 hours a day in the library poring over century old sources, mindless games were the only thing I wanted to play. When I worked in an office, it could go either way, depending on how stressful things were that day.

 

[Ash]

Like a crappy 80s action movie, preferably with Dolph Lundgren or Michael Dudikoff in the lead. You know it's low brow shite, but for 1 1/2 hours it's decent entertainment that doesn't require you to think.
Or junkfood. You know it's crap, but it's fine from time to time.

Ah but I said in the context of game design. Comparing Skyrim to the likes of a classic action thrill ride like Universal Soldier is an insult! Never a dull moment in the latter. Doesn't require much thought, no, but the entertainment it provides never falters. Meanwhile I can't think of a single video game with mindless gameplay that I'd ever call notably fun or worthwhile. Don't say Doom or Super Mario Bros. They require constant decision-making upon which failure to do so gets you killed, or in the case of Doom you can end up lost walking in circles, as some examples. For comparison, Skyrim has linear dungeon design, objective markers, kindergarten-tier puzzles, crap unengaging repetitive easy combat, basic character management etc...

 

[Hassknecht]

Like a crappy 80s action movie, preferably with Dolph Lundgren or Michael Dudikoff in the lead. You know it's low brow shite, but for 1 1/2 hours it's decent entertainment that doesn't require you to think.
Or junkfood. You know it's crap, but it's fine from time to time.

Ah but I said in the context of game design. Comparing Skyrim to the likes of a classic action thrill ride like Universal Soldier is an insult! Never a dull moment in the latter. Doesn't require much thought, no, but the entertainment it provides never falters. Meanwhile I can't think of a single video game with mindless gameplay that I'd ever call notably fun or worthwhile (don't say Doom or Super Mario Bros. They require constant decision-making upon which failure to do so gets you killed, or in the case of Doom you end up lost walking in circles).

Universal Soldier isn't a crappy 80s action movie of course, being actually good and also from the 90s I was thinking about movies like Red Scorpion or The Punisher, movies that are pretty much crap, but entertaining nonetheless.
I think Skyrim is more comparable to actual walking simulators and flash games than "serious" video games. Fun for a very short time, but extremely flat. Its game design is of course garbage, but I do feel entertained by it from time to time.

 

[Tom Selleck]

I, too, am very smart and only enjoy things which challenge the intellect and stagger the mind. This is also why I only can only rub one out if I'm also listening to a Christopher Hitchens audiobook. Skyrim's for chumps!

 

[Ash]

Yes, you're not too smart if that's what you took away from this. Fuck off faggot. The difference is if a game demands player attention, meaningful decision-making, strategy, tactics and skill; if it has actual fun gameplay, rather than repetitive puzzles that are the equivalent of this:

Spoiler

Nobody was claiming games must be highly intellectual or anything of the sort, dumbo. Design aiming for the intellectual capacity of your average tween or teenager and up as was the old school standard is all that is expected, which Skyrim often fails to deliver on.

 

[Makabb]

 

[Seethe]

Personally, "fun" and "mindless" being in the same sentence I find to be a contradiction or oxymoron.

You think that DOOM and Serious Sam can't be fun?

 

[TheHeroOfTime]

Personally, "fun" and "mindless" being in the same sentence I find to be a contradiction or oxymoron.

You think that DOOM and Serious Sam can't fun?

You think that Doom is mindless? Even the nuDoom requires strategy and execution in combat.

Spoiler

That said, actually there's no game in existence that is mindless. Every one is attached to their rules, and in the case of Skyrim just fails at delivering proper riddles, among other things.

 

[MilesBeyond]

You think that Doom is mindless? Even the nuDoom requires strategy and execution in combat.

Does it tho

 

[mfkndggrfll]

Daggerfall>>Oblivion>>Skyrim>Morrowind>Arena

 

[Wayward Son]

Daggerfall>>Oblivion>>Skyrim>Morrowind>Arena

That post is almost as retarded as you are. Arena is far better than Oblivion and Skyrim, at least as good as Daggerfall, which is slightly above Morrowind. Which you'd know if your entire knowledge base wasn't from wikia

 

[Hassknecht]

Daggerfall>>Oblivion>>Skyrim>Morrowind>Arena

Ohohoh, I know that one!
"Which games have I never played but pretend to know about in random online forums?"
*dingdingding*
That's correct! 500 points!

 

[Wayward Son]

Daggerfall>>Oblivion>>Skyrim>Morrowind>Arena

Ohohoh, I know that one!
"Which games have I never played but pretend to know about in random online forums?"
*dingdingding*
That's correct! 500 points!

Beat you to it brah