13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (2024)

There's nothing quite like the first time you explored Skyrim. From the moment you narrowly escape your grisly execution in Helgen and emerge into the legendary RPG's vast wilderness, it's an adventure that allows you to go anywhere and everywhere with no limitations, and it's this sense of sheer freedom that's had millions of players returning to its cold, untamed landscape for over a decade.

But after spending years exploring the many different versions of Skyrim that have been released, it's safe to say we're all looking for some new games to scratch that fantasy adventuring itch. So, to ease the wait until we get an official follow-up in the long-anticipated Elder Scrolls 6, we've compiled a list of some of the best games in the same vein as Skyrim that you can play right now.

1. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (1)

An obvious one to kick us off, but one of the best places you can go to get an experience similar in style and scope to Skyrim is The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The fourth game in Bethesda's landmark RPG series, Oblivion may be Skyrim's predecessor, but it still has all the components that made its younger sibling such a hit.

Casting you as a prisoner who finds themselves in the center of a conflict involving demonic gods, fiery doors to a hellish plain and the murder of Tamriel's emperor, you set forth across the land of Cyrodil on a daring adventure. Along the way, you're free to explore this realm however you see fit, completing quests, allying with factions and building your character with new skills, weapons, armor sets, spells and more.

Simply put, it's more Elder Scrolls, and a great way to continue your journey through Tamriel while you wait for Elder Scrolls 6. As for where and how you can play it, it's available on PC and can be played through the Xbox Series X | S and Xbox One's backwards compatibility feature.

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (2)

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Bethesda Game Studios

Xbox 360PlayStation 3PC

Related Guides

OverviewBasicsCharacter BuildingMain Quest

2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (3)

The poster child of the Nintendo Switch and one of the best fantasy RPGs ever made, you really can't go wrong with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo's acclaimed reinvention of its seminal series really has it all: a secret-filled open world to explore, a range of physics-based systems that you can toy with to battle enemies and navigate precarious terrain, phenomenal quests, a stunning art style, and much, much more.

Breath of the Wild is a game that never holds your hand. It lets you loose into a fully explorable Hyrule, sets you up with some essential tools and, from there, you're free to do what you please. Whether you want to scour the land for lore tidbits, climb to the peak of the tallest mountain or even head straight into the final boss room, everything is available to you from the moment you make your descent from the Great Plateau.

It gives you the reins and lets you do whatever you see fit. If you're looking for a game that has the same freedom and unguided exploration that makes Skyrim so compelling, Breath of the Wild is a perfect substitute. It's available exclusively on Nintendo Switch. You can also jump straight the sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, but you'll get a similar experience.

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (4)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Nintendo EPD

ESRB: Everyone 10+
Wii UNintendo Switch

Related Guides

OverviewThings to Do First in Breath of the WildThings You Should Know in Breath of the WildHow To Guides

3. Dragon's Dogma 2

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (5)

One of the more recent releases on our list, if you're looking for a big, sprawling RPG that puts exploration at the forefront, Dragon's Dogma 2 could be a great pick. Spread across two realms, Vermund and Battahl, Dragon's Dogma 2 drops players into the boots of The Arisen: a player-created warrior whose heart has been stolen by an ancient dragon.

Tasked with finding and killing this dragon, they embark on a quest across a vast, untamed world. Much like Skyrim, the true draw of Dragon's Dogma 2 is its heavy focus on exploration. Its world is full of secrets to uncover, and with monsters patrolling every inch of its map, you'll quickly amass organic stories as you clash with colossal foes and survive dangerous encounters by the skin of your teeth.

It's also a deep RPG with various classes to master, a wide range of weapon types and armor sets, and a unique party system where you can recruit allies created by other players. All in all, it's sure to satiate those hungry for a massive fantasy RPG on the scale of Skyrim. It's available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and PC.

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (6)

Dragon's Dogma II

Capcom

ESRB: Mature
Xbox Series X|SPCPlayStation 5

Related Guides

OverviewRomanceWalkthroughSide Quests

4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (7)

In the pantheon of 100-plus hour RPGs, Geralt's quest to stop the Wild Hunt in The Witcher 3 is a top-shelf pick. Set in a morbid, Slavic-mythology-inspired world of monsters, magic and shady politics, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is often lorded as one of the best RPGs ever made and for good reason. It boasts a giant open world filled with difficult battles, morally gray choices that affect the outcome of quests and an engrossing story to follow.

