The first time I realized thepower modding could havewas while playingSkyrim, so it makes sense that a game made off the Skyirm engine using its assets would be such an impactful experience.
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Enderal is much more than a mod though; it’s an entirely new game that stands next to Skyrim as a worthy title in its own right. Everything from the characters to the music is 100 percent original, and the only thing it shares in common with Skyrim is the look—for the most part.
You may write off story-based mods, but trust me, there are tons of reasons to download this free add-on, and we’re going to discuss why Enderal: Forgotten Stories is well worth your time.
8The Music
Ethereal and Off-Putting
I’m not sure if I’ve ever experienced a soundtrack like Endreal’s. It’s one of the most unsettling musical experiences I’ve ever had. The music is phenomenal, and it is absolutely haunting in a way that your favorite horror games have not achieved.
There is a feeling of something being very wrong when the music swells. It’s a slight off note here and there, or a triumphant crescendo that quickly devolves into something that feels almost Lovecraftian in its mood.
It’s a hard thing to describe, but from the second the piano starts playing in the game, there is a chill that will go down your spine. This world is off, and the music conveys that more perfectly than any game I’ve ever played.
7The Side Quests
Bethesda Can’t Even Do This
The side quests in Enderal are fantastic, and they honestly put to shame most games in the RPG genre. The stories are incredibly weird and often unsettling, but they are undeniably masterfully crafted and, most importantly, you feel something at the end of each one.
I’ll give you an example of how deep these can get. I got a notice to check out a local arena. Nothing too different, right? So many games have an arena.
But in Enderal, what starts as a simple set of fights leads you deeper. You find an entire shadowy organization that is planning a pilgrimage, and you follow them on it and end up in an entirely unique area with insane boss fights and one of the most affecting finales I’ve seen in a game, period.
This quest alone feelsmore elaborate and engaging than most full games, and that’s just a slice of what you’ll get when you stray off the beaten path here.
6The Atmosphere
You Feel It
From the opening moments in Enderal, you can tell this game will be something much different than Skyrim. The build of the world is smaller in scale for sure, but there are so many unique locales here and the feeling of a journey is present throughout.
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The dungeons also blow away most of what Skyrim has to offer. They are so varied and bizarre looking that you quickly forget this is just a game within Skyrim’s engine and, instead, start to realize this is a full game in its own right, and a damn underrated one at that.
5The Companions
Up There With Bioware’s Best
Your Companions in Enderal are arguably the highlight of the game. You’re essentially a blank slate, so it’s up to the supporting characters to build the story, and they do a fantastic job in the process.
Let’s highlight one, Jespar, who is the first companion you encounter. He may seem a bit shallow on the surface, but his backstory is so deep and intriguing, and you’ll get every chance to explore it.
Where his story leads is deeply tragic, but powerfully portrayed. He has one of the more emotional character paths and has become one of my favorite characters in any game.
This is just one character. You’ll find others with equally bizarre and intriguing qualities to them.
An Elaborate and Intriguing Maze
There are multiple settlements to explore in Enderal, but there is one that stands above all else—Ark.
You find this city early on, but it’s exploring it on your own that is the most rewarding. There are multiple districts with various shops to explore, but the most intriguing places are in the underbelly of the city, which is much more derelict and incredibly detailed.
This decrepit labyrinth is one of the best areas I’ve seen in an RPG, and it’s an incredible achievement that this was put together by justone person with some modding tools.
Each area has plenty of people to talk to, lore to discover, and also numerous side quests to find.
3The Characters
They Set The Stage
Aside from your companions, the other characters that you find throughout the game do a tremendous job of telling the complex and dark story that is being told.
From the Aged Man to the Black Guardian, you will encounter some truly enigmatic and fascinating characters here that will do everything from deliver exposition to make you deeply wonder about their motivations and what their true role in the story really is.
The voice acting is also phenomenal here, with several performances feeling straight out of big-budget games and showing that all it takes is passion and a chance for a lot of these voice actors to shine.
My favorite NPC here is Tealor, who is a leader of sorts and one you go to often throughout the game. He’s stern and intelligent and delivers his performance with gravitas and a sense of mystery that pervades throughout most of the characters in the game.
2The Battles
Buckle Up, This Fight Feels Real
The fights in Enderal take on an entire different identity compared to Skyrim. There are a ton of wildly creative monsters to conquer, as well as some fights whose scale you will be genuinely surprised by.
There are castle sieges with magic flying everywhere, battles against robotic monstrosities, and all sorts of bizarre creatures that will leave you genuinely unsettled in the process.
If you find the fights in Skyrim to feel samey after a while, Enderal gives the combat a serious agency to it that’s supported by the terrifying and creative creatures you’re fighting.
1The Story
Among the Best RPGs Have to Offer
There is a clear influence fromMass Effect 3here, but once you get past the similarities, the story will absorb you in a way you probably aren’t prepared for.
The basic plot is that a rapture of sorts will be happening soon called The Cleansing, and you need to figure out a way to stop it by building a device.
Where it goes from there, however, is incredible, as the reveals, twists, and turns that happen throughout will make you reconsider all of your private actions and what you’re even fighting for in the first place.
There is a fascinating mix of locales the plot takes you to, and some of the sequences are so creative thatyou’ll wonder why the developer of this gamehasn’t been snatched up by a big-name studio yet.
By the time you hit one of the various endings, I guarantee you will feel something you didn’t think a game was capable of evoking. It is an incredible conclusion that, in many ways, shows Bioware how they should’ve ended Mass Effect.
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