Should you play previous Elder Scrolls games before Skyrim?
Looking to play Skyrim but worried that you’ll miss important lore? We all know how expansive the Elder Scrolls lore is, and you’ll want to know what you’re getting yourself into. We all know that one gamer who has played, studied, and knows all of the lore by heart. But is it sacrilegious to play Skyrim without prior knowledge of all the events that led up to it?
Bethesda games like Skyrim, Fallout 4, and even Doom have their own unique worlds, but they are all based on previous games. The Elder Scrolls games have been around since the ‘90s, and the majority of Skyrim players started with Skyrim itself and didn’t play the older games. So if you’re looking to get into Skyrim but are worried about how much you’re going to miss, don’t worry. Each Elder Scrolls game is self-contained and doesn’t require extensive knowledge of previous games.
“Starting with Skyrim is perfectly fine,” says Nathan over at PC Game Spotlight. “Each Elder Scrolls game is meant to be standalone, so you won’t be missing out on anything by jumping into Skyrim first. There are some references to previous games, but they are just that – references. So if you fancy starting your Elder Scrolls journey with the sixth game, then don’t let what you might miss put you off.”
That being said, if you do have the time and the want to read into the lore, some fans enjoy seeing the lore evolve by reading the in-game books or the series of books based on the game, called the Elder Scrolls Anthology, which has all of the previous games. Others miss Morrowind’s complexity and feel that Skyrim’s quest design has suffered for it, so they appreciate what Morrowind brought to the table.
Older games like Morrowind gave directions that often led to confusion. Skyrim, on the other hand, guides you with clear markers on your compass and on the map. This saves time, and because you’re not wandering around aimlessly, you’re able to appreciate certain events as they unfold in the game.
