It’s hard to imagine that it has been more than 13 years sinceThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimwas released. A masterpiece in every aspect, Bethesda’s game is set 200 years after its predecessor and follows a Dragonborn on a quest to defeat a dragon called Alduin The World-Eater who is destined to destroy the world.
The game entertained many, both the ones hungry for a rich open-world and a good story and those just looking for pleasing graphics and casual battles with monsters and other creatures in the fantasy world. Available on seemingly every console on the market, the RPG’s shine has barely dulled over the last decade, andSkyrim’s modding community is fantastic. If anyone is craving a change of pace that is still cut from the same cloth, here are thebest games likeSkyrim.
Updated on July 19, 2025 by Mark Sammut:February 2025 was pretty good for RPGs and open-world games. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a must-play for anyone craving an immersive historical RPG, while Monster Hunter Wilds is another solid entry in a franchise that rarely misses the mark. However, the month included onegame similar to Skyrimthat deserves a special mention. Click below to jump to this recent release.
28Gothic Series
Two Great Immersive RPGs And An Ambitious Open-World
Piranha Bytes is associated with Eurojank, which generally refers to ambitious projects that come with a few rough edges. TheRisenandElexseries both have their fans, but the developer’s crowning achievement isGothic, particularly the first two entries. Now, before saying anything else, it needs to be noted that all three games debuted in the early 2000s, and they were not exactly high-end releases for their era. Consequently, anyone looking to jump into this series will need to have some appreciation for old-school RPGs. Let’s highlight all three games as they each have something to offer.
Path of Exile 2is too good to not, at the very least, be suggested to action RPG fans; that said, the game is wildly different fromSkyrim, so expectations should be kept realistic. Played from an isometric angle and focusing heavily on loot and build customization, Grinding Gear’s game is undeniably inspired by the likes ofDiablorather thanElder Scrolls, specifically the earlier entries in Blizzard’s franchise.
Players spend the vast majority of their time killing mobs of enemies, collecting loot, and tweaking their loadouts with new weapons, armor, gems, and passive perks. The early access version offers a three-act story, which is roughly half the length that will be available in the final version. Players need to play through this content twice to access the endgame, which is fairly robust despite the RPG’s currently unfinished state. Even if someone decides to just play the campaign, they will be kept busy for a good 50 hours.
PoE2does not have too many direct similarities withSkyrim, except for the fact they both represent the RPG genre at its best. Still, Grinding Gear’s game offers an impressive selection of base classes that feel unique, along with a massive (and overwhelming) range of options to tweak a build to suit somebody’s fancy. These systems are not particularly close toSkyrim’s progression, but they can scratch the same general itch.
Path of Exile 2’s early access version comes with a price, but the full release will be free.
Dragon Agehas come far sinceOrigins, a statement that has nothing to do with the quality of the subsequent games. Simply put,The Veilguardis an entirely different type of RPG than BioWare’s original 2008 release, to the point of somewhat seeming like it belongs to a separate franchise. Now, to be fair, the real-time combat system feels like an evolution of some of the ideas found in 2014’sInquisition, andThe Veilguardworks better as a follow-up to that entry rather than a continuation of the entire series. Still, expectations should be kept in check for anyone interested in trying the 2024 release – do not go in expectingOrigins,DA2, or evenInquisition.
The Veilguardhas inspired quite a lot of discourse since its debut, ranging from wild praise to harsh condemnation. Suffice it to say that the game is polarizing. That said, let’s focus on some of the more agreed-upon positives. While the enemy variety leaves something to be desired, the combat is flashy, well-animated, and quite fun.
The class system provides quite a bit of customization options, particularly once players get access to specializations and start to unlock a wide range of skills. Companions are useful in battle too, and they have their moments as characters. The world is gorgeous, and the graphics are arguably among the best in the RPG genre. However, it should be noted thatThe Veilguardis not open-world but rather consists of segmented regions, soSkyrimfans should take that into account.
A newDragon Ageshould be a cause for celebration, andThe Veilguardhas enough positives to warrant a mention, even if not an unabashed recommendation.
Throne and Libertyis, obviously, a wildly different experience fromSkyrim. NCSoft’s project is an MMORPG, and a fairly ambitious one at that. While garnering a somewhat mixed critical reception, the game’s Western release was met with fairly high praise from players, especially ones who were craving an MMO inspired by classics likeLineage(Throne and Libertystarted as aLineagegame after all). So, anyone looking to dive into this beast will need to be prepared for a lot of grinding, a focus on social content, and a fair amount of boilerplate side quests. Just to be clear, all of those statements are neutral, and their enjoyment will depend on the player.
Despite very different fundamentals,Throne and Libertycan still scratch some itches thatSkyrimreaches. The world is expansive, diverse, and frequently gorgeous. While not quite as unrestricted as a Bethesda RPG, the map is nevertheless open and encourages exploration. The combat takes some practice but can be quite enjoyable. More importantly,Throne and Libertyhas a clever progression systemthat revolves around weapon types, offering a flexible class system that allows players to mix-and-match skills from different weapons. The MMO had dungeons, loot, robust skills, and guilds.
