Exploration, magic, and flying, spectral ice serpents have probably never looked so good.
Bethesda has released a bounty of new Skyrim screenshots for the delectation of Elder Scrolls fans. The images show everything from a picturesque mountain lake, to what looks like an orc getting shanked in the gut by a hooded assailant.
Skyrim is set in the frozen north of Tamriel, and continues the Elder Scrolls story after the events of Oblivion. It has been two centuries since the Mythic Dawn cult tried to bring the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon to Cyrodiil, and since then, the Empire has gone into a sharp decline. In the middle of a Nord civil war, the great dragon Alduin – also known as the World Eater – returns to fulfill the prophecy fortold in the Elder Scrolls. Naturally, the player is the only one who can stop Alduin, and prevent it from devouring everyone.
As you can see from the screens, Skyrim is looking pretty impressive, especially for a game that doesn’t come out for another seven months. They’re a great mix of the sort of things you can expect to do in the game, from exploring caves – and running into unexpected trouble – to climbing mountains, to stealthy engagements that end badly for the other party.
Skyrim comes out for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on November 11th.
