Shauna McKnight | Arts & Life Co-Editor
Skyrim’s ‘Hearthfire’ was released on September 4th, 2012 as new downloadable content (DLC) for the game itself. This new DLC allows players to turn their experience into something similar to EA Games’ “The Sims.” Players will be able to design or purchase their own dream home, get married, and even adopt children. The families have needs that must be attended to by the player. Players can also build things like greenhouses and harvest the plants and flowers grown there in order to combine them and make potions.
The game was released with mixed reviews. Some reviews said that there was no action or excitement; it was simply an interesting feature and not worth the hype. I personally think that the add-on will add dimension to the game and make it more rounded. This will make it easy for players to store their weapons if needed, and sleeping in an owned bed gives better bonuses for experience points. Being able to grow their own ingredients in Hearthfire means players don’t have to spend their hard earned coins on potions in the original game.
Bethesda Studios made a smart move adding this feature to the game. The DLC will give players a reason to keep playing Skyrim, even after they have beaten the main story. It will give players new goals to accomplish, which adds longevity to the game. The longer players enjoy their experience, the more willing they are to pay the $60 to buy the new one when it is released.
For those that have not played, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a video game that was released in November 2011 as the fifth installment in the Elder Scrolls series. The plot is simple: the dragons are back, and you’re the only one who can stop them.
But that’s not all. There are tons of side quests to keep players occupied. Hundreds of giants, trolls, saber tooth cats, vampires, and wooly mammoths are there to kill. There are plants to harvest, potions to make, weapons to find, and gold to steal. Whether you’re into action games or roleplay games, this game really does have something for every gamer.
Graphic by Keyla Calles-Sosa