Comparison of two iconic RPGs
The third part of The Witcher and the fifth The Elder Scrolls can be safely called the most outstanding fantasy RPG games of the past decade. Both became incredibly popular, sold millions of copies, spawned dozens of memes and became one of the main standards of the genre. At the same time, the games are based on largely opposite approaches to the RPG genre, and it is all the more interesting to compare “Wild Hunt” and “Skyrim”, which we decided to do.
The hero and his role in the world
The Dragonborn, unlike Geralt, has no written past. He is a blank sheet on which the player can write whatever he wants
The Witcher and Skyrim offer two fundamentally different protagonists, which largely determines many other important differences between the two games.
Geralt from “The Witcher” is a character with a rich backstory, an abundance of social connections and a very specific occupation. As a witcher, he makes a living protecting people from all kinds of monsters, and, in addition, he is looking for his adopted daughter Ciri. Yes, Geralt now and then finds himself involved in court intrigues or military conflicts. In almost any situation, Polish developers provide several exit options. Depending on the player’s chosen style of behavior, Geralt can be either a cynical mercenary, or a selfless knight, or be somewhere between these extremes. But the witcher will always use only a few simple spells and will not become a full-fledged sorcerer. He does not have the prospect of turning into a supernatural creature or becoming a secretly acting killer. In “Wild Hunt” the place of the hero in the world is quite clearly defined, and the focus of attention is his personal history. But how it will develop depends on the decisions of the player.
The Dragonborn from Skyrim is the complete opposite of Geralt. At the beginning of the game, the hero has almost no backstory and no character or personal relationship with anyone in the world that he has to explore. In fact, we have in front of us a blank canvas on which we can depict whatever we want. Any paths are open to him, and not only in terms of gender, race, or skills to develop. A dragonborn can become a rebel or a champion of the imperial order, join the guilds of magicians, thieves or assassins (or even several at once), turn into a werewolf or a vampire … And this is not a complete list of possibilities. What the hero will turn out to be and what place he decides to conquer for himself in the world, almost entirely depends on the player. But the story of the Dragonborn will never become as personal as Geralt’s,
Freedom and storytelling
“Wild Hunt” is full of emotional and dramatic scenes that remain in the memory for a long time
The real reflection of the protagonists can be called the structure of each of the games. In “Skyrim”, after a short introduction, we find ourselves in the vast open world with a seemingly very unpretentious task – to get to the local jarl and tell him about the return of dragons. Of course, it will soon become clear that we will have to deal with this problem. But the main plot here is only the first among the equivalent quests. Yes, the longest and most multi-stage, but in the vastness of Skyrim you can easily spend tens or even hundreds of hours without really even starting to solve the “dragon problem” (although it is still recommended to complete at least some of the tasks in order to master the unique talents of the Dragonborn).
In The Elder Scrolls V, freedom is at the forefront. “Skyrim” puts us face to face with a seemingly endless world and invites us to decide what we want to do in it. The game ideally allows you to feel like an adventurer blazing his own path through the land of Skyrim full of dangers, wars and monsters. At the same time, in terms of the main story, dialogues or setting of plot scenes, the fifth The Elder Scrolls can hardly be called outstanding, as, indeed, the previous parts of the series.
The Wild Hunt is a completely different matter. The game is very cinematic, it has a lot of memorable dialogues and episodes, and both in the main plot and in side missions, Polish developers tend to tell interesting stories above all. Many quests in the third “Witcher” have a strong dramatic and emotional component, they are often very personal in nature for Geralt himself and put him in front of certain moral dilemmas.
And the main storyline is not inferior to the best books in the fantasy genre, including the original works of Andrzej Sapkowski, in terms of the intensity of passions and fascination. Although almost five years have passed since the release of The Wild Hunt, it remains one of the main standards of a story-oriented RPG to this day, and in terms of history (as well as its presentation), it noticeably surpasses Skyrim.
Characters
The authors of Wild Hunt inherited from Sapkovsky’s books an extensive gallery of colorful characters
Of course, both the Dragonborn and Geralt will meet many other characters during their wanderings. But these characters are worked out in The Witcher much better than in Skyrim. Of course, the latter was not without curious personalities, such as the wise dragon Paarthurnax or the uncompromising freedom fighter of the native lands of Ulfric Stormcloak. But there are relatively few such truly expressive and memorable images in The Elder Scrolls V. Most of the people we meet while wandering Skyrim are little more than feature characters who cannot boast rich personal stories or complex personalities.
But Geralt will intersect with many outstanding heroes. Partly thanks for this is the original book source. Yennefer, Ciri, Triss, Buttercup, Emhyr, Zoltan, Regis are just a few of those colorful and empathetic characters created by Andrzej Sapkowski. The developers, on the other hand, starting from the literary source, were able to develop each of them in an interesting way. But they did not stop there and came up with many of their own characters, in no way inferior to the book ones, like the mysterious and crafty Gunther O’Dim or the stern Baron Philip Stenger, tormented by the sins of the past.