You play as Geralt: a gruff, white-haired, yellow-eyed mercenary searching for his surrogate daughter, Ciri. His quest will take him on a perilous journey, where he'll face mythical monsters and evade the ever-present threat of the spectral warriors known as the Wild Hunt.

Much like Skyrim, The Witcher 3 sets you up with the basics and then releases you into a lore-rich fantasy world untethered. Whether you want to live the bounty hunter lifestyle, taking on contracts to kill monsters while ignoring the main quest, or face the Wild Hunt head-on by following its supremely well-written story, it puts the control in your hands. The base game and its two sizable DLCs are well worth a playthrough once you've conquered everything Skyrim has to offer. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and PC.

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (8)

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

CD Projekt Red

ESRB: Mature
Xbox Series X|SPlayStation 5Nintendo SwitchXbox One

+2

Related Guides

OverviewBeginner's Guide - Witcher 3 Features and Things to Know Things the Witcher 3 Doesn't Tell YouWalkthrough

5. Kingdom Come: Deliverance

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (9)

Moving away from high-concept fantasy and into the more grounded world of a realistic medieval epic, another game that manages to capture the sense of unbridled freedom Skyrim offers is Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Quickly becoming a cult hit when it launched in 2018, Kingdom Come: Deliverance tells the tale of a blacksmith's son on a quest for revenge.

Set in Bohemia in the 15th Century, the story follows an apprentice named Henry living in a small village. After his parents are brutally murdered during a Cuman invasion, Henry is forced to flee, entering the service of Lord Hanush of Leipa and pursuing the men who killed his parents. From here, the game lets you loose on a giant open world complete with authentic medieval locations to explore, a range of open-ended quests which react to your decisions and an intricate battle system to master.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an experience that focuses on immersion, from its high-stakes battles to its range of survival mechanics, which task you with managing everything from food and sleep to your hygiene and armor degradation. If you're looking for something a little more involved than Skyrim or an RPG with a more grounded setting, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is definitely worth a look. It's currently available on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and PC.

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (10)

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Saber Interactive

ESRB: Mature
LunaXbox OnePCPlayStation 4

Related Guides

OverviewThings to Do First in Kingdom ComeThings Not to Do in Kingdom ComeTips and Tricks

6. Elden Ring

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (11)

One for fans of a challenge, Elden Ring is a punishing game, but one that's more than worth the blood, sweat and tears it takes to roll credits. FromSoftware's latest serving of bleak RPG goodness is simply one of the most gratifying RPGs ever made, and that's not just because beating some of its most challenging bosses makes you feel like you've just gone 12 rounds with Mike Tyson.

Elden Ring just fundamentally masters the art of exploration, from hiding routes to brand new areas off the beaten path to burying useful rewards for those who choose to search every nook and cranny. No area is meaningless; no detour is fruitless. It makes you feel like you're charting your path across a living, breathing world. A dying world that takes pleasure in crushing you beneath its boot, definitely, but one that rewards your curiosity all the same.

With the game's Shadow of the Erdtree expansion now available, there's never been a better time to play. So if you've finished Skyrim, are looking for a new world to explore and don't mind getting eviscerated by a giant lobster or two, The Lands Between could be worth a visit. Elden Ring is available on PlayStation, Xbox and PC.

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (12)

Elden Ring

FromSoftware

ESRB: Mature
PCPlayStation 5Xbox Series X|SXbox OnePlayStation 4

Related Guides

OverviewWalkthroughShadow of the Erdtree DLCSide Quests - NPC Character Questlines

7. Fallout 4

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (13)

Granted, it's the furthest thing from a fantasy RPG, but if you're done with Skyrim and want something that shares its design philosophies, Bethesda's work on Fallout 4 naturally has a lot in common with The Elder Scrolls series. It's a massive open-world RPG that focuses on letting you build a unique character, explore sprawling environments and complete quests. The major difference is that you'll be shooting big green mutant abominations while listening to alternate-history corporate propaganda instead of casting spells at mud crabs.

