While we wait (and wait and wait and wait) for Bethesda to say literally anything aboutwhat’s happening withThe Elder Scrolls 6, let’s talk aboutSkyrim. That should kill a bit more time. Specifically, let’s talk about moddingSkyrim.
Since time immemorial (well, 2011),TES5fans have been modifying the game, improving it several folds, adding new content, fixing bugs…just generally getting as much life out of the ol’ beast as they can. It’s almost as if some people took one look atSkyrimin its vanilla form and went, “nah, mate.”
Far be it from me to tell you there are countless ways to tinker with this aging epic RPG. But if you’re new to playing, or you just want a quick rundown on some of the better mods out there, I’ve cobbled together a list of what I feel are some pretty essential ones. You may agree with this list. You may not. I will be answering no questions.
NOTE: I will attempt to provide links to mods that are for the Special Edition ofSkyrimwhere possible.
Skyrim Script Extender
When I talk about “essential mods,” you can probably interpret that as just meaning a “generally solid modification that many players highly recommend.” A lot of it will come down to personal preference and how you want to alter the game.
However, withSkyrim Script Extender(SKSE for short), this one is pretty vital. If you ask people in the community – especially the PC community – what to install first when it comes to moddingSkyrim, this will likely be your first port of call.
As the description itself says: this is a tool “used by manySkyrimmods that expands scripting capabilities and adds additional functionality to the game.” You’d be pretty lost without it. The version linked here has already been downloaded over 1.4 million times, and it was only uploaded in 2019.
Unofficial Skyrim Patch
Bethesda games have bugs. The sun is a large ball of burning gas. Everyone knows the uncomfortable sensation of having one shoe tied slightly tighter than the other.Microsoft is pure evil. Oh, sorry. I thought I was just listing things that can be filed under “the bleeding obvious.”
Yes,Skyrimhas been laden with glitches and issues since the day it landed in video game stores (remember them?) While over the years, the developer has attempted to quash some of the major ones, there are still plenty of bugs that exist, even in the Anniversary Edition which came out some tens after the vanilla release.
That’s where theUnofficial Skyrim Patchcomes into play. It is, as the name suggests, an unofficial mod for the game with an eventual goal of fixing every single bugTES5has, and we all know that is quite the mammoth task. The most recent version was uploaded on April 18, which means the team is still hard at work. This is another must.
SkyUI
As gorgeous asSkyrimis (or was) when it first came out, there were some criticisms aimed at the game’s standard user interface. While I personally didn’t have much of a problem with it, I could see why it wasn’t everyone’s favorite.
If you’ve played the game, you’ll surely have your own opinion about it. Which is why we haveSkyUI. This is described as an “elegant, PC-friendly interface mod with many advanced features.” Even from the single image above, you can see the differences between the vanilla version and the mod.
Is it fair to say it’s more “intuitive?” I’m bold enough to go along with that. While there hasn’t been an update for SkyUI since 2017, Nexus Mods registers over 4.8 million downloads, so they must be doing something right.
Open Cities
A game likeSkyrimconsistently delivers and entertains, largely because of its immersive quality. Forget the fact that it’s now an older game. When it dropped all those years ago, it was a triumph. It drew people in with its utter splendor, enormous world, and cast of characters that were believable (well as believable as role-playing characters living in a fantasy world full of dragons can be).
However, some of that immersion does fall to the wayside slightly when you enter a new city, like Whiterun. Upon opening the main gate, you find yourself confronted with a black loading screen. It’s understandable. Bethesda couldn’t have put all the interior aspects of a city within the main world.
However, someone did just that. From the same modder that brought us the Unofficial Patch, we haveOpen Cities Skyrim. This is a mod that fluidly blends the game’s city limits to whatever’s outside its walls. The loading screens are now gone, which keeps you immersed. Plus, it means you can now ride your horse straight into places like Riften. That can only be a plus.
Alternative Start
When I first got the game in 2011, I was enthralled by the opening. A few days later, a friend came round because they wanted to see it, so I booted the game up, loaded a new save, and proceeded to go through the intro cut scene again. Then some time later, another friend wanted to see what all the fuss was about. By this point, my character’s head had been cut off enough times to satisfy a revolution.
