Although many players find themselves enamored by Skyrim’s freedom and open-world exploration, there is an overarching storyline that can be rather engrossing once it gets going. At its core, Skyrim features a rather robust story that slowly unravels as players complete story missions and side quests throughout the lands of Northern Tamriel. Those looking for another tale of intrigue to keep them engaged as they make their way through an open world should consider picking up Ghost of Tsushima. This fantastic story-driven action release follows Jin Sakai as he adventures across the island of Tsushima in hopes of liberating it from an attacking Mongol force. With amazing voice acting, beautiful graphics, and an edge-of-your-seat story, Ghost of Tsushima is the perfect release for Skyrim fans who want to wrap themselves up in another epic adventure. 23 Cyberpunk 2077 Immersive Sci-Fi Metropolis Riding high after the release of The Witcher 3, one of the few RPGs that challenges Skyrim in terms of critical success, CD Projekt Red seemed set to take the sci-fi genre by storm through the release of Cyberpunk 2077. Infamously, the game launched in a not-so-great state, and the PS4 and Xbox One versions are still almost impossible to recommend; however, the PC and next-gen iterations are more than playable nowadays. While an argument could be made that the title failed to meet all of its potential or promises, Cyberpunk 2077 is nevertheless ambitious and periodically brilliant. Obviously, the game’s setting is the direct opposite of Skyrim’s, but both projects shine in the same department: their worlds. Night City is Cyberpunk 2077’s crowning achievement, even more so than its very good story and decent gameplay. The map is dense with content, details, and lore touches that make the simple act of exploration fun. 22 Elden Ring Soulslike Open-World FromSoftware’s latest entry into the “Souls series” is perhaps their most ambitious yet. The massive open world and freedom of choice that Elden Ring gives to its players help to create an experience that feels as large as Skyrim. It’s important to note that Elden Ring, like many Souls games, is a lot more difficult than Bethesda’s typical project, but learning how to survive in the punishing world is just as rewarding as it is in The Elder Scrolls. With a robust character creator, tons of weapons to choose from, and a wide array of playstyles, Elden Ring feels like a truly massive open-world adventure that offers endless replayability thanks to NG+ and build customization. Now, the combat is nothing like Skyrim’s, and if someone is not really into Soulslikes, they might struggle to get into FromSoftware’s masterpiece; however, for its genre, Elden Ring’s gameplay is top-notch. While they approach their worlds fairly differently, both games allow players to explore freely, delivering sandboxes that are mostly open except for a few late-campaign sections. 21 Goat Simulator 3 An Open-World Parody OK, this recommendation comes with a few disclaimers. Most importantly, Goat Simulator 3 does not take itself remotely seriously, and that extends beyond its premise and obvious references. Even though the main missions provide some structure, the game is really meant to be played like a wacky sandbox, with the goal being to cause as much mayhem as possible. The story is there to provide a bit of direction, but it is not the focus nor particularly memorable. Like Skyrim, Goat Simulator 3 has a world that is simply fun to mess around in and break, with the latter being particularly awesome. Also, the game is packed with references, specifically open-world projects. There is even a (obvious) Skyrim reference, and it happens very early in a playthrough. While not a primary reason to pick up this release, Goat Simulator 3’s Easter Eggs are pretty charming. 20 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild & Tears Of The Kingdom Explore Hyrule Freely Nintendo’s attempts to breathe new life into The Legend of Zelda series led to the release of a title that most people genuinely believe to be the greatest video game ever made. Breath of the Wild is nothing short of a masterpiece and is a title that most fans of open-world action-adventure titles should definitely try out. The open-ended gameplay of Breath of the Wild coupled with an excellent gameplay loop made for one of the best games like Skyrim. It’s a game that will take hundreds of hours to complete — a fact that Skyrim fans would absolutely adore. Breath of the Wild’s sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, sticks fairly close to its predecessor’s formula, making it an easy recommendation for any open-world fan. Despite many similarities, TOTK still incorporates enough new ideas to feel like a worthy successor rather than just a retread. This time around, Hyrule is also way more active since its citizens are in the process of rebuilding. 19 Kingdom Come: Deliverance A Realistic Late-Medieval Open-World It’s a testament to the ambition of Warhorse Studios that they decided to go all-out and develop one of the biggest open-world games of all time that is absolutely jam-packed with content across the board. Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an easy recommendation for any player who wants to play games similar to Skyrim. The combat system is easily one of the more unique aspects of the game, and mastering it can take quite some time. However, players who finally invest in their character will enjoy an excellent game that features a great story, tough combat, and memorable characters. 