My History with Skyrim

When I was about 12 years old, my little brother was beyond excited for Skyrim. At that age, I thought everything that he did was cringeworthy, and as such, I dismissed Skyrim. Secretly, though, the allure of a fantasy adventure was tantalizing. I waited for a day when my little brother was out of the house, and I could play the game in peace.

I only made it as far as Riverwood. I really struggled through those first few minutes of the game, in part because the game was first-person POV. While I've played games my whole life, I had never played a game in first-person POV. It was troublesome to adjust to the play style of Skyrim. Soon after, my brother came home, and I set the game down, forgetting about it.

When I was about 16, I played Skyrim Legendary Edition for my Xbox 360. I had finally grown out of holding disdain over my brother's hobbies. Those technical skill issues persisted for a while, and I mostly played the game in 3rd person. Eventually, I mastered the game mechanics, and I was hooked from there. My favorite part of Skyrim was building my homestead in between quests, bringing home gifts for my wife and daughters. I played through the game twice before setting it down for a few years.

It has been several years since my playthroughs on the Xbox 360. Occasionally, I hear the whisper of Todd Howard in the back of my mind, urging me to return to Skyrim. For years, I ignored my urge to replay the game, thinking that it was pointless to replay a game I had already spent hundreds of hours in. Eventually, I listened to the devil on my shoulder, and I am delighted that I did. In my most recent Skyrim adventure, I discovered a new world: Skyrim with mods.

Now, there are truly endless possibilities for play. My game is more beautiful than ever, combat is cleaner, and the gameplay has been streamlined. My favorite questline, the Dark Brotherhood, is extended... Serana is an immersive follower... And Breezehome has never been cozier. While I had considered Skyrim among my favorites before, it is now truly my favorite game of all time. My current playthrough has already lasted 130 hours, and I am not nearly finished. By this point in most any other game of its genre, I would have set it down in boredom. Skyrim is the gift that keeps on giving.