For those new to Elder Scroll series, it's not the perfect RPG, but almost could be with MODs.
Review Out of Box: (with at least the recent patches, unless you like bugs and crashes).
Graphics: 9
Even when playing on low to mid graphics options, with only bloom lighting, the environment is just incredible. Yes some distant areas look blocky, and the clouds get pixlated at times, but you take what you get when you have to sacrifice some quality visuals for framerates that actually allow you to move at a decent speed. On a high end system, the graphics will look incredible just like all those screenshots you see. Go lower on any part of the system hardware and you will suffer visually, but its either that or spend several hundreds of dollars to upgrade.
Sound/Music/Voice: 8
The sounds all fit in well to the genra. The music is good but does get repetitive at times. The voice acting is a definite plus. Granted the same voices are heard all throughout the land, but I'm sure if even one more paid actor was hired we may have been looking at higher shelf prices. Patrick Stewart and Sean Bean were great additions, though I wonder if their pay checks could have gone to more voice actors to make the world a bit more distinct?
Gameplay: 9
Granted the level system is very funky, in fact hard-core RPG fans are going to be lost for the first few hours, I know I was. The good part is with some research on the net or just experimenting with the skills yourself, you can get used to it and create some incredibly powerful combinations. Sometimes even a powerful character can emerge in the very low levels. The key to playing this game is patience and diligent planning. You can easily blow through the main quest and most of the side-quests without too much effort. But with laying out a good character at the beginning and watching how you move through the game, you can build a single character that will keep the game interesting for hours and make it last so much longer. Having enemies level up with you is a massive pain however. Since you will "never over power an opponent" as the designers say, it will leave the game interesting but at the same time make you feel like your level 30 warrior is a pansy as he/she gets chewed up by a big dino. But there are ways of getting around that... (hunt for level changing MODs)
Stability/Game Issues: 9
With the recent patch installed, I have yet to have the game crash on me. Afrer exiting I do tend to get an error message and for some reason the uninstall program has a major defect (it won't uninstall unless you do some tricks to coerce it into working). In game you do see a few strange actions like people walking through doors, NPCs falling into walls, and suicidal allies (lava swimming anyone?). Just step back from an opening door in cramped quarters is my best advice. Somehow a gate knocked me through a wall, down into a sewer basement, and into it's very deep water hole which I didn't wait round to find out if it had a bottom. Save often and be ready for oddities now and then, but otherwise the game is stable.
Overall: 9.5
There is a lot to do in Elder Scrolls 4, and so many ways to go about doing it. I'd be very surprised if this game doesn't become a cult classic that lasts well into the days of Windows Vista, and the much anticipated graphics cards that support it. Granted there is going to be something in the game that each person doesn't like. The leveling system and equal enemy leveling comes to mind. The best part of this game doesn't come from what was initially laid out by the programmers. The best part is listed next.
Review with MODs
All: 10
I say 10 for all because the ability to change the game to meet what you want is by far the best thing any programmer can give a gamer. You don't like those clouds in the sky, then change it with this MOD. Level up system stinks? Change it to the classic exp system with enemies that are at set levels. Granted either you have to know how to do it or have to go looking for it, but with just a few months of life to this game the modding community has already turned out some incredible options. Every component of this game gets boosted so long as you have the imagination and the drive to do it. If you're programming incompetant and lazy like me, just look around on the net and you're bound to find something you'd like to use. Bethesda has even been working on their own official MODs that you can buy for $2-$5 dollars. And there's always the possibilties of expansion packs if this game follows in the footsteps of every other PC RPG. Honestly, if you do buy and play this game and find it lacking in anything then just improve it to fit your critieria. Keep that in mind when you read any reviews that have low scores. If there is a complaint or noted deficiency, go see if some MOD has already been made to correct for it. You may just find the fix plus 100 other things you never thought could be done before! Happy hunting all.