Famitsu, the most popular and well respected gaming magazine in Japan, has only ever awarded a handful of games a perfect 40/40 score. The list is essentially a rundown of some of the most respected titles in gaming history — Ocarina of Time, Soul Calibur, Metal Gear Solid 4 — but there's a notable caveat. In the magazine's 25 year history, it's never given full marks to a game that was developed outside of Japan.
Until now, that is. In this latest issue, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim earned a perfect 10 from all four reviewers, making it the first Western game and the 17th game ever to recieve that honor. That's an impressive achievement, and if you ask me, one that's well earned. Take a bow, Bethesda.
There's no question that Skyrim ranks among the most impressive games the medium has ever seen, but this accomplishment reflects on more than just the quality of the game itself. To have a Western game (and an RPG at that) earn Famitsu's coveted perfect score is further proof that Japan's traditionally cloistered mainstream gaming culture has become increasingly open to Western design in recent years.
