Skyrim is a game that needs no introduction. Almost everybody and their mom has either played or heard about this game. But even though Skyrim is one of the most talked-about games of all time, I find one aspect of it to be very underrated: the tone set by every major faction in the game. When we started playing Skyrim, the land was in a civil war, and Skyrim was in an incredibly weak state. This is also reflected within every major faction and town. Whenever you walk into a new city in Skyrim, the Jarl of that place is facing a crisis that can't be solved without the player's help. And yes, even though the main reason it is set up this way is because of gameplay purposes, it also strengthens the narrative that the land of Skyrim is clearly struggling to the point where even the most powerful people in charge can't do anything.

The factions of Skyrim are also the weakest that we have ever seen in the world of Elder Scrolls. Almost every faction is struggling compared to their counterparts in other Elder Scrolls games. The tone that the cities and factions of Skyrim set is one of the reasons Skyrim is my favorite Elder Scrolls game. The feeling of hopelessness is seen and felt throughout the entire game, with every major faction and questline.