Not enough Skryim love in this thread - boo!
For those who enjoy these types of games, there is something magical about walking around an open world sandbox, set in a fantasy environment and just BEING.
For example I noticed a couple of bears on a mountain side and was preparing to go at them (need those bear pelts you know) when I heard the roar. It was distant at first, and I thought it might pass me by. But then the roaring got closer, and the approaching sound of wings was unmistakable. The bears? They fled, while I stood my ground.
I wasn't on a fetch quest (though there are some), I wasn't advancing the storyline, I was walking through Skyrim, exploring. I died that time, from a hard battle with a dragon that I just lost. And I loved it.
Skyrim has already stolen time away from Gears 3, Uncharted 3 and MW3 (lots of threes there); it eats your time (one more quest, one more hill to climb) and rewards you with freedom to approach things your way.
I understand that not everyone likes this type of game - to each their own. But if you DO like this type of game, I could not more strongly recommend Skyrim.
