Why Skyrim Is A Masterpiece - Retrospective Analysis

#skyrim #elderscrolls #analysis
This is a retrospective/documentary video essay of the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Where we dive deep into every detail and analyze HOW Bethesda Game Studios made Skyrim into a Masterpiece.
This is the highest quality video I have made so far! I really hope everyone enjoys it! I love you guys!
Twitch: / fuzduf
Instagram: / fuzduf
Twitter: / fuzduf
Discord: / discord
[Chapters]
00:00 Intro
03:50 Skyrim's Production
07:32 Launch Day
09:34 Skyrim's Marketing
12:59 World & Exploration
21:17 Quests & Factions
30:54 Dungeons & Enemies
37:58 Combat, Skills And Perks
47:31 DLC's
50:36 Soundtrack
55:59 Modding
59:05 Final Thoughts
Clips I used/Author credit
[Music]
Malukah • The Dragonborn Comes -...
Jeremy Soule
Eric Heberling
Martin O'Donnell • Halo 3 Warthog Run OST...
Inon Zur • Starfield Theme Played...
John Williams • Anakin's Betrayal
Marcin Przybyłowicz, Mikolai Stroinski • Kaer Morhen
[Skyrim material used]
FudgeMuppet • Skyrim - Vampire Perks...
Fragware • Skyrim | Killing the E...
Aura • Max Level Vampire Lord...
hauntdos • Making of The Elder Sc...
[Oblivion material used]
EphiTV • Everything About Spell...
GamingTopTen • Oblivion: 6000+ Acroba...
IGN • The Elder Scrolls IV: ...
[Morrowind material use]
Mickey D • Bloodmoon at Level 1 -...
[Daggerfall material used]
Mr. Moonshine • Daggerfall Remastered ...
[Bethesda material used]
Bethesda Softworks • Skyrim Live Action Tra...
Bethesda Softworks • The Elder Scrolls V: S...
Bethesda Softworks • (Quakecon 2011) Elder ...
Bethesda Softworks • The Elder Scrolls V: S...
Bethesda Softworks • Todd Howard Unveils Th...
Bethesda Softworks • The Elder Scrolls V: S...
[Miscellaneous Clips]
Anthem - Nick930 • Anthem E3 vs Retail | ...
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Trailer - GameSpot • The Witcher 3: Wild Hu...
Warthog run, Halo 3 - Kisiel • Halo 3 PC Warthog Run ...
Gameumentary - Shirley Curry: The Gaming Grandma Documentary • Shirley Curry: The Gam...
[Midnight Releases]
swiftyirl • Skyrim Midnight Releas...
bbillyk • Skyrim Midnight Releas...
CVG • The Elder Scrolls V Sk...
[Funny Clips]
My Two Pace • Trying to sell Morrowi...
GameNews • KEANU REEVES says "You...
harry Patridge • Skyrim
Bacon_ • I don't think we're go...
Bacon_ • I love dogs. .

[@Fuzduf]

This video was dormant for like 4 months, but now it has gained over 13,000 views in just a few weeks! I really appreciate it guys! Working on the next video as of typing this!

[@davidmarcucci3388]

Really glad for the boost , can you give us a clue for next vid ? :)

[@xtermnyjk]

Lol I keep getting recommended this video, it is a good and fair recommendation though, algorithms are weird

[@Fuzduf]

@@davidmarcucci3388 it’s going to be about video game soundtracks 🙂

[@Fuzduf]

@@xtermnyjkyeah it’s doing the same to my alt account to 😂

[@NSXtacy-]

@@Fuzduf You must include Star Citizen! The music matches beautifully with the locations in that game. The best tracks are probably First Light, Lorville theme and Arc corp theme. Whatever you may have heard about SC I assure you the music doesn't disappoint 🙂

[@ados1280]

"Skyrim is the most perfect, imperfect, video game ever made." I think that's the absolute best description of Skyrim I've ever heard. 😂

[@effishcent317]

Wait till you play Enderal game yes Enderal is a game built on Skyrim Engine and its not a mod.....and get post depression like RDR2.

[@user-mj9lq9vp3w]

And the patch mod basically gets rid of that imperfection.

[@crushingcrusader736]

​@@user-mj9lq9vp3wIt makes the terrible story compelling and interesting? It replaces the ludicrous amount of fetch quests? It makes the character building and combat engaging and interesting which it isn't in its base state? That's one crazy patch! It must make it an entirely different game!

[@user-mj9lq9vp3w]

@@crushingcrusader736the main story is a tiny portion of the game, and it is interesting if you take time read some in game books and the insane amounts of lore surrounding it. And most of the fetch quest make sense. Older adventures that lost their belongings in ruins asking a young adventurer to fetch it for them is realistic. And those items often have stories of their own behind them. Plus, fetch quest are just one small part of the game. The character building is amazing, especially for its time. And the combat isn't all that important, it's more about the world. The witcher 3 though a great game, creates the illusion of detail without the actual reality of it. Unlike Skyrim, we're basically every NPC that's named has a story and home and some relevance in the world.

