The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
(Japanese Version)
- Game Title: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Japanese Version)
- Kanji: Yes
- Furigana: No
- Difficulty: 4-5/5*
*If you have played the game before in English, this is a 4/5.
If you are new to the game, it is a 5/5.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the latest installment in the Elder Scrolls series, and once again boasts hundreds of hours of gampeplay. Unfortunately for those of us avoiding English, it's often quite difficult to find a Japanese version of a game like this. Which is why this game deserves a post of its own, because Skyrim has been completely translated into Japanese.
Yep, you heard me, the entire game has been translated. The interface is in Japanese, all items have Japanese names, all NPCs have been revoiced, all the books translated, and of course there are subtitles available for dialogue. The game is now a gold mine for finding new Japanese to learn and for immersing in the language.
Plot:
You can really make the plot whatever you want it to be. The game is completely open, so you can do what you want whenever you want to do it. The main quest is about discovering how and why dragons are returning to Skyrim, and then figuring out what to do about it.
Aside from the main story line, there are several factions you can join and plenty of people in the world that would like help with various tasks. The world is populated with fully voiced NPCs and the wilderness is full of animals, bandits, fellow travelers, and monster filled dungeons. There are hundreds of hours of quests and dungeons awaiting you.
Gameplay:
The game is an action RPG, which you can play from first or third person. You can fight monsters and bandits with magic, sword and shield, stealth and dagger, whatever you'd like. You can spend all of your time bashing your way through dungeons or you can sneak through the cities and rob everyone blind. The gameplay is set up to allow you to do whatever you want.
Maybe now you'll finally read, "The Book of the Dragonborn."
....yeah, probably not.
Language Level:
This game is definitely on the high end of language difficulty. If you've already played Skyrim in English (or if you've played other games in the series), then you'll have a much easier time. For those who are coming in completely new to the series, this game will be quite a challenge. The important thing to remember in such cases is that you don't have to understand every single word in order to understand the meaning behind what is being said, so don't get too stressed if you don't understand it all at once.
Now you can tell people you were studying all day when they ask what you did.
Final Comments:
This game has so much to offer in terms of immersion. There's text to read, dialogue to listen to, and tons of vocabulary to learn. Plus, if you're already a fan of Skyrim or the previous games in the Elder Scroll series, then you'll have a great way to connect what you already love in English with your new Japanese language skills.
How to get the game:
This is perhaps the best part. If you own The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on Steam (for PC), then you already own the Japanese version. Simply go into settings and change your Steam language to Japanese and the Japanese version will be patched in*.
*If the game does not automatically patch,
right click it in Library and select "Propterties"
Click the Language tab and select "Japanese" or "日本語"
It's important to note that many games on Steam have either full Japanese versions or will patch in subtitles for Japanese support. Switching your client to Japanese will help you find good immersion material.
Click here to visit the Steam homepage.
I'm not going to recommend getting the game for consoles. You'll have to pay import fees and find a retailer who will ship to you, and then you also have to worry about region-locking on your console. It is possible to do it, but you'll need to research for your specific needs to be sure you're getting what you want.
