Modders have put an awful lot of effort into making sure Skyrim has continually evolved and expanded in the years since it was first released into the world.
Many have focused on changing the game by overhauling iconic quests, creating fresh mechanics or simply adding interesting details that can make the province feel more alive to it, with a few even going as far as re-creating areas from previous Elder Scrolls games or attempting a little bit of satire.
If you’ve been playing the game since 2011 and are looking for something that can help make playing through the opening few hours of it a little less familiar, a new mod might be worth taking a look at.
Feel like Skyrim's most visited dungeon needs a fresh coat of paint?
The mod in question is called ‘Bleak Falls Barrow Overhaul’, and is the work of modder snozz2004, who has previously made some similar tweaks to dungeons like White River Watch and Embershard Mine.
This time, they’ve decided to turn their efforts towards the infamous Bleak Falls Barrow, building upon some previous changes they made to the tower you trek past in order to reach the ruin.
Once you’ve installed the mod and made your journey to the home of the dragonstone, wading your way past deeper snowdrifts and beefier piles of rubble, you’ll find the exterior of it a bit more difficult to negotiate, with four fresh bandit NPCs patrolling the area, while a few of their buddies warm their hands at a newly added campsite.
Two of those now looking out for intruders will be wielding bows, while the other two will be armed with melee weapons, possibly making for an interesting challenge if you’re taking on the dungeon fresh from an aborted execution at Helgen and have decided to crank the difficulty up to master.
Currently, the mod doesn’t make any changes to the barrow’s interior, though snozz2004 does suggest that they’re planning to do so in future updates to it, so watch this space if that interests you.
Regardless of whether you’re now planning an unorthodox build to spice your latest foray into Tamriel, make sure to follow us for more updates on The Elder Scrolls 6 and the interesting world of Skyrim modding.
You can also check out our mods of the month for January 2023 or our new series where we delve into the rich history of The Elder Scrolls 5’s setting: