Skyrim is one of the most popular and beloved games of all time, offering a rich and immersive fantasy world to explore and enjoy. But what if you could experience Skyrim in a whole new way, as if you were really there? That’s the promise of Skyrim VR, a virtual reality version of the game that lets you step into the shoes of the Dragonborn and live out your own epic adventure. Available for both SteamVR and PSVR
Key Takeaways
- Skyrim VR offers a unique and immersive experience of playing Skyrim, enhancing the sense of presence and immersion in the game world.
- Skyrim VR adapts the traditional Skyrim mechanics for VR, such as combat, movement, and inventory management, using motion controls and VR-specific settings.
- Skyrim VR supports most mods that are compatible with Skyrim Special Edition.
Gameplay and Mechanics
Skyrim VR is not just a simple port of the original game, but a fully adapted VR experience that takes advantage of the VR technology and features. One of the most noticeable changes is the use of motion controls for interacting with the game world. You can use your VR controllers to swing your sword, block with your shield, draw your bow, and cast spells. The motion controls add a new layer of realism and immersion to the combat, making you feel like you are really fighting for your life.
Skyrim VR offers two options for movement: teleportation and direct movement. Teleportation allows you to point and click to move to a location, while direct movement lets you use the controller’s thumbstick or trackpad to move freely. You can also adjust the comfort settings, such as turning mode, field of view, and height, to suit your preferences and reduce motion sickness.
Visuals and Atmosphere
Skyrim VR is a feast for the eyes, especially if you have a powerful VR headset and PC. The game’s graphics are enhanced by the VR perspective, creating a more realistic and immersive view of the game world. You can appreciate the scale and depth of the game world, feeling the height of the mountains, the distance of the horizon, and the size of the creatures.
Creatures like Frostbite Spiders and Chaurus are infinitely more terrifying in 3D and up close, Dragons are much more intimidating, and certain set pieces are more awe inspiring. For example, seeing the Shrine of Azura for the first time in VR, late dusk with the large moon, and the aurora in the background was a sight to behold.
The VR perspective also enhances the game’s atmosphere, creating a more intimate connection with the game world. You can almost feel the warmth of the fire, the chill of the wind, and the tension of the combat.
You can also interact with the game’s characters more naturally, using gestures and eye contact. With mods like Dragonborn Speaks Naturally, you can even use your voice to speak the dialogue options, adding a personal touch to the conversations.
However, Skyrim VR is not a perfect VR game, and it has some limitations and compromises for VR performance. The game’s graphics are not as sharp and smooth as some other VR games, without graphics mods, you may notice some pop-in, aliasing, and blurring, much like the non-VR version.
The game also uses a dynamic resolution system, which lowers the resolution when the game is too demanding. The game’s animations and physics are also not optimized for VR, and you may encounter some glitches and bugs that break the immersion.
Exploration and Quests
Skyrim VR is a game that rewards exploration, and VR makes exploration even more rewarding. The game’s world is vast and varied, offering countless locations and secrets to discover. You can wander around the wilderness, finding caves, ruins, camps, and shrines. You can enter the cities, towns, and villages, meeting people, trading goods, and joining factions. You can delve into the dungeons, solving puzzles, fighting enemies, and looting treasures.
Exploring Skyrim in VR is a joy, as you can see the game’s world in a new light. You can notice things that you may have missed on a traditional screen, such as the details of the architecture, the signs of the history, and the clues of the lore. You can also feel more immersed and engaged in the game’s world, as you can interact with it more naturally and intuitively. You can pick up objects, open doors, read books, and even play instruments.
The game also offers a plethora of quests and activities to keep you busy and entertained. The game’s main quest revolves around your role as the Dragonborn, a legendary hero who can use the power of the dragon’s voice. You can follow the main quest, or branch out to the many side quests and stories that the game offers.
You can join the civil war, become a vampire hunter, infiltrate a thieves’ guild, or even build your own house. You can also craft your own weapons and armor, brew your own potions, enchant your own items, and cook your own food.
Skyrim VR is a game that never ends, as you can always find something new and interesting to do. The game’s quests and activities are varied and fun, offering different challenges and rewards. You can play the game however you want, choosing your own path and style. You can be a warrior, a mage, a thief, or a mix of everything. You can be a hero, a villain, or something in between. You can be yourself, or someone else.
Unlike Bethesda’s other VR game Fallout 4 VR, Skyrim VR comes with all the DLC (Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn) without the need for additional setup or modding, adding to the already limitless amount of questing, exploration and adventure afforded by the base game.
Skyrim VR is a game that lets you live your own adventure, and VR makes that adventure even more immersive and memorable.
Skyrim Quiz
Are you the Biggest Skyrim Fan EVER? Test your knowledge with this quiz!
Technical Aspects
Skyrim VR is a game that requires a certain level of hardware and software to run smoothly and enjoyably. In this section, we will cover some of the technical aspects of the game, such as hardware requirements, compatibility, and performance.
Amazon Affiliate Disclaimer:
This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We get commissions for purchases made through links in this website. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates.
Hardware Requirements
The hardware requirements for Skyrim VR depend on the platform you are using to play the game. For PC VR headsets, such as Valve Index or HTC Vive, you will need a powerful PC that can handle the game’s graphics and physics.
The minimum hardware requirements for Skyrim VR on PC are as follows1:
- OS: Windows 7/8.1/10 (64-bit versions)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-6600K or AMD Ryzen 5 1400 or better
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 / AMD RX 480 8GB or better
- Storage: 15 GB available space
The recommended hardware requirements for Skyrim VR on PC are as follows1:
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i7-4790 or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 8GB / AMD RX Vega 56 8GB
- Storage: 15 GB available space
The hardware requirements for an optimal experience (high quality in game graphics settings, minimum 90fps on a headset with the resolution of Valve Index)
- OS: Windows 11
- Processor: Intel Core i7 10700 or Ryzen 9 3900x or better
- Memory: 32 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 3080 / AMD RX 6900 or better
For Quest users, you will need the link cable for wired PC play, or a strong WiFi router that can support high bandwidth and low latency for smooth wireless streaming of PC VR content.
Skyrim VR Mods and Community
Skyrim VR is not only a game, but also a platform for creativity and modding. The game supports VR-specific mods that add new features or improve gameplay, such as improved graphics, UI, and locomotion. You can use mods to customize your VR experience, making it more comfortable, realistic, or fun. You can also use mods to enhance your VR immersion, adding new sounds, effects, and interactions.
Some of the most popular Skyrim VR mods are:
- VRIK Player Avatar: This mod adds a full-body avatar to your VR character, allowing you to see your arms, legs, and torso. You can also see your equipped weapons and armor, and use your body to interact with the world. Has over 863k downloads with over 12k endorsements
- MageVR: This mod adds a new way of casting spells in VR, using hand gestures and voice commands. You can also use a virtual backpack to store and access your items, and a virtual quiver to draw and fire arrows. Has over 286.5k downloads with over 2.1k endorsements
- Spell Wheel VR: A Half Life Alyx like spell selection wheel allowing users to select spells, potions, weapons and consumables with a selection wheel instead of going into a menu. Has over 352k downloads with over 2.5k endorsements
- HIGGS: adds weapon and hand collision with other objects, adds two-handed weapon handling, and a gravity gloves-style feature. Additionally, the mod addresses base game issues by dynamically synchronizing physics steps to frame rate and fixing problems like flickering lighting for outdoor physics objects and improper collision handling for certain melee weapons. Has over 673.3k downloads with over 9.5k endorsements
Those are just a few of the best Skyrim VR mods, and many more can be found in the VR section of the Skyrim Special Edition Nexus Mods.
Conclusion
Skyrim VR offers a whole new world of adventure, and VR makes that adventure even more immersive and realistic. Skyrim VR adapts the traditional Skyrim mechanics for VR, using motion controls and VR-specific settings. Skyrim VR delivers stunning visuals and atmosphere, creating a sense of scale and intimacy in the game world. Skyrim VR allows you to explore Skyrim’s vast landscapes and dungeons in VR, discovering familiar locations and characters in a new light. Skyrim VR is a game that supports VR-specific mods that add new features or improve gameplay.
Skyrim VR is not perfect, but it is amazing. Skyrim VR is a game that has some limitations and compromises, but it also has some strengths and advantages. Skyrim VR is a game that is not for everyone, but it is for anyone who loves VR and the Elder Scrolls series.
Skyrim VR is a game that you should try, if you have the chance. Skyrim VR will make you feel like you are really there, in a whole new world of adventure.
Subscribe now for hand-picked best experiences, product discounts, and the latest VR trends, tips and tricks, straight to your inbox.
Leave a Reply