MMGN.com: "Why do people love open-world games? Well, it’s the concept of player choice and freedom that entices most of us. I often play RPGs based on the level of customisation it offers, or if it allows me to focus on the side-quests without forcing me to finish the main storyline. Having agency and freedom in a video game is naturally an intriguing thing, and shaping it around what you want to experience is a nice alternative to following a scripted, rigid campaign. But somewhere down the line, a non-linear experience can eventually lose its appeal."
As The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered takes up 125GB, original designer Bruce Nesmith recalls fitting Skyrim into a tiny file size.
Skyrim is still my favorite ES game. I’m playing through it again right now since I never finished it.
Morrowind is by far my favorite. But I’m getting old and played Daggerfall Morrowind and Oblivion before Skyrim
That judicious lack of oversight permeated everything in Bethesda's RPGs, in a positive fashion.
I much prefer a left alone Obsidian and Larian Studios. Bethesda's formula has grown old for me.
Larian hit another level with DOS:2 and then took it even further with BG3. They do high quality work.
I agree, I found it an interesting game. But nowhere near worth the hype (unless you include mods)
Skyrim blew my mind when it released. That game took me to the gaming, promisedland. Going back to it when it was updated for the PS5, it felt slightly rough around the edges, but great for its time
We should leave Obsidian alone. Bethesda on the other hand should be kept under constant psychiatric observation.
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I didn't think Skyrim was overwhelming, just fun..
***"When do open-world games become overwhelming rather than compelling?"***
Never
Open world games dissolve into side-quest galore and you lose track of the story almost completely. Such as why I hated RDR and couldn't be bothered to finish Far Cry 3.
IMHO skyrim became overwhelming due to the fact that the item system or loot system is horrible..... I would die if it had a torchlight 2 loot system. For me i found it pretty pointless exploring caves and the like when the items suck in the game.
As long as the quests don't get too repetitive, and they bring you to exciting places you may not have travelled to otherwise, Open World can be as big as they want to, as long as they keep my two requirements intact. While stroming a fort and killing weak NPC's for the 3rd time may be too repetitive, when one place is a vallet, another in the mountains, and the third by the water with a great view, the task doesn't seem as stale
It also helps when side-quests have their own little story. I felt like Skyrim did a good job of making a lot of quests have neat little stories you could influence, often having more than one outcome can keep it fresh, so while your friend may have done these 30 quests with these outcomes, you can can do these other 30 quests and feel like you played an entirely different game
You want them to be meaningful and engaging, not chores for the sake of increasing game length