Skyrim has no shortage of side quests ranging from tragic to funny to creepy. While most players have a list of their favorite Elder Scrolls encounters, one side quest that stands out from the crowd is "A Night to Remember." This raucous romp across Skyrim after a drinking contest gone bad is a great example of dynamic, unique, and creative quests that allow the player character to feel more alive, and The Elder Scrolls 6 should follow suit. With the announcement of the upcoming Elder Scrolls 6 - after the release of FPS Redfall and outer space RPG Starfield - it would be great to see more side quests like this one in the future.
Other open-world RPGs like Mass Effect 3 and The Witcher 3 have done a fantastic job of injecting creative and unique gameplay into side quests, allowing them to be more than simply using fetch and gather mechanics that can irk gamers. Given the relative age of Skyrim and the focus on player freedom over narrative, there is ample possibility for Bethesda to add the surprising depth and diversity seen in "A Night to Remember" to future quests in The Elder Scrolls 6.
Skyrim: A Night to Remember Starts With Drinking And Ends With Daedra
One of the coolest aspects of Skyrim's A Night to Remember side quest is able to take players completely by surprise, making a simple drinking game into a province-wide journey to reclaim the Last Dragonborn's memories and dignity. The quest begins when players enter any bar and tavern and meet Sam Guevenne, an innocent-looking man who challenges the Dragonborn to a drinking context, the reward being a rare staff. Of course, if the Dragonborn takes the offer, they best Sam, leading him to invite the player to "A place where the wine flows like water." This is where the hijinks begins.
The player wakes up in the temple of Dibella in Markarth, completely unaware of the events that transpired the night before. A temple priestess accuses the Last Dragonborn of debauchery involving goats and statues. The Last Dragonborn then heads to Rorikstead and is accused of stealing a goat and selling it to a giant. Ysolda in Whiterun demands that the Dragonborn pay for a wedding ring they drunkenly purchased after deciding to propose to a hagraven. The mess takes the player to Morvunskar, where Sam is revealed to be the Daedric prince Sanguine, who applauds the Dragonborn's fun and awards them the Sanguine Rose.
How A Night To Remember Can Evolve Elder Scrolls 6's Quest Formula
Seasoned RPG players are well aware that most popular open-world games have very similar formulas for optional content. From long-term gather quests to quests requiring grinding en masse, the formula is oftentimes tedious. "A Night to Remember" changes this formula, using a combination of combat and narrative to tell a funny, clever and complete story with a satisfying end. Bethesda is known for hiding outrageous side quests in The Elder Scrolls and Fallout games, but players deserve for future side-quests to be more memorable than in the last game.
One way that The Elder Scrolls 6 can thread a needle of impactful storytelling through its optional content is to contextualize it firmly in the game. "A Night to Remember" pulls in various locations, notable NPCs, enemies, and Daedric lore to create a fleshed-out story that feels satisfying and fun. Bethesda can also emulate complex narrative-heavy RPG games like I Was A Teenage Exocolonist and Divinity: Original Sin 2, consistently raising the bar on how optional content can affect the rest of the world. Lastly, the upcoming game should allow players to deal with the consequences of their actions, even if it involves stealing a goat or marrying a hag.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development.