After you mentioned Metro was on the Humble Bundle Volsung I eagerly waiting to pounce on it. My expierence with shooters is limited to 4-4 with chums/free muliplayer Quake-like games, though I have played Co-Op Gears of War which was incredibly fun (though I mostly chainsawed things), Dues-Ex:HR (though I only strangled people for the Pacifist Title
), and Fallout 3 if that counts.
Now for a long very boring post on my thoughts towards Skyrim, and why Fallout 3 should have pinned it as a rough draft.
Recently I went back and played through Skyrim's main Quest, which was not terrible at all. I also played the Companios Guild quest-line which quite frankly sucked hairy Buffalo balls. I have both Oblivion and Skyrim bit I've never completed either one's main quest.
There were some really epic moments, particularity the end, however, the game fails to fully reach its potential on several occasions, thanks to vague motives given by 2D characters (most of which I wanted to disembowel--Delphine), and predicable plots. Its a shame the game had to be brought down by this when it was clear these weaknesses could have been avoided. Instead of sending my ass across the country for some mystery item, why not at least join me on the adventure and who know, maybe we can TALK along the way. There were several instances when the game feels it would benefit greatly from a cinematic. Man, you don;t miss them until they are gone.
My biggest disappointment is playing this game after Fallout 3, which had a tighter story, FAR better companions that were more than pack mules, WAY better characters, superior dialogue, and (though a game should not be judged by it alone) far better voice acting. My god did Skyrim some positively abominable voice acting. Imagine if after playing through the Witcher games Cyberpunk 2077 was a much weaker game. This is how I feel about Skyrim in Fallout's 3 wake. I imagine those who have read this far are resisting the urge to mention the same regarding Fallout 3 and Fallout 1&2, though Skyrim's in this case its under a single company.
And the Companions Guild? Absolutely terrible. TERRIBLE. This band of legendary Warriors is no more than a bunch of Skyrims poorest, most boring characters voiced by the worst voice actors that send you across the country chasing wildlife that found its way into someones home. Its Skyrim's Animal Control. So much potential here as there's fucking Dragons and Giants roaming the land and they send me to fight a fucking wolf that fund its way into some ladies house? I've seen your work with Fallout 3 Bethesda! You're better than this! Come on!
Luckily the main quest is so much better but I still can't shake the feeling that its still a bit weak when it certainly didn't have to be. What if Alduin, "The World Eater", was not meant to be killed? All things come to an end, Paarthurnax told me. What makes this world any different? But there are no dialgoue options to discuss it. Neither are there any options to discuss Paarthurnax, a dragon who the Blades fee needs to answer for his past crimes. Is it ever said what they were? Is Lawful or Unlawful ever discussed? Hell no.
And then there's the moment when the Dragonborn is asked to dictate what warring faction gets what in a truce. Gerneals are asking me for my blessing on what land they should exchange and then bitching to me if they don't like my answer--and still accepting it anyway. Honestly, the writing in this game puzzles me (don't even get me started on the Thieves Guild quest-line). The game feels short and spread too thin. The quests are spread out in such a way tho make me believe this was a method the artificially lengthen it. Its such a big step backwards from Fallout 3 its unbelievable. And why isn't anything ever done about the Thalmor? Why can't I, the Dragonborn, who the game saw fit to anoint me with great and mighty authority, unite either side/both by diplomacy or force to do something about them--or for them? Are you saving it for ES: VI? There better be another game Bethesda and you damn sure better bring your "A" game.
I decided to replay the game when I asked myself why I never completed an Elder Scrolls game. The game feeds me an unsatisfying amount of information with regards to my goal and expects me to do it because I am the Dragonborn. In Fallout 3, I was looking for my father, I had a clear purpose and though I did not know why we were out there in the first place, I was fed information and learned things along the way, met interesting and enjoyable characters, but more immortally, I really wanted to find out more.
A critical strike against Skyrim occurs at the beginning. The epic momentum gained at the games start, which is very good, is lost when I bring knew of a Dragon attack and am told by some asshole wizard to go look of some item that's supposed to help. What is it? Why am I going? There a fucking DRAGON coming this way and seeing as I ran here, I don't thing it will be long before it arrives seeing as it come FLY. But enough of my blabbing.
Overall, its solid game. Were I to give it a grade, I'd give a good old healthy "C". In the future, be it Fallout 4 or The Elder Scrolls VI, I really hope Bethesda drops its habit or severe limitations despite its open world and realize Open World does not equal hiking simulator.
One last note to wrap up a post that has become way too long. I think Oblivion and Skyrim every bit as much an RPG as Dark Souls.
