Despite releasing in 2011,The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis still getting plenty of updates from its modding community, slowly transforming the game over a decade and a half into an experience that can keep up with the modern action RPGs of today. The very dedicated modders can even change the genre ofSkyriminto a completely different title at times, with many mods offering a Soulslike experience to up the stakes. Still, the community has its favorites, and some mods stand out over others as must-haves in a 2025 modlist.
The obvious options are ENBs, the Lux suite, texture overhauls, and so on to make the game look like it belongs in 2025’s new releases, but there are also plenty of quest mods that have gained fame for their unique takes onSkyrim. From time loops to profound explorations ofElder Scrolls' lore and dungeons that actually require some thought, these quest mods add immense depth to the game. One specific mod adds horror toSkyrimin a way that many others have failed to replicate:Clockwork, a famed quest mod that has 2.3 million downloads on Nexus.
Clockwork Is A Must-Have Quest Mod For Skyrim Modders In 2025
It Is One Of Skyrim’s Classics
Antistar’sClockworkis a Nexus Mods classic, combining horror with the mysteries of the Dwemer to offer a unique experience that has managed to appeal to a large audience.It takes the Dragonborn through a forgotten tunnel as they are trailed by a strange ghost, eventually leading them to a forgotten castle in the Velothi Mountains, a mountain range betweenSkyrimandMorrowind. Now trapped after the tunnel collapses, the Dragonborn must find a way to get back into Skyrim, working with the strange automatons living in the castle and uncovering their dark secret.
The Velothi Mountains are named after the Chimer prophet, Veloth, and are known to be home to many Dwemer cities.
As seen in the trailer forClockworkon Antistar’sYouTubechannel,what makesClockworkspecial is the completely different tone it has to the rest ofSkyrim, All the best quest mods offer the player a new experience instead of the same old dungeon crawls and dragon-slaying, fromSirenrootshowingES6how dungeons should be done to theVigilanttrilogy providing a deep dive intoElder Scrollslore withDark Souls-esque storytelling.Clockworkis no different, setting up a horror-filled experience that doesn’t deviate greatly fromElder Scrollslore and feels like it still fits.
A part of what makesClockworkso good is how lore-friendly it is, going so far as to feel like its narrative would fit within the world ofTheElder Scrolls. The story behind the strange, somewhat undead Dwemer automatons is feasible, given what players are told about the Dwemer inThe Elder Scrollsseries, and the mod doesn’t end with the quest. Players get access to Clockwork Castle as a home once they find their way back to Skyrim, and its teleportation room, which is also surprisingly lore-friendly, offers an immersive way to fast travel.
Clockwork Brings True Horror To Skyrim
A Disturbing Story That Makes Players Feel Uneasy
Quest mods are usually known for something to make them stand out, whether that be adding new lands, bringing in new mechanics, or making the player’s head spin.Clockworkhas arguably one of the most effective beginnings of any quest mod, andthe uneasy, horror sequence in the mountain tunnel before reaching Clockwork Castle feels like aResident Evilgameat times. From the imagery of the skeletons to the sound effects, there’s a reason why the intro ofClockworkhas stayed in many people’s minds long after its release and remains a staple in many modlists.
The Shadow (the ghost following the Dragonborn in the tunnel) cannot be harmed and players should run upon seeing her.
Although its intro is the part where the horror shines most, the quest retains an uneasy feeling throughout, from the disturbing way many of the strange Dwemer automatons talk to how the castle feels like a relic of a lost time. The imagery of golden, gilded skeletons wearing Dwemer armor is a creative and unsettling way to present the automatons, and being one of the only truly alive people in the area adds to this unsettling feeling.The Dragonborn feels alone without actually being alone, and that’s without taking the existential themes into account.
Questions come into play about whether the strange Dwemer automatons the Dragonborn interacts with are truly living, their minds fading into madness as the technology that sustains them fails. While it is easy to shrug off the enemy automatons as essentially being zombies, the two friendly automatons,Lahar and Lamashtu, bring with them some uncomfortable questions about a sense of self and what truly constitutes being truly alive.Clockworkalsoexpands on Dwemer lore inElder Scrolls, and while it doesn’t provide any concrete answers, it does offer an intriguing and creative mystery to uncover that feels feasible.
There’s A Reason Clockwork Is One Of Skyrim’s Most Beloved Mods
And Other Modders Have Helped To Update Clockwork For 2025
Clockworkis a classic, having been released in 2016, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been updated in places to help it keep up. While the core story and themes are strong enough to experience it in a rather vanillaSkyrimplaythrough,there are plenty of additional mods to helpClockworkfit into an ultra-modded playthrough. These can include complete texture overhauls, high-poly model replacers, bug fixes and patches, and lighting improvements. A quest mod receiving its own mods in support proves how much love it’s received from the community.
When making a modlist full of new quests for 2025,Clockworkshould be near the top of that list (not literally), alongside the sprawlingVigilanttrilogyandSirenroot’s amazing dungeonadditions. These are the type of quests that Bethesda should make to create a deeper dungeon-diving experience inThe Elder Scrolls 6that goes beyond looting a place and moving on. Quest mods likeClockworkprove that it can work in anElder Scrollsgame and that players aren’t afraid of this depth, especially when it comes to exploring the lore.
Whether you want a largely vanilla experience or an ultra-modded one for your next playthrough,Clockworkshould be considered a must-have quest forThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, and it’s worth hiding behind a pillow to experience. It’s an iconic example of what the modding community could truly be capable of, and it remains one of the classics that everyone with even a bit of interest in modding should try.Clockworkwas one of the first mods to raise the bar for what Bethesda should be trying to achieve forTheElder Scrolls 6.
