14 Games Like Skyrim: Open-World RPGs on Steam

The best games like Skyrim pull you in the same way: there’s a mountain on the horizon you want to climb, a cave you stumble into on the way, and a character who slowly becomes whatever you keep doing. In Skyrim you could ignore the dragon prophecy for as long as you liked and turn into a sneaky archer, a skilled smith or a wandering mage. Every game below keeps some of that freedom, and the table shows where each one fits.

What makes Skyrim feel like Skyrim?

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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is the version on Steam today. It’s made by Bethesda Game Studios, it’s single-player, and it has a Very Positive rating from more than 381,000 user reviews. The Special Edition bundles the main game with its add-ons and remastered art and effects. It also supports Creations, which add new quests, places, characters, armor and weapons.

A few ideas sit at the heart of it, and they’re what to look for in any of the games like Skyrim you pick next:

• Freedom over story. You play the Dragonborn, destined to face a world-ending dragon, but you can put that off indefinitely and just explore the frozen north.
• Skills that grow with use. Hit things with a bow and your Archery improves. Craft a dagger and your Smithing goes up. Skills are split across combat, magic and stealth, and your character grows from whatever you actually do.
• A world full of places. Wilderness, cities, towns, villages, fortresses, caves and dungeons, which you can explore in first-person or third-person view.
• Endless replay. A new race, a new playstyle, or new content from Creations makes another run feel fresh.

Games that are like Skyrim rarely match all four. The groups below are sorted by which part they nail, so you can head straight to the kind of fit you want.

The closest games like Skyrim: Bethesda-style open worlds

These five play most like the thing you already love: first-person open worlds where you choose a role, wander off and make your own path.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

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Of all the games like Skyrim on Steam, this is the closest match, because it’s the Elder Scrolls game that came right before Skyrim, rebuilt by Bethesda Game Studios and Virtuos with new visuals and refined gameplay. You explore the province of Cyrodiil and try to stop the forces of Oblivion from overrunning it, or you ignore that and go your own way.

The store page sells the same promise Skyrim made: be a noble warrior, a sinister assassin, a wizened sorcerer or even a scrappy blacksmith, and play the way you want. You journey across Tamriel’s landscapes and battle across the planes of Oblivion itself.

Who it suits: anyone who wants more Elder Scrolls right now. Steam reviews are Mostly Positive. Modes: single-player.

Fallout 4

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Same studio, same structure, different world. You’re the sole survivor of Vault 111, coming out into a land reduced to ash by nuclear war. The store page promises hundreds of locations, characters and quests, plus factions you can join, ally with or ignore.

If you loved how Skyrim let you drift away from the main story and come back whenever you felt like it, Fallout 4 is one of the games like Skyrim that works the same way. The difference is a post-apocalyptic survival mood instead of swords and snow. The store also talks about rebuilding and reshaping the Wasteland your way, so it suits players who like the idea of building something that lasts.

Who it suits: Skyrim fans happy to swap fantasy for sci-fi survival. Very Positive on Steam. Modes: single-player, full controller support.

Fallout: New Vegas

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Obsidian Entertainment made this one and Bethesda Softworks published it, so it shares the Fallout world but puts more weight on factions and consequences. New Vegas is a desert town of dreamers and desperados, the kind of place where people get shot and left for dead, and it’s being pulled apart by rival groups.

What you do here is pick sides. Every faction wants control of the oasis, and the right person with the right weapons can make a name for themselves. If your favorite part of an RPG is deciding who to back and living with the result, this whole game is built around that idea.

Who it suits: players who care more about choices than graphics. It’s the oldest game in this group, but its Steam reviews are Overwhelmingly Positive. Modes: single-player.

Avowed

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Avowed is one of the newest role playing games like Skyrim: a first-person fantasy RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, set in Eora, the world first seen in the Pillars of Eternity series. You explore the Living Lands, an island full of old magic where a strange plague is spreading chaos across the wilderness.

You fight with magic and steel, build alliances or make enemies, and your choices shape what happens to the island. If you enjoyed mixing combat and magic skills in Skyrim, this is a modern take on that feeling.

Who it suits: players who want first-person fantasy with a strong focus on choices. Mostly Positive on Steam. Modes: single-player, full controller support.

Starfield

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Starfield is Bethesda Game Studios’ first new universe in over 25 years and its biggest game, according to the store page. In the year 2330 you join Constellation, a group of space explorers hunting rare artifacts across the galaxy, and you can create any character you want.

The appeal is the same “go anywhere, be anyone” promise, stretched across the stars instead of one province. The trade-off is that its Steam reviews are Mixed, so it’s best for players who already know they love the Bethesda formula and want more of it in a sci-fi setting.

Who it suits: Bethesda fans curious about space. Modes: single-player, full controller support.

Fantasy worlds with harder, deeper combat

Skyrim’s melee combat drew criticism even at launch. If you finished it wanting fights that demand more from you, these two keep the open fantasy world and raise the stakes.