18 Horizon Zero Dawn & Horizon Forbidden West Massive & Gorgeous Worlds, Fun Combat Horizon Zero Dawn and its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, are two of Sony’s standout open-world games, and they are both fantastic on their own. Set in a distant future where Earth has become a post-apocalyptic mix of prehistoric architecture and robotic monstrosities, Guerilla’s series follows Aloy, an outcast who is dragged into a conflict that exposes the world’s history. Armed with melee and ranged weapons, Aloy has to take down massive mechas using bows and a stick, although she does have a couple of neat items at her disposal. Similar to Skyrim, these games are often at their best when they encourage players to explore their vast and gorgeous environments. 17 Hogwarts Legacy Full Immersion In A Magical World This recommendation was on the cusp of being excluded from this discussion due to being fundamentally very different from Skyrim. Ultimately, Hogwarts Legacy made the grade; however, Elder Scrolls fans should be aware that they would be picking up a very distinct project that shares little in common with the 2011 RPG masterpiece. For one, Hogwarts Legacy’s magic-based combat is stylish but simple, with players essentially utilizing a loadout of spells. It is fun, though. The map consists of Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and a few more “general” regions, the latter of which contain most of the open-world busy work and side quests. The areas outside the school are not that interesting and tend to be polarizing with players. While an RPG, Hogwarts Legacy does not have conventional character classes, with customization mostly coming in the form of brooms, spells, and gear. So, if it is so far removed from Skyrim, why is Avalanche’s game highlighted? Well, it almost entirely comes down to Hogwarts. The school is not only gorgeous and faithful to the source material, but also an absolute joy to explore. As long as someone is, at least, somewhat fond of Harry Potter, they could get swept away by Hogwarts Legacy’s setting, which is pretty darn immersive. While the main story is fine, the game is at its best when allowing players to just exist as students who are training to become wizards. Skyrim’s longevity comes down to its immersion, and the same can be said for Hogwarts Legacy’s popularity. 16 Grim Dawn Isometric Hack And Slash Action In A Dark Fantasy World Grim Dawn is quite far removed from Skyrim, and it is primarily for fans who also enjoy releases like Titan Quest and Diablo 2. Crate’s isometric hack and slash game lives up to its title by bringing to life a depressing world defined by war and death. While the story generally takes a backseat to combat and loot, Grim Dawn’s lore gives the setting enough personality to allow it to morph beyond just a generic dark fantasy hellscape. Still, the gameplay is the main thing that will keep players coming back for more. With a solid selection of classes, factions, and skills, Grim Dawn presents players with plenty of customization options, including a pretty impressive crafting system. 15 Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines A Role-Playing Masterpiece While more of a cult classic than a mainstream juggernaut, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines is nevertheless a huge name in the RPG sphere. Troika Games’ 2004 release was groundbreaking for its era, particularly its flexible quests, character customization, and storytelling. The base version is rough around the edges and loses momentum during its second half, making for a great but uneven overall experience. However, Bloodlines has a dedicated modding community that has worked tirelessly to fix many of the game’s cracks, and some mods are basically required in this day and age. Now, Bloodlines has a wildly different setting than Skyrim, and the same can be said for its gameplay. The former takes place in an alternate version of LA that has an expansive vampire society beneath its surface, and players find themselves joining this community right at the start of the story. Bloodlines prioritizes player choice through its progression, stat systems, quest completion, and clan association. The RPG also has an unbeatable sense of atmosphere that has aged extremely well. 14 Conan Exiles Surviving In A Dark Fantasy World Funcom’s Conan Exiles garnered a decidedly mixed response at launch, but the survival game is still around all these years later. This project tries to cater to a few audiences by providing a package that can work as a single-player survival RPG or an online experience, and they are quite different. For this discussion, Conan Exiles’ single-player option is the better pick since it provides a fairly deep sandbox that prioritizes exploration and crafting over everything else. While there is something resembling a main story, Conan Exiles is not designed around a quest system, and the game generally leaves players to their own devices. This creative decision is not that far removed from Skyrim’s structure, especially since Bethesda’s RPG is arguably at its best when players are not shackled to a specific storyline. Now, Conan Exiles is quite a difficult survival game, and a playthrough’s first 10 hours or so will be spent trying to make ends meet to avoid death. Consequently, the overall experience is not especially similar to Skyrim, especially initially. However, once players have a decent base and are no longer struggling to meet their basic needs, they will be able to venture out more aggressively into the unknown. Conan Exiles is a pretty attractive game as well, and its setting is similar to Skyrim while also very much having its own identity. 