3. Greater Depth to Combat
Dont get me wrong, Im not accusing Bethesda of shallow game design; that would be like accusing Martin Scorsese of being a hack - a ridiculous statement. However, I always wished that Skyrim brought with it a greater depth to Elder Scrolls classic combat system, but alas, we were delivered a relatively similar if somewhat overhauled system to that which wed been playing for years already. If you chose One Handed as your mode of attack, you could choose from a range of varying weapons but were ultimately limited to a few standard slashes or swings (and could unlock a running attack if you desired). Magic was presented as a dual wield system that allowed for combinations of separate spells or a double strength version of a single spell (by casting with both hands at once). Presentation wise it was a vast improvement on its predecessors, but at its core it still up to its old tricks. I cant help but feel that the next Elder Scrolls title would benefit from some added depth. For example, a simple button-prompt counter system would add a further facet to swordplay (and possibly create a whole new skill Counter); a series of unlockable bow techniques and activatable archery styles could extend the ranged experience; maybe the ability to infuse magic into bareknuckle combat or even weapon attacks could create new levels to magic wielding (Magical Berzerker sounds awesome to me). For the most part, Elder Scrolls has run on a very similar core combat system since it first went 3D with Morrowind. Maybe now is the perfect time to start looking at ways to evolve that tried and tested mechanic.