Taking the series to Boston, Fallout 4 sees a new vault dweller, known as the Sole Survivor, embark on a mission to save their kidnapped son from a mysterious faction known as The Institute. Much like Skyrim, that mission is just one of the many objectives scattered throughout the Wasteland, and you'll be able to explore freely without an invisible hand guiding you down any single path. It's a great way to get an experience that shares the same DNA as Skyrim with a post-apocalyptic twist. Fallout 4 is playable on PlayStation, Xbox and PC and remains one of the best Bethesda games available.

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (14)

Fallout 4

Bethesda Game Studios

ESRB: Mature
PlayStation 5Xbox Series X|SPCPlayStation 4Xbox One

Related Guides

OverviewWalkthrough and Quest GuideCheats and SecretsBobblehead Locations

8. Dragon Age: Inquisition

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (15)

Bioware's most recent take on the sprawling fantasy RPG, Dragon Age: Inquisition is another big ol' fantasy RPG that offers over 80 hours of gameplay to sink your teeth into. Tasking you with saving the realm of Thedas from mysterious rifts opening in the sky, you'll lead a faction known as The Inquisition as you explore a series of massive open-world maps, defeat monsters and uncover a new Dragon Age story.

Much like Skyrim, Inquisition allows you to build a character, pick their class and race, and then set forth on your adventure. As you journey through the game's various worlds, you'll add new party members to the Inquisition while completing a range of quests and making choices that affect the story, your keep and Thedas as a whole.

In essence, it's another meaty fantasy RPG to play after you've wrapped up Skyrim, and there's never been a better time to get stuck in, with Dragon Age: The Veilguard slate to launch later this year. Dragon Age: Inquisition is available on PlayStation, Xbox and PC.

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (16)

Dragon Age: Inquisition

BioWare

ESRB: Mature
PlayStation 4Xbox OnePlayStation 3PCXbox 360

Related Guides

OverviewPoll -- How Are You Playing Dragon Age: Inquisition?WalkthroughSide Quests

9. Baldur's Gate 3

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (17)

On a gameplay front, Baldur's Gate 3 and Skyrim don't share much in common. Baldur's Gate is a top-down CRPG that focuses on strategic fights, carefully constructing a party of characters with complementary abilities, and completing quests by using your chosen party's list of stats and skills.

However, Baldur's Gate 3 is arguably one of the best introductions to CDRPGs out there, and a must-play for those who enjoy a big, expansive fantasy RPG like Skyrim. Its world is a carefully curated expanse of tactical combat, engrossing storylines and outstanding quests, the latter of which react and evolve to your choices, leading to a playthrough that feels distinctly tailored to you. But the biggest boon of all is how it freely allows you to play your way.

From giving you the option to mix and match a mind-boggling number of classes, races, backstories and more in the character creation screen to giving you free rein with how you approach and complete quests, Baldur's Gate 3 encourages you to experiment and tinker with its systems to your heart's content. If you liked how Skyrim never pointed you in a direction or forced you down a set path, Baldur's Gate 3 is going to be a game you get along with. It's available on PlayStation, Xbox and PC.

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (18)

Baldur's Gate III

Larian Studios

ESRB: Mature
PlayStation 5Xbox Series X|SPCMacintoshStadia

Related Guides

OverviewBeginner's Guide - Essential Tips and TricksWalkthroughThings to Do First

10. Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (19)

A cult classic brought back to life through its 2020 remaster, Kingdoms of Amalur is a great pick for those who've wrapped up their time with Skyrim and are looking for a new fantasy RPG with fun combat, a huge world and plenty of quests to complete. The story takes place in the world of Amalur, with the player taking on the role of the Fateless One: a corpse brought back to life by the Well of Souls, severing them from fate.

After waking in a pile of bodies, they embark across a realm known as the Faelands in hopes of stopping a destructive force fated to eradicate Amalur's people. Along the way, you'll be able to build your character, pick a class and freely explore the Faelands, completing quests, delving into dungeons and bringing down formidable threats. It's available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch.

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (20)

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning

38 Studios

ESRB: Mature
Nintendo SwitchPCPlayStation 4Xbox One

Related Guides

OverviewWalkthroughGame BasicsLorestones

11. The Forgotten City

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (21)

The Forgotten City is a unique entry on this list because it actually started its life as a Skyrim mod. However, it doesn't take long to see why it was given the full game treatment. The Forgotten City's story starts in modern-day Italy, as you wake on an island and discover you were brought to shore by a mysterious woman. After a brief conversation, you search a strange ruin in the center of the island and, somehow, are transported back in time to Ancient Rome.

