New Free Game 5X Bigger Than Skyrim Aims to Do What He Should’ve With Elder Scrolls 6

It’s been more than half a decade since Todd Howard first dropped the teaser for The Elder Scrolls 6 on us all, and since then, all we’ve been left with is nothing but dust and a space-faring game that, for some, just doesn’t scratch that high fantasy itch.

Thankfully, a former Bethesda employee has stepped in to help us with said itch. His independently developed title, The Axis Unseen, offers the kind of experience that just might be the cure for TES6’s prolonged absence, looking to fill a Hammerfell-sized gap in our hearts.

Todd Howard Missed Big Time by Not Releasing The Elder Scrolls 6 Sooner

Nathan Purkeypile, who has served as a lead artist at Bethesda since 2007 and contributed to Skyrim, Fallout, and Starfield, has recently left the studio to become an indie developer. His first project is The Axis Unseen.

This eerie, open-world hunting game takes players to a surreal dimension where they hunt creatures with a magical bow, using their wits and careful stealth to survive.

Now, sure, it does have its fair share of flaws, but for a game developed by one fella, and that too, for the very first time, it is a seriously good title. What makes it more impressive, though, is its scale—The Axis Unseen promises a world five times larger than Skyrim, which is an incredible accomplishment for an indie game.

If you’re drawn to the vast, explorable landscapes of older Bethesda games and love to spend hours just appraising the very beauty of the world you’ve found yourself in, the world Purkeypile has crafted will feel like a very natural evolution of that.

Most importantly, for many of us who felt Starfield, aside from the loading screens, severely lacked “the Bethesda magic” that we’d all come to love, this game has it in spades.

If anything, The Axis Unseen simply feels like a massive reminder of how much Todd Howard missed out on by not prioritizing the release of the sixth Elder Scrolls first.

The reason for thinking so is simple, really. The Elder Scrolls is the one franchise Bethesda has used to innovate its game design methodology and philosophy, and you can naturally feel the same when playing Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim in their release order.

So, instead of relying on outdated ideas that would’ve worked a long time ago, as they did with Starfield, The Elder Scrolls 6 might have been BGS’s next big title, really pushing what the team was capable of.

The Axis Unseen Does Exactly What Bethesda Needs to Do with The Elder Scrolls 6

Beyond open-world exploration, The Axis Unseen offers unique mechanics that set it apart from Purkeypile’s Bethesda roots. For instance, instead of dungeons, this game’s vast regions feel alive with folkloric creatures that hunt you as much as you hunt them.

Not only that, but using collectible journals, it tells its story in pieces, letting you uncover lore on your own, which enhances the game’s atmospheric charm. So, with its minimalistic approach to story and interface, the game sheds some of the tropes that tend to slow down major studio games, resulting in a smoother, more immersive experience.

Given that TES6 is still shrouded in secrecy, it’s hard not to imagine what it could become if Bethesda embraced some of Purkeypile’s creative risks and moved away from its existing game design ideas a bit.

Now, whether that happens or not, only time will tell, but while we wait to find out, we’re glad to have The Axis Unseen as the perfect alternative. All that is to say, if you haven’t already, give this game a fair shot—it just might surprise you with all that it has to offer.

But with all that said, have you given The Axis Unseen a shot already? What are your thoughts on it so far? Let us know in the comments below!