Enderal: The Shards of Order

What can I possibly say about this masterpiece, this shining example of what video games as a medium are capable of? Simply put, it has become my favorite game of all time, even beating games from giants like CD Projekt RED, BioWare, Obsidian, and certainly Bethesda. At the very least, I would personally consider it to be a superior game to Skyrim in every way. The story in Enderal is central to the experience in a way that it simply is not in Skyrim, and the stories on offer, in both the main quest and the many side quests, are exceptional. Both are engrossing and immersive and contain some of the finest writing I have personally seen in video games that relentlessly and mercilessly manipulates your emotions. This immersion and manipulation is aided by the truly professional voice acting, as the game is fully voiced, aside from the protagonist. While there are occasional badly acted lines, the voices for all the main characters range from good to exceptional and most of the characters for side quests are also voiced well. The immersion is also aided by amazing soundtrack for the game. I don't believe I've heard a single piece that wasn't great and it always enhances whatever scene is currently being played, from calm, quiet exploration to tense and engaging fights and dramatic moments. As mentioned, however, this is an open world game and thus exploration plays a key role as well, and in this I can say that Enderal also manages to be superior to Skyrim and exceptional in its own right. The world of Enderal is filled with things to find and explore and each of its major regions manages to feel different and unique. These regions easily draw the player in and make them want to explore and discover the history behind each one. Finally, the combat, while mostly carried over from Skyrim, manages to feel much more tense and engaging. Several small but significant changes are made to accomplish this, such as health not regenerating on its own and the addition of a mechanic to discourage extensive healing during combat. In addition, the game contains a more traditional leveling system that also manages to feel rewarding. Overall, every element of this game combines to make a truly exceptional whole. When I finished it, I was overwhelmed with emotion, I didn't want the experience to end, and a part of me wished that I could forget ever playing the game so that I could experience it for the first time again. For a story driven game, I don't think there is higher praise than that.