Skyrim is a pretty fantastic game that has stood the test of time for nearly a decade. And while a good portion of this is due to the immense lore, story, and customization surrounding the world, we cannot ignore the invaluable addition from mods and the modding community.
From simple additions, like a change in graphics or soundtrack, to literal quests and worlds being added to the game, the modding community has taken a great game and made it into something that is not only surviving but thriving nearly ten years later.
Here in this brief overview, we will go over how you can get the Best Graphical Mods for the game to look less like a PS3 game and more up to date. Not only that, but these mods will work well for beginners into the modding community and may not have the most potent gaming pcs. This way, you’ll have an improved visual experience without sacrificing performance and gameplay.
Number 1: High-Resolution Texture Pack
Our first “mod” on the list, the Skyrim High-Resolution Texture Pack, is not a mod in the traditional sense and is more of a DLC addition that comes with nearly all PC versions of the game.
This pack essentially does exactly what its name implies by increasing the texture resolution in the world around you. While this will undoubtedly improve the game’s base quality and appearance slightly, it’s more of a refurbished foundation point for these other mods.
Get it on Steam as a free DLC add-on.
Number 2: Dark Dungeons for ENB
A great mod for a more immersive experience, this mod improves the dungeon darkness to feel like dungeons. While you can alter and customize the visibility level, the general default setting will be ideal for most people. Be sure to bring a few torches. You’re going to need em.
Get it on the Nexus here.
Number 3: Imaginator
A tremendous stand-alone image modification tool, Imaginator allows you to control the brightness, saturation, tint, sky brightness, and so much more. While all of these mods are excellent to use, you only need this and the High-res texture pack to have a Skyrim experience that is all around better.
You can find it here on the Nexus.
Number 4: Pure Waters
Not much to say here. Pure Waters does precisely that. This mod will make Skyrim’s rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds appear much more vibrant and pleasant looking. It is a complete overhaul so expect much fewer crashes as a result.
Find it here on the Nexus.
Number 5: Realistic Lighting – Full
Realistic Lighting is a complete overhaul of the lighting system in Skyrim. As such, you’ll get a much brighter and immersive lighting experience without any loss in frame rate or processing power.
Get it on the Nexus here.
Number 6: Riften Bigger Trees
If you ever played Skyrim and thought, “Wow, these trees are small,” it turns out you weren’t the only one. This mod makes the trees look fuller and larger to give a much more fantastic forest feeling.
Find it here on the Nexus.
Number 7: Immersive Saturation Boost
A more subtle, if incredibly immersive, mod. The Immersive Saturation Boost mod essentially makes shadows deeper and boosts and enhances the game’s colors and vibrancy. It improves the outdoor lighting as well.
You’ll find it also on the Nexus.
Number 8: ENB
While all of those will significantly increase the overall quality of the game’s appearance, what truly pushes it into near PS5 territory (at least PS4 Pro appearance) is the use of ENB Stakado Cinemascope. This mod will give you a true cinema experience while playing Skyrim while leaving your frame rate nearly untouched!
You will thank me when you play it. I guarantee it.
Find it here on the Nexus.
Conclusion
And there you have it, folks! While these mods are all stellar in their way, it’s important to note that they are here primarily because of their beginner-friendly nature and the fact that they will work well for virtually any Gaming PC.
This should be the beginning of your journey into mods, not the end. Between new followers, abilities, and questlines, the modding community has turned Skyrim from a game that was very fun on its own into something that is truly a new experience.
Just a final warning before I leave you to your playing. If you go down this road and get these mods, you will never be able to look at the standard version of Skyrim again. You have been warned. If you would like to enjoy the standard vanilla version of the game, then turn back now…
Otherwise, prepare to experience Skyrim as you’ve never done before.