[@renatoruiz8534]

This is my 10yo son's favorite game. He plays as a khajit. So far, he's pickpocketed at least 300 NPCs and robbed entire towns blind. It's a little concerning, lol

[@Fuzduf]

Your son has great tastes 😂

[@anon1963]

and killing bandits is not? it's just a game blud

[@renatoruiz8534]

@@anon1963 it was a joke, cuh. It's not like I think he's going to turn into a Kia Boy and go loot Apple stores.

[@anon1963]

@@renatoruiz8534 ah sorry, I never leave my basement and I didn't realize

[@darthbluecat0478]

Wholesome 100

[@bananamerchant6387]

I love Skyrim. It got me through the hardest times in my life. When I was going through severe depression and suicidal ideation, Skyrim was there. When i was living with my abusive stepfather, Skyrim was there to help me escape him, even just for a few hours. I know it sounds melodramatic but Skyrim has saved my life.

[@Fuzduf]

That’s amazing!

[@BassyBoy]

Hopefully you're in a much better place now my man! Having been on that level of depression I can relate to this a lot. If you need anyone to talk to let me know!

[@Bhlisse]

I feel you.... ❤

[@jarlwhiterun7478]

Lol

[@loosegoose2466]

Glad you're still here.

[@xtermnyjk]

I was making my way to whiterun, and defeated some necromancers with some help from a hunter who spawned to kill a fugitive who stole from him, I set up camp because I was playing survival mode, so i could use soul trap on them to improve my own necromancy, and the hunter just came over and hung out at my camp, and he kept asking me if i needed anything, at my own camp i set up and he just came over to, truly a skyrim experience

[@LunaticKD1991]

I'd rather have the NPCs say their random dialogue as you pass by than being dead silent. It's what makes Skyrim feel alive. Sure their lines can get repetitive but it adds that charm.

[@Fuzduf]

After playing Starfield, I have to say you’re absolutely right. This point in my video I’ve actually grown to disagree with

[@ThisChannelIsAbandoned300]

Yeah. And people think Daggerfall or something have great npcs but those guys are just mute sprites.

[@amariknuckles9208]

Lunatic: Random Npc dialogue is better than none at all Npc: “Do you get to the cloud district often”

[@martialarborist7918]

It's weird for me to hear Skyrim talked about like it's some old classic because I feel like I never really stopped playing it. It came out when I was 15 and I played it practically nonstop for almost two years. Since then I feel like I've always had a character on the back burner that I hop into for at least a few months out of the year. It's like my favorite old, worn out shirt that I refuse to get rid of. I only played Morrowind for the first time in 2021 and it made me realize just how much Skyrim didn't do, and I recognize all its flaws but I'll always love it.

[@LogicAndCompassion]

Yeah, Skyrim reminds me of a super clingy girlfriend. She keeps asking "Why don't you ever tell me you miss me?" It's like... "B*tch, You never gone. I can't miss you, if you don't leave."

[@LogicAndCompassion]

But yeah, I had the same experience. I play through Morrowind at least once a year, and usually play Skyrim soon afterwards.

[@FollowerOfChrist144]

I agree man. I was 17 almost 18 when Skyrim dropped. It was mind blowing. It’s still gorgeous 11 years later. That’s how kind blowing it was and is

[@theincrediblefella7984]

Some people just have no standards for quality.

[@AntASurvival]

You are at the same age as me, man. And I still playing it to this day, at least once a weak to try mods.

[@AntASurvival]

And talking about standards, what standards? Game is for entertainment. The only standard is how much it entertain people who play it.

[@LogicAndCompassion]

I remember that day. I had played Morrowind and oblivion to death. I was singing "Dovahkiin! Dovahkiin!" for weeks before it released. Lol.

[@s0urp0wer5]

Lmao kind blowing 😂

[@donwild50]

One blessing they added in Dragonborn was adding "Companion's Insight" in the Winds of Change Black Book. You no longer have to worry about killing your own followers with a 2 handed sweep or an area effect spell.

[@WriterDude130]

Skyrim is one of those iconic games, it was just made so well

[@theincrediblefella7984]

You definitely did not play the game then.

[@WriterDude130]

waste of a comment but go off

[@Waluigiisbest99]

@@theincrediblefella7984 "skyrim is the very well made game" 🤡

[@nathanaelswayne8024]

Ive only recently gotten back into it...I still find the world so fun to explore

[@LegDayLas]

Made well is not what I would say. Day 1 of release it was a buggy mess, and it never got better. Skyrim has charm though and is certainly iconic.

[@Headtalk]

So, through some exploits and spell crafting in Oblivion, one of my friends and I essentially dropped a nuke on the Imperial City, wiping out every npc on the streets. About an hour later, I’m walking down a street and I see a guard with his head chopped off. Another one walks by the body and tells him that the captain will have his head if he doesn’t get to work, and then just walks off.

[@LogicAndCompassion]

I also used to do that with oblivion and Morrowind aswell. I love the sandbox aspects of these games.

[@mathiaschristensen1194]

Oblivion didnt have decapitation, so you must have had some mods 💀

[@Headtalk]

@@mathiaschristensen1194 lmao we probably did. I didn’t own the game or anything to play it on so I only ever played it at my friend’s house and back then I didn’t even know mods existed, but I’m sure he did

[@Rorshacked]

While the NPC’s trauma dumping and stopping to speak to you may not be realistic, as an older gamer (at the ripe old age of 32), I think I appreciate them not wasting my time making me “earn” them telling me deeper stuff. Mostly cuz I only get an hour or so at a time to play when I sit down for a sesh

[@Fuzduf]

I never thought of it that way. I love that perspective

[@loremasterpp]

Now this, this is a work of art

[@bigschlongdave3771]

Or, in other words, A certified hood classic.

