10 Games Better Than Skyrim (In Their Own Unique Way)
While the number of mods for Skyrim is practically infinite, and there are plenty of unique ways to experience Tamriel’s northern province, sometimes you just need something different. Luckily for you, once you get bored of bringing down dragons and shouting at marauders there are other great RPGs for you to check out. The best part is they all come with their own special qualities that make them great, so you will surely get a taste of something other than Nord Mead when you take a sip of any of these 10 games like Skyrim. Shall we?
10. Hurtworld
Hurtworld Official Early Access Gameplay Trailer
Combat in Skyrim can be slow and easy to master once your skill levels are high enough, especially without mods. So, if you’re looking for faster paced, twitch-based combat against other quickdraws, then check out Hurtworld. This survival MMO is meant to push you to your limits in terms of reaction and decision-making speed. You have to manage hunger, thirst, and body temperature in the different biomes, beware other players and hostile creatures, and gather resources to build structures, weapons, and vehicles.
How it’s like Skyrim: Hurtworld features a large open-world map, a ton of loot and weapons, and a variety of biomes to explore.
How it’s Different: The combat focus is fast paced FPS, it’s multiplayer play only, and it’s still in early access so it lacks in polish.
Hurtworld gives you a clean HUD to work with, meaning you don't have to fumble with menus and alerts during combat.
When you get into a vehicle, you can drive in first-person!
9. Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Kingdom Come: Deliverance Gameplay
For some players, Skyrim can be too open-ended and they find themselves overwhelmed by the number of things they can do right off the bat and how unstructured the overall narrative is. If that sounds like you, then Kingdom Come: Deliverance might just be the next RPG for you. It is highly story driven, and you spend a lot of the early game getting to know the world and the characters living in it as your avatar, Henry, quests to improve his skills so he can avenge the murder of his parents. Before it sets you off on your own it makes sure you have a firm handle on everything from combat to speechcraft to exploration and movement.
How it’s like Skyrim: Kingdom Come is set in a medieval themed world which (after the lengthy prologue) you can explore to your heart’s content. The combat is very simulation heavy and you have options for how you complete side-quests (such as sneaking or barging into a fight).
How it’s Different: There are no magic or fantasy elements in Kingdom Come, in fact the developers hired a medieval historian for advice and feedback as they worked on the game so they could keep it realistic. You don’t get to create a character, but the highly polished writing really makes up for it.
Experience balanced and dynamic real-time combat.
Travel by foot or on horseback.
8. Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord
Bannerlord Siege Defense Gameplay
In Skyrim, you can become Thane of a hold, but once you have that power all you get is a Housecarl as a free follower. You don’t get to lead any battles, enact any rules, or hand out any punishments. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord will at least give you the power to lead battles. Like previous M&B games, Bannerlord is a combination first-person RPG and third-person strategy simulator. While in first-person sections, you can hang out in taverns, peruse shops, recruit followers and soldiers, and engage in conversation and combat. The third-person element comes in when you are selecting towns to visit or attack and setting up for raids or siege defense. I’m probably not describing it well, so you should definitely watch the gameplay video above if you want to get a better idea of what I mean.
How it’s like Skyrim: There is a vast medieval themed open-world with towns to explore and NPCs to interact with. Engage in real-time combat with a variety of weapons and strategies. Create your own customized avatar.
How it’s Different: No magic or fantasy elements. There is a third-person strategy component within combat. The focus is less on narrative questlines and more on choice and personal roleplay.
Defend the town from invaders and break the siege.
Mount an attack and lead your army on horseback.
7. Monster Hunter: World
Monster Hunter: World Opening Sequence Gameplay
If Skyrim for you is all about the creatures and combat, then check out Monster Hunter: World. Right now, it’s only out for consoles, but a PC release is expected in the fall. In the newest installment to the Monster Hunter franchise, you play as a Hunter sent with a crew to the New World to help set up a research base interested in studying the Elder Dragons, and how their bio-energy affects the environment. And kill hostile creatures, of course. You must collect materials from the fallen monsters to craft powerful weapons and armour and do quests for the local NPCs to build up the research facility and colonies.
How it’s like Skyrim: It’s set in a high fantasy setting, with dragons, and is combat and quest focused. You can create your own avatar and outfit them with your choice of numerous weapons and armour. There is a crafting and upgrade system.
How it’s Different: Your character’s abilities are based on your equipment rather than individual skill stats. The game has a clearer narrative structure than Skyrim, though you are by no means on rails.
Take down monsters of all sizes as an A-List Hunter in the New World.
The graphics are absolutely stunning.
6. Rust
Rust Gameplay
Maybe Skyrim is too easy for you, and you can gather loot and take down enemies with no trouble. Well, then why don’t you join the other players in Rust, a shameless PvP based survival MMO where your opponents won’t hold your hand, unless they’re taking something from it. Wake up naked on a beach and try to survive while other, slightly more clothed, people try to kill you and take your stuff. Search the island for resources to harvest, build weapons and shelters for protection, all while managing your hunger, thirst, and temperature.
How it’s like Skyrim: A vast open world to explore, creatures to kill, materials to gather for crafting, find and craft a variety of weapons and armour.
How it’s Different: Rust is a persistent server based MMO with no offline campaign, you can’t customize your character, but it presents a hearty challenge to players looking for a spanking and something to dedicate a good amount of time to.
Craft settlements and try to convince people to not loot your stuff when you’re logged out.
Be wary when you find a structure of any kind, you never know who might be lurking inside with a crossbow or machine gun waiting to ambush unsuspecting looters.
5. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Witcher 3 Gameplay
When you tire of being a Dragonborn, how about trying life as a Witcher? Geralt of Rivia is a highly trained monster slayer for hire, also known as a Witcher. As Geralt, you are tasked with finding a child from a prophecy and along the way will be forced to make decisions that will affect the world, for better or for worse. You have access to a number of weapons and abilities like crossbows, swords, and telekinesis. This is good because there are a number of enemies to take on like human bandits and grotesque monsters. Some of those monsters are even affected by the game’s day/night cycle.
How it’s like Skyrim: The Witcher 3 has a high fantasy setting, open-world exploration, real-time combat, and is packed with interesting NPCs and side quests.
How it’s Different: The main difference is that you don’t create your own character. But this doesn’t hinder roleplay, as you get plenty of choice over how your Geralt interacts with the world. Also, it’s sometimes nice to have an avatar that has a voice in conversation.
There is a whole world to explore out there.
People don’t really like the Witchers, even though towns would be overrun without them.
4. Middle-earth: Shadow of War
Shadow of War Gameplay
Middle-Earth is perhaps the most well-known high fantasy setting of the last two decades, so if you’re looking for a world to explore that’s as in-depth and thought out as Tamriel, it’s definitely next on the list. Shadow of War is the sequel to Shadow of Mordor, famous for the award-winning Nemesis combat system. You play as the human ranger Talion, who shares his body with the spirit of an elf warrior named Celebrimbor, on his quest to avenge his dead family. The game is a third-person action RPG with real-time combat and has a multiplayer mode which allows you to invade other players’ fortresses and try to conquer them.
How it’s like Skyrim: The epic high fantasy setting is full of unique races and creatures. The combat is dynamic and real-time.
How it’s Different: You play as a pre-defined character on a pretty linear mission. It has the Nemesis System, of course.
Preparing to invade another fortress in the Social Conquest multiplayer mode.
Lead your army into Mordor and try to defeat Sauron to avenge your family.
3. Assassin's Creed Origins
Assassin's Creed Origins Gameplay
Perhaps you are altogether tired of fantasy worlds, and you want to mess around somewhere entirely new. Assassin’s Creed Origins will take you to Ancient Egypt, which is probably the furthest you can from Skyrim’s sprawling forests and snowy mountains. Take control of the Medjay of Siwa, Bayek, and his wife Aya, members of the Assassin’s Order, as they work to hunt down members of a group who are trying to find the McGuffin of the Assassin’s Creed series, the Apple of Eden. You will climb, ride, fight, and explore as your journey takes you throughout Ptolemaic Egypt.
How it’s like Skyrim: Plenty of locations to explore, NPCs to do missions for, and equipment to find and craft. Explore an open-world environment that has a ton of interesting vistas and combat opportunities.
How it’s Different: You play as a pre-defined character, you will explore desert and oasis rather than mountain and forest, and combat is faster-paced.
Traverse beautiful vistas as you explore Ancient Egypt.
Like previous games, your diving attack is one of your best combat moves.
2. Dark Souls 3
Dark Souls 3 Gameplay and Character Creation
Are you the type to barge into a fight, guns blazing, only to die and repeat the process until you win? Well, with Skyrim’s loading times and basic combat system, there isn’t much dying to do. Dark Souls 3, on the other hand, lives to kill you. The Kingdom of Lothric is in peril as the First Flame is slowly dying and the Prince refuses to do his duty to relight it. You play as The Ashen One, an undead soul brought back to life to perform the fire linking ritual in the Prince’s place. To do this, you must travel the kingdom, kill the creatures that are rising in anticipation of the First Flame’s death, and light all of the fires you come across. You can find a variety of ranged and melee weapons, equip unique armours, and fight horrific monsters using a dynamic and specialized combat system.
How it’s like Skyrim: Customize your character and choose which skills you want to focus on as you progress. Explore a (uniquely dark) high fantasy setting killing monsters.
How it’s Different: You only encounter a few NPCs, the game is more combat and exploration focused, with the goal being defeating the boss at the end of each area rather than chasing quests.
Face off against epic boss characters with unique move sets and abilities that will test all of your skills.
Sometimes hanging back is your best strategy, because Dark Souls is designed to punish you for rash decisions.
1. Elder Scrolls Online (Summerset Expansion)
Elder Scrolls Online Summerset Gameplay
Maybe you’re not ready to leave Tamriel, but you’re ready for something that isn’t just Skyrim, or Oblivion, or Morrowind. Maybe what you need are some Elder Scrolls friends? In that case, ESO is for you. Despite having a rocky launch, ESO has come a long way since its release by becoming free-to-play for the base content and charging reasonably for expansions. The combat has the same basic elements as its offline counterparts, with both ranged and melee attacks and the option to use a light or heavy hit, though the different engine definitely changes the feel of things. In ESO you’ll find all of the systems you love from Elder Scrolls like crafting, stealth, and quests, in addition to new features like dodging in combat and synergy attacks with your allies.
How it’s like Skyrim: It’s set in Tamriel, has a ton of NPC given quests, crafting, looting, and dungeon crawling.
How it’s Different: New combat features like dodging and bonuses for adventuring with allies, play socially with friends and strangers, no mods, but plenty of extra content from expansions and DLC.
Explore environments that are as stunning as you’re used to from Elder Scrolls games.
Great ready for epic raid missions to ancient ruins as part of the Clockwork City expansion.
These are just 10 games like Skyrim that you can check out, but there are a ton more. You could also look into Bethesda's other franchises, like Fallout, or keep the gameplay but go for a modern setting with something like Grand Theft Auto. When you aren't playing Skyrim, what do you load up?
Let us know in the comments and give the gift of more games to check out!
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