The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition: PS5 Review

Developed by Bethesda Games Studios

Released by Bethesda Studios

Platform: PS5

What is it with the constant need to offer nostalgia on next generation consoles?

Perhaps it's the comfort of something familiar, rather than the desire to engage in a new IP that makes the idea of remastering and re-releasing such a financial winner and an audience possibility.

And yet, when done well, the nostalgia need that's upgraded for the next gen can be a reminder of why the game is great in the first place - and why a classic should never really be forgotten.

So it is with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition, with its faster PS5 load times and graphical upgrades that makes the game feel like less of a cash in than others of its ilk. After all, released a decade ago, this is a game that's already had the VR treatment a few years back and been ported to other consoles.

But this new version of Skyrim brings a new Survival mode, a fishing mini game and several pieces of content from the Creation Club to entice you back into the world of the Dragonborn again. Defeating dragons and questing make up most of the game, but there's always just the option to roam the world, ensuring that once again you can feel like Skyrim is worthy of your time.

Survival mode is perhaps the best new addition to the game, giving you a feeling of purpose and also of challenge throughout. 

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is very much an ultimate package for fantasy gamers - and even for first timers to the Elder Scrolls World, the game is a compelling enough outing to ensure that remaster apathy can be kept well away and firmly in check.