[@wolfsus111]

This, this is a hit.

[@RagingSpartan24]

I think the fact that the Blades are so obsessed with killing Parthunax that they quit helping you until you do it really soured my opinion of them in game. No matter what kind of save i was going for, i would never side with them. The dragonbane sword and the bonus damage to dragons were the only things worth getting there anyway (the sword can be taken without stealing if you run ahead of them and take it before they get too far into the final room).

[@cirkleobserver3217]

Yeah, dude has been chill longer than the blades have existed as an org, idk what their problem is. Bad writing I guess.

[@AntASurvival]

The writing is ok, i think. Considering the blade had deep hatred to dragons. BUT, considering Delphine and Esbern never had any interaction with any dragon in their entire life until now. We should be able to convince them, with some proving to do, to let Paarthurnax alone. It's more lack of choice than bad writing, or may be just bad writing, who knows.

[@legobatman5067]

I think it’s stupid that the personal guard of the Dragonborn can order the Dragonborn to do their bidding or they refuse to help

[@HickoryDickory86]

@AntASurvival The lack of choice is a direct consequence of the bad writing. @legobatman5067 Exactly! If it were true that the Blades served the Dragonborn, as Delphine says they do, then that makes you, as the Dragonborn, their liege lord to whom they've sworn fealty. And lest we forget, Sky Haven Temple was only accessible to them thanks to you and your Dragonblood. Meaning: By all conceivable rights, Sky Haven Temple legitimately belongs to, and _only_ to, the Dragonborn. It belongs to the Blades only secondarily, purely by the virtue of their fealty to the Dragonborn. Even the mere suggestion that Delphine and Esbern had any right to disavow you and banish you from Sky Haven is an insult. Delphine well and truly made me hate the Blades. I can't even go back to Oblivion now and appreciate then for who they were. She is that terrible. Even worse, she is the only character capable of making me actually root for the f**king Thalmor (and only in their campaign to wipe the Blades out). Thankfully, there is the ever-necessary "The Paarthurnax Dilemma" mod that allows the Dragonborn to put that b**ch in her place. Without that, there's always console commands on PC to make her non-essential. Do with that info what you must (I know I do).

[@source3nergy203]

You can save Paarthurnax

[@donwild50]

Stealth Archer is probably the most common build people use because you can survive and raise your levels fast. The main issue I have is the skill tree system really puts a brake on people who want to go with Magic based builds, because they are abysmally weak early in the game...and making one mistake with Magic use when in a city can have every guard on your back. Gets especially bad when you hit Dawnguard and run into random spawning vampires as soon as you enter a city. You almost have to get some melee skills just to survive long enough to start building a mage. You can make a Light Armor/One Handed/Archer character and use it through the whole base game. Never been able to manage that with a pure Magic build.

[@cirkleobserver3217]

Magic doesn’t get enhancements the way melee does and you need so many perks just to have enough magica to cast offensively. Magic gameplay is the worst it’s ever been In Skyrim, compared to the rest of the series. You basically have to assume most of the devs don’t play as mages, or they would have noticed.

[@christinaedwards5084]

Mages are support characters, you need a follower to take the damage while you give it. Even as a Breton Vampire I had thralls doing most of the work for me.

[@sdqsdqsdqs3825]

yeah the damage output is what holds back mage builds, really sad. try playing legendary with a mage build, you're spending 10 minutes blasting enemies with master spells vs 3 shots at maximum with an enchanted dragonbone bow

[@christinaedwards5084]

@@sdqsdqsdqs3825 providing you don’t cheese and level just your starting skills, characters cap around level 50. Damage output is fine. Additionally master spells were area of effect damaging multiple enemies, for single targets dual cast expert spells did considerably more damage and had far higher dps. Mages only become weak when you make skills legendary repeatedly. I never understood why they added that feature to the game. Nor the ebony warrior for that matter 🤔 Not only did it scale poorly but also took away any characters uniqueness. Unlimited levelling was also my gripe in fallout 4 and starfield. Such a dumb feature. It never works

[@hengineer]

​@@cirkleobserver3217mage builds only work with enchanted gear that reduces casting cost.

[@drolax]

Paarthurnax ˝dilemma˝ could be also seen as game/developers testing you in terms of ˝will you do the wrong thing to achieve perfection?˝... You have to do every quest, be on top of every guild, have every artifact... its in your gamer blood and also in dragonborn blood (Paarthurnax said himself that dragons have in blood need for influence and power). Only by killing him u can achieve 100%. Will you overcome this urge same as Paarthurnax had to?

[@tonygonzalez1125]

My favorite game of all time. This game came out during one of the most difficult times in my life. It was my escape during that time, and cause of that I kept my sanity. I don’t care for the flaws, it’s a masterpiece and I love it for every pro and con. I still play to this day. And I forever will.

