With its immense popularity and dedicated community, even eleven years after its initial release,Skyrimis undoubtedly one of the best games ever made. Its longevity alone makes it worthy of the title, and players can find themselves with hundreds of hours in the game and still have the urge to keep exploring.
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For players who feel they are growing bored and that the game has run its course for them, there are a plethora of ways tocontinue playing thegame, and players are bound to encounter things that they have never seen before.
8Vampiric Grip
As a vampire, players can use the Vampiric Grip ability to pull enemies towards them at a continuous magicka cost. Enemies will then ragdoll, floating in the air as they await the mercy of the player. Looking upward, players can release the grip to send any enemy flying into the air which, at the right height, can instantly kill most enemies, or fatally injure much stronger ones. Similarly, players who follow the werewolf route can fling enemies with the heavy backhand attack, which can be very useful early game against tough enemies like Giants.
Not only isVampiric Grip extremely fun to use,but it’s also guaranteed to give players a laugh withSkyrim’s hilariousragdolleffects.For players struggling with a certain enemy type, such as Draugr Death Overlords towards the end of the game, they can mercilessly assert their dominance over these enemies as they use the Vampiric Grip to helplessly flail them in the air.
7Use More Shouts
For some Skyrim players, Unrelenting Force will be the go-to shout for its offensive, ragdoll-inducing capability, not to mention the pure satisfaction that using it brings as enemies soar helplessly through the air or off cliffs.
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For those looking to try something different, consider utilizing the key features of other shouts in order to advance through quest lines, instead ofbeing solely dependent on one shout. The “Become Ethereal” shout can allow players to drop extremely high distances and survive, which is perfect for fighting at the peak of a mountain, or cliff, and needing to get away and heal. Shouts like “Slow Time” can be used to escape a barrage of enemy arrow fire as well, or used to dodge arrows as players head straight for the kill.
6Use Exploits
After hundreds of hours of gameplay, it comes as no surprise that many players will discover and utilize exploits in order to benefit their characters in a playthrough. While there are many known exploits popularized over the years in the game,there are some exploits that can be acquiredvery easily that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Some of these exploits include the Whiterun chest glitch, which can be accessed with a simple out-of-bounds jump for a chest full of rewards, as well as the Dawnstar chest glitch, a chest situated next to Iron Breaker Mine, which is also full of loot. Other exploits include the alchemy and enchanting glitch, and the Ring of Arcana telekinesis glitch, which both allow the player to gain levels extremely fast. Players should consider using these in order to put themselves at a significant advantage.
5Acquire All Achievements
Achievement hunting generally is no simple task, requiring dedication and a goal-oriented mindset in order to get all of them. Most players will casually unlock the vast majority of achievements just by playing the game naturally, but some of the achievements aren’t so easy to obtain.
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Many of the achievements in Skyrim require dedication to persevere with long and arduous quests, so it’s certainly not for everyone. For players who successfullymanage to acquire all achievements, they will feel pure satisfaction as the fruits of their labor finally pay off.
4Gather & Collect Items
Many players will have hoarded thousands of items to hold and sell as they near the endgame and start to feel like there is nothing to do. If players spot an urn or chest that doesn’t quite seem worth looting, go the extra mile and its contents might be surprising. Players can also collect random items they find along their journey, which can be dropped or placed in homes to personalize them a bit more. There are also many unique items that the player can collect, and amassing all of these items feels very rewarding.
For players seeking to collect as many unique weapons as possible,consider collecting all 15 Daedric Artifacts. Daedric Artifacts can be acquired after completing quests and tasks set by Daedric Princes, who always reward players with a unique weapon or artifact. Collecting all of these will also reward the player with the “Oblivion Walker” achievement, and having all artifacts in the player’s possession feels immensely satisfying.
3Explore Everything
The land of Skyrim is expansive and full of hundreds of unique and interesting locations for players to locate, loot and explore. For players with areas on their maps that look a little sparse, consider headingtoward them for a new-found adventure.
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Players should also consider completing queststhat they’ve put off as they focused on the main story, as there are many questlines within the game that have heartfelt, emotional storylines that allow the player to connect with certain characters, some of which can even become companions. It is highly recommended that players fully complete these storylines in order to get the most out of a playthrough.
For manySkyrimplayers, after hundreds of hours of exploration and combat, it is possible to run through the vanilla game knowing exactly what to expect, which can make the game feel stale quickly. With the ability to download and installmods, however, comes a completely different world.
Some mods, such as SkyUI, completely overhaul the player’s interface and makes the inventory much easier to manage, as well as mods that enhance homes and buildings, making everything much more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Players can also add combat mods, new enemies, questlines, and companions, which makes for a unique playthrough for those looking to get a little more out of the game.
1Try A Different Playstyle
For many players coming back to the game for another playthrough, it is far too easy to fall victim to the stealth archer build, which is arguably one of the most satisfying and easiest ways to play the game and fight enemies.
Players looking for a challenge and a fresher experience with the game and its combat system should attempt to approach the game from a different playstyle. For players looking to keep their distance and remain light-footed, consider playing as a destructive mage. For those looking to get up close with their enemies, strive to play through melee only. Utilizing different playstyles is a great way to see the game from a different perspective, and allows hours of more fun.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - Anniversary Editionis currently available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