ELDEN RING

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FromSoftware’s fantasy action RPG sends you through the Lands Between, a huge continent where open fields and enormous, multi-level dungeons connect seamlessly. It’s one of the few games like Skyrim where so much of the fun is finding something nobody pointed you toward, and the store page leans on the joy of discovering unknown threats.

The big difference is the combat. Bosses are tough, and the store page describes a system that’s simple to learn but takes real skill to master. Knowing the terrain and its secrets helps you beat enemies, and you can even lure invading players into traps.

Who it suits: explorers who want a real challenge. Very Positive from over a million reviews. Modes: single-player, online co-op, online PvP, full controller support.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

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A huge open world built around satisfying action combat, from Capcom. You travel with three AI companions called Pawns. They fight on their own and pick up traits based on how you play.

On PC you can share your Pawns online and borrow other players’ Pawns when a quest needs a particular skill, and you earn treasure and tips in return. If you’d rather not explore alone and want companions who act on their own in a fight, this is the pick for you.

Who it suits: players who want flashier fantasy combat with a squad at their side. Very Positive on Steam. Modes: single-player, full controller support.

Story-rich role playing games with real choices

These aren’t seamless first-person sandboxes, but they put a party of companions at your side and give you decisions that change the world.

Baldur’s Gate 3

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Larian Studios’ party-based RPG is set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. A mind flayer parasite has been planted in your brain and is waking strange powers in you. You can fight it, or give in and become something truly evil.

Character creation is huge: 12 classes and 11 races from the D&D Player’s Handbook, or you can play as one of the pre-made Origin heroes. Because you lead a whole party rather than one lone hero, it plays differently from Skyrim. But if you spent your time there building characters and roleplaying choices, this rewards that more than anything else here. It’s also the best pick for playing with friends; our co-op picks for It Takes Two fans have more ideas if that’s what you’re after.

Who it suits: roleplayers and groups of friends. Overwhelmingly Positive on Steam. Modes: single-player, online co-op, LAN co-op, cross-platform multiplayer, Remote Play Together (Steam’s feature for streaming a local game to friends online). Windows and macOS.

Dragon Age Inquisition

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The sky has torn open, a demonic invasion has begun, and the factions of Thedas are already at war with each other. You’re the Inquisitor, leading a band of champions to hold the world together. The Game of the Year Edition on Steam includes all three official add-ons: Jaws of Hakkon, The Descent and Trespasser.

The store page calls it a choice-driven story: you’re not only deciding who to send into which battle, you’re making decisions that shape the future of Thedas. It suits Skyrim fans who wanted the fate of the world to rest more heavily on their choices.

Who it suits: players who want their decisions to carry real weight. Mostly Positive on Steam. Modes: single-player, online co-op, full controller support.

Grittier open worlds from smaller studios

These come from studios with a long history of rough-edged, atmospheric RPGs. Expect harsher worlds, humbler heroes and fewer modern comforts.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

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A story-driven open-world RPG from Warhorse Studios, set in medieval Bohemia during dark times for the Holy Roman Empire. You play Henry, a blacksmith’s son whose village is attacked by invaders. He grabs a sword and sets out to avenge his parents.

The store page promises castles, forests, villages and other realistic settings, along with quests and choices that carry influence. Among games like Skyrim, it’s the one for players who liked the medieval side of that world more than the fantasy side.

Who it suits: players who want grounded, historical realism. Very Positive on Steam. Modes: single-player, full controller support.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord

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TaleWorlds’ strategy and action RPG is a medieval sandbox. You create a character and then trade, craft, negotiate and conquer across Calradia, an empire split by civil war. Eventually you raise armies and fight alongside them in huge real-time battles.

It answers a different wish: what if you could lead armies yourself instead of adventuring alone? No two playthroughs are the same, according to the store page, and Steam Workshop support plus a level editor give it the long modding life Skyrim players know well.

Who it suits: players who want strategy alongside their roleplaying. Very Positive on Steam. Modes: single-player, online PvP, Steam Workshop.

Gothic II: Gold Edition

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A classic from Piranha Bytes, bundled with its Night of the Raven add-on. After the magical barrier around the Mine Valley falls, freed prisoners turn bandit in the forests and mountains around the capital, Khorinis, and the town militia is powerless to stop them.

It’s old and it looks it, but it’s one of the original games like Skyrim in spirit: an open fantasy world with a lawless countryside and trouble waiting outside town. Give it time and the world opens up.

Who it suits: patient players who don’t mind dated visuals. Very Positive on Steam. Modes: single-player.

Risen

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Also from Piranha Bytes, Risen drops you on the island of Faranga, a rough, moody fantasy world shaken by mysterious earthquakes. You can fight with a sword, learn staff combat or become a mage, and your actions change the island’s fate.

The store page promises plenty of side quests and creatures and more than 60 hours of open-world play. It’s a good fit if you like a smaller world that you get to know inside out, instead of a map stuffed with markers.

