How I Finally Fell In Love With 'Skyrim' This Christmas

I've always wanted to like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim more than I ever have in practice---a problem I had with Oblivion as well, and one that I have with lots of RPGs (as well as MMOs like The Elder Scrolls Online.) Skyrim is riddled with problems, of course, from bugs and glitches to uneven acting and quest design. But it's always been the lackluster combat that left me cold. And I hate that, because this is exactly the kind of game I dreamed about as a kid: Sprawling, epic, filled with secrets and quests and magical items, dark secrets and shadowy organizations. And yet every time I play the game I quickly get bored, or find myself switching to something else with more engaging mechanics like Dark Souls.