What I’m saying is, even beforeSkyrimhad the long legacy it enjoys today, I had seen the opening section dozens of times. If you are a bit bored with that lengthy introduction, say hello toAlternative Start. Oh look, it’s another mod by Arthmoor.
With this, you get to opt for a different beginning to yourSkyrimplaythrough. You can choose to be a hunter living in the woods, a vampire hiding in a cave, or maybe you’ve been shipwrecked. The good thing about this mod is it doesn’t just give you an alternative starting point, it changes things about your character and doesn’t immediately put you on the main quest path.
Helgen Reborn
Speaking of that opening section, we don’t get to experience Helgen much before it’s terrorized by a dragon and left to burn in the ashes of its wake. It’s there and then, in the blink of an eye, it’s left in ruins as you run for your life and, presumably, bugger off to literally anywhere else.
WithHelgen Reborn, the city gets a second chance. Modders Mike Hancho (aka Balok) didn’t just turn the opening location on its head by rebuilding it. No, they went above and beyond, bringing something that is more than just a surface restructuring. The mod description tells it best:
Helgen Reborn is a fully voiced adventure with over 20 superb voice actors. As you help rebuild the town you’ll reunite two old friends, uncover an underground slavery ring, battle in an arena and many other adventures!
A Quality World Map
Skyrim‘s map is pretty good, says I. Not just a facsimile of the world you walk around. It’s actually the real thing, just zoomed out immensely. It would have been easy for Bethesda to phone it in with a standard scroll-like map or something more cartoon-y. Well done to them, I say.
However, it can always be better, and that’s what IcePenguin’sA Quality World Mapdoes. With over three million downloads on Nexus Mods, it presents itself as the last word inSkyrimtopography. Consisting of high-detailed textures, AQWM (as I’m taking to call it) is a tasty visual addition to your game. I’d say it pairs nicely with SkyUI as well.
Also, it doesn’t just have this 3D map, either. It comes in a vivid style and even a paper version, if you want something that’s perhaps a bit moreLord of the Rings-y.
Towns and Villages Enhanced
After a while, you start to see the same oldSkyrim. It’s pretty enough, even for a game that’s 13 years old, but it would be nice to have something else to look at. If this is you, you may be interested in Aplestormy’sTowns and Villages Enhancedmods.
The interesting thing about this project is that there isn’t one single download that alters every location in the game. Instead, they come in separate files. There’s one for Whiterun, Windhelm, Solitude, Riften, Riverwood, and some of the smaller villages.
As described, they basically “enhance” a lot of areas inSkyrimwith tweaks and fresh design choices. Here’s what the Whiterun mod adds and/or alters.
Skyrim 202X
I’ve said it a few times already, butSkryimis a pretty old game at this point. As such, it’s not as visually arresting as it once was. Back in 2011, though…wowee. There wasn’t much like it. However, things have changed. We want our collective eyes melted out of our faces with graphical brilliance.
If you want nothing more than to makeSkyrimlook prettier, maybe even more modern, there are a wide range of options available in the modding community. Howver, one that comes highly recommended is Pfuscher’sSkyrim 202X. This is a high-resolution overhaul of how the game looks.
It boasts more than 2,000 files (which come in several parts) and is a visual feast. It’s been worked on since 2016, with the latest version going live on April 15 this year. It has over 1.8 million unique downloads, and it’s easy to see why. It’s. Just. So. Pretty.
Immersive Interactions
Anyone who’s seen me talk aboutSkyrimmods before may be familiar with the nameJaySerpa. They are, by far, one of my favorite modders working on the game currently, and it’s mainly because of how they change the game to be that extra bit immersive.
I’m choosingImmersive Interactionsto put in this list, but really, I could have selected any one at random to showcase how simple tweaks can up the alluring quality of role-playing inSkyrim. This one in particular allows your character to perform “context-aware animations,” which includes being able to greet NPCs and generally interact with the world.
JaySerpa has also gives usrealistic reactions to invisibility spells, new spliceddialog during brawls, theability to pet dogs, even afix for the flute playing animation. There’s a selection there that I personally recommend.
