The expansive mountainous utopia of Tamriel's Skyrim region is a truly wondrous and beautiful one to get lost in. Okay so 'utopia' is stretching the term a little, but it's definitely a place of pure escapism and positive experiences. From slaying your first dragon in a Gandalf/Balrog-style cliffside showdown, to exploring the various labyrinthine caves and discovering everything from ancient mechanical equipment to entire covenants awaiting a good stabbing, Skyrim is the gift that doesn't just keep on giving, it spawns entire yuletide paintings worth of extra trinkets and extras alongside the core appeal. That's just scratching the surface too, as there's a stupidly in-depth character creator that also lets you switch up sexes and races to your heart's content. So if you've always wanted to see what your face would look like on a purple cat-warrior with a name like 'Ankaar Dy'Narys', then go right ahead. In 2014 the game is verging on Warcraftian levels of fan adoration, as developer Bethesda rolled out downloadable content packs that added not just extra missions, but - in a brilliant turn - the ability to create your own house, to literally let you livein Skyrim. All these things go a huge way to providing a gameplay system that perfectly matches the sense of immersion you want from an RPG; presenting a gorgeous world of mysticism and wonder yet managing to make it personal enough so you feel it's truly your own journey that's being travelled. Replay it specifically for: The fact that it cannot actually be finished, it can only consume your time, giving constantly and taking nothing away. The game has a perfectly-paced campaign and a stupid amount of side-quests, but it also constantly generates content to make sure there's somewhere for you to go and something to see should you somehow find a lull amongst everything else. What other titles have swallowed up your time over the years, or made you want to go back for more? Please share and let everyone know in the comments!