Who it suits: fans of old-school RPGs. Very Positive on Steam. Modes: single-player, full controller support.

ELEX II

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The sequel to ELEX takes Piranha Bytes’ formula into a post-apocalyptic science-fantasy world called Magalan. You play Jax, who has to unite its free people against the Skyands, a new threat from the sky.

The standout feature is the jetpack, which lets you cross huge areas with a lot of freedom and move through the story any way you want. It’s for players who like Skyrim’s open structure but want something stranger than another medieval fantasy.

Who it suits: players who want something unusual. Mostly Positive on Steam. Modes: single-player.

How to choose between games like Skyrim

Lists of games like Skyrim often blur together because “open world RPG” covers a lot of ground. A better way to choose is to name the part of Skyrim you’d miss most.

• The feel of first-person exploring: Oblivion Remastered, Avowed, Fallout 4.
• Finding things off the beaten path: Elden Ring, Gothic II, Risen.
• Roleplaying and choices: Baldur’s Gate 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Dragon Age Inquisition.
• A grounded, historical setting: Kingdom Come: Deliverance.
• Bigger-picture power struggles: Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, Fallout: New Vegas.

A worked example

Say your last Skyrim character was a stealth archer who never touched the main quest. The real draw was freedom plus sneaky roleplay. Oblivion Remastered is the safest next step, since the store page specifically mentions playing as an assassin. Fallout: New Vegas comes next if you want your choices to matter more. Elden Ring is a weaker fit even though it’s a fantasy open world, because its store page puts the focus on intense combat and formidable bosses.

Mistakes to avoid

• Expecting Elden Ring to play like Skyrim. The exploration feels similar, but the difficulty is far higher.
• Skipping older games because of their age. Gothic II, Risen and New Vegas look dated, yet their Steam reviews are still Very Positive or better.
• Assuming you can play with friends. Skyrim Special Edition is single-player on Steam, and so are most games like Skyrim here. Only Elden Ring, Dragon Age Inquisition and Baldur’s Gate 3 list co-op.
• Ignoring the review summary. Starfield’s Mixed rating doesn’t make it bad, but it’s a sign to start there only if you know you like Bethesda’s style.

If you’d like something completely different after all that questing, our games like Minecraft list leans into building and survival. You can also browse more games like the ones you love or the best games on Steam by genre. To see what’s coming next, check our upcoming games coverage.

Questions and answers

What game is most similar to Skyrim?

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is the closest match because it is the Elder Scrolls game that came right before Skyrim. Bethesda Game Studios and Virtuos rebuilt it with new visuals and refined gameplay. You explore an open fantasy province, you can be a warrior, an assassin or a sorcerer, and the store page promises you can play the way you want. If you want a different setting, try Fallout 4. It comes from the same studio and has the same open-world freedom, but it is set in a nuclear wasteland.

Is there a newer game like Skyrim?

Yes. Two of the newest picks on Steam both came out in 2025. Avowed, from Obsidian Entertainment, released on Feb 18, 2025. It is a first-person fantasy RPG where you fight with magic and steel and make choices that shape the Living Lands. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered released on Apr 22, 2025 and modernizes Skyrim's predecessor. Starfield, released Sep 5, 2023, is Bethesda Game Studios' newest original world, set in space instead of fantasy.

What is the best open world game on Steam if I loved Skyrim?

Among the games in this list, Baldur's Gate 3 and Fallout: New Vegas both have Overwhelmingly Positive Steam user reviews. Baldur's Gate 3 is a party-based Dungeons & Dragons RPG rather than a seamless open world, though. For pure exploration in a huge connected world, Elden Ring is the strongest choice. It has a Very Positive rating from more than a million reviews, but its combat is much harder than Skyrim's.

Are there games like Skyrim with co-op?

Skyrim Special Edition is single-player only on Steam, but some games in this list support co-op. Elden Ring lists online co-op and online PvP. Dragon Age Inquisition lists online co-op. Baldur's Gate 3 has the widest support: online co-op, LAN co-op, cross-platform multiplayer and Remote Play Together, Steam's feature for streaming a local game to friends over the internet. Most of the other picks here are single-player only.

Is Skyrim a relaxing game to play?

It can be, because Skyrim lets you ignore or postpone its main story for as long as you like. You can spend an evening raising your Smithing skill, riding between towns or clearing a single cave, and nothing forces you back onto the main quest. If that self-directed pace is what you enjoy, Oblivion Remastered and Fallout 4 share the same open structure from the same studio.

Are there role playing games like Skyrim with a more realistic setting?

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is the clearest choice. It is a story-driven open-world RPG set in medieval Bohemia, part of the Holy Roman Empire, with castles, forests and villages built as realistic settings. You play Henry, a blacksmith's son caught up in a civil war. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is another medieval pick. It is a sandbox where you trade, craft, raise armies and fight alongside your troops in large real-time battles.