25 essential video games every gamer should know

4. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Bethesda’s fifth installment in the Elder Scrolls series is the one game that’s impossible to ignore. Originally developed for Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, it’s since been ported to all modern systems, has a VR version, and recently even got an Amazon Alexa port (yes, really). The game has many cultural significances in the gaming industry and due to a large modding community, has still managed to remain relevant and playable in the modern era, despite its many drawbacks. Gameplay is clunky, glitches are common (a classic Bethesda marker), and dialog and story are less than stellar. Still, many players have sunk hours and hours into the game and it’s considered one of the greatest video games of all time.

You’ll play as your own customized character who finds out that they’re a Dragonborn, a mortal with a dragon’s soul. After discovering this, you go on a quest to kill dragons, gather their souls, and enhance your Dragonborn powers so you can kill Alduin, a dragon who has been prophesized to be the cause of the end of the world. Like any open world game, there are loads of side quests, areas to explore, loot and treasure to find, and different groups you can join, including becoming a vampire or werewolf.