As an avid open world fan with over 2000 hours across franchises like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Gothic and STALKER, few gaming moments bring me more joy than stumbling upon new lands to explore.
My personal journey began over 15 years ago when I first mounted Shadowmere fledgling the Imperial City, marveling at just how real the bustling streets and brooding dungeons felt. I‘ve since traversed alien landscapes from the Capital Wasteland to far flung Chernobyl, losing myself for days piecing together obscure lore or testing unconventional character builds.
Over time, the tiny warts in even my most beloved franchises have become increasingly apparent though. For all of Skyrim‘s strengths as the open world template, its flaws have only been magnified by time and technological progress. This brings us to today with several successor projects hoping to capture that lighting once more.
Join me as I dive into the 7 most hotly anticipated ‘Skyrim-killer‘ games that could potentially dethrone the great king of sandboxes. Each offers their own twist, tackling the Elder Scrolls‘ pain points like dated graphics or absent features fans clamor for. Let‘s dig in!
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Nintendo’s open world masterpiece has often been compared to Skyrim, winning numerous GotY awards for its responsive gameplay and rich interactivity. You take control of the iconic hero Link, awakening after a 100-year slumber to save the ruined kingdom of Hyrule.
Similarities:
- Massive open world with 120 mini dungeons and 900+ collectibles rewards exploration
- Scheduling system brings villagers and enemies to life with behaviors and routines
- Runes provide environmental manipulation abilities akin to magic
- Diverse melee, ranged weapons and shields to collect and upgrade
- Transport options: Walk, ride horses, sand seals or Master Cycle Zero motorcycle
Differences:
- Colorful stylised anime graphics as opposed to gritty realism
- Puzzle-centric dungeons over Skyrim‘s combat-focused draugr crypts
- Full physics system enables completely freeform experimentation
- Lacks defined class roles, skill trees — test items yourself to gauge power
Despite missing Skyrim‘s grit, Breath of the Wild’s introduction of physics-based gameplay creates infinitely more emergent opportunity that defines the cutting edge of open world design. I especially love intuitive features like shield surfing down slopes and using magnesis runes to manipulate metallic objects in hilarious ways. The world eschews hand holding in favor of “show don’t tell” moments that make discoveries exponentially more delightful.
While Breath of the Wild checks nearly every box for the ultimate fantasy adventure, Link‘s cell-shaded Hyrule has an altogether different vibe. For some like myself, only the intricately crafted lands of Tamriel can truly scratch that sword and sorcery itch. Nonetheless, I strongly recommend all sandbox fans add this gem to their playlist.
Release: 2017 | Developer: Nintendo
A Vowed — Unflinching Dark Fantasy Powered by Next-Gen Tech
Among the most hotly anticipated ‘Skyrim killers‘ is A Vowed — an unforgiving dark fantasyscape where occult forces permeate a war-ravaged medieval society. Developed by a veteran team at AshenMoon Games, early footage spotlights shocking environmental destruction across sprawling terrain, gargantuan creatures and a clever verse-based magic system.
You inhabit a member of the Valari tribe with a shadowed past, embroiled in a visceral struggle for succession after assassins strike down your chieftain. Survive through wits, steel or the titular Vow system which channels corruptive arcane might.
Promising features spotlighted so far:
- A handcrafted open world larger than Skyrim at 120 square miles supporting next-gen hardware (Reference)
- Sophisticated quest directives guided by a Morality system impacting the story
- Romanceable companions with cinematic dialogue trees and loyalty missions
- Sprawling settlements populated by thousands of NPCs adhering to daily routines (procedurally simulated when offscreen)
- Epic scale clashes with castle siege mechanics involving hundreds of soldiers/assets
For fantasy fans like myself craving dangerous frontiers, A Vowed checks off every box as the ideal Skyrim successor based on early marketing material. Its unflinching worldbuilding, adult themes and advertised multiplayer/PvP systems showcase tremendous ambition to push immersive sim technology forward building on Bethesda‘s foundations (Reference).
While realizing such a colossal vision presents monumental challenges, veteran talent heading development instills confidence. Sign me up to wield occult powers against hordes of mythic beasts! Definitely wishlisting this gem for potential GOTY status whenever it launches.
Estimated Release: 2024 | Developer: AshenMoon Games
The Elder Scrolls Meets Gothic Horror in ‘Isles of Adlar“
For a sinister twist combining familiar RPG tropes with Gothic cosmic horror, Early Access title Isles of Adlar casts you as a shipwreck survivor trapped on a vampiric isle. The dreary shores and decaying architecture hide twisted secrets, dangers and perhaps your only means of escaping a similar ghoulish fate.
Key Features in this open world action-RPG:
- Gothic styled open world with quests and NPC interactions
- Loot equipment from vanquished foes or craft your own potions/weapons
- Besiege castles utilizing stealth and combat skills
- Early Access status allows shaping the experience via community feedback
While comparisons to Skyrim seem somewhat hyperbolic currently, the striking Gothic art direction combined with occult vampiric themes earn Isles of Adlar points for originality as an immersive action-RPG.
I especially appreciate the Early Access route for passionate indie teams with grand creative visions but limited means. Figuring economies of scale, even Skyrim‘s legendary mod scene represents but a fraction of the man-hours needed for fully-fledged game development. Early Access empowers creators in allowing concepts to be market-tested while unfinished works progress transparently alongside communities.
For merely $20, Isles of Adlar delivers a fresh vampire hunter power fantasy showing heart and potential. I believe crowdfunded titles like this deserve our goodwill as fans to nurture the next generation of open world legends aligned with our interests rather than soulless corporate formulas.