[@callsignjoker1]

Awesome video. Been getting myself excited to come back to Skyrim again. Been listening to the E3 demos and interviews at work, the weather is getting colder, and I'm getting those nostalgic feelings again from when I was a kid waiting for November 11, running through the woods that October pretending I was the Dragonborn. There will never be excitement for a game like there was for Skyrim. It was truly the most satisfyingly agonizing wait for a game, and I will cherish that magical feeling forever.

[@MsLenepigen]

I love that there’s a quick exit at the end of every dungeon. It’s such a relief that we don’t have to backtrack to the entrance.

[@editorrbr2107]

“Perfectly imperfect” is not the worst legacy a dev can leave behind. Even the bugs in this game are (almost) beloved.

[@LRVChupathingy]

I feel like you’re the first person I’ve seen who has opinions on Skyrim that really resonate with me. You have put into words so many things that I feel go unacknowledged when people talk about Skyrim, and I can’t express how much I appreciate that. Thank you for what you do!

[@Fuzduf]

That’s really kind of you! I appreciate you watching and glad you enjoyed it

[@ridinlow4sho44]

It’s crazy this was “before” gaming had become the “mega entertainment” entity it has become. Even though this was the last midnight release I’ve ever been to. I don’t think that happens anymore ?

[@royalecrafts6252]

It can still happen

[@editorrbr2107]

Went to midnight releases for DA2, ME2 and 3.

[@LightyDust]

Man, that intro almost made me cry, not gonna lie. Malukah is still as beautiful as she was back in 2011! Skyrim is my youth, I was 14 when this game came out and it absolutely changed everything about gaming for me! These days, it's my most played game ever in terms of pure hours spent in it, and it's still a staple, a masterpiece to come back to, and one of my most favorite games off all times. Since Starfield is a complete flop, and The Elder Scrolls 6 is years and years away with a big possibility of following in Starfield's footsteps, Skyrim remains, and will remain, a legend, a hero, and a home.

[@jimmyd4282]

This is my comfort game. No matter what’s going on , I can always come back

[@HailFr0st]

Amazingly done Fuzduf definitely was worth the wait.

[@Fuzduf]

Thanks man!

[@Lost_In_Neverwhere]

Broooo, starting the video with Malukah's cover song? Instant like!

[@Dozy28]

Great video man, love the effort!

[@Fuzduf]

Really appreciate you watching! Glad you liked it!

[@jimf4278]

Great video, man. You’re closing thoughts are mine exactly. It’s like I was saying those words. Skyrim is so much more then a video game to a lot of us.

[@ALEXANDERATTACK]

Good job man, a great video, really nice edits and dialogue. Thank you for this.

[@Fuzduf]

Thank you for the kind words

[@lyricboss115]

very good put together video 👍

[@Fuzduf]

Appreciate you leaving a comment

[@PacdemonStudios1]

Sorry man, I couldn't get past the part where you looked back at 2011 as "before gaming was the mega-entertainment industry it is today", because it absolutely was. Halo 2 was the highest-grossing entertainment launch of all time in 2004, Halo 3 and CoD4 both blew that record out of the water in 2007, and Call of Duty went on to break that record with each yearly release until Black Ops 3. It was not "when games were not made for the sake of making money," Call of Duty was pushing out a new game every year and every other game that came out was a "brown-and-bloom" military FPS trying to ride that wave. The only change between then and now is live service games and microtransactions, which are just an evolution of the yearly release model that was already well established when Skyrim released. We're probably not that far apart in age, I was 14 when it Skyrim came out, but those are some serious rose-tinted glasses you have on. In terms of single-player games, between indie games and some truly fantastic returns-to-form from series like DMC, Zelda, RE, God of War (not a fan of the direction the new ones went but they're well-made, polished as hell single-player experiences) gaming really entered something of a golden age in 2017 that's lasted to this day. I can't really express how bleak 2011 really was for people who didn't want to play Call of Duty or League of Legends, the early 2010s were honestly some of the roughest years for gaming.

[@OrlandoOrtiz570]

I'm not reading all that. After Skyrim, every game that could be an open world with RPG elements did so. Skyrim is essentially the year 0 between Before Crist and Anno Domini of video games. It just is.

[@stevengull6703]

​@orlandoortiz7501 you have no understanding of video game history if you think skyrim started or even defined open world games. Open world games came about gradually over time as game worlds were able to be more complex as the hardware got better.

[@dathunderman4]

This guy got a lot of things off tbh. He conflates “advertising” with “creating a memorable experience.” Spends a ton of time trying to explain to us what advertising is supposed to mean. Also have no idea why so many of these videos spend time giving us the basic history of the game’s release. Like man, someone who’s gonna click an hour+ video on a video game doesn’t need to know the year the game was released in, or that it’s a part of the Elder Scrolls series.

[@LymeGreen04]

Dude you're a moron. 2011 had batman arkham city, portal 2, dark souls. You CLEARLY don't know what you're talking about

[@RytheCodplayer]

You hit the nail on the head completely. 2006-2009 was the golden age of the XB360/PS3 generation with most of the classics from those consoles coming out in that time. Halo 3, Assassins Creed 1 & 2, Mass Effect, Bioshock, COD4, MW2, GTA 4, Gears of War 1 & 2, left 4 dead 1 & 2, etc all came out during that time period. Unfortunately that meant that the rest of those console’s life cycle from 2010-2013 was filled with linear, soulless, corporate AAA clones of much better games that had already been released for years, with only a very few great games being released amongst all the junk.