Independence
The Wild Hunt does not require an obligatory acquaintance with the original book source, but it will give much more impressions to those who read the original books
Both games are numbered editions of series that have existed for many years. However, their “entry threshold” is completely different, and Skyrim is much friendlier to newcomers. All parts of The Elder Scrolls are connected by a common world, but in each the action takes place in a new region, and conflicts and plots are completely self-sufficient. Everything you need to know about them, we learn from the game itself – acquaintance with the previous parts is absolutely not required.
In “Wild Hunt”, of course, you can also play without going through the two previous “Witchers” and without reading the books of Pan Andrzej. It doesn’t hurt to enjoy the main plot and side stories. But for those who begin their acquaintance with the world of Geralt precisely from the third game, it will not be easy to understand the military-political situation prevailing in the world, as well as in the various states, rulers and factions that determine his fate. And such a player will certainly miss many interesting details related to the past of the characters and their relationships.
Role-playing system and battles
Formidable at first glance, the dragons of Skyrim turn out to be very weak opponents for an experienced Dragonborn
Of course, we can’t help but talk about role-playing mechanics and action in both games. In this respect, Skyrim remains a game based on the ideals of freedom. There are almost countless variations in the development of the hero. The system based on skills that are pumped upon use is very flexible and allows you to develop a character suitable for a wide variety of playing styles. The Elder Scrolls V is perfect for those who like to dig headlong into the characteristics, paying attention to every little detail.
In The Wild Hunt, the role-playing system is much simpler and more limited – there are only three main branches of skills, most of which have combat applications. Being a witcher by profession, Geralt will definitely use swords – even if he focuses on pumping skills not related to fencing. And his magic arsenal in any case will be very limited – here the developers strictly follow the laws of the Sapkowski universe, in which witchers only possess relatively simple combat magic. Hiding in the shadows, picking locks or rummaging through other people’s pockets is not at all in their spirit.
But when it comes to battles, in comparison of “Skyrim” and “Wild Hunt” the advantage remains with the latter. Firstly, the third “Witcher”, in principle, in the line “genre” for RPG received the prefix “action”. The fights in it are a spectacular and intense ballet of dodges, blocks and alternation of different techniques – both fencing and magic. Secondly, in “Wild Hunt” there are many unique and truly difficult opponents that require their own approach – especially at high difficulty levels. When you study the weaknesses of the next monster, prepare suitable potions and bombs, think over tactics for defeating the monster, you feel like a real witcher.
Skyrim, on the other hand, is a purebred RPG, and here the battles, of course, are not so driving and colorful. But, sadly, there aren’t many memorable opponents and fights here. Yes, for example, the first meeting, battle and victory over the dragon is breathtaking. But it soon becomes clear that defeating them is not so difficult, the battles with them are very monotonous and gradually turn almost into a routine. Several opponents capable of throwing a real challenge to the Dragonborn will nevertheless meet in the vastness of Skyrim, but, alas, there will be few of them.
Appearance
Characters who are cute, at least by the standards of 2011, are rare in Skyrim, but the views of the local spaces are impressive
Perhaps it is not entirely fair to compare the video series of games, one of which was released four years earlier than the other. The later released “The Witcher”, of course, surpasses “Skyrim” in terms of graphics. Moreover, the Polish developers tried to make the game extremely cinematic, while Bethesda clearly did not set themselves such a goal. And even in 2011 there were questions to the picture of The Elder Scrolls V: for example, creating at least a more or less cute character was a very difficult task.
But at the same time, it should be noted that five years after the initial release “Skyrim” received an updated version with improved graphics. And the game has stood the test of time with flying colors – even today it looks very good. First of all, thanks to the magnificent art design of the province of Skyrim itself and its many magical corners in every sense of the word.
“Wild Hunt” has also aged very well and even five years after the release is able to give not only a lot of impressions, but also aesthetic pleasure.
Fan modifications
In terms of the number of mods released for it, the fifth The Elder Scrolls is one of the first places in the history of games
One of the pledges of Skyrim’s longevity is the active support of the game from mod developers. During the existence of the game, more than 60 thousand modifications have been released to it – from relatively small ones that fix errors or improve graphics, to those that make serious changes to the gameplay or add new locations and quests to the game. The fifth The Elder Scrolls can rightfully be called one of the favorites of modders, and in this respect it is noticeably superior to the third “Witcher”.
Both The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim are definitely great games that have left a noticeable mark on RPG history. They remain among the main reference points for developers working in this genre. Comparing them, it is hardly possible to answer the question: “Which of the two games is better?” Everyone will have their own answer, depending on tastes and preferences. Rather, the comparison shows how different the ideas behind the two illustrious RPGs are. And that both concepts can make great games.
