The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition Critic Reviews

If you wish to spend another lifetime on Skyrim, this is the best way to do it. The Anniversary Edition brings more than 500 new items, quests and mods in the never-ending Bethesda's RPG.

Much like a real anniversary, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is less about embarking on something new and more about happily re-living some wonderful, past moments. It was a great game then, and, even 10 years later, it’s still a great game—made even better by the bundle of Creation Club DLCs thrown into the mix. Skyrim‘s been around for a long time, now, and, whether you like it or not, the Anniversary Edition shows that Skyrim has still got the ability to stick around for at least a little while longer (I’m sure we’ll get TESVI eventually, though!).

It’s never too late to explore Skyrim for the first or the 100th time, and this version gives us yet another reason to go back to one of the best games ever made.

So Skyrim's still Skyrim, but what does Anniversary Edition actually bring to the table? Well, with Anniversary Edition, you get complete access to the Creation Club. In a nutshell, the Creation Club started life as a poorly judged official mod shop, essentially offering DLC packs for premium currency. It took years for the Creation Club to stock up on any worthwhile content, but if you add it all together now, you're getting significant bang for your buck. Anniversary Edition comes with 74 'Creations' — from new quests and locations to weapons, armour, and player homes. If all you've ever known is Skyrim on consoles, then this avalanche of new stuff will refresh the experience to a surprising extent.

Aimed at those who are yet to experience The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for the first time, this Anniversary Edition offers exceptional value for money, and is easily the best way to jump into one of the best role-playing games ever made. It may not quite look current-gen, but the fast loading times and reduced storage footprint are both meaningful gains for PS5 players, while the included Creation Club content adds yet more meat to the game’s bones which are already heaped with flesh. For those that have already played Skyrim to exhaustion, however, there’s not much here to draw them back. Though being able to upgrade from the Special Edition for just £15.99/$19.99 makes it very enticing.

For those who have never played it or want to dedicate another 500 hours, this is undoubtedly the most complete version to date.

For any console player who already owns the Special Edition, some of the improvements of the Anniversary Edition are already available as free patches. Those folks will find the Anniversary Edition a reasonably priced add-on. It provides a significant new quest, some new mechanics, a new mode, and lots of cosmetic additions, plus access to the Creation Club and mods. Just don’t expect a graphical facelift. For console gamers without any experience of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim at all, the Anniversary Edition is definitely the version to pick up. With the Elder Scrolls VI in production, the Anniversary Edition is most likely (and hopefully) the final version of a seriously aging but still viable classic RPG.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition continues to be exactly what makes Skyrim popular: a massive world to explore with tons of different ways to develop your Dragonborne. Outside of that, mods make an appearance and add a bit to the formula in their own way. Otherwise, this Skyrim is exactly as you remember, except it loads a bit faster and plays a lot smoother.

Skyrim’s 10th anniversary edition is a rich and polished package, offering over hundred hours of top class RPG experience. If you never got the chance to play it back in 7th generation, now is the best time to do it.

Skyrim is back yet again, with a graphical makeover and new user generated content, but at full price even fans of brazen commercial cynicism will find their eyebrows quietly reaching for the sky.

While perhaps not as enticing as it could have been, the additions that this version of Skyrim offer keep it from feeling like a total cash grab.

The performance upgrades make this a fantastic way to experience Skyrim for the first time, but slim content additions won’t enamour returning players.

Skyrim Anniversary Edition is a pricey update to a legendary yet aging classic game. For those who already know it by heart, the free update will offer enough reasons to come back.

What was once the pinnacle of its genre has become a bit of a joke as it releases again and again and again. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition adds very little that can’t be found in the 2016 Special Edition or is already free with Creation Club content. There is enjoyment to be had out of playing the game in the new survival mode and I still adore the base game. However, Skyrim just isn’t as strong when held up to modern standards, and it is the fault of Bethesda that this tired horse is now running a race with so many others that are leagues faster.