[@donwild50]

Good idea about partially weakening sneak...while it makes it easy to level up, being able to crouch down and walk across an open floor and have essential unbreakable invisibility is pretty silly. They do somewhat vary sneak with logical benefits obtained through other Skill Trees like light armor buffs making it easier to sneak, invisibility or sneak should be useless against Falmer...blind, but extremely sensitive to scent and sound. Hard to believe a Falmer can't instantly smell a character running around with a pouch full of potions, poisons and sweaty or oiled cloth or leather armor. I've worn armor...and combined with sweat, it's pretty rank and so is the wearer.

[@JSGaming0327]

I started playing Skyrim in 2013, on my Xbox 360. I still play it now in 2023, on my Xbox Series X. One of the best games I’ve ever played. Thank you for making this video sir!! 😁😁😎😎💯💯🔥🔥♥️♥️♥️

[@Fuzduf]

Thanks for watching

[@Thewhitedragon27185]

I love how almost everyone has forgotten about the dragon riding mechanic in Dragonborn. It was so meh that nobody engages with or remembers it.

[@LegDayLas]

Because it wasn't dragon riding lol. It was just a railroad minigame.

[@CeanHerzfield]

That's why these games have a modding community. The vanilla game casts a wide net to appeal to as many players as possible and the modders make it a more bespoke hardcore experience. Just make it the game you always wanted.

[@CasualApostate]

In 2011 this game was ground breaking and an instant classic.

[@savvy_pineapple2616]

This video was super well done, especially the visual and sound mixing. I hope you get more subscribers, you deserve it!

[@Tabar-Nak]

Nordic dungeons have spiders and skeevers sometimes

[@TheSirAnthony]

Hey, I just got to your final thoughts portion and I had to check the timestamp because it didn't feel like that much time passed. This video was really well put together, well stated and felt oddly nostalgic. Good job man.

[@Fuzduf]

Thanks man I’m glad you enjoyed it

[@sasekbelcic3590]

It's 2023 but it's still easily in the Top 3 best games overall! Even today, it is their hidden "Happy place" for some! It's true that it doesn't have the most beautiful graphics (today!) Here and there there is a glitch... BUT! So much freedom from the very beginning, good gameplay, dragons, shouting, mass weapons, magic, large and well-viewed map, divine music the whole time, hundreds of hours of joy guaranteed!!! Most of the people to whom I still recommend it to this day are immediately drawn to it and it is a heavy addiction!! And I doubt that any new Elder or other games will be able to reach the same level of satisfaction while playing as Skyrim itself!

[@kraal5753]

skyrim and the elder scrolls series is a one of a kind. i grew up with skyrim and to this day i havent played any game i even consider close to being as good as skyrim is. it will allways be my favourite game and have a special part in my childhood.

[@OmegafrazGaming]

that malukah intro tho her voice is so so breathtaking

[@dawsonlievsay2965]

nothing better than painting houses all day and hyping myself up for my umpteenth play through when i get home. really appreciate the effort you put into this video, i can tell it’s from the heart.

[@Fuzduf]

Thank you for watching

[@PsychicAlchemy]

Game programmer here. Switching engines really just comes down to a matter of marginal cost and benefit. They could still have robust modding support in something like Unreal, but it would require building a lot of their core gameplay systems from scratch. This could require a lot of time and money, but if it beats the time and money necessary to upgrade the Gamebryo engine, then it's worth it. If they can piggy-back off of another company's engine, then that might save them time and money in the long run.

[@Dustwitch]

Loved this.

[@nick4281]

Almost didnt click cuz i said man ive seen so many skyrim introspectives/retrospectives but i gotta say , this one was the best. Good work man

[@Mephilis78]

Whoever does the music for ESO and it's DLCs would be a good idea for TES 6 too

[@olinkaspar9711]

Hey fuzduf, I love long form formáty like this, especially when people behind them are as passionate as you. Keep up the good work. I am subscribing and will be watching your carreer with great interest 🤙

[@Fuzduf]

Thanks!

[@LankyyG]

Not the opening song giving me goosebumps, so nostalgic

[@solidskullz5736]

Skyrim is easily one of my favorite games of all times. It don’t matter if I owned the copy myself or played it at a friend’s house, I’ve been playing it since it launched. Over 10 years later and I still cant get enough of it. My first character was a khajiit thief, I’ve stolen so many gems and enchanted items that I literally can’t sell them all in one place. My house in whiterun has a chest filled with so much stuff that I struggle to find specific items sometimes. Of course over the years I’ve made multiple characters to experiment with different play styles, but no matter what I always find a way to come back to Skyrim

[@donwild50]

Right about the College. Also about being a member of the Bard's College and never using an instrument or singing a song.

[@emanueldavila85]

Radiant AI was done in Gothic games back in 2000.

[@farukhajrulahovic4558]

Shhh, don't mention that name here, these youngsters will go mad. Imagine when they would hear that Skyrim copied most of Gothic 2. Let kids enjoy their Masterpiece

[@robertparkside2571]

I played Morrowind game of the year on XBox when it came out. I fell in love. Well done my friend

[@lawli_skwagins25]

Great video fuzduf. 9/10.

