Bethesda has been hard at work onThe Elder Scrolls 6since it was announced all the way back in 2018. Naturally, players have been somewhat patiently waiting for any form of news, or, ideally, a new trailer showcasing some actual gameplay. Of course, none has arrived, leaving fans with little to do other than twiddle their thumbs and hope that whatever Bethesda is cooking will live up to their increasingly high expectations.
However, whileTES 6’srelease dateis far away, there are still plenty of RPGs players can get stuck into, many of which fall under the increasingly popular Scrolls-like genre. From indies made by former Bethesda developers to AA and even AAA fantasy first-person RPGs,there are so many incredible games that will satisfy even the most dedicatedElder Scrollsfan as they wait forTES 6to finally launch.
10The Axis Unseen (Just Purkey Games)
An Open-World Game From One Of The Developers Of Skyrim
The Axis Unseenis an open-world action-stealth-hybrid horror gamein which players take on the role of a hunter who must track down and kill surreal and oftentimes terrifying creatures. Of course, it’s not an easy job, as these creatures are as deadly as they look, but, fortunately, players can unlock new arrows for their bow, various abilities, and more by exploring the hauntingly beautiful open world.
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What makesThe Axis Unseenone of thebest horror games of 2024is both its intense heavy metal soundtrack that makes every action and breathtaking vista all the more impactful and its ability to completely immerse the player in its jaw-droppingly stunning world.Every UI element is attached to the player and their bow, whether it’s the amount of health left tattooed on their arm or the amount of noise they’re making displayed on their bow. This culminates in an extremely unique game that, most importantly, comes from a formerSkyrimandFalloutdeveloper.
9Gothic (Piranha Bytes)
An Old-School Immersive RPG
Gothicis a truly iconic RPG that comes from the beloved studio Piranha Bytes, best known for its incredibly ambitious Euro-jank RPGs likeElexandRisen. What makesGothicso incredible is just how immersive its world can feel. The player is very much a minor part ofGothic’sworld initially, weak and likely to die if they venture off the beaten path.Gothicrequires a lot of patience from the player as well as to pay attention to its world and NPCs, but it is absolutely worth it.
Gothicwas way ahead of its time, its non-linear structure and immersive elements, including NPCs that truly feel alive with schedules, going on to inspire a future generation of RPGs, including many of Bethesda’s. Of course, it is a little rough around the edges by today’s standards, although that shouldn’t dissuade people from giving it a go. Alternatively, there is anupcomingGothicremakethat proves to update this unbelievably good experience to make it a little more tolerable for those who can’t stand older games.
8Kingdom Come Deliverance (Warhorse Studios)
It Feels Like Historical Skryim
Kingdom Come: Deliveranceis frequently compared toOblivionthanks to its similar UI and first-person open-world RPG gameplay.It’s an incredibly realistic RPG, one that features a well-written and often excellent narrative but puts a significant focus on allowing the player to truly roleplayin its dynamic, living world. Warhorse Studios thoroughly researched the time period, culture, and traditions, and fully implemented everything it learned into the game.
Players have to bathe before they can talk to nobles, must eat, sleep, and take care of themselves to survive, practice sword fighting to get better, and even carry a torch around in cities at night to avoid getting arrested for suspicious behavior. There are also NPC schedules, a gorgeously detailed open world, and so many more immersive and realistic elements that helps makeKingdom Come: Deliveranceone of themost immersive RPGsof all time.
7The Bloodline (Shieldbearer Studios)
Skyrim Meets Mount & Blade
The Bloodlineis a truly enormous open-world sandbox RPGthat’s being crafted by a small indie team. It sees players venture across a vast open-world map, visit towns, complete quests at their own pace, encounter emergent gameplay moments, and level up an abundance of skills from combat to fishing and cooking. There’s so much to see and do inThe Bloodline, and the game is only growing bigger.
The Bloodlineis in Early Access, with updates releasing steadily that add new regions, skills, and enemy types. However,with over 500 skills to unlock and a sizable world to explore,The Bloodlineis already one of thebest indie RPGsavailable. Of course, for those who don’t want to buy something on the promise of what it could be,The Bloodlinewill absolutely come out of Early Access long beforeThe Elder Scrolls 6launches.
6Nehrim: At Fate’s Edge (SureAI)
A Conversion Mod For Oblivion
SureAI was a dedicated modding team that created two enormous conversion mods, one forOblivionand the other forSkryim. The former isNehrim: At Fate’s Edge, an unbelievably ambitious mod that is ostensibly its own game, just made withinOblivion’sengine.It adds all new assets, a new world, story, and gameplay mechanics that greatly enhance the experienceand make it significantly harder overall.
With 35 main missions and a lot of side quests,Nehrimis a far bigger experience than Oblivion, with a more detailed and varied world to explore that’s roughly the same size. ForOblivionfans and RPG lovers in general,Nehrimis an absolute must. It is also completely free and even has its own Steam store page. The only requirement to run it is to own - but not necessarily install -Oblivion.
