Skyrim is brilliant.
Oblivian broke the mold for RPGs, but the graphics were average and there were moments when the camera just could not get out of its own way and it did not allow for completion of some areas.
Now comes Skyrim. Skyrim is just stunning, the landscapes, the characters, the creatures, the character build, and just feels right. The main quest has a nice storyline and there are many side quests that feel interesting and not just the "kill 20 rabbits" type of quests that populate MMOs now.
The game has its challenges, but they are well thought out: a mage can be a real difficulty for an armor charging knight, a thief can backstab a mage and stop their casting, etc. I have tried a couple of builds and have enjoyed the ability to mix and match to my tastes. You are not stuck being "a mage" unless you want to be. You can buy from any skill tree that you wish and develop your character as you see fit to make them. If you want more self-healing, you buy into that tree; if you want to wear/build plate armor, you buy into that tree, etc. You can build a battlemage type to a nightblade type. This game has total freedom to build you character and it allows you to explore and learn about the world in more detail.
The world is big--and I mean big. I spent a long, long, long time discovering the world and exploring all its nooks and crannies.
This is the RPG that I have been waiting for -- it is fun, it is challenging (without being ridiculous), it is big, and it can take a long time to play and thus makes it worth the price.
The RPG world has been getting brighter with Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Kingdoms of Amaleur, and Skyrim. I look forward to more "non-anime, childlike Japanese animation" games that give the player a whole new world to explore.