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After his death, he returned to the scene where Alduin fell from the sky and Helgen was destroyed. This time, Barton learned his lesson. When he gained control of his character's actions, he immediately ran into the nearby watchtower and followed the mission instructions. Midway, he narrowly escaped Alduin's attack and eventually jumped out of the tower to find a way out.
At the center of Helgen, Barton faced two choices in the game: whether to escape with the Imperial soldiers or with the Stormcloaks.
"Camp choice? These are two different plot lines. Is this even a choice? The Empire tried to cut off my head, I have to go with the Stormcloak brothers," Barton muttered, looking at the dialogue options.
Was it a choice? Even though he hadn't played before, the fact that the Empire had tried to execute him made Barton feel they weren't the good guys. While the Stormcloaks might not be perfect either, they at least seemed like the better option at the moment. He entered the Helgen keep and escaped with Ralof. The perspective mode was now unlocked.
You could adjust the camera freely, switching between first-person and third-person perspectives. This was mainly designed for players who experienced motion sickness in first-person view, especially in dark labyrinths or cramped spaces that can cause nausea or dizziness. Still, choosing between third-person and first-person is ultimately a matter of personal preference.
In a conversation with Ralof, Barton looted the armor and weapons from a dead guard nearby. Then, seeing the body lying on the ground wearing only underwear, Barton was surprised. That level of detail added to the realism. In many RPGs, looting corpses is standard gameplay, but not all games show the visual result of stripped bodies. And The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim does include such feedback.
Looking at the mostly naked corpse, Barton suddenly had a mischievous thought and chuckled. Then, following the system's quest markers, Barton led his character into the first combat encounter.
"This combat system is... incredibly realistic," Barton said as he defeated an Imperial soldier under the system's tutorial guidance.
Clicking the left mouse button swings the sword, holding it charges a heavy attack, and right-clicking blocks. Beyond these basics, there weren't flashy combos. Double-clicking or holding a "rub" key didn't pull up any arcade-style mechanics; Skyrim didn't include such systems. But the feedback was solid, hits felt impactful, and weapon clashes gave off that satisfying metallic ring.
Barton especially enjoyed the kill animations triggered by critical strikes. No matter the enemy's remaining health, these cinematic executions showed a blade being driven through their chest in slow motion. These finishing moves looked spectacular and were a hallmark of many modern RPGs.
The Helgen Keep sequence served as a tutorial: using healing items, blocking and attacking, and looting enemies. Mini-game elements were also present, such as lockpicking. When facing seemingly tough foes, stealth was encouraged. The section was easy enough, even on Legendary difficulty; most players could complete it without dying, unless they deliberately tried to.
Barton killed Imperial soldiers, slayed a grotesque frostbite spider, and snuck past a dozing bear. Following Ralof through the tunnels, about five minutes later, Barton emerged from the keep into the open world, and what he saw stunned him.
Dense green forests, silver-white mountains, distant fog and clouds, and sparkling blue rivers, Skyrim's beauty left Barton breathless. It was truly stunning.
Multiple internal versions of this scene were designed but ultimately scrapped by John. This was not the exact scene from the original Skyrim, as John wanted to recreate that moment of awe for players with something new.
Just like the unforgettable scenes from dream-like games, facing the first colossus in Shadow of the Colossus, Joel showing Ellie a giraffe in The Last of Us, stepping into the Wasteland in Fallout 3, or standing atop a cliff in Breath of the Wild, John aimed for visual impact from the start. He even drew inspiration from Halo 4, when Master Chief exits a narrow tunnel to see massive Forerunner ruins. Combining inspirations from many titles, the final scene presented to Barton was designed to deliver an overwhelming visual impact.
Alduin, the dragon who attacked Helgen, flew across the sky above, his massive wings casting shadows as the game's sweeping BGM began to play. Looking across the breathtaking skyline, Barton felt exactly what John had intended: awe.
Just like in cinema, beyond visual effects, proper camera angles and lighting can leave lasting impressions. Likewise, though Skyrim wasn't built on groundbreaking tech, the artistic execution and attention to detail left Barton stunned. He could even see distant trees swaying in the wind, clouds dispersing as Alduin soared away.
Sunlight broke through the sky. Whether it was an illusion or not, Barton thought he saw the snow on the rocks beginning to melt.
"Looks like the dragon's gone for now. We're safe," Said Ralof, pulling Barton back to the story.
Interacting with Ralof presented multiple dialogue options, discussions about the dragon, Stormcloaks vs. Imperials, and two new quests were given. Head to Westwood Town, just outside Helgen, to find family and decide whether to join the Stormcloaks.