That last part is especially true for Skyrim. And why 90% of Unreal's Skyrim shots are around the same 5% of the world map.
Having spent no small amount of time trying to replicate some of these shots, this is so true. I keep hoping one of the greats will come up with a guide or something on how to achieve the best possible graphic fidelity, in a truly consistent manner, across the overwhelming majority of locations/lighting conditions.