Anyone who delves into any of Bethesda’s worlds – be it the post-apocalyptic, nuclear wastes of America found in the Fallout series, or the seemingly infinite expanse that is Tamriel of the Elder Scrolls games – are bound to discover a wealth of unique and mesmerizing experiences.
Bethesda have firmly established a name for themselves in the industry by creating personal, memorable experiences within the incredibly vast and intricate worlds they create. Bring up with anyone who has played a Bethesda game one of your experiences with the games and undoubtedly a smile will stretch across their face as their own memories start filling their mind.
Environmental story telling is key. Bethesda are adept at letting the worlds they create tell stories. Perhaps you’re stalking the planes of Skyrim and looking into the distance you see a range of mountains, you point to the highest peak and you say to yourself: “I want to go there”. So you do. No one told you to, it’s not an integral part of the game, but for now, that’s the story, and that’s the anecdote you’ll tell your friends at school the next day.
Bethesda defies the logic we as critics and consumers use to evaluate modern games. We look for games with seamless graphics, slick, intentional level design and importantly – in this case – a decided lack of bugs. It’s a joke of sorts, within the industry, that the plethora of bugs that plague Bethesda’s games do not detract from the gaming experience, rather they improve it. The open ended nature of the games and environments lend themselves to the amount of bugs present; not with a team of thousands could Bethesda hope to create a bug-free experience whilst retaining what makes their games incredible experiences.
I’ll never forget my very own first impressions of Bethesda’s worlds:
Cyrodiil – The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Oblivion starts like all Bethesda games do: linear. From a prison cell you head into the sewers where you dispatch rats, goblins and members of an ancient league of cultist assassins. At this point, it’s easy to wonder why exactly this game is so highly revered, but on you go. Finally you reach a gate, you exit, and suddenly there it is; you understand. Ahead of you lies Cyrodiil: crystal blue water sparkles in the sunlight, green hills and woods stretch across the horizon and signs of civilisation and life erupt around you. Something stirs inside of you, a quiet, dormant wanderlust awakens within. And from thereon, the story is what you make it. The world is your playground.
Skyrim – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Your introduction to the Nordic land of Skyrim is very similar to Cyrodiil’s. A short cart ride, a brush with execution and dragonfire and you’re free from the shackles of linearity; the mountainous, harsh landscape of Skyrim is open to you. At first I just stood there, observing my surroundings in awe. I was unsure of what I wanted to explore first, I wanted to experience everything. A rabbit bounced in front of me, took one look at me and bounded off through trees and brush. I followed it with a childlike sense of wonder. The rabbit led me to a thicket of trees in which several beehives hung. I slashed at the bees hovering around me with my sword and gaily collected their parts. My rampage led me to yet another discovery: at the base of a cliff face sat a chest and a collection of sleeping bags. I tentatively picked the lock on the chest and looted the riches inside. Only then was I ambushed. Bandits came at me from all sides, a sudden rush of adrenaline took over as I ran from the scene of the crime – with my bow now in hand. I found myself a vantage point and rained hell on my understandably upset assailants. I was victorious, and I was convinced I’d never need to play another video game again, as long as I had Skyrim.
The Capital Wasteland – Fallout 3
Fallout 3’s capital wasteland possesses a unique sort of ugly beauty. The immersion is immediate (again, after a linear beginning): the dilapidated landscape screams destruction, and danger lurks around every mound of rubble. Puddles of irradiated waste dot the barren environment, elevated highways suddenly fall into nothing. No gaming experience has made me feel as I did as I approached what I thought was an uninhabited stretch of buildings on the outskirts of the Capital district. Empty windows peered ominously at me, the smell of death emanated from my screen. It was eeriness I’d never experienced, and has since not been replicated in games. The quiet didn’t last though, before long I was caught in the crossfire between a group of bandits and a terrifying pair of super mutants. I bunkered down behind some rubble and prayed my presence had gone unnoticed. No luck. The bandits got the upperhand on the mutants and immediately turned their attention to me. I had to think fast. Running over to the corpse of one of the mutants and seizing it’s weapon, I returned fire. It was kill or be killed.
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The wonderment and gratification that these experience inspired in me is why I keep coming back to Bethesda. Simply put, no one makes games like they do. Now, with Skyrim officially put behind them (says the developer on it’s blog), Bethesda are moving onto what they’re calling their “biggest and best work yet”. Wherever that road takes them, it’s sure to be a road worth taking.
If any developer in this industry deserves your faith, it’s Bethesda. They’ve more than deserved it.
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