The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition Reviews

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition is ranked in the 83rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Leif Johnson
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Nov 1, 2016

If you’ve never experienced Skyrim, the Special Edition is certainly an adventure you can’t afford to miss.

Read full review

Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
Nov 1, 2016

One of the best Western style role-players ever made works better than it ever has before on consoles, but there’s only so much a new coat of paint can do to hide its age.

Read full review

Nov 16, 2016

A wonderful recreation of Skyrim, which remains - despite rough edges and badly-aged elements - one of the greatest RPGs ever made.

Read full review

USgamer
Top Critic
Nov 3, 2016

Skyrim Special Edition is a solid purchase for anyone introduced to the game through the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. PC players should give longer pause before playing, however, as they've probably already made their own "Special Edition" with the aid of mods – and some of those mods might not even work in the Special Edition. In the end, your decision should come down to how much you love Skyrim's ambition, how much you enjoy exploring its expansive world, and how tolerant you are towards its flaws.

Read full review

Oct 28, 2016

It's amazing that after five years The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition can manage to fit right in with the best of the current generation. Its cold wilderness appears breathtakingly beautiful, and has been expanded on console with the introduction of mod support. Though, this package makes much more sense for console gamers who previously didn't have a way to enjoy the experience with the benefits of new hardware; on PC you don't get much for the inflated price. Nonetheless, any excuse to head back out into Skyrim and become consumed by its sense of wonder and enchanting sub-stories is a good one.

Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Nov 3, 2016

If you didn't dig it way back when, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Special Edition won't do much to change your mind. It's still impressively open, but once you actually reach your objective marker, it morphs into a shallow experience with shaky writing. Mod support will naturally help grease the wheels a bit, but make sure you stick to Xbox One if you're going the console route and stay on the beaten side path.

Read full review

7 / 10.0
Oct 31, 2016

This remastered version of Skyrim includes a graphical improvement similar to the PC version with HD mods. The console version includes mods support, but this is not enough for Bethesda to sell this remastered game as a full-price version for the consoles.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Unscored
Nov 1, 2016

Upon fleeing the smoking ruins of Helgen, you’re treated to a breathtaking view of Skyrim once more and from that moment you’re inexorably sucked into a world that refuses to let go.

Read full review

Paul Tassi
Top Critic
Unscored
Oct 31, 2016

Skyrim is a great game, but one where I finally might have reached my limit, as I discovered in this latest playthrough. If you’ve never played it, this is definitely the version to get, and if you’re a superfan, you’ve probably already bought it before reading this review.

Read full review

8.7 / 10.0
Oct 28, 2016

You can discuss graphics improvements, mods, DLCs and many more things forever. The truth is this: Skyrim is still one of the best RPGs available today.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Oct 31, 2016

A modern classic and one of those games that everyone must play but a little bit overpriced for a simple remaster.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Oct 29, 2016

It’s showing its age and still suffers from the trademark Bethesda bugs, but The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is a good enough excuse to warrant a return trip or serve as an entry point to this massive game.

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Nov 3, 2016

Quest, hunt, explore, get married, build a house, invest in property, slaughter entire villages – it’s up to you how you spend your time in the frozen north, and it’s absolutely worth a repeat visit.

Read full review

8 / 10
Oct 31, 2016

Skyrim Special Edition on console looks lovely and runs well, and with all the DLC included it's a great option if you aren't fussed about mods. If you are fussed about mods you might be disappointed. Or already have a PC.

Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Nov 1, 2016

Skyrim is still a blast to play, and while I appreciate many have gone off it, or weren’t on it to begin with, there’s still an arresting quality to the world Bethesda built, a world full of individual places that feel like home.

Read full review

Nov 8, 2016

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim gets a facelift with a new Special Edition that improves graphics and convenience, but leaves just about everything else the way it was in 2011.

Read full review

Telegraph
Top Critic
Nov 3, 2016

Even after half a decade, Skyrim is an RPG with an unprecedented level of soul.

Read full review

Nov 12, 2016

Fundamentally, stepping back into Skyrim is like revisiting one of your favorite places as a child. Everything is like you remembered it, except it's been redecorated and modernized.

Read full review

8 / 10
Nov 7, 2016

If you haven't play Skyrim before, Special Edition is the version to get. It's a lazy remake though that still contains minor but frustrating bugs.

Review in Swedish | Read full review

Wccftech
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Nov 3, 2016

Although the allure of returning to one of the most engaging Elder Scrolls titles might be overwhelming, Skyrim Special Edition itself feels dated, with little improvements made in terms of gameplay and graphics. You'll play it for hours, but you'll keep wondering why.

Read full review