13 Dragon’s Dogma 2 (Or Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen) Slay The Ultimate Dragon Capcom’s action RPG series is a borderline recommendation due to having fairly different mechanics than Skyrim; however, they share just enough thrills to be worth a mention. Also, while the focus will be on the 2024 sequel as it mostly fine-tunes its predecessor, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen holds up pretty well all things considered. Naturally, The Elder Scrolls loves its dragons, and these creatures are central in most of Skyrim’s most memorable battles. As epic as these fights can be, they are at least challenged by Dragon’s Dogma 2’s eponymous beast, an entity that handpicks the player as their chosen Arisen. Basically, this mighty dragon will end the world if they are not taken down by the Arisen, a journey that requires a lot of work and a little bit of help. Blending melee, ranged, and magic options, Dragon’s Dogma 2 features a flexible combat system that starts deep and expands considerably as players delve deeper into their vocations (which are essentially classes). While not similar to Skyrim, the progression system presents plenty of room to explore different builds. More importantly, DD2 has Pawns, which are essentially player-created followers who can be designed to complement the Arisen’s weaknesses. Players can even hire Pawns created by other players, and there are some incredible designs out there. 12 Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning Real-Time Action In A Colorful Fantasy World A great variety of ways to obliterate one’s foes awaits in Kingdoms of Amalur. This is another fantasy world with cool monsters to battle and hot loot to be found. It’s one of those games in which exploring every inch of the map is entertaining. The variety of terrain and gorgeous visuals make adventuring to new areas always feel fresh and exciting. There are plenty of weapons and spells to choose from; one can be a warrior, rogue, or mage. Possibly a combination of those for something more specialized. The freedom to explore an open-world is liberating, just like gallivanting about the bold, brisk lands of Skyrim. 11 Dark Messiah of Might and Magic Awesome First-Person Combat With Depth & Variety While not every release has been a hit, Arkane Studios generally knows how to put together ambitious projects with addictive gameplay that blends supernatural abilities with traditional melee or guns. Even if it is not quite as well-rounded as Dishonored or Prey, Dark Messiah of Might and Magic is nevertheless among Arkane’s greatest achievements, and that comes down almost entirely to its combat. Created using the Source Engine, the action RPG encourages players to make full use of the environments to deliver as much pain as possible, and kicking goblins to their doom never gets old. Along with that trick, Dark Messiah features a robust array of skills tailor-made to accommodate three different playstyles: physical, magic, and stealth. While a player can opt to focus on one category, the combat shines the brightest when all these elements are combined to create a varied and flexible arsenal of options. Beyond the combat, Dark Messiah is mostly just fine. The graphics were above average for the era, and they are still respectable. The story is the definition of forgettable, but it gets the job done of creating scenarios that allow the combat to shine. Also, players can get a succubus as a girlfriend. What’s not to love? 10 Outward Definitive Edition An RPG About Just Making Do Ever wondered what the average Joe might be up to while the Dragonborn is out there saving the world? Outward kind of answers that question, as the open-world game follows a rather unspectacular adventurer who is primarily driven by a desire to clear their debt. This motivation subsides relatively quickly, and the protagonist’s goal becomes to simply explore an expansive world just for the sake of it. Outward is rough around the edges, but its ambition cannot be faulted. While the combat and presentation leave quite a lot to be desired, the game makes up for it by emphasizing player freedom. The RPG encourages players to just head out into the unknown, although they should be well-prepared as death awaits around every corner. Outward is a fantasy RPG with survival elements, and while not perfect, it does a serviceable job for both genres. 9 The Forgotten City Built On The Ashes Of A Skyrim Mod Starting life as a highly rated Skyrim mod, this story had such potential that it eventually morphed into The Forgotten City, a standalone package that shows its origins while still very much being a wholly different experience. Rather than taking place in Bethesda’s universe, the game focuses on Ancient Rome, with players finding themselves stuck in a small village that is governed by a strange curse that causes everyone to turn into gold if a single sin is committed. Utilizing a time loop structure that resets whenever the curse is triggered, players must mingle with the townsfolk to figure out how to prevent a golden future. The Forgotten City is primarily an adventure and story-driven game that focuses on exploration and dialogue. While not completely devoid of action, combat is an optional thing and a very small part of the overall journey. Weaving an impressive tale that takes full advantage of an inspired core premise, Modern Storyteller’s title gently guides players through an engaging 10-hour campaign that barely features any resembling a dull moment. 8 Other Elder Scrolls Games More Than Just Skyrim While a seemingly obvious recommendation, players who entered the acclaimed RPG franchise with Skyrim might feel hesitant to explore previous entries in the series. Naturally, earlier Elder Scrolls titles are considerably more dated than the 2011 entry, but their strengths are timeless. Like Skyrim, these Elder Scrolls games need to be played: The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind was a major leap from its predecessor, Daggerfall, in terms of graphics. Aside from that, the third entry in the series is wonderful. Once again, the title refers to the place where the game is set, Morrowind. The plot revolves around an island in Morrowind called Vvardenfell where the deity Dagoth Ur tries to gain power and free Morrowind from the Imperial reign. The game has two expansions, Tribunal and Bloodmoon, which are also worth playing. Morrowind received almost universal praise and should be a must-play for every Skyrim fan. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion The critically acclaimed predecessor of Skyrim, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion is considered by many to be one of the best games ever made. The entry’s title does not refer to the place where the game is set but to the main quest, which is to stop the fanatical cult called Mythic Dawn that plans to open a portal to the demonic world called Oblivion. Like all Elder Scrolls games, Oblivion offers many hours of gameplay. Once finished, the player can take a look at its two expansions: Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles. The Elder Scrolls Online Unlike Morrowind and Oblivion, The Elder Scrolls Online debuted after Skyrim. ZeniMax Online Studios’ MMORPG had a somewhat rough birth, but it has grown into one of the better multiplayer experiences on the market. Even more than five years after its release, ESO continues to be very active, releasing its fifth expansion, Blackwood, on June 1, 2021. By this point, the MMO has an overwhelming amount of content, so much so that newcomers might feel reluctant to jump in this late in the game. However, a great thing about ESO is that it has taken plenty of measures to make the experience accessible to new players; for example, expansions are not level-gated, meaning people can jump into their content when they feel like it. Anyone yearning for a game like Skyrim should start with ESO. 7 The Fallout Series Swap Fantasy For The Post-Apocalypse After dropping hundreds of hours into Skyrim, someone might find themselves aching for a change of scenery that also retains somewhat of a similar content loop. If that is the case, then Bethesda’s Fallout games are the way to go. While Interplay and Black Isle Studios’ Fallout and Fallout 2 are too dissimilar to Skyrim to make the cut, both of these RPGs have aged well courtesy of their writing and world-building. Fallout 3 Fallout 3 is another open-world RPG game developed by Bethesda. While no dragons or elves will be seen here, as the game is set in a post-apocalyptic world in the year 2277, it nonetheless has that “Elder Scrolls feel.” The game starts in Vault 101 where the player starts their adventure as a 19-year-old in search of his father in the ruins of the United States. The graphics were decent for the time and Fallout 3 is rich with quests and battles, offering more than 50 hours of gameplay. Fallout 4 A sequel to the previous entry is another game worth playing. Fallout 4 is set ten years after the events of the first game; in Vault 111, the player witnesses the murder of their spouse and their son’s kidnapping. Naturally, they vow to get revenge and venture into the outside world, a region called The Commonwealth featuring places such as Boston and the surrounding area. This open-world RPG saga offers many hours of interesting gameplay. Compared to earlier entries in the series, Fallout 4 simplifies its quest and RPG systems, offering less important choices to the player. However, in terms of gameplay, it is superior to Fallout 3 by quite a margin, making it a better pick for people craving a solid open-world shooter with role-playing mechanics. Fallout: New Vegas A spin-off not developed by Bethesda, New Vegas is a contender for the best entry in the acclaimed franchise. Closer in tone and structure to the series’ pre-Bethesda isometric entries, Obsidian’s game refines the dialogue and reputation systems to provide players with more leeway in how they can act, enhancing New Vegas’ role-playing element in the process. New Vegas plays similarly to Fallout 3, although it arguably fine-tunes most of the ideas found in the 2008 release. Like Skyrim, New Vegas has a very active modding community that has kept the game relevant for more than a decade. 6 Enshrouded Survival Game With Flexible Progression & Impressive Open-World January 2024 produced two huge early access releases that share a few things in common while still being wildly different. Palworld and Enshrouded are both survival games set in large open-worlds that focus heavily on base building. The former had the bigger debut of the two projects, courtesy of its monster-taming element that garnered comparisons to Pokemon. That said, Enshrouded also hit the ground running, and it is the better overall pick for Skyrim fans. Now, this game is a work in progress, so anyone who decides to pick it up needs to be aware that they will experience their share of bugs and clunky moments. So, that is already one thing Enshrouded has in common with (some) Bethesda releases. Set in Embervale, players are cast as the Flameborn, setting them on a vague journey to hopefully protect the remnants of humanity from the Shroud. The campaign does not focus too heavily on its story, and it mostly serves to add some structure and to provide an in-universe reason for exploration. For the most part, Enshrouded revolves around building and expanding bases, a process that must be done to allow for longer expeditions into the unknown. Players can only survive for a fixed period within the Shroud, so they need to time their adventurers carefully since the wilderness is packed with dangerous enemies. Enshrouded features real-time combat that is not that similar to Skyrim, and it arguably has more in common with something like Dark Souls. While not terrible, the combat is a mixed bag that requires some fine-tuning. More relevant to Elder Scrolls fans is Enshrouded’s progression system, which allows players to invest points in different categories rather than stick to a specific class.