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The best games like Skyrim give us massive worlds, deep and complex lore, whimsical characters, and more side quests than you can shake an arrow to the knee at. Still selling over 10 years since launch, the fifth main series entry of The Elder Scrolls action-RPG series is one of a kind, but there are plenty of games out there that can fill the Tamriel-shaped hole in your life once you’ve moved on from its sprawling, dragon-infested plains. While we wait for the Elder Scrolls 6, Read on for the best games like Skyrim – from sci-fi to fantasy, the nuclear apocalypse and more.
The best games like Skyrim…
1. Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Available on: PC, Xbox One (backwards compatible)
If you want to take a break from being the Dragonborn, but you’re still eager for more adventures in the Elder Scrolls world, Skyrim’s predecessor is the obvious choice. Originally released in 2006, Oblivion was groundbreaking for its time and still holds up very well today. You start off as a prisoner who gets visited by Emperor Uriel Septim (voiced by Patrick Stewart no less). Suddenly you find yourself thrown into an epic adventure to find Septim’s heir and get him on the throne.
Oh, and there’s the small matter of shutting the Oblivion gates, which are causing chaos by allowing all sorts of nasty creatures to enter the lands of Tamriel. With similar – albeit slightly more complex – combat, a fantastic main storyline, and endless quests and locations to explore, this is must for anyone who might have missed out on this one before they dived into Skyrim. And since many references to the events and characters of Oblivion can be found throughout your Dragonborn adventures, it’ll also help you brush on your Elder Scrolls lore.
2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Available on: PC, Xbox One, PS4 (coming soon to Xbox Series X and PS5)
As one of the best fantasy RPGs in recent memory, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (opens in new tab) is an absolute must. In the shoes of monster-slayer Geralt of Rivia, you’re tasked with finding Ciri who happens to be the heir to the Cintra throne. In the race find her before the Wild Hunt, you’ll be thrown into monster fights, political unrest, and so much more besides. Much like Skyrim, you can decide how you play out your adventure in its rich world fit to bursting with story-driven quests and areas to explore.
The scope and depth of the Witcher 3 makes for one unforgettable experience, with fantastical beast battles and gorgeous vistas to soak up. Honestly, there’s so much to do and discover, you can easily wind up spending hours exploring the vast landscapes without touching the main story-line. Sound familiar? If you’ve been sitting on this one, the Game of the Year Edition includes the excellent Blood and Wine and Hearts of Stone DLCs, which gives you oodles of additional gameplay. There are endless hours of adventuring to be had.
3. Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Developer: Capcom
Available on: PC, Xbox One, PS4, Switch
Capcom’s open-world action-adventure has one very obvious thing in common with Skyrim: dragons. You take on the role of the Arisen, a character whose heart is stolen by a dragon and gets resurrected to defeat the very same beast. In its fantastical setting of Gransys Island, you’ll traverse through dangerous dungeons and face many different monsters of all shapes and sizes – so if you’re already missing the dragon fights, Dragon’s Dogma can fill that need.
And if you’re someone who loves spending hours crafting your character, you’ll be glad to know there are lots of character creation customization options to help you nail the look of your Arisen. The combat is not unlike Skyrim’s, with specializations to choose from and skillsets to advance. How you fight is entirely up to you. It has plenty of intrigue and mystery, and the variety of foes you face keeps it exciting and fresh.
4. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Developer: Nintendo
Available on: Switch
The freedom to explore and go about your journey at your own pace is one of the best things about Skyrim, and Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild does just that in an enchanting Link-shaped package. Link awakens from a 100-year long sleep to a Hyrule he doesn’t know or remember. You must help him regain his memories and save Hyrule. It’s never an easy task, is it?
The world offers up a vast array of activities and quests, along with skills to master and different fighting styles to try out. While the weapons Link can wield will eventually break, there are plenty of different ones to equip and play around with, and if you enjoyed cooking up a storm in Skyrim or crafting potions, you’re bound to enjoy experimenting with ingredients in Link’s cooking pot. Breath of the Wild carves up a world teeming with hidden secrets to uncover, and it lets you take the reigns without giving you too much direction. You’ll rack up 100+ hours in Link’s shoes before you know it.
5. Dragon Age: Inquisition
Developer: BioWare
Available on: PC, Xbox One, PS4
Enjoy saving the day and fighting dragons? Well, BioWare’s third entry in the Dragon Age series will make you feel right at home. In the world of Thedas, a giant breach in the sky has opened up a passage to the fade and demons are leaking out. Oh no! Thankfully you’re quite literally on hand to help thanks to accidentally gaining the power to close rifts. After being captured and questioned by the Inquisition, you join their efforts to put the world to rights and restore order.
