(Also, this
review is more of a reception.
And it doesn’t tell “all.” Just some)
And it doesn’t tell “all.” Just some)
Talk about an adventure through the annals of videogame
codology! (Codification is probably the more appropriate term here, but I am
but a humble blogger, sire.)
An enjoyer of a garbled array of single player and online
multiplayer fantasy gameplay, I can safely say that it didn’t take me long to
find myself immersed into a completely Earth-like yet fantastic universe.
Skyrim provides a single player RPG experience with such a complexly-arranged
value system that the entire game flows like fresh glacier water (side-stepping
the very occasional glitch). Even the minutest advancements are painstakingly
logged in order to absolutely guarantee an individual and unique experience for
ever user, every play-through. It is flipping remarkable.
I began the game by playing my own selection of music in the
background, opting for Ænima by the band Tool instead of the game’s
provided soundtrack. Other than making the load screens a little more epic, I
certainly liked doing this because I felt that Tool’s overpowering rhythms
highlighted the grand action and settings that make up Skyrim.
So I thought I would start with music. Like a great deal of
the folks that make up my age demographic, I would say that my musical taste,
while at times quite specific, is not relegated to any specific style or genre. Ænima is my favourite album by Tool, a progressive metal band
that began around the early nineties. It has a brilliant sense of humour, but
one that is stuffed into an asphyxiated gothic dungeon while sharing
intelligent aphorisms regarding evolution, Christ, or the apocalypse, just for example.
Perfect! For me. It offered a thought-provoking and musically galvanizing (though
unofficial) soundtrack to the game. And while this discussion has been
designated to focus more on the game Skyrim than an album by Tool, I don’t
believe the two to be mutually-exclusive entities. In fact, they actually compliment
one another rather well!
Does it feel like I made a bit of a left turn? Surprise.
This is what I constantly found happening to me as I played Skyrim. As your character
progresses, it becomes fairly difficult to focus on any one task as the
environment is utterly enormous and completely peppered with quests that may be
approached in any order. I certainly believe
that the joy of Skyrim is in the first-hand observation of so many fantastic details
bashing into your cranium all at once, all so seamlessly.
Surely a great deal of people have exchanged words about
Skyrim online since its release last year, so I thought that this unconventional
approach would be warranted. How many times can the smaller details of the game
be addressed?
When I did get around to listening to the provided
soundtrack, I was not at all disappointed. Just like Skyrim’s complex gaming
engine, the soundtrack is constantly morphing in order to enhance mood and
realism. At times, it tunes right into the on-screen action, creating intense
emotional crescendos for the player.
The story is dense and thought-provoking as well. The
interweaving maze of political drama and intrigue is designed to frequently
catch the main character in decisive gaming moments that drastically alter the
storyline depending on the route taken.
I needn’t go on, other than to describe the feeling that
strikes me when approaching a distant dragon, a moment that is prone to reoccur
in Skyrim. From miles away the beast can be seen flying about, spewing flame
and being a general terror to the region. Regardless of the music selected by
the player (provided soundtrack or otherwise), this approach to battle is
always a strategic and enjoyable challenge. It always feels important. The most
amazing thing about Skyrim is its irresistible trait of forcing the game to be
pertinent and immersive to the player.
This marks the end of my report. Godspeed, fellow traveller,
whatever path you might find yourself traversing!
