I remember there being a lot of hesitation directed at the amount of content scaling in Skyrim around the time of release. Many people wished areas and interiors had fixed difficulties to promote character progression, but fortunately for players, Bethesda is much more ambitious in their approach to Skyrim's scaling. The developers have described the feature as Radiant Storytelling, which acts as a tethered scaling system and attempts to blend scaling and zoning. However, before we discuss why Bethesda's current system is the best solution, let's discuss why areas with fixed levels would be damaging to an open world game.
Replaying Skyrim after 13 years is a reminder of the progress made in western RPGs over the last decade, but also what's been lost.
RPGs are often huge, sprawling endeavours. With limited playtime, we have to choose wisely, so here's the best western RPGs available today.
"I started playing games yesterday" the List... Meh!
How about a few RPGs that deserve some love instead?
1 - Alpha Protocol - Now on GOG
2 - else Heart.Break()
3 - Shadowrun Trilogy
4 - Wasteland 2
5 - UnderRail
6 - Tyranny
7 - Torment: Tides of Numenera
And for a bonus game that flew under the radar:
8 - Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
Not only glorious jank, but the idea that the story can completely change depending on what you do, or say, or side with, makes it one of the most forward thinking games ever. The amount of story permutation is the equivalent of a Hitman level but in Story Form. And it wasn't just that the story changed, no, it was that you met completely new characters, or missed them, depending on your choices. Made Mass Effect feel static in comparison.
Alpha Protocol was absolutely glorious, indeed. And it was, and still is, more Next Gen than most anything out there these days. In this regard at least.
Pity.
A new Partner Spotlight Sale is now live on the Switch eShop, including Skyrim, lowest price ever for Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, and more.
I disagree with much of this article. The Skyrim I played had quests that were very similar to an MMO. Not complex at all. Also, the contention that zoning creates a linear experience shows a very limited imagination about map/zone design. I played Everquest on PS2 for a long time, leveling up a human druid, a barbarian shaman, and a human monk. All three started in different cities and I never once felt like I was in a linear experience, even though I played solo a lot of the time. I explored a lot, and part of the fun was traveling nervously through places full of fearsome creatures, avoiding them at first then finally feeling great power when I eventually returned and kicked their asses. Skyrim's method takes much of the uncertainty out of exploring. Give me zoning over scaling.