The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was a big deal when it was released in 2006, picking up several Game of the Year awards and leaving a lasting legacy in the decades to come. As the follow-up to the previous game, Morrowind, Oblivion provided a more refined version of Bethesda’s open-world design, and thanks to its release on home consoles like the Xbox 360, helped bring role-playing games further into the mainstream. Now, just a year shy of the game’s 20th anniversary, a fresh iteration of Oblivion is available in the form of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, developed by Virtuos and available on PC and modern home consoles. Thankfully, this new release goes above and beyond what’s expected from a remaster, and once again offers the fantastical world of Oblivion to a new generation of gamers.
More Than Just a Remaster
For starters, it’s important to define the difference between a video game remaster and a remake, as it exemplifies just how impressive Oblivion Remastered is. For a remake, the entire game is recreated from the ground up, but in a remaster, the original code is still used on a base level. This usually means that remasters lack significant graphical and gameplay improvements, but that’s not the case with Oblivion Remastered. Though the game contains the exact same story, everything from the visuals to the combat have been modernized, creating a familiar but more finely tuned experience.
Just like before, Oblivion Remastered follows your custom character as they explore the fantasy world of Tamriel, specifically fighting back against an army of demon-like enemies who have recently invaded via portals to their fiery home realm of Oblivion. In addition to the main story, there are countless side quests to check out, along with a selection of guilds to join, like the Thieves and Assassins guilds. Oblivion Remastered also contains the two major expansions for the game, Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles, resulting in well over 100 hours of gameplay for dedicated players. Plainly put, this new version doesn’t skimp on including all the extra content, which is doubly impressive when you check out the remaster’s changes firsthand.
The first thing you’ll notice about Oblivion Remastered are the amazing visuals, which are arguably better than some of Bethesda’s more recent games, like Starfield. While the original game’s code works behind the scenes, Oblivion Remastered has been transferred into the cutting-edge Unreal Engine 5, producing lifelike lighting, better character models, and more detailed environments. These graphical enhancements are only further elevated by significant changes to the game’s combat. Whereas the original version of Oblivion had somewhat floaty fighting, Oblivion Remastered features battles that feel more kinetic, with engaging feedback and better blocking mechanics. Better yet, you can now experience all of this in either third-person or first-person perspectives. It’s a rarity to see such notable improvements in a remaster, but Virtuos has put in the hard work, and Oblivion Remastered is a testament to that effort.
Oblivion For All
In the two decades since Oblivion‘s initial release, Bethesda has become a household name with further releases like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and modern entries in the Fallout franchise, with each new game further cementing their signature design. While many of these games have received remasters and re-releases, Oblivion has long lurked in the background, with its age more noticeable as time continues. There are plenty of RPG fans who have never bothered to check out Oblivion, but thanks to the new remaster, it’s an experience that feels fresh and new.
Oblivion Remastered doesn’t fix every problem, as the open world is still somewhat plain and the main quest line lackluster, but these issues are greatly outweighed by the varied and vast improvements. Still, it presents a rich world of high fantasy that’s addictive to inhabit, making for an engrossing playthrough. Plus, at just $50, there’s a substantial amount of value, a growing rarity in the AAA landscape. This is a game that deserves its place in the pantheon of RPGs and that every fan of the genre should experience at least once. Thanks to the updated visuals and gameplay of Oblivion Remastered, this classic RPG is now on equal footing with its modern peers, making it worthwhile for both existing fans and newcomers.
