5 Best Video Games Like Skyrim

2011's "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" is one of those video games you need to play before you die, providing players with an epic fantasy adventure. A celebrated entry in Bethesda Softworks' "Elder Scrolls" franchise, "Skyrim" upped the ante with fierce dragon battles and a devastating civil war tearing its titular kingdom apart. The game expanded upon the breadth of customization options made available to players to design their own characters to experience this breathtaking quest with. Like preceding entries, players also had a whole arsenal of weapons to choose from as they explored the open-world map, full of enemies and allies to encounter.

For those who have beaten "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" more times than they count and are looking for something fresh, they're in luck. There are plenty of other great open-world games that offer action RPG gameplay with a heavy level of player character customization. Many of these titles are also in the fantasy genre and some of them are also published by Bethesda. Each of these titles promise hours of expansive worlds to get lost in, offering players side quests and memorable adventures to experience. Here are the five best video games like "Skyrim" for players looking for more immersive action RPG thrills.

While it'd be easy to just list all the other "Elder Scrolls" games here, we're just going to keep things to 2006's "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion." The game takes place 200 years prior to the events of "Skyrim" and in the southern province of Cyrodiil. Before being assassinated, Emperor Uriel Septim (voiced by Patrick Stewart) frees the player character from prison and entrusts them with locating his illegitimate son Martin. While closing portals to the hellish realm of Oblivion that are opening up around the kingdom, the player works with Martin to seal the rifts forever.

"Oblivion" significantly expands upon the scope and action of its predecessor, 2002's "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind," providing an even more immersive experience. Cyrodiil is an enormous province for players to explore, divided into distinct cities and regions, with the usual nooks and crannies to delve into. Players have a variety of guilds and factions to join and advance in, all while possessing an array of skills and attributes to upgrade. And, on top of its ambitious main quest, "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" actually has a hidden storyline. It's well worth checking out or revisiting with its 2025 remastered edition.

One more Bethesda game to mention here, and the only one not strictly in the fantasy genre: 2015's "Fallout 4." The franchise takes place in an alternate history where 1950s aesthetics remain visibly intact, even after the world is devastated by a nuclear war. The 2015 title takes place in and around the ruins of New England over 200 years after the United States went to war with China. Emerging from a fallout shelter near Boston, the player character searches for their missing son, Shaun, while acclimating to the factions populating the post-apocalyptic region.

Bethesda has used a lot of the same assets and engines from its "Elder Scrolls" games for its "Fallout" titles, and that remains true here. From a technical standpoint, "Fallout 4" is as close to "Skyrim" as the post-apocalyptic series has come to date. The game refines the combat mechanics from its predecessors while presenting players with a fresh environment to experience in full. It offers players a similar scope to "Skyrim" within its retro-futuristic world, and, what's more, "Fallout" 4 has a bunch of DLC that makes it even better.

Andrzej Sapkowski's epic fantasy novel series "The Witcher" serves as the basis for a line of acclaimed action RPGs by CD Projekt. The pinnacle of the franchise so far is 2015's "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt," bringing the tale of monster hunter Geralt of Rivia to its thrilling climax. Geralt races to protect his adopted daughter Ciri (who players occasionally control) from being hunted by a group of ghostly warriors from another dimension. As Geralt and his allies try to stay one step ahead of the hunters, they navigate a continent torn apart by a fiery ongoing war.

"The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" takes a long time to beat, offering over 50 hours of gameplay just for its main quest alone. This is bolstered by the multitude of side quests available to Geralt as he accesses different portions of the overworld, including various monster-hunting assignments. Players are presented with numerous narrative options and dialogue choices throughout the quest culminating in multiple ways for the story to end and encouraging repeat playthroughs. A love letter to Sapkowski's fantasy world and characters, "Wild Hunt" provides a magnificently satisfying adventure for Geralt and company, one that "Skyrim" fans are sure to enjoy.

After creating the "Pillars of Eternity" franchise in 2015, Obsidian Entertainment expanded upon this fantasy world with the 2025 game "Avowed." The game is set in the Living Lands, with the player character working as an envoy investigating a contagion known as the Dream Scourge. Murdered during their investigation, the player is resurrected and sets out to destroy the Dream Scourge by discovering its origins. This is coupled with the player character trying to avenge their own murder and working with the various factions vying for power in the Living Lands.

While "Avowed" had lost a lot of its playerbase by the end of 2025, it's definitely worth diving back into for fans of "Skyrim." Obsidian took cues from its sci-fi action RPG "The Outer Worlds" in creating a game where player choices impact their place in the narrative and the wider world. It isn't quite a full-on open-world adventure, but it does feature several large environments for players to explore and there are plenty of side quests to enjoy. A more focused fantasy action RPG, "Avowed" delivers the expected genre thrills in a fresh way.

After the success of 2018's "Kingdom Come: Deliverance," developer Warhorse Studios and publisher Deep Silver reunited for its 2025 sequel. "Kingdom Come: Deliverance II" takes place in Bohemia (what is now the Czech Republic) at the start of the 15th century. The player character is Henry, a soldier working in service to the imprisoned King Wenceslaus IV against his usurper, King Sigismund of Luxembourg. This places Henry in a pivotal role during the ongoing civil war and the community around them as they fight for the fate of Bohemia.

While purists may complain that the "Kingdom Come" games get history all wrong, historical accuracy is not really the point of the experience. 15th century Bohemia serves as an atmospheric backdrop for the medieval action and its open-world environment. The game significantly expands upon the foundation established by its predecessor, refining the combat gameplay and offering even more variables for players. An all-around improvement over the first game, "Kingdom Come: Deliverance II" provides a much deeper and more rewarding experience. If you love "Skyrim," you're bound to fall head over heels for it.