Gameplay vs. Immersion

In terms of chronology, this post is a little late. Though, considering the topic of discussion, I think that can be excused - with the utter sinkhole of seconds that Skyrim is, one can be excused for delaying just about anything. 

If you’re reading this, you are either one of my family members or you know Skyrim is amazing. So I won’t belabor that point. What I want to address is the consistency of the combat system between Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim - why people hate it, and why it should not be changed. 

First - why people hate it. Well, because it’s frustrating. If ever there was a ‘thing’ to embody the word ‘clunky’, Skyrim’s combat system would be that thing. The feeling of storming a fort and taking out a band of outlaws is dampened by the fact that you miss half your attacks because you can’t judge distance from sword to throat. There is very little finesse when it comes to attacks - usually devolving to a hackfest with the nearest meatbag - though the inclusion of power attacks and finishing moves was a nice touch. Unfortunately, they are the gravy on an otherwise tasteless porkchop. 

Next, the system itself is a little imbalanced. Have you played this game with a bow? Why in the nine hells would you ever do anything else? I tried using swords for about 10 seconds and then decided I hated not killing everything before they even know I’m there.  

Despite these and other flaws (horses attack whether you like it or not, bears are stronger than most dragons, etc.) the combat system should not, in any way, change. It’s wonderful. That’s right, it’s frustrating and it’s wonderful. And one word explains why. 

Freedom. 

Bethesda works really hard to keep the game out of your game play. This creates a sense of immersion unlike any other product out there. You do not see damage numbers popping up on the screen, you don’t see lock-on target reticles, and there are no attacks that take control away from your player (aside from the finishing moves) to make you feel more awesome. They leave that up to you. 

At the most, you’re going to see when you’ve done critical damage or a sneak attack lands - but those things aside, you are free to immerse yourself in your character, believing you are actually in a battle. Do you miss a lot because you can’t target an enemy? Yes - but so do real combatants. Do you lack a button combo that will unleash an ultimate finishing attack? Yes - but doesn’t that make you feel like you’re actually swinging that sword? Do horses really come to your rescue regardless of your orders? No … and that should stop. 

The truth of the matter is that in order to make this world feel as real to you as possible, Bethesda has made the intentional decision to keep combat clunky. Why do I think it’s intentional? Because they’re not deaf - and we’ve been complaining about it for years. They know it isn’t optimal - but they also know that the world of Tamriel would not be the same if you didn’t believe in it. And that belief is enforced by the immersion of making combat real rather than flashy.