I was very excited when I got the chance to play Skyrim because of the positive buzz. It's the Game of the Year and, with my past reputation with the Elder Scrolls games, I have to say Skyrim lives up to its high expectations.

200 years have passed since the last game and the land is in civil war. You play a prisoner who gets his freedom when a dragon attacks and decimates the area. You, of course, get to choose between the rebels and the empire (Star Wars reference anyone?) and this majorly affects the side story.

Points of greatness are the deep (but simple) character design, captivating story line, and amazing graphics. The landscapes are massive and in a sandbox game such as this that's an essential part. One thing that I absolutely love was the dragon shouts. When killing a dragon, you can absorb their soul and use it to learn dragon shouts after going to a word wall. Dragon shouts are more powerful than regular magic and it seems more effective when you can summon a giant storm to kill your enemies.

All in all, I was worried about whether Skyrim was going to live up to the expectation I had for it and it did that and much more. With a great story, graphics, and gameplay, it's a great buy. So if you're on the fence about this game, I highly recommend you get it.