NPCs no longer look like waxwork revenants.

I tried to poke a giant with a stick and got uppercutted straight into orbit.

The world of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a vast expanse of sheer beauty, danger, and adventure -- you can also terrorize townsfolk, get punched in the face by a giant, and fight a ton of dragons. Those are just a few of the reasons why we love this game so much. Because of the sheer scope of Skyrim we've elected to have two fellow adventurers, Mike Nelson and Scott Sharkey, share their thoughts on the game, debate its merits, and weigh in on why this is one of the best titles of the year.: It has become an unintentional tradition that I invest a considerable amount of time every year into an open-world game that Bethesda has, in some form or another, created. For me, this starts back to authoring a strategy guide for Oblivion: Shivering Isles and then later for Fallout 3. I found it hardto get excited for Skyrim because Bethesda has created a penchant for delivering quality open-world RPGs. In theory, Skyrim should be the culmination of everything they've created to this point, and for the most part, I think they've created their best game yet. But before we start getting into specifics, Sharkey, how much experience have you had with running around these types of open-world games?: I've probably put at least a couple hundred hours into Oblivion alone, which is odd, because I never came anywhere near accomplishing whatever it was I was supposed to be doing when the Emperor let me out of prison. Unless I was supposed to pawn that amulet he gave me, work my way up through the Thieves Guild, become a vampire, and then kill every single homeless guy in the world so I could make elaborate sculptures out of their body parts. I like the storylines in these things well enough, but I have the attention span of a coked up ferret. When faced with that kind of raw potential for jackassery it's a little overwhelming. For a certain type of player I'm pretty sure that's most of the point.: That's always been the beauty of these games in that you're not hindered by a single path. I agree that for a certain type of player, doing whatever the hell you wantthe point for something like Skyrim and there is more than enough encouragement to do so. After the opening moments of the game it isn't long before we're on a hillside overlooking a beautiful vista and then sent on our way to do whatever we want.I stuck to the trail towards the town of Riverwood and that's when I noticed more of the subtle changes to the Bethesda RPG formula. Things like the Guardian Stones that allow me to pick some specific skills to specialize in, or how the NPC characters behave and react to me walking by... but as soon as I got into town I killed a chicken just to see what would happen. Immediately I get a bounty on my head and all of the townsfolk are attacking me. I elected to load a save game and start anew, but what were some of your first actions and reactions you took in the game? Anything stand out to you immediately?: I also noticed that everyone in that town was pretty eager to lay down their life for that chicken. Either they loved it a lot or they were just waiting for an excuse to kill themselves. I also made the mistake of thinking I was pretty boss after that first dragon went down like a sack of rocks. Shortly afterward I tried to poke a giant with a stick and got uppercutted straight into orbit. I think everyone fussing about the dragon while a half dozen of those guys are camped out on their doorstep might be a case of misplaced priorities. What's surprising me most, though, is just how obvious it is that a half decade has passed between Oblivion and Skyrim. The NPCs no longer look like waxwork revenants that clawed their way out of the festering depths of the uncanny valley. Heck, even the menus and interface are drop dead gorgeous. Also, it's pleasantly and immediately apparent that the leveling system is no longer eating-shit-and-barking-at-the-moon crazy. It makes sense right out of the gate, with a minimum of explanation.I was actually a little bit concerned that this time around the franchise might end up dumbed down for the broader audience. Maybe I'm still burned after Dragon Age 2. All the depth we expect seems to be there, though. It just makes sense this time without having to read a sixty page FAQ while sacrificing a black goat at a crossroads at midnight.