14 DAY TRIAL // What we know
Bethesda only revealed the existence of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim late in 2010 via a small trailer and the first information dump on the mix between open world action and role-playing game arrived in the initial stages of 2011.
The new Bethesda developed title is set to use an entirely new game engine designed specifically to show off the special architecture and do justice to the snow and cold dominated weather pattern of the new province.
The developers are also aiming to create more animations for characters and more complex faces, allowing for conversations that have more meaning for the gamer and evolve from the static stare fests of previous Gamebryo titles.
Skyrim will have a new character development system, with players able to choose paths of evolution that are not tied to classes and allow the player to choose perks, defining a play style and a build depending on his needs.
Quests will also be created through a system which allows some side quests to be semi random and take into account previous actions and the state of the world.
Gamers can also expect a lot of dragons to be observed and fought in Skyrim.
Why it matters
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was a huge video game, both in the literal and the figurative sense, delivering a world that felt consistent with itself and delivering clear consequences for the actions of the player character.
Bethesda also heard a lot of criticism over Oblivion because of the character design, some uninspired quests and mainly the leveling system so they were quick to offer information in the first previews that addressed those very issues.
This probably means that fans will again flock in huge numbers to the Elder Scrolls universe and bring their friends with it, making the November 11 launch date for Skyrim one to watch for what could be the biggest role-playing game of the year, in a period which will also bring Mass Effect 3, The Witcher 2 and Dragon Age 2.