It's a killer set-up, but it only becomes more compelling when you realize this city is stuck in an eternal time loop, and whenever a mysterious law known as the "Golden Rule" is broken, the loop resets. From here, the Forgotten City takes the base fundamentals of Skyrim and uses them to craft a completely different type of experience. The Forgotten City is, at its core, a detective game; one that tasks you with talking to citizens, learning more about the Golden Rule and uncovering clues to solve its underlying mystery. It's almost entirely devoid of combat, and that makes for a game that somehow doesn't feel like Skyrim at all while retaining the game's inherent DNA.

If you're looking for something akin to Skyrim that plays with the formula and tries something wholly different, The Forgotten City is more than worth a look. It's available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (22)

The Forgotten City

Modern Storyteller

ESRB: Teen
Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPCPlayStation 5

+2

.

12. Outward: Definitive Edition

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (23)

Another one for the fans of a hardcore adventure, Outward is an RPG that casts players as a regular, everyday person instead of some prophecised warrior fated to save the world. Their initial task is simple. Pay off a debt hanging above their head within five days. However, it quickly spins into a large-scale open-world epic, as the player crosses the land of Aurai, faces tough threats and contends with the elements to survive.

What sets Outward apart is its focus on realism and consequence. It includes various survival systems, which force the player to contend with hunger, sleep and the harsh environment around them, while quests and other objectives can fail if they aren't attended to in time. There's no fast travel in Outward and, in the place of a standard respawn system, you cannot die, instead triggering random events that move you around the map.

In short, it's a game with a ton of interesting systems, and one that's well worth a look if you're searching for Skyrim's sense of open-world exploration with a few twists to keep things interesting. Outward is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and PC.

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (24)

Outward: Definitive Edition

Nine Dots Studio

ESRB: Mature
Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPlayStation 5PlayStation 4PC

Related Guides

Overview10 Tips for Playing OutwardQuestsWeapons

13. The Elder Scrolls Online

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (25)

Another obvious one, but if you're ready to move on from Skyrim, why not continue your Elder Scrolls experience with a few friends? As the name suggests, The Elder Scrolls Online is an MMO take on the series, allowing you to visit various realms across Tamriel while completing a laundry list of new quests.

From Skyrim and Cyrodil to Morrowind and Highrock, there are a lot of returning locations for longtime fans of the series, as well as some brand new locales to explore, including the Khajit homeland of Elsweyr and the High Elves' home of Summerset. Along the way you can tag along with other players, bringing down enemies, completing missions and building your own unique characters.

If you've exhausted everything Skyrim has to offer and want more Elder Scrolls, The Elder Scrolls Online is a surefire bet, especially as the game has been updated with a multitude of DLCs over the years. The Elder Scrolls Online is available on PlayStation, Xbox and PC.

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (26)

The Elder Scrolls Online

ZeniMax Online Studios

ESRB: Mature
Xbox OneXbox Series X|SPCPlayStation 4

+3

Related Guides

OverviewEbonheart Pact Zone Main Story QuestsDaggerfall Covenant Zone Main Story QuestsStarting ESO

Callum Williams is a freelance media writer with years of experience as a game critic, news reporter, guides writer and features writer.

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN (2024)

FAQs

13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim - IGN? ›

Yes, yes, they're both fantasy RPG action games, but the main reason that people choose to play Elder Scrolls games is vastly different from the reason that people went after Demon's Souls, Dark Souls' spiritual predecessor (again, not a pun).

Is Skyrim like a souls game? ›

Yes, yes, they're both fantasy RPG action games, but the main reason that people choose to play Elder Scrolls games is vastly different from the reason that people went after Demon's Souls, Dark Souls' spiritual predecessor (again, not a pun).

Is Skyrim noob friendly? ›

Players new to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim should relax, as there's no way to hinder their character through inexperience.

What Skyrim game to start with? ›

Which Elder Scrolls Game Should You Play First? If you're new to the world of Elder Scrolls, you're most likely going to want to start with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. It is the most recent game in the series, other than Elder Scrolls Online, and it is playable on just about every platform.

Is Skyrim a dark game? ›

Elder Scroll Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim have a lot of dark fantasy elements to be classified as dark fantasy, not High fantasy.

