The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR Review - Proves a lot

Six years after the original release you would think that Skyrim has little to prove. The fact that this game - partly thanks to reissues on the current generation of consoles, including the Switch - is still current, underlines his then allotted legendary status. With Skyrim VR, hopefully the last iteration of Skyrim that we will ever see, is still proven a lot at the last minute.

Skyrim VR proves especially that it is possible; play a 'full' game in Fri. Where many games still tend to cautious experiments, Skyrim VR is just a bona fide game. We get the full RPG, which in itself guarantees several hours of adventure, and the three expansions - all playable in Fri. From the icy Winterhold to the sewers of Riften, the tip of the Throat of the World and the island of Solstheim, everything is there. Horse riding, sword fighting, archery, throwing fireballs or just having a chat, it's all still possible and without concessions.

Above you towering dragons and castles

The great power of Skyrim is especially the feeling that the game gives you. The feeling that you really experience your adventure. The main quest is really only a guideline; if you want to explore the far corners of Skyrim, nobody will prevent you from doing that. If you want to join one of the many guilds, you can. If you want to go through life as a vampire or werewolf, you do that. By no means all quests are equally exciting - the lion's share consists of simple fetch quests - but if you tap into a completely independent storyline at, for example, The College of Winterhold and suddenly grow into a strong magician, Skyrim is at its best.

Precisely because of that almost unadapted transition to vr, Skyrim VR is very alert to what exactly is the added value of vr. The scale of Skyrim was impressive six years ago, but in virtual reality that scale is even better. The moment you step outside for the first time and see the ruins of Bleak Falls Barrow in the distance against the snowy peaks, or if a dragon towers above you literally, is again and above all in a new way impressive.

But also quietly walking through a forest, enjoying the music and the butterflies, and then suddenly being attacked by a pack of wolves feels different, more intense. Whoever is a bit scared of spiders, can not be happy if in one of the first moments of the game already a horde of Frostspiders you jump. The fact that Skyrim VR has been significantly scaled down compared to the previously released Skyrim Special Edition on PS4 to maintain a pleasant frame rate, and also does not support mods, is then easily forgiven.

Fighting with

Skyrim VR controller also proves that 'traditional' games can not simply be transferred to vr. For example, the game struggles with the controls. If you play with an ordinary Dual Shock, Skyrim plays mostly comfortably. But then Skyrim also feels very familiar, and you notice relatively little of vr, because you do not use your hands and therefore do not really go into the experience. What's more, with the Dual Shock you want to walk around 'just', which increases the risk of motion sickness.

If you play with the Moves, you use a now familiar teleportation system to move forward. As a result, the risk of motion sickness is minimal, but it is a rather tiring way to move around for about a hundred hours. You use at least your hands with the Moves. This in itself strengthens the VR experience, but also painfully reveals how clumsy the fighting system of Skyrim actually is.

Although Skyrim VR did not make any concessions when it comes to the translation to vr, little has been done to make the game (better) suitable for vr. Your character is still carrying out that wooden six-year-old chopping, something that does not exactly make for an immersive experience. Moreover, Skyrim was full of small and big beauty flaws. From a character who takes a few steps in the air, to bizarre moments when suddenly a dead fox falls from the sky. Or if you want to force your horse onto a certain rock, what happens with the grace of a heavy truck. Skyrim often comes away with things like that because it looks funny too. In virtual reality, these types of bugs are more likely to cause inconveniences, from a broken experience to disorientation.

Impressive evidence, less impressive game

It is therefore difficult to really recommend Skyrim VR, while it is one of the (more technical) more impressive VR games of the moment. It is cool (again) to visit Skyrim, to explore the vast and diverse landscape and to immerse yourself in the rich ambiance and culture of the northern province. Actually playing the game, completing quests and fighting, is now less successful.

In Skyrim you easily put more than a hundred hours (we speak from experience), but it is unlikely that someone will entertain themselves for so long with this vr edition. For that, the overall experience is simply too uncomfortable. We would have preferred to have seen Skyrim play on the PS4 in both VR and in a traditional way, as is the case with Resident Evil 7, so that we can experience the best of both worlds. That is unfortunately not the case: Skyrim VR is really only in vr play. A courageous statement that unfortunately cuts on two sides.

Conclusion

Skyrim VR proves that even very large games can be played in vr, and is in itself a dream come true. Skyrim VR also shows the added value of vr, in terms of scale and experience. At the same time, the game underlines once again that vr games require more polishing work than 'traditional' games.

✔ Large scale of Skyrim even more impressive in vr
✖ Control falls between shore and ship
✖ Bugs and irregularities disrupt experience

Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it!

Steem's Popularity Is Incredible!

Share the joy by inviting others!

Image Source

Get More Exposure On The Chats!

It is a best way to get more exposure through private messages and in the chat rooms. These are some of the best places to get more exposure & makes Steem friends.

• Official Steemit.chat
• SteemSpeak.com @fyrstikken (24/7 Voice chat)
• Peace, Abundance, Liberty @aggroed @canadian-coconut @ausbitbank @teamsteem and More (Minnow Support Project)

For new & best authors to move forward!

http://curiesteem.com @curie
https://steemvoter.com @steemvoter @thecryptodrive @cryptomancer

My Latest Posts:

• Seven: The Days Long Gone Review - Deep, Complex and Rich rpg that is highly recommended
• Topper of 2018: Anthem
• Defunct Review - Visually the game is nicely varied
• Little Witch Academia Preview - Magic for dummies
• Grand Theft Auto Online's Doomsday Heist is one of the best updates to date
• Bravo Team Preview - Saving the lot in VR together
• The time of your life - As the course of the seasons
• One Piece World Seeker Preview - Open world in sight!