By Brad Greiner, Founder of Gigasoft Computers Posted August 7th 2026
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review (2026)
Some games are fun for a weekend.
Some last a few months.
Then there's The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
After more than 4,000 hours over the years, I can honestly say it remains my favorite video game ever made. Even today, I still find myself starting another playthrough, trying a new build, installing another collection of mods, or simply wandering through the world Bethesda created.
An Open World That Never Gets Old
Skyrim’s greatest strength has always been its freedom. Unlike many modern RPGs that constantly guide you toward the next objective, Skyrim encourages exploration. You’ll often leave town intending to complete one simple quest, only to discover an abandoned fort, a hidden cave, a mysterious shrine, or an NPC with another adventure waiting. Before you know it, several hours have passed and you’ve completely forgotten what you originally set out to do.
That sense of discovery is what keeps the game feeling fresh, even after thousands of hours. Although I know the map incredibly well, I still find myself revisiting locations just to enjoy the scenery or because I remember finding something interesting years ago. The soundtrack, the changing weather, and the incredible landscapes all come together to create an atmosphere that few games have managed to replicate. Even with today’s graphics technology, Skyrim still has a certain charm that makes it enjoyable to return to time and time again.
The Modding Community Changed Everything
If Skyrim had only been the base game, I still think it would have earned its place among the greatest RPGs ever made. However, what truly transformed Skyrim into an almost endless experience was its incredible modding community. Thanks to talented creators from around the world, the game has continued evolving for well over a decade, adding new graphics, quests, companions, gameplay mechanics, animations, weather systems, cities, and quality-of-life improvements.
Over the years, I’ve installed more than 2,000 mods across countless playthroughs. Some completely changed how the game looked, while others introduced entirely new stories or made combat feel fresh again. Every time I thought I had experienced everything Skyrim had to offer, another collection of mods gave me a reason to start a brand-new character. It’s one of the biggest reasons why the game still feels modern in 2026 despite its age.
Creating My Own Skyrim Mod
After spending thousands of hours playing Skyrim and experimenting with countless mods from the community, I eventually wanted to create something of my own. That’s how Canadian Civil War was born. Rather than making a simple item or texture replacement, I wanted to build a mod that brought a real world situation between Canada and Alberta into Skyrim while giving players several different options to customize their experience.
The mod includes Canadian and Albertan themed flags that replace the Imperial and Stormcloak banners, with optional downloads for players who want to use either the Canadian flag or the Alberta flag throughout Skyrim. I included several standalone options so players can choose exactly which parts of the mod they want to install instead of forcing everything into a single package. My goal was to make the mod flexible while still feeling like it belonged naturally in the world of Skyrim.
Working on Canadian Civil War taught me far more than I expected. I learned how to use Bethesda’s Creation Kit, edit game assets, package multiple optional downloads, test for compatibility, and troubleshoot issues that only appear after countless hours of gameplay. Every feature presented a new challenge, but solving those challenges made the project incredibly rewarding. Seeing other players download and enjoy something I created gave me a whole new appreciation for the creativity and dedication of the Skyrim modding community.
Skyrim Inspired My Own Game Development
Without Skyrim, I honestly don’t think I would be developing my own role-playing game today.
I’m currently working on Rise to Glory, an open-world RPG built in Unreal Engine 5, and many of the ideas that inspired me came directly from my years exploring Skyrim. It wasn’t about copying Bethesda’s formula, but rather understanding why Skyrim worked so well. The freedom to explore, meaningful progression, memorable locations, and rewarding sense of discovery are all qualities I hope players will experience when they eventually explore my own world.
Creating mods also taught me valuable lessons about world building, balancing gameplay, solving technical problems, and designing environments that encourage exploration. Those lessons continue to influence every stage of development as I work on Rise to Glory.
Does Skyrim Still Hold Up in 2026?
My answer is an easy yes.
While there are certainly newer games with more advanced graphics, bigger budgets, and modern technology, very few have captured the same feeling of freedom that Skyrim offers. The combination of exploration, music, memorable quests, character progression, and nearly unlimited replayability continues to make it one of the greatest RPGs ever created.
The fact that players are still actively creating new mods more than fifteen years after release says everything you need to know about Skyrim’s legacy. Very few games remain relevant for that long, yet Skyrim continues to attract both new players and veterans returning for another adventure.
Final Verdict
After more than 4,000 hours of gameplay, installing over 2,000 mods, creating my own Canadian Civil War mod, and even drawing inspiration from Skyrim while developing Rise to Glory, I can confidently say that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is still my favorite video game of all time.
Whether you’re experiencing it for the very first time or returning for your twentieth playthrough, Skyrim offers something that very few games can: a world that truly feels alive and invites you to make your own adventure. That’s why, even in 2026, I still recommend it to anyone who enjoys role-playing games.
⭐ Rating: 10/10 (Masterpiece)
Pros
- Incredible open-world exploration
- Endless replayability
- Massive modding community
- Outstanding soundtrack and atmosphere
- Freedom to play however you want
Cons
- The only downside is that after playing Skyrim for thousands of hours, every other RPG has an incredibly difficult time living up to it.
About the Author:
Brad Greiner is the owner of Gigasoft Computers in Medicine Hat, Alberta, where he specializes in computer repair, custom gaming PCs, website design, and technology solutions for homes and businesses. A lifelong PC gamer and independent game developer, Brad has spent over 4,000 hours playing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, created the Canadian Civil War Skyrim mod, and is currently developing his own open-world RPG, Rise to Glory, in Unreal Engine 5. Through the Gigasoft Computers blog, he shares honest reviews, practical tech advice, and real-world experience from the worlds of technology and game development.