The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Game review by Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 15+

Vast and violent tale filled with moral choice, ambiguity.

PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360 2011
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Parents say

age 12+

Based on 157 reviews

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 458 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this game.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is an open-world fantasy role-playing game for Windows, Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X. It's the latest chapter in the long-running Elder Scrolls franchise. Players begin by creating an avatar, customizing gender, skin tone, and other features, then head out to explore a vast wintery landscape filled with missions and mysteries. You can choose to act nobly, maliciously, or apathetically when dealing with non-player characters. Some missions may involve visceral violence against humans and monsters using medieval-style weapons and magic -- blood spatters, severed limbs/heads, and shrieks of pain are common -- while others require diplomatic social skills. Destiny and choice are primary themes, and actions are typically accompanied by appropriate consequences, meaning that if you do good you will be rewarded and if you do evil you'll likely end up spending time in jail and facing loss of property and skill. Most human non-player characters are light-skinned (the game is set in a Nordic tribal country) but there is a group with darker skin tones who have descended from tribes on another continent. Romances with other characters can be same-sex or heterosexual. Nudity and sex are not shown, but words including "rape" and "sexual" appear in text and dialogue. Alcohol products are key elements in several missions, and the player's character can drink and become intoxicated.

Community Reviews

Christian Mom R
Christian Mom R Adult
July 14, 2012
age 12+

**Please Read**

Well I play some games with my sun before I let him go off and play it alone. This is one of the first games he got that I kinda enjoyed. Other parents may sometimes do what I do and look at the back and say "No" but ESPB (whatever it's call) sometimes get strict. There is not much Sexual activity. There is a bit of cleavage not bad though. You can also get married in the game. Your wife doesn't really play a role though. All she does is follow you around and make you food and give you money now and then. Also the game is violent which is about the only reason it is "M". The alcoholism and beer can be compared to a different game like "Sims" they only is it in certain areas like bars and taverns, not people walking around selling beer to random kids. Lets get back to the violence. The worst thing I have seen is stabbing a dragon in the neck. Surprising the same amount of blood as assassinating someone in halo (Halo is a good game that has an extreme LACK of blood).In my opinion a 12 and above would be okay for the game. If you allow them to play games like Sims (Sims probably have more sexual content then this game) Gears Of War (A really bloody game) or DeadSpace your kid should be mature enough to handle the game. Thanks for reading.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
3 people found this helpful.
Gameratings1995
Gameratings1995 Adult
November 7, 2021
age 8+

One of the best games of All time

It’s a great game, that discourages killing, stealing, and hitting people. This game has swearing but the swearing is the same as you would see in a PG movie. The gore is very fake. The violence is hitting enemies, who attack or steal from you. This game has loads to do and it’s very fun

This title has:

Great role models
See all 157 parent reviews

What’s It About?

THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM is a fantasy role-playing game set 200 years after the events of its predecessor. It takes place in Skyrim, the oldest and northernmost province of Tamriel, a continent that fans of the Elder Scrolls franchise have been exploring in games dating back to 1994. As in previous entries, players have complete freedom to explore a vast, open world any way they like, growing their character slowly through game-altering decisions and actions that could lead them to become a noble soldier fighting for an empire, a fighter in a resistance group that challenges the empire, or a member of several different organizations that range from a college of bards to a brotherhood of assassins. Along the way they learn that they are one of the Dragonborn, a rare breed of warrior capable of slaying dragons and stealing their voices, which they can use in battle. This turns out to be pretty handy, given that the dragons have returned to terrorize Skyrim after centuries of absence, adding to a stack of problems that includes a burgeoning civil war and a potential invasion. Experiencing it all will take dedicated players hundreds of hours.

Is It Any Good?

This is one of the most ambitious single-player role-playing games ever made. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is startling in its scope, complexity, and beauty. Hundreds of points of interest -- including cities, towns, caves, and ruins -- dot a Nordic landscape filled with towering mountains, beautiful wildlife, and rushing rapids. Blue skies and bright sun give way to pounding rain, deep fogs, and blinding snowstorms. Calm nights, meanwhile, are lit by mesmerizing starscapes and dancing Northern Lights. This game set new bars in presentation and world design when it was originally released and it remains impressive today.

There's no shortage of things to do in Skyrim. Players are free to choose their own way through the tundra, hills, and marshes, completing or ignoring most quests they encounter as they like choose. And choice is important. Many decisions -- like whether to steal or murder -- will impact how other characters view your avatar, especially if you get caught doing something bad. Engaging melee, ranged, and magic combat mechanics, meanwhile, combine with the satisfaction that comes with the constant discovery of new places and items to create an experience that remains fresh day after day, week after week. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim delivers a remarkable fantasy world that many other game makers are still striving to match more than a decade later.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about moderating screen time. It's easy to lose yourself in the enormous world of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and play for hours at a time, so what do you do to maintain game/life balance?

  • Families can also discuss violence in games. Do you think about violence differently when presented with a moral decision -- such as whether or not to kill a thief or stop an unjust execution -- versus when you're simply presented with legions of enemies to slaughter?

Game Details

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