The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Preview

Not to be left out, Planet Xbox 360 has whipped up their own brief preview of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, though it doesn't appear to be based on any hands-on time with the game.
One of the most-popular changes to the game involves the NPC's AI, using an updated system called Radiant Story, which allows NPCs to do whatever they essentially feel like and gives Skyrim a more realistic atmosphere. In Fable like fashion, NPCs will interact with the player based on their actions throughout the game; certain side-quests will be available pending actions by the player. Sufficed to say if you piss someone off, they're not going to offer you a quest and may even steal your goods. More importantly, NPCs plan to encourage players to venture into areas and dungeons they haven't yet explored, removing unnecessary backtracking and repetition but still letting the player decide when to move forward with the story. Even though these are all improvements to the gameplay engine, Skyrim will be getting somewhat of a visual overhaul as well. First and foremost, players will notice a new art direction; the green plains of Cyrodil are long gone and replaced with somewhat of a Norse inspired environment, filled with snow-capped mountains, lush forests, waterfalls, and more.