Top 13 Games Like Skyrim to Explore
There's nothing quite like the first time you explored Skyrim. From the moment you narrowly escape your grisly execution in Helgen and step into the legendary RPG's vast wilderness, you embark on an adventure that offers unparalleled freedom. This sense of limitless exploration has kept millions of players returning to its cold, untamed landscape for over a decade.
After years of delving into various iterations of Skyrim, many of us are eager to find new games that satisfy our craving for fantasy adventures. As we eagerly await the long-anticipated Elder Scrolls 6, we've compiled a list of some of the best games that capture the essence of Skyrim and are available to play right now.
The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion
An obvious choice to start with, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion is the perfect place to find an experience similar to Skyrim in both style and scope. As Skyrim's predecessor, it offers all the elements that made its younger sibling a massive hit. You begin as a prisoner caught in the midst of a conflict involving demonic gods, fiery portals to a hellish realm, and the assassination of Tamriel's emperor. Your journey takes you across the land of Cyrodil, where you can explore freely, complete quests, join factions, and enhance your character with new skills, weapons, armor, spells, and more. It's more Elder Scrolls action to enjoy while you wait for Elder Scrolls 6, available on PC and through Xbox Series X | S and Xbox One's backwards compatibility feature.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
A flagship title for the Nintendo Switch and one of the best fantasy RPGs ever created, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a must-play for fans of open-world exploration. Nintendo's groundbreaking reinvention of the series offers a world brimming with secrets, physics-based gameplay systems for battling enemies and navigating treacherous landscapes, engaging quests, and a visually stunning art style. The game gives you complete freedom from the moment you leave the Great Plateau, allowing you to explore Hyrule at your own pace, whether you're seeking lore, scaling mountains, or even challenging the final boss right away. If you crave the same sense of freedom and unguided exploration found in Skyrim, Breath of the Wild is the ideal substitute, available exclusively on Nintendo Switch. You can also dive into its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, for a similar experience.
3. Dragon's Dogma 2
One of the more recent additions to our list, Dragon's Dogma 2 is a sprawling RPG that prioritizes exploration, making it an excellent choice for Skyrim enthusiasts. Set across two realms, Vermund and Battahl, you take on the role of The Arisen, a player-created warrior whose heart has been stolen by an ancient dragon. Your mission is to track down and defeat this dragon, leading you on an epic quest through a vast, untamed world. Similar to Skyrim, the game's allure lies in its focus on exploration, with a world full of secrets to uncover and monsters to battle, creating organic stories from your encounters. It's a deep RPG with various classes, weapon types, armor sets, and a unique party system where you can recruit allies created by other players. Dragon's Dogma 2 is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Among the pantheon of RPGs that offer over 100 hours of gameplay, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt stands out as a top-tier experience. Set in a dark, Slavic-mythology-inspired world filled with monsters, magic, and political intrigue, it's widely regarded as one of the best RPGs ever made. You play as Geralt, a gruff, white-haired, yellow-eyed mercenary on a quest to find his surrogate daughter, Ciri, while facing mythical monsters and the spectral warriors known as the Wild Hunt. Like Skyrim, The Witcher 3 offers a vast open world where you can choose to live as a bounty hunter, taking on contracts to slay monsters, or follow the compelling main storyline. The base game and its two expansive DLCs provide a rich experience to explore after conquering Skyrim. It's available on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Moving away from high fantasy into a more grounded medieval setting, Kingdom Come: Deliverance captures the sense of freedom found in Skyrim. This cult hit from 2018 follows Henry, a blacksmith's son seeking revenge after his parents are murdered during a Cuman invasion. Set in 15th-century Bohemia, the game offers a vast open world with authentic medieval locations, open-ended quests that respond to your decisions, and an intricate combat system. With its focus on immersion, from high-stakes battles to survival mechanics like managing food, sleep, hygiene, and armor degradation, it's an engaging experience for those looking for a more realistic RPG. Available on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, released in February 2025, is an even better follow-up worth exploring.
Elden Ring
Elden Ring is a challenging game that rewards perseverance, offering one of the most satisfying RPG experiences available. FromSoftware's latest dark RPG masterpiece excels in exploration, with hidden paths leading to new areas and valuable rewards for those who search thoroughly. Every area feels significant, and every detour can be fruitful, creating a sense of charting your own path through a living, breathing world. With the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion and the standalone adventure Elden Ring Nightreign coming in May, it's an excellent time to dive into The Lands Between. If you're ready for a new world to explore and don't mind facing tough challenges, Elden Ring is available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
Fallout 4
While not a fantasy RPG, Fallout 4 shares many design philosophies with Skyrim, making it a great choice for those seeking a similar experience. Set in a post-apocalyptic Boston, you play as the Sole Survivor, a vault dweller on a mission to rescue your kidnapped son from The Institute. Like Skyrim, the game offers a vast open world to explore, with a focus on character development, environmental exploration, and quest completion. Instead of casting spells, you'll be shooting at mutant creatures and listening to alternate-history corporate propaganda. It's an excellent way to experience a game with Skyrim's DNA but with a post-apocalyptic twist. Fallout 4 is available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC and remains one of Bethesda's best offerings.