5Enderal: Forgotten Stories (SureAI)
It’s Better Than Skyrim
Enderal: Forgotten Storiesis SureAI’s second conversion mod, this time forSkyrim. Once again, likeNehrim: At Fate’s Edge,Enderalis a brand-new game, and not just a new questline withinSkyrimitself. It has its own world, storyline, side quests, characters, armor sets, spells, and so much more for players to get stuck into, withit offering around 100 hours of content for those who want to see absolutely everything.
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The long wait for The Elder Scrolls 6 never seems to end, but Skyrim mods are always there to make this wait feel just a little more bearable.
It’s also a substantially more narrative-driven and mature game thanSkyrim, featuring a far darker and blood-soaked storyline that’s sure to please fans who weren’t satisfied withSkyrim’schosen one plot.Enderalfixes a lot ofSkyrim’scombat as well, and makes magic a more powerful yet costly mechanic thanks to its Arcane Fever mechanic. Simply put,Enderal: Forgotten Storiesis the perfect RPG for those who wish they could experience Skyrim again for the first time.
4Avowed (Obsidian Entertainment)
The Next Best Fantasy First-Person RPG
Obsidian Entertainment made what is ostensibly the best alternative toFalloutin the form ofThe Outer Worlds. Now, it has set its sights on replicating the AAA immersive fantasy RPG experience that so far only theElder Scrollsseries has truly perfected withAvowed. Set in the same universe as its CRPG series,Pillars of Eternity- although people don’t have to play those games to understandAvowed-it is an open-area RPG so densely packed with details and activities that just one region can take several hours to complete.
Featuring first-person and third-person combat,Avowedis as close to a AAA fantasy RPG as fans can hope for. Obsidian Entertainment has previously worked on Bethesda-owned properties, so it has a lot of experience when it comes to crafting the immersive RPG elements that people expect out of anElder Scrollstitle. However, it’s also significantlyinnovating on the RPG formula, adding its own flair to the experience that should help it stand out. With fascinating stories to uncover, companions to meet, and creatures to fight,Avowedis arguably the best alternative toSkyrim.
3Tainted Grail: The Fall Of Avalon (Questline)
It’s Being Called Indie Skyrim
Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalonis another Early Access sandbox fantasy RPG that many are calling indieSkyrim. Set in theTainted Grailuniverse - which reimagines the iconic tales of King Arthur as dark and mature fantasy stories -The Fall of Avalonis a non-linear open-world experience that allows players to craft their own story through fascinating quests and a plethora of combat builds.
From deadly melee weapons and bows to powerful spells,there are plenty of options when it comes to defeating the foes of Avalon. However, for those who want a more laidback experience,Fall of Avalonalso features fishing, crafting, potion making, and even cooking. It’s an incredibly immersive experience that’s getting bigger and bigger across its Early Access period, and likely one that will stack up against the likes ofSkyrimandAvowed.
A Surreal Indie Morrowind
For those who are sick of people callingSkyrimthebestElder Scrollsgameand much prefer the arguably superiorMorrowind, thenDread Delusionis the perfect indie open world RPG sandbox. With a stunning retro aesthetic that’s reminiscent ofMorrowind, and a vast open-world to explore, there’s so much to get stuck into inDread Delusion.
Players can side with various factions, choose how best to deal with each scenario, whether it’s with a blade or a silver tongue, and pick up a plethora of engaging quests in the many towns.Dread Delusionis a loving homage to some of the best RPGs available, includingMorrowind. It is a surreal, consistently brilliant, and always unique game that simultaneously evokes theElder Scrollsexperience while offering something completely new.
1Ardenfall (Spellcast Studios)
Perhaps The Best Scrolls-Like
Ardenfallis a game very clearly inspired by theElder Scrollsseries, with its name even likely being a direct reference to Vvardenfell fromMorrowind. Much likeDread Delusion,it absolutely understands what makes theElder Scrollsseries so iconic, featuring well-written dialogue, meaningful choices, interesting encounters, fun combat with a lot of build potential, a unique aesthetic and world design, and starting off in a dark environment before bursting out into the open-world.
The Elder Scrolls 6 Needs To Learn This Important Lesson From 2024’s Best RPG
There are a lot of important lessons that The Elder Scrolls 6 can learn from 2024’s best RPG, especially when it comes to immersive world design.
It has that chaotic energy that makes theElder Scrollsgames so much fun, with every encounter and quest giving the player complete agency over how they’d like to complete it.Ardenfallhas a very generous demo that allows players to experience a huge chunk of the game, including its sprawling world and a plethora of skills. It is one of the best Scrolls-likes and is sure to entertain anyone who is desperately awaiting the release ofThe Elder Scrolls 6.