What is the closest game to Skyrim? ›

Although it's difficult to match Skyrim, other games have the same theme and are just as fun to play.
  • Middle-Earth: Shadow of War. ...
  • Dragon Age: Inquisition. ...
  • The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. ...
  • Dark Souls III. ...
  • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. ...
  • Kingdom Come: Deliverance. ...
  • Neverwinter. ...
  • The Elder Scrolls Online.

Which is better, Elden Ring or Skyrim? ›

The characters in Elden Ring are better designed, providing a different experience every time. Each creature is its own being, endowed with unique appearance details. In Skyrim, non-playable characters are often repetitive in terms of visual design, but they contribute more to the overall adventure.

Which gender is better in Skyrim? ›

If your focus is the 'Agent of Dibella' perk, then yes: it is, objectively, the better option to use a female avatar. My personal opinion, however, is that the difference between avatar genders is negligible to the point that a single perk does not influence my decision in character creation.

What is inappropriate in Skyrim? ›

Drugs are generally depicted as bad, alcohol is generally depicted as socially good or neutral (many characters are tavern regulars), and sexual content is only occasionally described when dealing with particularly evil figures in the world's fictional religion, or followers of those people (the religion(s) are not ...

Can you kiss in Skyrim? ›

Or you can also kiss anyone else if you select the unrestricted option in the menu. Kissing scene is powered by the physics engine and doesn't rely on animations. Player can't kiss npc that are sitting or using furniture.

Which version of Skyrim is best? ›

For a general playthrough, it's best to look to the Anniversary Edition, which contains the most impressive package of content and graphics overall. The Special Edition is still a great way to play overall, however, so upgrading shouldn't feel imperative.

What class should I start in Skyrim? ›

The Nord is a great option for a first character. You'll be skilled at two-handed weapons, will get more money for selling loot, and have a Light Armor bonus and racial abilities that keeps you mobile and able to survive the early game. The Orc is phenomenal at surviving damage, and dealing damage in melee.

Does it matter who you choose at the start of Skyrim? ›

Yes, it doesn't matter who you left Helgen with at the start, you can still join either the Stormcloaks or Imperials later on. My personal preference is the Imperials, the quests are more interesting. But it's completely up to you which way you go.

Can you play evil in Skyrim? ›

Become a mage at the College of Winterhold. This will lead you to discover an ancient artifact that, thanks to a foolish Thalmor, will eventually threaten the College, Winterhold, and the world. The discovery will also lead to the deaths of the Arch-Mage and his second-in-command. Sure.

Can you play Skyrim without killing? ›

Thanks to the the game's many interlocking systems, this is totally possible—just difficult, particularly if you decide to role-play a hardcore pacifist who doesn't even let other people do the killing for them. First, let's assume 'pacifist' just means not killing anyone directly.

What age group is Skyrim? ›

The game is really fun and good for people of 11+.

What is considered a souls like game? ›

Common themes. Soulslike games are commonly defined by their dark fantasy setting and lack of overt storytelling, as well as their deep worldbuilding, with a captivating world being cited as key to spark players' desire to explore.

What kind of game is Skyrim considered? ›

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a fantasy action role-playing game, playable from either a first or third-person perspective. The player may freely roam over the land of Skyrim, an open world environment based on Scandinavia consisting of wilderness expanses, dungeons, caves, cities, towns, fortresses, and villages.

Which is harder Skyrim or Dark Souls? ›

1 Dark Souls (Harder)

Dark Souls is harder than Skyrim—and it's not even close. The layers of difficulty put into Dark Souls places it among the most challenging games of all time. They even named a version the "Prepare to Die Edition" because of its painstaking difficulty. Expect to die numerous times, and then some.

Is Elder Scrolls a soulslike game? ›

The gameplay has nothing in common with a Souls game, so don't expect it.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Stevie Stamm

Last Updated:

Views: 6342

Rating: 5 / 5 (60 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Stevie Stamm

Birthday: 1996-06-22

Address: Apt. 419 4200 Sipes Estate, East Delmerview, WY 05617

Phone: +342332224300

Job: Future Advertising Analyst

Hobby: Leather crafting, Puzzles, Leather crafting, scrapbook, Urban exploration, Cabaret, Skateboarding

Introduction: My name is Stevie Stamm, I am a colorful, sparkling, splendid, vast, open, hilarious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.