No discussion of USSEP is complete without acknowledging its contentious aspects. Critics argue that the patch goes beyond bug-fixing into subjective “design changes.” For example, USSEP “fixes” the ability to loot Arch-Curate Vyrthur’s unique armor—something Bethesda intentionally left unplayable. It alters the Ebony Blade’s quest so that killing friendly NPCs no longer counts, a change many see as undermining the weapon’s cursed theme. On the technical side, the 1.6.318 version of USSEP, due to the Aurora compiler changes, required a strict update to SKSE64 (version 2.1.3 or later), leaving users who wanted to stay on 1.6.318 but avoid the full Anniversary upgrade in a frustrating middle ground. Furthermore, the patch’s “all-in-one” nature means users cannot selectively revert changes they dislike without breaking dependent mods.

Since 1.6.318 gave all players four free Creation Club items (Fishing, Rare Curios, Survival Mode, and Saints & Seducers), the USSEP was updated to ensure these new assets didn't conflict with base-game locations or NPCs.

The Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch is a comprehensive mod that addresses a wide range of issues in the game, including bugs, glitches, and inconsistencies. It is not an official patch from Bethesda but rather a community-driven project.