Bethesdais recognized as one of the most influential game development studios of all time. Most well-known for the successfulElder Scrolls,Doom, andFalloutfranchises among others. Any list of the best-ever video games is likely to have at least oneBethesda gamesomewhere on it.
But as games age, even great Bethesda games, their popularity wanes. When this happens, unless the developers update the game,remaster itor otherwise bring it in line with modern standards, it will pass into gaming history. However, some games are kept alive by an active modding community. Bethesda has been fortunate in this regard, as several of its titles have received a plethora of excellent mods, keeping them fresh long after their expiry date.
This list includes games both developed and published by Bethesda.
Plenty Of Graphic Update And New Game Plus Mods
Dishonored
Arkane Studios’ Dishonored®, winner of over 100 Game of the Year awards, and all of its additional content come to the next generation in Dishonored® Definitive Edition! With Dishonored’s flexible combat system, creatively eliminate your targets as you combine the supernatural abilities, weapons and unusual gadgets at your disposal. “Void Walker’s Arsenal” offers unique character bonuses, additional bone charm slots, and more that will aid you in pursuit of revenge. Enter the world of the Outsider in “Dunwall City Trials” where you will put your combat, stealth and mobility skills to the test. Finally, play as the legendary assassin Daud in “The Knife of Dunwall” and “The Brigmore Witches”.
Even thoughDishonored, the first game in thefranchise of the same name, was released in 2012, there are still new mods released for the game regularly. Although not as many as there once were. Furthermore, some of the older mods are no longer maintained.
That being said, there are still plenty of excellent mods that work well forDishonored. Many of these aim to improve the graphics of the game, either using textures or improvements to lighting.Dishonoredhas a New Game Plus style of replayability, and there are quite a few mods and save game files available to improve this experience.
An Older Game With A Handful Of Useful Mods
Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth is a first-person horror game that combines intense action and adventure elements. You will draw upon your skills in exploration, investigation, and combat while faced with the seemingly impossible task of battling evil incarnate.
Call Of Cthulhu: Dark Corners Of The Earthmakes this list, simply because there are only a handful of mods available for it, but those that are available fix problems with the game that Bethesda never addressed. Fans ofCall Of Cthulhucan pick this game up very cheaply on special offer, regularly.
By using the mods that fix gameplay, gamers can get a taste of some of the earliestCall Of Cthulhucontent available in video games. The game is somewhat dated now, but it was well-received in its day and somethingCall Of Cthulhuenthusiasts might like to experience.
Even thoughFallout 3was released over 15 years ago, there are still new mods created for the game every week. A lot of these mods aim to bring the graphics of the game up to a more modern standard. This is done with high-resolution texture packs, and changes to lighting, weather, and many other visual elements of the game.
There are also a great many mods that change the gameplay ofFallout 3, and quite significantly so in some cases. For example, the Modern Pipboy mod brings theFallout 4version of the Pipboy to the olderFallout 3. Overall, any game considering playingFallout 3that is put off by its age, needs to know that by using a selection of good mods, the game can be made to look much better, and it is still one of the best games in theFallouttimeline.
Few game franchises are as beloved by gamers as much asDoom. The 2020 release ofDoom Eternalput this franchise back on the modern gaming map. And with the game being received so well, it should come as no surprise that the modding community picked it up and ran with it.
Many of the mods forDoom Eternaladd extra weapons. Some of these weapons are designed to balance gameplay or provide more utility. Others are simply there for the fun factor, and this is whatDoomhas always been about, blowing things up with ludicrous over-the-top weaponry.
Even thoughThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimwas originally released over a decade ago, the fact it has received many updates, special releases, and editions, has kept it in the public eye. Because of this,Skyrimremains a popular game, with Steam statistics showing daily peak players of around 3,000.
The modding community has really gone to town on this game. New mods are still released daily. Many ofthese modsare nothing short of transformational, making the game something entirely new. Graphics updates keep the game looking fresh as well. Recently, modders managed to add AI-driven conversations between NPCs and the player. Players that ownSkyrimbut have not played it in years, might like to dust it off and give some of these amazing mods a try.
To many gamers,Fallout 4represents the pinnacle of Bethesda’s world-building prowess. The game is almost a decade old now but still has a massive following of loyal players and modders. Something the modding community has managed to do is keepFallout 4looking like a modern game. There are a number of high-resolution texture packs available that impact the visuals of almost every item in the game.
Fallout 4hasplenty of modsavailable that change the gameplay, and significantly so. For example, at the time this list was written, the Fallout London mod was approaching release. This is a massive mod that creates an entirely new game in theFalloutworld.Falloutfans who have never playedFallout 4should not be put off by its age. With the addition of a few graphical mods and quality-of-life mods, it is as good as any modern AAA title.
Over the years, Bethesda has learned that mods add value to a game, and in a way that costs the company nothing. Looking back atSkyrimandFallout 4, it is unlikely either of those games would still be as popular today had they not been gifted with some truly exceptional mods by the gaming community. And with this in mind, Bethesda builtStarfieldto be modder friendly, from the ground up.
Within hours of the launch ofStarfield,mods were being published. The earliest of these solved issues with the vanilla game. Patching in DLSS support for example. Others tried to overcome limitations with the UI, due to PC players being forced to use an interface that was built for the console first. A special modding kit is due for release by Bethesda sometime in late 2024. At this stage, modders will be able to change almost every aspect of the game.
