Overview
What is Skyrim Anniversary Edition?
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is the new and improved remaster of the same titular game that took over the gaming industry back in 2011. Published and developed by Bethesda, the series is set in the fictional continent of Tamriel, where the fifth mainline iteration takes place in the northern province of Skyrim.
The game is a fantasy action-adventure role-playing game that focuses on player interactions, questlines, exploration, and sandbox-like gameplay. It also uses fantasy themes such as magic, limited technology, and various humanoid races, including orcs, elves, and more.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition features:
⚫︎ Open World Action Adventure RPG
⚫︎ Medieval Fantasy Setting
⚫︎ Switch 2 Graphics and Controls Upgrades
⚫︎ Includes All DLCs and Bethesda Creation Club Mods
⚫︎ Nintendo Exclusive Content
| Digital Storefronts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Steam |
 Playstation |
 Xbox |
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 Epic |
 GoG |
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| $49.99 | |||||
 Switch 2 |
 Switch |
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| $59.99 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition Review: Like An Arrow to the Knee
Here We Go Again
Ah, Skyrim.
One of the games that practically shaped my love for RPGs and iconic one-liners. So many arrows to the knee, and yet here I am still playing the game for the nth time. Its massive open-world RPG design basically made everyone try to replicate its recipe for success. Yet none have been able to survive quite like Skyrim has, having lived through about 2-3 generations of consoles throughout its tumultuous lifetime.
Similar to the community and their undying love of modding the game, Bethesda has cashed in on Skyrim ever since its initial release in 2011, with the Anniversary Edition capping off as the game’s final official release. And this time, we have our hands on its latest port, the Nintendo Switch 2 edition. While it promises to be even better than the surprisingly great port for the original Switch, is it actually better than its predecessor? Or is it something you should steer clear of? The short answer is yes, it’s better than the original Switch version. But the long answer? You’re gonna have to read on.
Looks Better Than I Remember
If you’re like me, you’ve opened and played Skyrim one too many times already. So much so that you already memorise the opening sequence of the game and the dialogue that ensues as well. Another thing you’ll notice is how much the game has aged, which was painfully apparent in the original Switch version.
The Switch 2 upgrade is a proper facelift, one that needs to be commended as the difference between the two is night and day. There’s a big difference between the two versions’ resolutions, where the Switch 2 is obviously superior in visual fidelity. Higher-resolution textures, better anti-aliasing to eliminate jagged edges, and improved lighting and tessellation are among the few graphical improvements easily seen.
In a way, it actually looked way better than I remembered. Yeah, the animations are still stiff and all that, but it definitely did not look like this in the original 2011 release.
In addition to the game’s added fidelity, load times have been drastically reduced as well, where I could swear that it’s sped up more than half of the actual loading times in the original version. In addition to the better graphics and faster load times, the Switch 2 Edition also makes use of the new console’s new control schemes: Mouse Mode.
Actual Mouse Mode Implementation
The Mouse Mode for the Nintendo Switch 2 is underrated, and most of the time, you expect it from games that are ported from the PC to the Switch 2. With Skyrim Anniversary Edition, Bethesda has done a stellar job with implementing Mouse Mode, as it has everything you need to tweak it to your liking.
While I’m not particularly fond of the control scheme, I found it useful while playing Skyrim on the Switch 2, especially since I played the original one on the PC. It felt natural and worked quite well, as you could even use the other buttons on the Joy-Con as additional buttons for Shouts, menus, and more.
So with the upgraded fidelity, faster load times, and actual Mouse Mode implementation, there’s no way this port could be bad, right? Well, that’s where the performance issues come in.
Technical and Performance Issues
The Switch 2 is a pretty powerful console, so it’s not too crazy to expect that games ported to it should perform much better, especially compared to the preceding console generation. So it’s good that it does perform better, but not MUCH better, if you get what I mean. For context, the original Switch version of Skyrim Anniversary Edition runs at a stable 30 FPS, which is impressive given the game's scope and the console’s age.
The Switch 2 Edition, however, doesn’t reach 60 FPS. In fact, it only moves at 60 FPS during loading screens. To make matters worse, the framerate isn’t even stable, as it fluctuates quite a lot during gameplay, especially when you’re out exploring the many areas of Skyrim. You’d even notice that the game definitely moves much smoothly when you’re indoors. It feels like the game has an uncapped framerate that constantly jumps up and down when you’re panning the camera around.
It also has quite a bit of input lag, which proved very annoying for an action RPG and actually led to gameplay that felt even more clunky and heavy than it already was. This was especially bad when trying to use a bow and in lockpicking. There’s also the matter of things not loading correctly. One specific instance was a house in the town of Riverwood that didn’t load at all, leaving it as just a floating door. While it didn’t happen as much as the frameskipping issue or the input lag, it was still something that bothered my playthrough quite a bit.
At the time of writing, the game has already been patched to alleviate some of these issues. But it’s still not quite the level of polish, or at least what you’d expect to have when a remaster or port is released to a current-generation console. It’ll take some time before the game is fully optimized on that end. Right now, we can only pray and hope that Bethesda can upgrade the Switch 2 Edition enough to run at a stable 60 FPS. Hell, I would even take a graphics downgrade if it meant that the game would run at a stable framerate.
No Mods, No Life
It's no secret that Skyrim is one of, if not the de facto king of modded games in recent history. So it's no surprise that Bethesda wanted to monetize this and stamp their approval on mods that they deem official. Before we open the can of worms that is the discussion of mods, the problem is that the Nintendo Switch versions lack mod support.
So you can't even access the Bethesda Creation Club or choose any additional mods, meaning you're only playing the base game, expansions, and the additions in the Anniversary Edition. So if you're looking to add at least even the mods that Bethesda, themselves, deemed official, you’re out of luck. You’ll have to play the Switch versions with no mods and only the original design.
Is Skyrim Anniversary Edition Worth It?
Only If You Already Have the Anniversary Edition on Switch
So is the Switch 2 Edition of the Skyrim Anniversary Edition better than the original Switch version? Yes. But is it better in every way? Not quite.
The better graphics are obvious and make the game look way better than I remember, and the Mouse Mode actually makes use of a niche Switch 2 control scheme that definitely needs more application.
However, the performance and technical issues that plague it make it a less desirable port than any of the other versions it currently has. The lack of mod support also diminishes its value, since mods are the biggest reason for its popularity and longevity, even after all this time.
The only way I’d recommend getting the game at the moment is when you already have the Anniversary Edition on the original Switch and a Switch 2 for the free upgrade. You could also argue getting the $20 upgrade since it’s much cheaper, but I would definitely hold off on buying the game at full price ($60) and wait for a sale or wait until the Switch 2 edition gets its much-needed fixes.
FAQ
Where do I find the Nintendo Exclusive Content (Master Sword, Champion’s Tunic, Hylian Shield) in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition?
You can find a Zelda-themed chest in a small alcove in the Throat of the World location in the game. Otherwise, you can obtain these items through the use of amiibos and have a chance to spawn the Zelda-themed chest.
How do I use my Amiibos in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition?
To use and obtain the freebies from your Amiibos, open the Magic Menu and go to the Powers section. Select the Amiibo Power and use it to select a spawn point for your items. Scan the Amiibo using the NFC sensor located on the Right Joy-Con to redeem your free items.
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