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Dragon Age: Inquisition is another expansive fantasy RPG that offers over 80 hours of gameplay. As the leader of The Inquisition, you're tasked with saving the realm of Thedas from mysterious rifts. You'll explore large open-world maps, defeat monsters, and uncover a new Dragon Age story. Similar to Skyrim, you can build your character, choose their class and race, and embark on an adventure, adding new party members and completing quests that impact the story and Thedas itself. It's a meaty fantasy RPG to enjoy after Skyrim, and with Dragon Age: The Veilguard released in 2024, there's no better time to jump in. Available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
Baldur's Gate 3
While Baldur's Gate 3 and Skyrim differ in gameplay style, it's an excellent choice for those who enjoy expansive fantasy RPGs. A top-down classic RPG focused on strategic combat and party management, Baldur's Gate 3 offers a meticulously crafted world filled with engaging storylines and quests that evolve based on your choices. The game encourages experimentation, allowing you to mix and match classes, races, and backstories in character creation, and freely approach quests in your preferred way. If you appreciate Skyrim's freedom and non-linear progression, Baldur's Gate 3 will be a great fit. It's available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning
A cult classic revived through its 2020 remaster, Kingdoms of Amalur is perfect for those who've finished Skyrim and are looking for another fantasy RPG with engaging combat, a vast world, and numerous quests. You play as the Fateless One, resurrected by the Well of Souls and freed from fate's grasp. Your journey takes you through the Faelands to stop a force destined to destroy Amalur's people. Along the way, you can build your character, choose a class, and explore freely, completing quests, exploring dungeons, and facing formidable foes. Available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.
The Forgotten City
The Forgotten City stands out because it began as a Skyrim mod before becoming a full game. It starts in modern-day Italy, where you wake up on an island and are transported back to Ancient Rome through a mysterious ruin. The city is trapped in a time loop, resetting whenever the "Golden Rule" is broken. Unlike Skyrim, The Forgotten City focuses on detective work, with minimal combat, as you talk to citizens, uncover clues, and solve the underlying mystery. It's a unique twist on the Skyrim formula and well worth exploring. Available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.
Outward: Definitive Edition
For fans of hardcore adventures, Outward casts you as an ordinary person tasked with paying off a debt within five days. This quickly evolves into a large-scale open-world epic as you navigate the land of Aurai, facing tough threats and harsh environmental conditions. The game emphasizes realism and consequences, with survival systems for managing hunger, sleep, and the environment, and quests that can fail if not attended to in time. Without fast travel and featuring a unique respawn system, Outward offers a challenging yet rewarding experience. If you're looking for Skyrim's open-world exploration with added twists, Outward is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC.
The Elder Scrolls Online
If you're ready to move on from Skyrim, The Elder Scrolls Online offers a multiplayer experience within the Elder Scrolls universe. As an MMO, it allows you to explore various realms of Tamriel, from Skyrim and Cyrodil to Morrowind and Highrock, and even new locales like Elsweyr and Summerset. You can team up with other players to take down enemies, complete quests, and customize your characters. With numerous DLCs expanding the game over the years, it's a great way to continue your Elder Scrolls journey. Available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
AnswerSee ResultsAnd that's our pick of games Skyrim fans will love! Agree with our list or are some of your top picks missing? You can share your own top games like Skyrim lists with us via IGN Playlist, our tool that allows you to keep track of your gaming library, create lists and even rank them, discover what some of your favorite creators are playing, and more. Head over to IGN Playlist to find out more, and start creating your own lists to share with us!-
Jan 16,25Girls' Frontline 2: Exilium Tier List Released Another free-to-play gacha game, another character ranking to guide your investment choices. This Girls’ Frontline 2: Exilium character tier list helps you prioritize which characters are worth your resources. Girls’ Frontline 2: Exilium Character Tier List Here's a breakdown of currently available -
Jan 23,25Zen Sort: Match puzzle is Kwalee\'s newest release, out now on Android Zen Sort: Match Puzzle: A Relaxing Match-Three Game for Android Kwalee has released a new match-three puzzle game for Android, Zen Sort: Match Puzzle. This game takes a unique approach to the genre, focusing on the zen-like experience of organizing and decorating shelves. Unlike other match-three g -
Jan 30,25Upcoming Role-Playing Games People Are Excited For Quick Links Tales of Graces f Remastered Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Assassin's Creed Shadows Avowed Like a Dragon: Gaiden – The Man Who Erased His Name Monster Hunter Wilds Suikoden I & II HD Remaster Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisio -
Jan 26,25Project Mugen now has an official name and teaser trailer as NetEase shows off Ananta Ananta: NetEase's Open-World RPG Unveiled NetEase Games and Naked Rain have officially revealed the title and a captivating teaser for their previously enigmatic Project Mugen – now known as Ananta. This urban, open-world RPG offers a glimpse into its expansive world, diverse characters, and the lo