13 Games to Play If You Loved Skyrim
Author: Ethan
Mar 29,2025
There's nothing quite like the first time you explore Skyrim. From the moment you narrowly escape your grisly execution in Helgen and step into the vast wilderness of this legendary RPG, you're greeted with an adventure that offers boundless freedom. This sense of liberation has kept millions of players returning to its cold, untamed landscape for over a decade.
After years of exploring the various iterations of Skyrim, many of us are on the lookout for new games that can satisfy our cravings for fantasy adventures. While we await the long-anticipated Elder Scrolls 6, we've curated a list of the best games akin to Skyrim that you can dive into right now.
1. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion
An obvious choice to start our list, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion offers an experience similar in style and scope to Skyrim. As the fourth installment in Bethesda's iconic RPG series, Oblivion is Skyrim's predecessor, yet it retains all the elements that made its sequel so popular.
In Oblivion, you play as a prisoner thrust into the center of a conflict involving demonic gods, fiery portals to a hellish realm, and the assassination of Tamriel's emperor. Your journey takes you across the land of Cyrodiil, where you're free to explore as you see fit, undertake quests, align with factions, and develop your character with new skills, weapons, armor, spells, and more.
It's a quintessential Elder Scrolls experience, perfect for continuing your adventure through Tamriel while you wait for Elder Scrolls 6. Oblivion is available on PC and can be played on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One via backwards compatibility.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The poster child for the Nintendo Switch and one of the finest fantasy RPGs ever crafted, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a must-play. This acclaimed reinvention of the seminal series offers a secret-filled open world, physics-based systems for battling enemies and navigating terrain, captivating quests, a stunning art style, and much more.
Breath of the Wild doesn't hold your hand. Instead, it releases you into a fully explorable Hyrule with essential tools at your disposal, letting you do whatever you please. Whether you're scouring the land for lore, climbing the tallest peaks, or even heading straight to the final boss, the world is yours to explore. If you're after the freedom and unguided exploration that makes Skyrim so compelling, Breath of the Wild is an excellent choice. It's available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch, and you can also experience its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, for a similar adventure.
3. Dragon's Dogma 2
A recent addition to the RPG landscape, Dragon's Dogma 2 is perfect for those seeking a sprawling RPG with a strong emphasis on exploration. Set across two realms, Vermund and Battahl, you play as The Arisen, a warrior whose heart was stolen by an ancient dragon. Your mission is to hunt down and slay this beast, leading you on a quest through a vast, untamed world.
Similar to Skyrim, the allure of Dragon's Dogma 2 lies in its exploration-driven gameplay. The world is brimming with secrets to discover, and with monsters roaming its expanses, you'll create memorable stories as you face colossal foes and survive perilous encounters. The game also features deep RPG mechanics with various classes to master, a wide array of weapons and armor, and a unique party system where you can recruit allies created by other players. Available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC, it's a fantastic choice for those craving a massive fantasy RPG.
4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
In the realm of RPGs that span over 100 hours, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt stands out. Set in a dark, Slavic-mythology-inspired world, this game is often hailed as one of the best RPGs ever made. It features a vast open world filled with challenging battles, morally complex choices that influence quest outcomes, and an engrossing narrative.
You play as Geralt, a seasoned mercenary with white hair and yellow eyes, on a quest to find his surrogate daughter, Ciri, while facing mythical monsters and the spectral warriors known as the Wild Hunt. Like Skyrim, The Witcher 3 offers you the basics and then sets you free in a rich fantasy world. Whether you choose to live as a bounty hunter, focusing on monster contracts and side quests, or follow the main story to confront the Wild Hunt, the choice is yours. The base game and its two expansive DLCs are well worth exploring after you've conquered Skyrim. Available on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC.
5. Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Shifting away from high fantasy to a more grounded medieval epic, Kingdom Come: Deliverance captures the sense of freedom found in Skyrim. This cult hit follows the story of Henry, a blacksmith's son on a quest for vengeance after his parents are killed during a Cuman invasion in 15th-century Bohemia.
The game sets you loose in a vast open world filled with authentic medieval locations, open-ended quests that respond to your choices, and a complex combat system to master. Kingdom Come: Deliverance emphasizes immersion through high-stakes battles and survival mechanics, which require you to manage food, sleep, hygiene, and armor degradation. If you're seeking a more realistic and involved RPG experience than Skyrim, this game is worth your attention. Available on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC.
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, released in February 2025, is an even better iteration of its predecessor, making it a must-try as well.
