The battle system reflects Bethesda’s focus on realism. Essentially, you have the choice of how you wish to fight a battle. Depending on your movement toward a target, your weapon is rated for damage in three categories: chop, thrust, and slash. Obviously, the harder you swing a weapon, the more damage it can inflict, but the extent of the damage is also predicated on where you strike an opponent. A thrust to the leg may cause less damage than a chop to the neck. This throws a lot of thought and strategy into the mix to offset the use of a real-time battle mode. Players must also keep an eye on their fatigue meter, because stronger attacks make your characters more tired. Should you run out of energy in a battle, you are most certainly done for.