The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim attempts to make its combat more cinematic through the use of Kill Cameras. Skyrim Kill Cameras can be triggered in a number of ways, like when players deal an especially devastating killing blow to an enemy or when they manage to pull off a stealth kill. While they’re meant to show off the impressive ways that the player character has dispatched of their enemies, sometimes the Skyrim Kill Cameras lead to some unintentionally hilarious moments.
Reddit user BeenEatinBeans recently showed off a funny Skyrim Kill Camera moment. In the clip, the Skyrim player walks up to a Bandit Highwayman and is able to get the jump on them without even bothering to use stealth. The Dragonborn then plunges a sword into the bandit’s back, to which the bandit says something about being surprised in a tone of voice that does not fit someone actively being murdered. The player then pulls the sword out of the bandit’s back and he lets out a groan before falling to the ground.
The clip has amassed nearly 1,000 upvotes on Reddit as Skyrim fans seem to be amused by the bandit’s casual expression of surprise while being stabbed in the back. Others are more interested in the player character’s prosthetic Dwemer arm, which BeenEatinBeans explained was from the Wheels of Lull mod, one of many Skyrim mods that players can download to expand their experience with the game.
Skyrim Kill Cameras can lead to funny moments like this, but they can also lead to visually impressive fight scenes that make the combat more immersive. Other times still, the Skyrim Kill Cameras can actually be used for a gameplay advantage.
It’s been discovered that Skyrim players can avoid fall damage if they manage to land on an enemy and trigger a Kill Camera animation. If Skyrim players are on a particularly high ledge and notice an enemy below them, they can jump off and if they swing their weapon just right, they will potentially trigger the Kill Camera and avoid taking any fall damage. It’s a tricky move to pull off, though, so anyone that wants to try it might want to save their game first just in case things don’t go as planned.
Bethesda has used Kill Cameras in its other games besides just Skyrim, so it will be interesting to see if it returns in the upcoming Starfield. No Starfield gameplay footage has been shown off at the time of this writing, so combat in the game is a complete mystery, but answers should come in the months ahead.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - Anniversary Edition is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
