After exploring the province of Skyrim for years, it's safe to say that you've seen it all from the good, the bad, and the ugly. Whether you've finished the main storyline or turned into a chicken menace out of sheer boredom, there are admittedly many small things to love about this decade-old franchise.
Whatever point you're at in the game, here are a few things we can all agree make exploring the ever-so-vast world of Skyrim easier and more enjoyable.
10 Freedom To Choose Who You Want To Be
You are not only given the option to choose who you want to be at the start of the game but you're also given multiple options to choose your affiliations and ideals. Whether you want to be a Stormcloak, an Imperial, or something outside those two is up to you.
You can be who you want to be, and choosing who you want to be will change your overall experience of the game in comparison to other players. Over time, you might even be given a chance to abandon your humanity to be a vampire (and be virtually immune to poison).
9 Realistic Skill Mastery
Unlike other games that don't have anything experience related to advancing your character, Skyrim makes you use the skill you want to master in the game as much as possible. To be a master lock picker, you'd have to lock pick again and again. The same goes for archery, heavy armor, or any other skill you want to be a god at in the game.
Practice makes perfect, after all; at least, that's what you tell yourself as you pick your hundredth lock, which still ironically snaps.
8 You Can Modify The Game In Almost Any Way You Can Imagine
You can't mention the joy of Skyrim without considering modifications. If you'd like to enhance your gameplay, you can add additional noises to the game to make it even more realistic. If you're not satisfied with the lighting sources in the game, fret not! Even that has a mod you can download.
If you're unsatisfied with a character, you can modify how they look. One of the more popular mods is the one where Serana's appearance can be altered (even if you technically turn her into a partner without even more mods).
7 Books Have Different Genres
Books aren't just there because of their in-game benefits; they also exist for entertainment. If you're looking for books that can enhance your skills, there are books for that. If you like magic, there are spell tomes that can only be read once before they mysteriously vanish.
If you're just looking to pass the time, you can read books that exist just for some additional lore. Many of these books are rather entertaining, like Kolb and the Dragon, an in-game choose-your-own-adventure book (as if you're not choosing your adventure already).
6 Different In-Game Languages Exist
There are so many languages in the game, with Tamrielic being the official language of Tamriel. But because Tamriel is a diverse world, different tribes and races have different languages that these natives speak in the game.
This is a greatly appreciated detail due to the whopping number of languages present within the game. Although you don't have to learn all languages, it's a nice touch to the world that makes it feel alive.
5 Detailed Execution Scenes
For a game that's years old, Skyrim execution scenes never fail to make you pause with audible gawk. Another lovely detail about this game is that when you hit an enemy with a killing blow, a cutscene follows, and the brutal execution of that said enemy plays out.
Although you've probably seen worse, Skyrim's execution scenes are just amusing and brutal to watch.
4 Diverse Fighting Styles
You might find yourself turning into a pure mage with a book of spells in your head, or you might find the class shield and sword more fitting. Either way, Skyrim doesn't limit how you wish to fight and gives you the freedom to master any combat style you want.
You can even be a ranged fighter and go for a bow-type weapon. Coupled with spells or shouts, you can practically go on a rampage against anyone in your way.
3 Cities Come In A Variety
Cities in Skyrim are diverse, and not all are big, bustling, and grand. Go into Riften and get embroiled in dirty politics. Visit Falkreath and be greeted by the silence of death; if you're a fan of graveyards, this is a good place to settle down. Weird cities aside, you can live in Solitude and live the high and prestigious life most Nords could only dream of.
Every city is unique in layout, and even the locals of these cities vary in their treatment of you.
2 Each Dungeon Is Unique
Over hundreds of dungeons in the game, and all of them have their own unique stories and monsters. Discover entire ancient cities like Blackreach underneath that spread throughout all Nine Holds with an extensive history involving the Dwemer, vampires, giants, frost trolls, and so much more.
Enter Faldar's Tooth and feast your eyes on dog meat, which the chef apparently has been feeding to other inhabitants. Go into the inconspicuous Pinewatch dungeon and find a tunnel that contains a settlement of bandits.
1 Daedric Artifact Collection Forces You To Travel Throughout Tamriel
Artifacts are acquired through quests, a great reminder that Skyrim is an open-world exploration game. By collecting all sorts of artifacts, from armor that eats away other people's flesh to a staff that can be a weapon of mass murder or mass laughter (looking at the Wabbajack here), your combat quality improves.
The only way to get these surely amazing artifacts is through thoroughly exploring the game.