[@christianedwards9025]

Ah yes, I was a fresh 18 year old when I got ahold of skyrim. So many memories, the gameplay, the music, the lore.

[@hengineer]

Thing about "dungeons". I never felt it wasnt immersive to have the exit nearby. Grave diggers notoriously would tunnel themselves easy exits separate from the main entrance. Egypt is rife with them.

[@user-mj9lq9vp3w]

People saying Skyrim is just a game is the same as saying the Sistine chapel is just a building.

[@thorakvideos2495]

This is like the 10th why is Skyrim a masterpiece video I have watched & thoroughly enjoyed! Loved the first 3rd of the video about the marketing & launch. This game is truly special ;)

[@Fuzduf]

Thank you for commenting!

[@mattpino275]

I agree that something needs to be done about stealth sniping however in order to maintain the massive open world that ES games have I don’t think that there should be complex mechanics added to stealth itself. The only thing that I would change is add some kind of range mechanic. Bows should begin to lose accuracy at longer range thus making sniping less easy. They could add a feature to bows that have short range/ long range bows & maybe even a sort of rate of fire feature by using bow draw speed or even add special bows in the game that allow the player to add multiple arrows to each shot.

[@exposingpowerfullieslivest5082]

Dark souls doesn't have this problem. It would seem to me just do what they do: make the arrows slower

[@alinaanto]

I love Skyrim, as imperfect and at times infuriating as it is, I still love it

[@josuesanchez1500]

I LOVE Skyrim. I enjoyed that game so much it's in my top 3 best games of all time but after watching this video I now understand why I always felt more attached to Oblivion.

[@cigneri2877]

Best analysis 👏👏👏

[@iluvgames717]

About sneaking that might work if invisibility worked there are a few quests where you need to be a master sneak or pickpocket vampires right in front of a Jarl and the Incriminating evidence during Civil war. Also Master Sneak with 10000000% enchant can still just fail. People dont play enough of the game to know these things.

[@Knirin]

Sneak or pickpocketing is capped at around 95%.

[@irruption4770]

@@KnirinPickpocket difficulty is based on item value. So pickpocketing single lock picks or up to 20 gold. with Pickpocket 50(?) or more its a 100 chance. Sneak doesn’t exactly cap the benefits are just less important.

[@EXHellfire]

"Out of the three Elder Scrolls games". I hope that was a joke... I'm crying in Daggerfall

[@Fuzduf]

I've played a little bit of Daggerfall and I highly respect it! I just wish I had no responsibilities so I could just play it for a month straight 😔

[@EXHellfire]

@@Fuzduf you'd want to keep playing...

[@huntercleveland7950]

2017-2018 were magical years for a reason.

[@kingdavey90]

Always good to hear Jeremy Soule be recognized and appreciated 👍 👌🏼

[@mikewendler5172]

Great job

[@BrokenCircle1]

From one small KZbinr to another...fantastic video. I watched till the end. You're gonna make it big one day keep it up.

[@theincrediblefella7984]

Mindless praise towards a game that is widely considered lazy, broken, and horrible written is NOT how one makes it big. It's how one destroys credibility.

[@LK-dn2ms]

@@theincrediblefella7984ironic that ur talking about mindless praise when u took the time to type out such a stupid comment. skyrim is one of the most successful games ever created and even after 12 years it still has a huge community putting out mods to build on the story and update the graphics. think before u speak lmao

[@mortalgargoyle2260]

What a time to be 16, hard to believe it’s been 12 years. I appreciate your commendations for Oblivion, it was my first during middle school.

[@AverageGreg]

I agree with you on the main story between the three newer elder scrolls games. The impact of beating Morrowind and stopping the ash storms is massive. You'd think beating Skyrim's main story would stop the dragons. Or at least you'd be given an optional quest to hunt them all down so they stop annoying you.

[@Mark_Batcheler]

I hope is that after I die, I wake up in the back of that wagon

[@BrokenCircle1]

When the intro starts with Malukahs cover I know this is gonna be good.

[@Fuzduf]

Malukah is awesome!!!

[@elsawinston1562]

Also I have about 1000 hours on this game and still haven't played with any mods, just speaks to the power of its foundation

[@Fuzduf]

absolutely!

[@elsawinston1562]

@@Fuzduf also just finished the video lol, great job!!! Loved it, will be revisiting fersher

[@dagrhavarr8866]

At least once you have to experience the civil war mod. Huge random battles taking place and a ton of other stuff. It makes Skyrim feel like an actual place where things are happening and a civil war is going on. It's fucking awesome. If you play in VR vrik and higgs are essential, otherwise you don't have a body or arms and can't really interact with the world.

[@mpmsosmed5799]

do you use unofficial patch?

[@theincrediblefella7984]

Skyrim is literally only relevant BECAUSE of modding and you know that.

[@samwise1586]

I appreciate the Skyrim critique disguised as praise. Good video

[@Fuzduf]

Appreciate you

[@PixelMurder]

This deserves more endorsements :) BTW: The soundtrack is the only thing I didn't replace in the game.

[@Fuzduf]

Thanks! And facts

[@theincrediblefella7984]

This does not deserve any endorsements, in fact. It is baseless opinions to prop up a game that did not deserve it in the first place. Literally the only reason this game is popular or even known is because Bethesda made it.

