Common Sense Media Review
By Chad Sapieha
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Vast and violent tale filled with moral choice, ambiguity.
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Why Age 15+?
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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 142 parent reviews
Based on 445 kid reviews
Kids say this game is a classic that offers a vast open-world experience and encourages player choice without pushing a defined moral stance. While some users note the presence of violence, blood, and minor swearing, many agree that the content is exaggerated in reviews, and the game is suitable for tweens or younger teens if they are mature enough to handle its themes.
- classic game
- open world
- player choice
- mild content
- suitable for tweens
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
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
- Platforms : PlayStation 3 , Windows , Xbox 360
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Bethesda Softworks
- Release date : November 11, 2011
- Genre : Role-Playing
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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