This is another story-driven adventure that lets you decide how to face your adventures. With some of the best characters in any BioWare game (hello Dorian), lots of epic battles, dragon fights, skills to enhance and areas to explore, it has so much potential for replayability. And if you enjoyed getting married in Skyrim but yearned for some more in-depth romance, Dragon Age: Inquisition’s got you covered.
6. Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Developer: Warhorse Studios
Available on: PC, Xbox One, PS4
Ah, the unassuming hero. They come in all shapes and sizes, don’t they? Whether it be a prisoner-turned-Dragonborn or the son of a village blacksmith, every hero has their own origin story. If the civil strife between the Stormcloaks and the Imperials was a highlight for you, Kingdom Come Deliverance’s story-driven open-world affair might just be what you’re looking for.
Deep Silver’s RPG pulls you into the world of the Roman Empire in the setting of Bohemia in Europe. Emperor Charles IV’s death has badly affected the once shining kingdom, and war and corruption pervade the land. As Henry, the son of a Blacksmith, your world is turned upside down when your village is burned to the ground. Suddenly you’re hurled into a civil conflict that will help shape the fate of Bohemia. Since it’s in first-person, it feels quite similar to Skyrim’s gameplay style in a lot of respects, and its sword-fighting mechanics are a cut above many.
7. Divinity: Original Sin 2
Developer: Larian Studios
Available on: PC, Xbox One, PS4,
Bethesda’s richly crafted Elder Scrolls universe adds to the immersive feel of Skyrim’s world, and Divinity: Original Sin 2 manages to accomplish just that with its highly detailed setting of Rivellon. In the aftermath of the Divine’s Death, the void has torn open and Voidwoken have started popping up in the world. As a sorcerer who can manipulate source (a form of energy not unlike magic), you find yourself going on an epic journey to become the next Divine.
While it’s not open-world in nature, the diversity of choices you can make really lets you feel like you’re in command of your own adventure. You can either create your own character from scratch or choose to play as one of the five pre-made protagonists who each have their own origin story and talents. Just like Skyrim, the world reacts differently to you depending on the race of your protagonist. Divinity’s brilliant story, endless dialogue options, skill sets, and crafting elements all serve to make it one of the most engrossing RPGs around.
8. Fallout 4
Available on: PC, Xbox One, PS4
If you’re in the mood for something that’s similar to Skyrim with a different flavor, Fallout 4 is right up your alley. Made by the same studio, many aspects of Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic open world RPG will be familiar to you. In place of swords and magic, you instead have guns and nuclear weapons. Considerably darker in tone thanks to its rather bleak, radiated world – featuring giant flying bugs, super mutants, and the horrifying ghouls – it’s essentially like a hellish, futuristic Skyrim after a nuclear war.
You play as a mother or father who finds themselves fleeing into the safety of Vault 111 after nuclear bombs begin to fall. After being cryogenically frozen, you awaken to find your son has been kidnapped and you have to set out into the vast Wastelands to find him. If you still fancy some sweet rolls you’re in luck because Fallout 4’s got them – and they’re only just a little bit irradiated.
9. Horizon Zero Dawn
Developer: Guerrilla Games
Available on: PC, PS4
Okay, so maybe there aren’t any dragons in this one either, but there are robotic dinosaurs. Horizon Zero Dawn (opens in new tab)’s gorgeous snowy mountainous landscapes and rolling grassy hillsides set the scene for one of the most refreshing and interesting stories in an open-world RPG to date. You play as Aloy, a hunter in a post-apocalyptic world populated by mysterious robotic creatures. Treated as an outcast by nearby tribes, Aloy sets out to discover her true origin story. Aloy can take on the robotic creatures with craftable bows, spears and traps with various different powers and effects. There’s so much to explore and discover, with engaging side quests, diverse characters and many, many collectibles to find. It’ll certainly keep you busy.
10. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
Developer: 38 Studios
Available on: PC, Xbox One (backwards compatible)
A fantasy RPG with some MMO elements, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning has plenty of similarities that might appeal to fans of Elder Scrolls. As the Fateless One who is resurrected back to life to a world torn apart by war, you to set out to change fate itself. Heavy stuff. Kingdoms of Amalur’s open-world setting gives you a lot of room to explore. Complete with four playable classes to choose from and a generous helping of customisations options, you’re free to decide how you play. Oblivion’s lead designer Ken Rolston even had a hand in its creation. As one of the only games released by 38 studios before it went under, it’s a very solid RPG with a lot to offer.