[@renatoruiz8534]

@theincrediblefella7984 sure, kid. Keep coping.

[@tanzolo4487]

@@theincrediblefella7984you must be 14 years old and just not around when this first came oit right

[@LogicAndCompassion]

@@theincrediblefella7984 No, you have it backwards. The only reason Bethesda is popular, is because they created Skyrim. The Elder Scrolls games were the first legitimate sandbox RPGs on the market. The first time you could create a character and LIVE in the world.

[@brettmiller3360]

5,000 hours played? You sweet summer child. 40,000 here. Granted, much of that was head-on-keyboard. So maybe 20K for real. BG3 is great and I'll get back to it. Kingdom Come Deliverance too. But only Skyrim lets me RP properly and that's why it is my chief go-to. I use Alternate Random Start and about 200 other mods on LE so it's all stable and there are no update surprises. Some of my own modding is in there too. Each playthrough is unique, with a fresh character design and a randomized build assembled from a custom spreadsheet (including which quest lines I might prioritize). My alts act rationally but randomly, choosing their strategies and destinations based on the active map markers and current in-game knowledge or lack thereof. They develop backstories, gain the confidence of initially distrustful villagers and officials, find employment, discover their in-game parents and siblings, meet and choose potential mates and children, learn the details of their emerging build, unlock crafting stations, and set up bases wherever they go. I have die roll systems for all of this and more. Realism and immersion are my goals. I play permadeath mode on expert difficulty, with nothing resembling an exploit allowed. The victory condition is, get to level 81 without reloading (except due to an obvious bug), making skills legendary, or exploiting out-of-game knowledge. Hasn't happened yet but every day I get closer. Occasionally one of my alts will try to cheat. They get one warning, but if they repeat... I reroll. The majority however die as you'd expect, from mistakes made during tough fights. No other game can deliver an experience even remotely like this. The downsides are that I'm still looking at 12-year-old graphics and the gameplay and AI will evolve no further. But I can deal. By the way, great work on this video. You did a fine job of capturing the atmospheric beauty of the game and evaluating both its strengths and weaknesses. Skyrim forever!

[@changedmynamee]

morrowind >

[@JonahLobeDraws]

As a former artist on the game, thanks so much for making this video!

[@Fuzduf]

😱Wait no kidding?!?! That’s awesome!

[@JonahLobeDraws]

Yeah dude! I modeled/sculpted/textured most of the creatures in the game. Anyhow, watching your video now, appreciate how much you broke things down. @@Fuzduf

[@Fuzduf]

@JonahLobeDraws Wowww that’s so cool! Still to this day I love the design of the Spriggan Earth Mothers. If you modeled them you’re my hero 😭

[@hawwmann7032]

Very good video. It's like a bad smell. It never goes away

[@jjayala]

I got into gaming later than most. It helped me get sober in my early 30s and has been my cope for almost 4 years now. I first got skyrim on the switch during lockdown. Never playing a Bethesda title besides Wolfenstein it took me quite a long time in game to even realize the point in this game. Many dozens of hours later i still couldnt tell you much about it lol! It really drives my adhd brain wild. But i recently said f it and started a new quest...taking notes this time and using what ive learned before. Using my headphones as much as i can to immerse. It's hard to describe while it is semi shallow it can also be super deep and for a game that released in 2011 it is beautiful. Edit: Let me guess. Someone took your sweetroll.

[@Fuzduf]

That was really cool to read! Keep going strong! 🙏

[@jjayala]

@@Fuzduf thank you!

[@rynsart]

what a great video!

[@Fuzduf]

Thanks you!

[@ProVowel]

@19:02 neckbeard fedora tipping laugh

[@orangeporridge1553]

Mate what’s the song you used at the outro? I don’t think you referenced it in the description

[@Fuzduf]

It's called "Raining" (piano version) from Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall

[@orangeporridge1553]

@@Fuzduf ah thanks a million my man

[@dubiousbrick4483]

I remember the hype around Skyrim, though I didn’t not understand the significance of it at the time nor did I realize it after it’s release. I loved the fallout games and wasn’t big into fantasy settings. I missed out on the hype, the community connection, and actively avoided it when I started to get annoyed with all the arrow to the knee jokes. I wish I could have experienced it with everyone back then. I have put a kit 800 hours into it now with the anniversary edition, I genuinely love it, it’s re-ignited a passion for adventure and storytelling I haven’t felt in a long time

[@_MadRat_]

This is an interesting video. You have my respect for a considerably balanced take on the topic, the quality of editing, good script construction, and well matched choice of background music. Still, similarly to your own words, it's a "perfect imperfect" one. While I agree with many of your points, there is a lot that either simply aren't true, miss out on deeper rooted issues, and there was even a case of a straw man argument. Nevertheless, I hope you will keep making videos, keep learning and growing.

[@Fuzduf]

Thanks for the great constructive feedback!

[@PrateekParihar]

Skyrim is already a Epic Legendary and no one can beat it 😍😍 It's in our heart and we wish we can live their forever.

[@NordicUlfr]

God 2011 man. This game was the reason why our teachers hated late 2011 because we didnt give a singel penny what they said or did. Skyrim was life!

