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The 10 Best Games Like Skyrim

Published

9 months ago

July 26, 2023

Shawna Schofield

What are the best games like Skyrim?

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has been going strong for over 12 years now, and we still don’t have Elder Scrolls VI!

While the Skyrim Anniversary edition — which we know you bought — added a lot of great content to the game, even then, it’s nice to have something new to play.

Fortunately, many great games like Skyrim have been released that can give you something new to experience while we all wait patiently for the next Elder Scrolls adventure!

The 10 Best Games Like Skyrim

All of these games have been rounded up from reliable sources across the web and played by us to ensure their quality.

Here’s our list of the 10 best games like Skyrim:

10. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

First up, we have The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which was initially released in 2015 but was recently re-released in 2022 for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Following Geralt of Rivia in a world based on Slavic mythology, The Witcher 3 really gives Skyrim fans something to enjoy, and the fantasy setting is one of the best in modern gaming.

Not to mention that this game holds over 200 game of the year awards, and its remaster was the highest-scored PS5 game of 2022, even beating Elden Ring.

The story is filled with difficult decisions that influence the game’s course, and it boasts one of the biggest open-world maps in video game history, giving you plenty to explore.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has been praised for its narrative, visuals, combat, and world design, not to mention its incredible score, which sets the tone for Geralt’s epic adventure.

This is one game that all Elder Scrolls fans should check out for themselves, especially since the re-release features improved textures, updated performance, and outfits and quests based on the hit Netflix series.

9. Fallout 4

This Bethesda Game Studios’ game is one of their most popular franchises — aside from The Elder Scrolls — and the post-apocalyptic world has never been more fun and engaging.

Although it was initially released in 2015, there is still no shortage of things to do in this game, especially since the modding community is constantly producing new content.

Following the story of a parent looking for their kidnapped child in the ruins of Boston, Fallout 4 features many new game mechanics like weapon modding and settlement building.

It also has some of the best companions in the franchise and some of the best combat mechanics, which makes it a viable shooter.

However, while the vanilla game has no shortage of things to do, there are also the best Fallout 4 mods to download, which can completely overhaul the game!

There are even mods for Fallout 4 that add things like Skyrim shouts and armor, so you can truly become the post-apocalyptic Dragonborn!

It may not have dragons and draugr, but the deathclaws and feral ghouls will still provide you with some really tough fights!

8. Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning

Designed to be similar to Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and God of War, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a 2012 action RPG that fans of Skyrim are sure to love.

Kingdoms of Amalur is a huge game with four playable races, three classes, and five distinct regions to explore.

The game is set in the Faelands, where humans, elves, and gnomes live in settlements and are beset by an immortal race that wishes to exterminate them.

While the game was released over 10 years ago, it was remastered in 2020 with all of the DLC for recent consoles, and the gameplay and graphics are definitely much improved!

There is a lot to see and do in this game, and thanks to the role-playing elements, it is something you can easily play multiple times.

If you’re after a great game that might have flown under your radar, Kingdoms of Amalur is definitely for you.

7. Dragon Age: Inquisition

One of the best RPG PS4 games, Dragon Age: Inquisition, is the third entry in the Dragon Age series and by far the largest.

Set in the fantasy world of Thedas, this game allows you to play as one of four races and as either a mage, rogue, or warrior.

While it picks up soon after the events of the second game, playing the other games in the series isn’t technically necessary, since there is more than enough exposition to help you understand the world.

Speaking of world-building, Dragon Age has some of the richest lore in the video game industry, and there are also numerous comics and books to read if you want to learn more.

Commercially, it is one of Bioware’s best-selling games, and it will take roughly 46 hours to complete the main quest and important objectives.

You can even satiate your thirst for dragon blood by taking on the game’s 10 unique dragons, but be warned; they are really tough!

Since there is so much to do in Dragon Age: Inquisition, you can easily spend hundreds of hours exploring all of the unique character races, since each one affects the story in a different way.

6. Horizon Zero Dawn

Horizon Zero Dawn won numerous awards, but since Zelda: Breath of the Wild was released the same week, it was a bit overshadowed.

However, despite this, Horizon Zero Dawn is one of the best-selling PS4 games of all time, and it definitely deserves more attention.

Following the story of Aloy, a young hunter in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by machines, Horizon Zero Dawn has been praised for its stunning visuals, combat mechanics, open-world exploration, and story.

It’s a bit like Skyrim meets Fallout with the rich fantasy world mixed with the monstrous post-apocalyptic beasts and overgrown landscape.

