Skyrim open-world RPG guide for new players

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is an open-world role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and released in 2011. It takes place in Skyrim, a cold northern province of the fantasy continent Tamriel, during a civil war and the return of dragons. You play the Dragonborn, a rare person who can absorb the souls of dragons and use their language as magical shouts. Beyond the main quest, the world is full of guilds, side stories, dungeons and towns, and you can ignore the main story for as long as you like. Skyrim has been re-released on many newer systems and is known for a large community that creates modifications, called mods, on computers.

How to play The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

You play in first-person or third-person view. After creating a character from one of several races, you are free to explore. Skyrim has no fixed classes: skills such as one-handed weapons, archery, destruction magic, sneaking, smithing and speech improve when you use them. Each time your skills rise enough, your character levels up, and you choose a perk that unlocks new abilities in one skill tree. You can hold a weapon, shield or spell in each hand. Dragon shouts are learned from words on ancient walls and unlocked with dragon souls; one can push enemies back, another can make you run quickly. Quests come from people you meet, notes you find and guilds you join, such as the Companions, the College of Winterhold, the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood. You can craft weapons, cook, brew potions, buy houses and travel quickly to places you have already found.

Tips for new players

• Choose one or two main skills at first; spreading points too thin makes combat harder.
• Use the smithing and enchanting skills to make gear much stronger than what shops sell.
• Carry less: heavy items slow you down, so sell or store what you do not need.
• Follow side quests that interest you; the main story will wait.