The latest incarnation of The Elder Scrolls is an epic, not only because the immaculate world you inhabit is so immense, but also because the gameplay is fantastically intense. In this instalment, the emperor has died and the land of Temriel is in chaos, infested with demons. Temriel can be saved only if the lost heir to the throne is tracked down and the monarchy restored. Here, the gameplay is not rigidly linear and players have complete, exhilarating freedom to explore this universe any way they choose.

This is one of the finest role-playing games currently available. Its developer, Bethesda, has delivered a landscape so rich in detail that the lustrous graphics are genuinely jaw-dropping. This makes for an engrossing adventure where players can pluck and create almost any character from their imagination. The 1,000 or so in-game AI inhabitants are realistic, while the combat system is both natural and easy to pick up.

Aside from the astonishing graphics and cracking sound effects, other pleasing touches include some excellent voice acting —

most notably from Patrick Stewart, who brings Emperor Uriel Septium VII to life with rare authenticity.

TIM WAPSHOTT