The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Game images by RAWG

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Bethesda Game Studios

PC; PlayStation 4; PlayStation 5; Xbox One; Xbox Series X|S; Nintendo SwitchPremium single player RPG with DLC and optional Creation Club purchases

Health Score

GOOD

Official Website Watch Gameplay

About This Game

Super Review

Skyrim Special Edition offers a vast, immersive fantasy world perfect for older teens who love exploration and crafting their own stories. Its single-player focus minimizes social risks, but parents must be aware of its mature themes, including intense violence and some suggestive content. Session length can be a challenge, and unsupervised mods can heighten risks.

Super Review

Parent verdict

With a "Good" health score of 62, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition can be a rewarding experience for mature teens ready for a deep, single-player role-playing game. Its strengths lie in fostering creativity and problem-solving, making it a qualified fit for those aged 13 and up who can adhere to family rules regarding content and play duration. Parents should consider its mature themes and potential for extended play sessions.

What kids actually do

Players explore a massive open-world fantasy setting, discovering ancient ruins, bustling towns, and diverse landscapes, which encourages curiosity and self-directed adventure.
Players engage in first or third-person combat using swords, bows, and magic against a variety of creatures and humanoids, requiring strategic thinking and quick reflexes.
Players customize their character's skills, appearance, and gear, allowing for creative role-playing and experimenting with different combat styles and magical abilities.

Where it shines

The game's extensive world and countless quests provide a deep well of content, encouraging players to develop problem-solving skills as they navigate complex narratives and overcome challenges.
Its robust character development and crafting systems allow for significant player agency, fostering creativity as children build unique characters and adapt to various in-game situations.

Parent watch-outs

The game features intense violence with blood and gore, including depictions of fantasy creatures and human enemies, which can be graphic for younger audiences.
Long quest lines and the expansive open world can easily lead to extended play sessions, making it difficult for children to disengage from the game once they start playing.
While the base game has mature themes, user-created modifications (mods) can introduce significantly more extreme or inappropriate content if not carefully managed and supervised by parents.

Family rules worth setting

Set clear time limits for play sessions, especially given the game's expansive nature, to prevent excessive screen time.
Discuss and agree upon specific content boundaries, particularly regarding the use of mods, and ensure parental supervision of any downloaded community content.
Establish rules about when and where the game can be played, making sure it doesn't interfere with schoolwork, chores, or family time.

Talk about this

Discuss the difference between fantasy violence and real-world consequences, helping your child understand the game's mature themes in context.
Talk about the importance of managing time effectively, especially with games that have open-ended progression, to balance gaming with other responsibilities.
Explore the ethical implications of choices made within the game's quests, prompting discussions about problem-solving and decision-making.

Play style

Skyrim is primarily a single-player experience with no required social interaction, making it suitable for children who prefer solo adventures. Players control their character in an open world, with difficulty adjustable through settings, though some challenging quests may require assistance or research. Sessions can vary from short explorations to hours-long dungeon crawls, as the game’s engaging progression encourages continued play.

Score Breakdown

Positive Aspects

Educational Value

3/5

Creativity

3/5

Pro-Social

2/5

Risk Factors

Addictive Monetization

1/5

Time Pressure / FOMO

1/5

Social Risk

1/5

Content Intensity

5/5

Why this rating

Educational Value

3/5

The game scores 3 for educational value due to its rich exploration and quest lines, which naturally encourage curiosity, problem-solving, and critical thinking as players navigate complex narratives and make choices.

Content Intensity

5/5

Content Intensity receives a score of 5 because the game features frequent intense violence, blood and gore, and includes some sexual themes and use of alcohol, justifying its 'Mature 17+' and 'PEGI 18' ratings. Parents must be aware of these explicit elements before allowing play.

Creativity

3/5

Creativity earns a score of 3 because players have significant freedom to customize their character, choose diverse play styles, and engage in extensive role-playing within the vast fantasy world. This allows for imaginative character building and problem-solving.

Addictive Monetization

1/5

Addictive Monetization scores 1 as the game is a premium title with no predatory monetization mechanics. While there are optional Creation Club purchases for cosmetic or minor content additions, these are not designed to be addictive or required for core gameplay progression.

Negatives

•Violence
•some horror and sexual themes
•Long quests and “just one more dungeon” mindset can extend sessions
•Mods may introduce more extreme content if not supervised

Positives

•Rich exploration and quest lines encourage curiosity and problem solving
•Build variety and roleplay foster creativity
•Mostly single player which lowers social risk

Gameplay Videos

SKYRIM SPECIAL EDITION Gameplay Walkthrough Part 1 - INTRO (SKYRIM Remastered)

GameRiot

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Official Ratings

M (Mature 17+)

ESRB

Blood and GoreIntense ViolenceSexual ThemesUse of Alcohol

In-Game Purchases

PEGI 18

PEGI

ViolenceBad Language

Age Fit

ℹ️Ages 3-5

Not appropriate for this age group due to mature themes and complex gameplay.

ℹ️Ages 6-8

Not appropriate; the game's content and complexity are far beyond this age band.

ℹ️Ages 9-12

Generally not recommended before 12, and only with very close parental guidance for content-mature individuals due to intense violence and some scary themes.

ℹ️Ages 13-15

A qualified fit for mid-teens who can handle mature content and follow clear family rules regarding session limits and mod supervision.

ℹ️Ages 16-18

Suitable for older teens who are comfortable with mature themes, violence, and long-form role-playing experiences.