6. Elden Ring
For those who enjoy a challenge, Elden Ring is a rewarding RPG that tests your mettle. FromSoftware's latest offering is a masterclass in exploration, hiding routes to new areas and rewarding those who delve into every corner of its world. Every area has purpose, and every detour yields rewards, making you feel like you're truly charting your own course through a living, breathing world—one that's both harsh and rewarding.
With the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion now available and the standalone adventure Elden Ring Nightreign set for May, it's an excellent time to dive in. If you've exhausted Skyrim and crave a new world to explore, Elden Ring on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC is the perfect destination—even if it means facing a few giant lobsters along the way.
7. Fallout 4
While not a fantasy RPG, Fallout 4 shares many design philosophies with Skyrim. This open-world RPG from Bethesda allows you to build a unique character, explore vast environments, and complete quests, albeit in a post-apocalyptic setting rather than a fantasy one.
In Fallout 4, you play as the Sole Survivor, emerging from a vault to search for your kidnapped son amidst the ruins of Boston. Like Skyrim, the main quest is just one part of the broader experience, with the freedom to explore the Wasteland at your own pace. If you're looking for a game with Skyrim's DNA but with a post-apocalyptic twist, Fallout 4 on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC is a great choice.
8. Dragon Age: Inquisition
Another expansive fantasy RPG, Dragon Age: Inquisition offers over 80 hours of gameplay. You lead The Inquisition to save the realm of Thedas from mysterious rifts, exploring large open-world maps, battling monsters, and uncovering a new story.
Like Skyrim, Inquisition lets you craft your character, choose their class and race, and embark on your adventure. As you traverse its worlds, you'll recruit new party members, complete quests, and make choices that impact the story and Thedas. After Skyrim, Inquisition is a great next step, especially with Dragon Age: The Veilguard set to release in 2024. Available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
9. Baldur's Gate 3
While Baldur's Gate 3 and Skyrim differ in gameplay style—Baldur's Gate 3 is a top-down, strategic RPG—it offers a similar expansive fantasy experience. This game is an excellent introduction to CRPGs, featuring a meticulously crafted world, tactical combat, engaging storylines, and quests that evolve with your choices.
Baldur's Gate 3 encourages experimentation, allowing you to mix and match classes, races, and backstories in character creation, and offers freedom in how you approach quests. If you enjoyed Skyrim's lack of direction and freedom, Baldur's Gate 3 will resonate with you. Available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
10. Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning
A cult classic revitalized with its 2020 remaster, Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is ideal for those seeking a new fantasy RPG after Skyrim. As the Fateless One, resurrected by the Well of Souls, you embark on a journey across the Faelands to stop a destructive force. Along the way, you'll build your character, choose a class, and explore a vast world, completing quests and facing formidable foes. Available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.
11. The Forgotten City
Originally a Skyrim mod, The Forgotten City stands out with its unique premise. You wake up on an island in modern-day Italy, transported back to Ancient Rome, where you're caught in an eternal time loop. The city resets whenever the "Golden Rule" is broken, and your task is to solve the underlying mystery through detective work and dialogue.
While The Forgotten City retains Skyrim's core mechanics, it offers a fresh experience focused on investigation rather than combat. If you're looking for a game that innovates on Skyrim's formula, The Forgotten City is a compelling choice. Available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.
12. Outward: Definitive Edition
For those who crave a hardcore adventure, Outward offers a unique take on the RPG genre. You play as an ordinary person tasked with paying off a debt within five days, which quickly evolves into a large-scale open-world epic across the land of Aurai.
Outward emphasizes realism and consequence through survival systems that require managing hunger, sleep, and the environment. Quests can fail if not completed in time, and there's no fast travel. Instead of dying, you trigger random events that move you around the map. If you're after Skyrim's sense of open-world exploration with a twist, Outward is a fascinating choice. Available on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC.
13. The Elder Scrolls Online
If you're ready to move on from Skyrim, The Elder Scrolls Online offers a multiplayer experience within the Elder Scrolls universe. Explore various realms of Tamriel, from Skyrim and Cyrodiil to Morrowind and Highrock, and new locales like Elsweyr and Summerset. Team up with other players to tackle enemies, complete quests, and develop your characters.
With numerous updates and DLCs, The Elder Scrolls Online provides a rich continuation of the Elder Scrolls experience. Available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, it's a surefire choice for those looking to expand their adventures in Tamriel.
AnswerSee ResultsAnd that's our pick of games Skyrim fans will love! Agree with our list or are some of your top picks missing? You can share your own top games like Skyrim lists with us via IGN Playlist, our tool that allows you to keep track of your gaming library, create lists and even rank them, discover what some of your favorite creators are playing, and more. Head over to IGN Playlist to find out more, and start creating your own lists to share with us!
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