This is a tricky one asBaldur’s Gate 3andSkyrim’s minute-to-minute gameplay share little in common. The former utilizes a turn-based combat system that prioritizes party synergy, forward-thinking, and strategy. Battles are difficult right out of the gate, and players will be punished if they have a poor grasp of the core mechanics. Larian’s RPG is also portrayed from an isometric perspective and is not set in a continuous open-world, although players are encouraged and incentivized to explore the available map and to make detours from the main story’s path.
Depending on what someone is searching for,Baldur’s Gate 3might not have the tools to scratch theirSkyrimitch. However, if a player is looking for brilliant storytelling,deep customization, and a flexible world shaped by the player’s decisions, they cannot do much better than this 2023 release. Similar to howSkyrimset a new standard for RPGs,Baldur’s Gate 3has done the same, albeit for the tactical subgenre.
Divinity: Original Sin 2is also by Larian and is equally incredible.
Although many players find themselves enamored bySkyrim’s freedom and open-world exploration, there is an overarching storyline that can be rather engrossing once it gets going. At its core,Skyrimfeatures a rather robust story that slowly unravels as players complete story missions and side quests throughout the lands of Northern Tamriel. Those looking for another tale of intrigue to keep them engaged as they make their way through an open world should consider picking upGhost of Tsushima.
This fantastic story-driven action release follows Jin Sakai as he adventures across theisland of Tsushimain hopes of liberating it from an attacking Mongol force. With amazing voice acting, beautiful graphics, and an edge-of-your-seat story,Ghost of Tsushimais the perfect release forSkyrimfans who want to wrap themselves up in another epic adventure.
Riding high after the release ofThe Witcher 3, one of the few RPGs that challengesSkyrimin terms of critical success, CD Projekt Red seemed set to take the sci-fi genre by storm through the release ofCyberpunk 2077. Infamously, the game launched in a not-so-great state, and the PS4 and Xbox One versions are still almost impossible to recommend; however, the PC and next-gen iterations are more than playable nowadays. While an argument could be made that the title failed to meet all of its potential or promises,Cyberpunk 2077is nevertheless ambitious and periodically brilliant.
Obviously, the game’s setting is the direct opposite ofSkyrim’s, but both projects shine in the same department: their worlds. Night City isCyberpunk 2077’s crowning achievement, even more so than its very good story and decent gameplay. The map is dense with content, details, and lore touches that make the simple act of exploration fun.
FromSoftware’s latest entry into the “Soulsseries” is perhaps their most ambitious yet. The massive open world and freedom of choice thatElden Ringgives to its players help to create an experience that feels as large asSkyrim. It’s important to note thatElden Ring, like manySoulsgames, is a lot more difficult than Bethesda’s typical project, but learning how to survive in the punishing world is just as rewarding as it is inThe Elder Scrolls.
With a robust character creator,tons of weapons to choose from, and a wide array of playstyles,Elden Ringfeels like a truly massive open-world adventure that offers endless replayability thanks to NG+ and build customization. Now, the combat is nothing likeSkyrim’s, and if someone is not really into Soulslikes, they might struggle to get into FromSoftware’s masterpiece; however, for its genre,Elden Ring’s gameplay is top-notch. While they approach their worlds fairly differently, both games allow players to explore freely, delivering sandboxes that are mostly open except for a few late-campaign sections.
OK, this recommendation comes with a few disclaimers. Most importantly,Goat Simulator 3does not take itself remotely seriously, and that extends beyond its premise and obvious references. Even though the main missions provide some structure, the game is really meant to be played like a wacky sandbox, with the goal being to cause as much mayhem as possible. The story is there to provide a bit of direction, but it is not the focus nor particularly memorable. LikeSkyrim,Goat Simulator 3has a world that is simply fun to mess around in and break, with the latter being particularly awesome.
Also, the game is packed with references, specifically open-world projects. There is even a (obvious)Skyrimreference, and it happens very early in a playthrough. While not a primary reason to pick up this release,Goat Simulator 3’s Easter Eggs are pretty charming.
Nintendo’s attempts to breathe new life intoThe Legend of Zeldaseries led to the release of a title that most people genuinely believe to be the greatest video game ever made.Breath of the Wildis nothing short of a masterpiece and is a title that most fans of open-world action-adventure titles should definitely try out.
The open-ended gameplay ofBreath of the Wildcoupled with an excellent gameplay loop made for one of the best games likeSkyrim. It’s a game that will take hundreds of hours to complete — a fact thatSkyrimfans would absolutely adore.
Breath of the Wild’s sequel,Tears of the Kingdom, sticks fairly close to its predecessor’s formula, making it an easy recommendation for any open-world fan. Despite many similarities,TOTKstill incorporates enough new ideas to feel like a worthy successor rather than just a retread. This time around, Hyrule is also way more active since its citizens are in the process of rebuilding.
