Skyrim Special Edition

Yes, this “Special Edition” remaster of 2011’s game of the year is a blatant cash grab exploiting a lack of backward compatibility on next-gen consoles. Yes, the graphical enhancements are primarily to the environment while the character models still look very last-gen and the frame rate is low. Yes, the PC version is somewhat pointless since modders upgraded the game to suit themselves long ago and makers Bethesda created no new content just for this edition. Yet despite its somewhat dated appearance and mechanics, the game remains one of the most deepest and most enjoyable western role-playing games currently available, and while the improvements are not exhaustive, they are still very welcome. Shorter load times, better lighting effects, better textures and, for the first time, legitimate (though somewhat limited) access to mods make this the definitive version for anybody playing on consoles, especially as the three downloadable content packs are included and integrated into the game.