[@marleene]

If you have doubt for Inon Zur listen to Icewind Dale I & 2 composition. Especially Targos Theme.

[@Helperbot-2000]

And new vegas' soundtrack

[@jimf4278]

Wasn’t that Jeremy Soule?

[@MrHurdleking24]

I was there for the buildup it was amazing. Oblivion was my favorite game ever. When it dropped it was amazing

[@eldenwarden9673]

I turned 18 the day skyrim came out, because of that, the local gamestop manager let me be first in line at the midnight release. Great memory, legendary game.

[@Fuzduf]

Badass

[@eldenwarden9673]

@@Fuzduf you did really well on this. I'd like to hear your thoughts on Starfield now that it's out.

[@Fuzduf]

Thanks man! And yeah I plan to eventually! Right now I’m soaking it in making sure I really experience it

[@primevalyautja1305]

This is my FAVORITE PC Game Alongside Aliens vs Predator 2 & Unreal TOurnament 2004, God Bless you! :)

[@HellSpawn_Dre]

I always come back yearly

[@lovinglife8988]

Thanks for interesting views on skyrim.

[@BrokenCircle1]

22:10 'I found some characters to be annoying' My Brain: Go on tell me why it's Delphine 'Particularly Delphine' Lol Sorry I'm gonna be leaving alot of comments here.

[@joshf2218]

The idea that Bethesda dumbed down the rpg mechanics and player consequence for Skyrim compared to previous ES games is just false. In Morrowind you could be in a whole host of contradictory guilds except the Great Houses. In Oblivion you could be the leader of every faction, you could be the listener of the Dark Brotherhood and the Gray Fox despite the Thieves Guild being strongly against murder for example. It’s no different than Skyrim, this has always been the Elder Scrolls philosophy. You have to make your own rules.

[@J0vile]

I see that you have only heard about Elder Scrolls before Skyrim. So, before Skyrim , there were these things called attributes, and by affecting those attributes, they would affect your stats, Health, Magicka, Stamina. Also, and I know this one is hard to swallow, but characters before Skyrim couldn't master everything. Characters before Skyrim were bound by choices other than Stealth Archer. Skyrim ripped away any semblance of meaningful character choices. Instead it tempts people with it's "depth." The only depth I've found is when modders fix what Bethesda couldn't manage to get done. It appears that you took a surface level look at faction interactions without ever actually playing Morrowind.

[@joshf2218]

@@J0vile I’ve played through Morrowind 6 times, starting from when I was 10 years old to last year when I was 27. Characters before Skyrim could absolutely master everything. In fact in Morrowind it is exceedingly easy to do if you know how to get money fast.

[@joshf2218]

Also drop the Redditard condescending tone, it’s like somehow reading nails on a chalkboard

[@D57COSTAL]

@@J0vile I see that you havent actually tried playing skyrim. You can 100 every stat in morrowind ten times faster than getting all the perks in skyrim. Sure you can level up all the skills, but mastering and building is about the perks you focus on. Your "erhm actually" atitude only makes your point sound even less convincing. It seems you have a weird idea of morrowind being this moral dilema when in fact you can do almost everything in one character. Morrowind is a fantastic rpg but talking skyrim down wont make it better. People try too hard to hate skyrim for the sake of hating it. It might be a dumbed down Elder Scrolls game, but it is a fantastic and immersive action rpg, no matter how much people try to pretend its not.

[@J0vile]

​@@D57COSTAL You're just here to pretend that the hours you wasted on a hollowed out shell of an rpg weren't wasted. I'm pretty sure I've wasted more time hoping for some level of depth in skyrim that just isn't there. If the perks are so substantial and Skyrim is such a fantactic RPG, why is there a reset mechanic? I wish that I hadn't been turned off by the morrowind xbox experience 20 years ago because I missed out. Enjoy your 3 factions of procedural content while you push some semblance of depth into a shallow pool.

[@donwild50]

It would be nice to take down Alduin and end the Civil War and not have a guards keep asking me if I've been tending to my dogs or if someone stole my sweetroll. Or if I had been to .... nevermind, Nazeem issue.

[@BigTex65]

From an NC native I praise you for saying Appalachian correctly. Made me happy.

[@Fuzduf]

I live in the mountains too😭

[@thelettucebarrel7784]

Two fellow North Carolinians. Very cool.

[@Fuzduf]

@@thelettucebarrel7784 nah I live in Kentucky

[@thelettucebarrel7784]

@@Fuzduf Damn

[@SureWudevrUSay]

Skyrim and Witcher III have taken up most of my gaming life.

[@baddragonite]

Iirc it was one of only a couple of western made games to get a 10 from famitsu at the time which just seemed crazy

[@medalgearsalad1419]

I love Skyrim as much as the next guy but if Skyrim is a masterpiece then what is Morrowind?

[@Fuzduf]

Realest thing anyone has said

[@litt420]

Morrowind aka absolute garbage

[@dustydesertdisciple6290]

​@@litt420Na your just a buster.

[@Melody1x23]

honestly i didnt even think about the marketing, but in my mind that dragonborn in the trailers is more iconic than any actual character (except maybe lydia) and i only got skyrim in like 2016, i didnt see the trailers until after i got the game out of curiosity