The first step is admitting you have problem.

Well, I finally spooled up Skyrim last night and now my assumptions are true. Skyrim is a soul sucking, life taker.  Started playing at 9:00pm, told my wife I'd be in bed by midnight and didn't leave Skyrim until the 3:00am when my wife gave me the look to come to bed.

And I f*cking barely scratched the surface of this game!

This isn't my first dog and pony show. I've played and beaten Morrowind and Oblivion. This Skyrim is their love child, and it is a beautiful game. Morrowind, at the time was a bit over my head as far as RPGs go and didn't quite understand what was going on. I loved the exploration and the constant danger you were always in, even if it was just a mud crab. Morrowind was a dark story of rebirth and redemption.

Oblivion was the a story of hidden evil and destruction. I spent a lot of time pouring myself into finding the little dungeons that held loot that you couldn't find anywhere else. Like many others, I didn't like the way Oblivion operated, the enemies of this world leveled to you. Which sucked, because you were always fighting a thief with glass armor you barely could afford and he is sporting a whole suit. WTF! Business must be good? huh!? Still really enjoyed that game and built a strong character all the while circumventing the whole leveled business.

Skyrim in the short play session I have done is epic. Morrowind had tons of places to see and visit, Oblivion was beautiful graphically, but yet seemed smaller overall because the dungeons were sparse, and this is home to capital of Tamriel, you would think you couldn't take two steps without finding a cave, house, town, or a group of ruffians after your dough. Skyrim has the best of both worlds, beautiful lands and a cave, house, town AND ruffians after your dough, its oh so much fun. In my travels I have maybe seen like 1/100th of the map. None of that leveled business is back, thank the nine divines. There is some places you just don't go, as I learned last night trying to take on a gaggle of spriggans, that promptly put me in my place,...twice.

I bought the collector's guide and have been taking notes and planning attacks. Thinking about laminating the map. I can't wait to get back to Skyrim, the first step is admitting you have a problem...