Skyrim was developed using the Creation Enginerebuilt specifically for the game. The game continues the open-world tradition of its predecessors by allowing the player to travel anywhere in the game world at any time, and to ignore or postpone the main storyline indefinitely. Over the course of the game, the player completes quests and develops the character by improving skills.
The game is set years after the events of Oblivion and takes place in Skyrim, the northernmost province of Tamriel. The game's main story revolves around the player's character, the Dragonborn, on their quest to defeat Alduin the World-Eater, a dragon who is prophesied to destroy the world.