Its worth playing it ONCE, but no more than that...
Skyrim SHOULD HAVE been much more than Oblivion. Instead, it's much more less.
People expect more from a modern game, something to significantly improve the quality of time spent into virtual realities over older games: good visuals, deep story, logical overall interactions etc.
Unfortunately, Skyrim doesn't provide those, here's why:
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1. Graphics/Visuals
This is one of the very few areas where Skyrim shines a bit. There are nice landscapes and the wide open world is cute enough to invite for roaming. Yes, many games could do with such freedom of exploration.
But again nothing extraordinary. No high jump from Oblivion.
Some textures are not where they should be, in other areas contrasts are broken and bleak.
Some pixels are just trembling for no reason and human faces are hardly distinguishable.
I simply do not understand how playing as a native nord makes my skin suntanned. The logic of it...
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2. Gameplay/Mechanics
No voiced (optional) main char, no animations in dialogue... (ever considered at least comparing to Mass Effect?...)
Controls are good, combat is satisfactory. But the idea of stamina bar is just annoying.
What happened to acrobatics, athletics and other skills?
THE WORST PART is the leveling system. For the life of me, I chose to play warrior and rely on weapons but couldn't get weapons to 100. Instead, I could max speech and enchant quite fast. Playing as mage? Same thing. Bah...
This leveling system, based by skills is bad, bad, bad. Beside the non-logic of being all-in one: warrior, thief, mage etc., it's time consuming and tedious.
I wanna level and use my blade well, but in order to get tougher I must find mobs to cut, and where if there are no fast respawning mobs?? But I can train in speech and smithing faster, instead. So much for the "freedom of playing style"...
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3. Story/Choices
Bad. The only "moral choices" with actual impact you are allowed to make are supporting the rebellion or the empire.
I supported rebellion and guess what? The previously shy and anonymous now fresh established Whiterun Jarl (who, without my efforts would have ever remained a runt) tells me something as "You are not as dumb as you look". You're welcome, your "grace"...
The rebellion titles Ulfric and his generals throw upon you are senseless and plain stupid. "Snowhammer" my ars... and when the rebellion succeeds, what about somebody granting me a Jarl title or at least a fort as a fief? No way, instead I have a pretty long, boring and useless "thane" agenda...
Ok, let's become an Archmage then. The college of mages probably being the only sensible and more realistic implemented faction.
After a no-dialogue, no dispute of ideas, lifeless final battle with Ancano, I am granted the high honor. But...
Just when I thought I am somebody now at least, a mere court wizardling in a dull city speaks with me like I'm his boots keeper. Same in other courts. I can even recall some replies hinted to my narrow comprehension of magic arts... To me, the Archmage!!!
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4. AI (artificial intelligence)
Oh, my... Nothing more to be said here, except when dragons keep attacking the cities (they keep attacking forever, so kiss goodbye the fact you can be a real hero and vanquish them for good), some peasants dare provoke them in direct honorable combat with... bare hands!!!
Such inspired logic deserves the bow of the day....
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The game deserves a 6.5 only because it is better than many other present games and for its pretty open world. But once you played the story, its doubtful you'll ever replay it, considering other better games start growing on the horizon...