10 Things Nobody Wants To Admit About The Elder Scrolls Games

If it is broke, you should fix it.

The elder scrolls oblivion skyrim
Bethesda

The Elder Scrolls has been monumentally successful, but the series certainly isn’t infallible.

After all, The Elder Scrolls Online was a momentous disappointment at launch, and Skyrim – despite its critical and commercial success – was plagued with technical problems, including numerous game-breaking glitches and an underwhelming main quest line which left plenty to be desired.

These are problems which even the most diehard fan would struggle denying, the cracks in the armour which are becoming increasingly more apparent, which nobody wants to acknowledge.

Why? Well, because the series is remarkable in many ways, and is tremendously appealing, meaning most people would rather reject these concerns than address them directly.

It’s understandable, but detrimental – because if these problems are continually ignored – they’ll only continue growing in prominence, eventually ruining the appeal of the series. That said, here are 10 things nobody wants to admit about one of the greatest RPG franchises ever made…

10. The Games Are Mired By Fetch Quests

The elder scrolls oblivion skyrim
Bethesda

This particular problem – though a constant source of criticism – is just as prevalent in Skyrim as it was in Morrowind, released nine years earlier.

It’s almost inexcusable, especially when the quests themselves are used as a means of padding out runtime, justifying the inevitable “over two-hundred hours of gameplay” claims plastered across the back of the box.

These sorts of quests are created just to give to player something to do in between actual content, and it’s about time the series moved away from the practise altogether. It’s completely transparent, actively cheapening the overall experience, ruining any sense of pacing and generally spoiling the game at times, too.

After all, fetching a sword from a neighbouring town, reacquiring a stolen family heirloom or delivering a letter have one thing in common – they’re busywork, designed to distract the player from actual gameplay.

Contributor
Contributor

Formerly an assistant editor, Richard's interests include detective fiction and Japanese horror movies.