Sometimes too much realism’s a bummer, like before electricity, when torchlight leaves towns looking like murky bogs under starless skies. This mod throws reality out the window to give you much better exterior lighting (especially, notes the modmaker, in mods that increase darkness at night — the shot above is with the mod applied, rendering the town of Whiterun dramatically brighter). You’ll also get lampposts on major roads, torches on paths, extra torches and large bonfires at forts, and a few other lighting improvements. Best of all, this mod lets you tweak any of the above on the fly using an in-game console.
The 10 Best New Skyrim Mods for May 2012
Want a lantern you can wear at the hip? Bags and pouches that clip to every body part? Brighter outdoor lights? Cats, dogs or rabbits that'll call you master? You'll find all that and more in our pick of this month's best new Skyrim mods