Release: Early Access on Steam | Developer: UnsettlingGuest
Weighing Skyrim‘s Sorely Lacking Elements — What Must Future Instalments Improve?
Having sunk 5000+ hours across multiple Elder Scrolls titles modding games to the brink or theory-crafting character builds for legendary playthroughs, I‘ve developed a bittersweet relationship with Bethesda‘s formula over decades.
On one hand, their sandboxes rightfully earned GOTY status across gaming‘s golden age for empowering our escapist fantasies like nothing else. We have them to thank for pioneering living worlds down to implications like physics and NPC scheduling realized better than competitors to this day. Pretty graphics alone doth not an immersive sim make — I still boot up Morrowind occasionally solely due to its replayability power.
But playing bleeding edge PC games in 2023 also highlights areas where the Creation Engine desperately shows age unless heavily modded. For one — the dialogue system built for keyword-based responses lacks depth for more complex roleplaying compared to cinematic conversations with performance captured facial animations or choices carrying narrative weight. Lead writers have since moved onto more advanced systems like those seen in Starfield.
Just as glaring an omission is multiplayer capacity in any meaningful form — a baseline expectation for service games hoping to persist and thrive in current times. Charting player numbers across the years reveals Skyrim and Fallout 4‘s once meteoric popularity after launch tapering to a diminishing fraction of glory days.
While mods have extended Elder Scrolls‘ lifespan tremendously, we really shouldn’t rely on free fan labor when AAA publishers profit immensely from releases leveraging bespoke engines we fund via purchases. The oft-highlighted Creation Club model spotlights such parasitic capitalism laid bare — with content costing as much proportionately as full-priced DLCs without nearly enough justification from scope or scale.
The road ahead seems primed for disruption by upstarts solving pain points magnified as Skyrim ages ungracefully compared to modern open world offerings. I believe any competitors fulfilling this laundry list of must-have features deserve special attention from the community:
- Next-Gen Graphics: Supporting latest tech for immersive visuals, physics, scaleNOT locked at 30 FPS without player mods!
- Co-Op Multiplayer: Seamlessly adventure WITH friends
- Faction PVP: Join factions vying for dominance
- Dynamic Settlements:Persistent worlds reacting to player actions
- Choices With Consequences: Narrative impacted by decisions
- Modern Dialogue Systems: Complex conversations, not just keywords
- Modding Support: Allow content expansion by the community
I don’t claim these as easy undertakings, but most long awaited sequels seem to fail delivering even a couple hence my excitement for upcoming indie projects built ground up around such foundations. Significant strides in procedural content generation crossing uncanny valleys also paint promising futures only limited by computing throughput.
Have particular wants regarding Bethesda formula changes or replacements? Let me know in comments below! I look forward to thoughtful dicussion around advancing immersive worlds.
Back to Ashes — Macabre Plague-punk Alchemy With Occult Twist!
Among upcoming RPGs staking claim as a ‘Skyrim-killer’ is Back to Ashes, created by solo developer Chevy Ray. Inspired by 14th century Europe‘s macabre fashion and political upheaval from the Plague years, you play a mysterious plague doctor wielding sickness as a weapon.
Early footage reveals victims transformed into twisted monsters, lending unique flavor to tried-and-tested action RPG frameworks. You distribute talent points to customize gear and abilities for unique builds, crafting vile concoctions to tip battles as an extension of your playstyle.
NPC populations are shown going about daily schedules, lending an air of simulated life through emergent interactions possible with such systems. My favorite example depicted duping a town guard with an alcoholic Plague potion before stealth assassination — such multi-layered scenarios promise great immersive potential!
I love the sinister premise of using disease as gameplay mechanic rather than merely a visual theme. It reminds me of Dragonborn Skyrim DLC’s signature Bend Will shout, turning enemies to allies against former comrades. If Back to Ashes expands on such occult magic within deeper skill trees, crafting systems and combat scenarios, it could fill a similar power fantasy niche to mytabelrim despite obvious differences.
Let’s hope Chevy Ray’s ambitious vision reaches fruition soon and impresses upon release. I’ll certainly be Wishlisting it based on early impressions and recommend fans of immersive sims track developmental progress closely.
Release Window: 2024 | Developer: Chevy Ray
The Road Ahead— Which Game Will Reign Supreme Over The Next Generation Open World Arms Race?
It‘s an incredible time to be an open world enthusiast as so many talented studios vie for greatness, pushing technical and creative limits to enthrall our adventuring spirits. Skyrim‘s reign defined the past decade but remains clearly dated in many aspects without modder intervention. Based on available materials so far, I believe several contenders have potential to claim that elusive ‘Skyrim-killer’ status if ambitions align with final execution.
A Vowed appears poised to dominate as a dark fantasy action-RPG should it deliver on promised features and polish. However scaling creation technology to next-gen standards across an immense map with bespoke setpieces poses non-trivial hurdles. We often see waylaid developers unable to deliver overpromised scope falling into development hell cycles especially as indie teams on tight budgets.
Therefore I remain cautiously optimistic about crowdfunded upstarts on Kickstarter or Early Access betting on community goodwill to complete passion projects. Nightingale‘s recent head turning success indicates this route can work when creators leverage procedural tooling rather than handcrafting entire worlds which ultimately brokered many AAA studios this past decade.
What are your thoughts on changing industry tides and trends when evaluating these upcoming Skyrim alternatives? Let’s discuss our perspectives. Perhaps you know of other promising open world projects seeking the crown I’ve yet to highlight deserving wider recognition. With new landscapes to uncover, I welcome recommended additions to my compass. Stay tuned for more coverage scrutinizing beloved genres as exciting titles dominate headlines in times ahead!
Over and out, wanderers!