By Dale Mullins

Ever since I’ve started playing games when I was six, I’ve loved playing Open-World RPGs (Role-Playing Games). This is mainly because the first game I played was Super Mario 64, which was an Open-World RPG. In Open-World RPGs, you can go anywhere in the game you want, it gives you freedom. You can also have interactions with any of the NPCs (Non-Playable Characters). These games are the most fun because they resemble real life and are extremely entertaining.

Good examples of Open-World RPGs are Final Fantasy XII, Assassin’s Creed series, Dragon Age series, Shadow of the Colossus, infamous series, oKami, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. They are unique in their own way, but still are Open-World RPGs. All of these games are in third-person style of playing except The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, which you can alternate from first-person to third-person.

In third-person, you look into the game from behind your character, and in first-person, you look in from your character’s eyes. The newest game I’m looking forward to is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which is the sequel to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. This is also a first-person/third-person Open-World RPG.

Skyrim’s predecessor, Oblivion, was an amazing game that got Game of the Year and has had a five-year anniversary. It has around sixteen miles of land and water that can be explored. It also has an amazing story-line. Bethesda Game Studios are the makers of The Elder Scrolls I: Arena, II: Daggerfall, III: Morrowmind, and IV: Oblivion. All of these games were wonderful games, and there is no doubt that Bethesda Game Studio’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim isn’t going to be any different. Many people have already agree that Skyrim is going to get Game of the Year.

Skyrim is the game that I’m looking forward to this winter, which hits shelves on Nov. 11, 2011. It has been one of Bethesda’s most anticipated games. Bethesda has a new graphics engine, called The Creation Engine, which makes the scenery and details breathtaking. They also have a new story telling device, called Radiant Story, which lets the game track everything you do and helps make the game unique. Skyrim will also have something that none of the previous The Elder Scrolls games have had, dragons.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim should be a highlight to anyone who loves first-person/third-person Open-World RPGs. Skyrim wiil no doubt be one of the most entertaining games ever made. I have pre-ordered The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Collector’s Edition and am counting down the final days till the game hits the shelves.