Coming fresh off of Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, I was initially underwhelmed by Skyrim. The combat felt clunky compared to Ezio’s fluid style, and the sandbox world of Skyrim couldn’t match the detailed beauty of Revelation’s environments or characters. Had I quit playing after my initial two-hour impression, however, I wouldn’t have realized why Elder Scrolls V’s lowest rating among top reviewers is a 9/10. Now some 40+ hours into the experience (just under 1/10th of the way through this 300-hour tour de Norse), I can join the chorus of geeky voices declaring Skyrim the best RPG I’ve ever played. The initial dip into the massive universe Bethesda has created can prove overwhelming, and tends to make players feel tiny and weak. But as the initial awe wears off, these same players find themselves plunged into the most complete and addicting experience of their gaming lives. My only warning: Do not give this as a Christmas gift if you ever want to see your giftee again—you just saw that it’s 300 hours long, right?