There’s not much left to add about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim that hasn’t already been said: it’s a defining, ambitious title that expanded everything Bethesda refined across Arena, Daggerfall, Morrowind and Oblivion. The studio distilled its open-world RPG instincts into a broader, more confident experience. Yes, the game has its share of bugs, but they feel a small concession compared with the scale and wonder of what it delivers.
Skyrim brought several meaningful gameplay changes — the removal of a rigid class system, the option to dual-wield weapons and spells — but its most unforgettable invention is the Dragon Shout. As Dragonborn, you learn ancient Words of Power scattered across the land and unlock them by absorbing the souls of slain dragons. The first and most famous shout, Unrelenting Force, blasts foes and objects away. Later Shouts can slow time, conjure storms, or even command dragons, yet over countless hours I always returned to the simple, satisfying brutality of FUS RO DAH.
Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda SoftworksUnrelenting Force remains useful even in late-game encounters. It deals only modest damage (unless augmented by abilities from the Dragonborn DLC), but its true value is tactical: it staggers powerful enemies, opens windows for follow-up attacks, and sends foes tumbling off cliffs. More than utility, though, it delivers a peculiar kind of catharsis. If you’ve never played Skyrim (it first arrived in 2011), picture this: you channel an ancient magic with a single shout, and people — beasts, bandits, Draugr — are hurled away as if by a gust of rage. Whether or not you literally yelled while mashing the RB button on an Xbox 360, the release you feel is unmistakable.
If one word could sum up Skyrim, it would be “freedom.” Once dropped into the icy, windswept reaches of Skyrim, the player is free to wander, craft a life, or pursue destiny on their own terms. There is a main quest and a brewing civil war, and sure, dragons are returning — but those plot threads are optional backdrops to the core appeal. My favorite community videos are the “normal life” role-play series where players tend farms, save for a house, find spouses, and scrupulously avoid dragons and politics (an early example can be found here), and they’re surprisingly addictive.
RPGs trade on escapism more than most genres, and Bethesda excels at immersion: sprawling environments, dense lore, and tiny, human touches that make the world feel lived-in. Playing Skyrim can be a serene, almost meditative experience—strolling along frosted ridgelines, stumbling through ancient ruins, or losing yourself in the hush of snowfall. And when friction arrives, you can always shout it away.
Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks via PolygonSurrounded by snarling Draugr in a cramped tomb? FUS RO DAH. Too close to a Giant’s prized mammoth and launched skyward? FUS RO DAH (see a classic example here). Hungry but unwilling to fish? FUS RO DAH. The shout becomes the game’s most joyful, low-effort solution to everyday problems.
Rarely does a single mechanic transcend its practical purpose and touch something more primal. Shouts could have been a mere novelty tied to an in-game quest, but the elegant simplicity of Unrelenting Force turns every button press into an elemental release. It’s not just a move — it’s a statement: your voice matters. Go into this spectacular world and live in it on your terms. Make yourself heard.
Skyrim may not boast the most refined combat by today’s standards, and some systems feel rough around the edges, but the game still offers dazzling moments — from riding dragons to, yes, hilariously improbable feats like shutting down the sun with an arrow (watch this). Sometimes the best solution is also the most primal: take a breath, let out a shout, and watch everything go flying. FUS…
Source: Polygon
