Related: How D&D Dragonborn Characters Are (& Aren't) Like Skyrim'sįor instance, if the player wanted to roleplay as a student of the Way of the Voice - as they might in an RPG about using dragon shouts - they only have a limited number of ways to explore this in their character's build. It hardly makes one feel like a Dragonborn, a legendary fighter with the soul and voice of a dragon. Skyrim's dialogue, books, and world all suggest something deeper, but the gameplay only reflects this at the surface level by providing abilities that accentuate the series' core skills like swordplay and spellcasting.
The problem is that the power of Skyrim's Dragonborn, the Thu'um, is not properly represented in anything but the game's story elements, despite the fact that it's a unique feature and core selling point. Throughout Skyrim's story, Bethesda tries very hard to convince the player that Dragon Shouts - and their coinciding philosophy, the Way of the Voice - are deep, nuanced skills that few creatures (even Dragonborn) can truly master. Despite the player's legendary status as Dragonborn, however, the game does a very poor job at making them feel as such during gameplay. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrimis an RPG with deep lore surrounding dragons and their history in its land of Tamriel.