Furthermore, if you enjoy Zero Dawn, you can also check out its sequel, Horizon: Forbidden West, which was released for the PS4 and PS5 in 2022.

Each game takes roughly 30 hours to complete, meaning you will have plenty to do while waiting for the next Elder Scrolls game.

5. Divinity: Original Sin 2

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is one of the best online games to play with friends, but it is also a satisfying single-player experience.

Starting out, you can choose several pre-designed characters with unique backstories or a custom character, but unlike the original game, in this one, you can choose to play as an undead character as well.

The game itself is set in the fantasy world of Rivellon, centuries after the first game’s events, though the plot is easy to understand even if you haven’t played the previous title.

While the story itself is fairly linear, the characters’ personal journeys make it wholly compelling, and there is no shortage of great enemies to face off against.

Although it isn’t open-world like Skyrim, the locations you are able to visit are well-designed and offer a lot to experience.

Overall, completing this game is a rewarding experience, and because it offers different starting backstories, it has a good level of replayability.

4. Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is set in the medieval kingdom of Bohemia, and its main focus is historically accurate content, which is much more interesting than you may think.

Players take control of a survivor from a village massacre who joins the resistance against King Sigismund to get revenge for his family’s murder.

If you thought the war between the Stormcloaks and Empire was cool, you will definitely love playing through this incredible story.

Additionally, the game features branching quest lines, a vast open world, and period-accurate weapons, armor, clothing, and combat, which is fully immersive.

It may not have dragons, but the combat feels intuitive, the setting is enthralling, and the story deeply engaging.

At the time of its release, it actually surpassed Skyrim in player count on Steam, peaking at 95,863 players at once to Skyrim’s 90,780.

3. The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild quickly became one of the best Nintendo Wii U games of all time, and for good reason.

Not only is Zelda a classic, but Breath of the Wild builds upon everything great about the previous games to create a breathtaking experience that encourages and rewards exploration and experimentation.

Breath of the Wild has received praise for its open-world design, open-ended gameplay, non-linear story, and incredible attention to detail.

The story centers around Link, who has lost his memories after having been asleep for a hundred years.

Players must help him regain his memories, save Zelda, and save Hyrule from destruction, something that fans of the franchise know is par for the course.

However, while it stays true to its origins, Breath of the Wild is also much larger and much fuller than previous installments, giving you roughly 190 hours of content to experience if you want to 100% the game.

Even if you have never picked up a Zelda game before, this is one that you won’t want to miss out on, especially if you want a Skyrim-sized adventure!

2. Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

If you loved the dragons in Skyrim, you’re going to love Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, as it has almost everything a Skyrim fan could hope for.

In this game, you play as the Arisen, whose heart was stolen by a dragon, and not in a weird romantic sense.

The Arisen is then resurrected to defeat the dragon that stole their heart, an adventure that will take you through numerous dark dungeons and to the lairs of many different monsters.

As for combat, it is remarkably similar to Skyrim, and it gives you many customization options, specialization, and skillsets to advance.

It should come as no surprise that Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was a big influence on the game, as was Fable II.

Better still, if you play this game and end up falling in love with it, a sequel is currently in development by Capcom, and it may very well end up being released before Elder Scrolls VI!

This game’s main story will take 34 hours to complete and up to 109 hours if you want to finish everything, so you’ll be hard-pressed to run out of things to do for a while!

1. Elden Ring

Of course, Elden Ring takes our number one spot, and if you haven’t yet experienced it for yourself, you are definitely missing out!

It rivals some of the best PS5 exclusive games, and its story, gameplay, and world design are some of the best ever made.

Combat involves a mixture of melee and magic while also giving the player the option to use a variety of summons, similar to the conjuration spells in Skyrim.

However, while dragons were the largest threats in Skyrim, Elden Ring has no shortage of towering bosses scattered across the map with the main goal of making “You Died” flash across your screen.

Created by FromSoftware as an open-world game similar to Dark Souls, all of the lore and world-building was done by the acclaimed author of A Song of Ice and Fire, George R.R. Martin.

Since this game is massive, it will take you roughly 54 hours to complete the main quests, but over 132 if you want to complete absolutely everything.

Plus, since there are many different classes and specializations to choose from, you’ll want to replay the game once you’re done just to try out new things!

Elden Ring became the 2022 game of the year for a good reason, and if you’re itching for an epic adventure worthy of the Dragonborn, look no further than this amazing game.