Review in Progress: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

Unexpectedly, like a member of the Mythic Dawn darting from the shadows to betray the emperor, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has been remastered, and I’m all in for the plunge. As one of my all-time favorite RPGs, I’ve already clocked in a solid 24 hours: shutting oblivion gates behind me as Kvatch’s hero, striking deals with Daedric lords, ascending to be the arena’s champion in the Imperial City, and diving deep into faction quests. The impressive updates woven into this newer version really stand out. Having recently played the original, its flaws fresh in my mind, the improved interface, refreshed voice acting, and especially the stunning graphics breathe fresh life into this 2006 gem, now nearing its 20th anniversary. But, true to Bethesda form, I’ve encountered my fair share of oddities, from quirky animations when mounting a horse to glitchy quests and occasional frame rate drops. Yet, for someone who doesn’t wear nostalgia-tinted glasses, this quirky open-world escapade is as delightful as ever.

Without a doubt, the graphical lift is the crown jewel of Oblivion Remastered. While it might not meet today’s gaming graphical standards, comparing this to its 2006 iteration is genuinely eye-opening. The map is sharper, offering a draw distance unimaginable to my teenage self. There have been major upgrades to lighting, shadows, and character lip sync that hit you with just how drastic the improvements are. That said, some elements didn’t quite make the remake cut, like the NPC faces, which are, to put it mildly, bizarrely cartoonish and often cross-eyed. But hey, the ghastly character models are part of Oblivion’s charm anyway, right? While it may not be as sleek as today’s big-budget games, the transformation is remarkable. It somehow feels like this is how my mind remembers it from 2006—which is a testament to maintaining the soul of the original.

A significant tweak that impacts gameplay in Oblivion Remastered is introducing sprinting. Hard to believe, but sprinting wasn’t a thing back then! If this is your first adventure in Cyrodiil, just know that you’re experiencing a divine boon from Akatosh himself. Even with stamina depletion in the mix—an aspect that can be irksome in persistently run-heavy RPGs—zipping around is worth it. Sure, it makes maps feel a bit smaller, shrinking cityscapes and dungeons to more manageable proportions. I find myself more invested in upping skills and magical perks to boost stamina since it’s now pivotal in almost every escapade. Adjusting to this isn’t burdensome; rather, breezing through once-familiar lands is refreshingly efficient.

The remaster also brings significant changes to the user interface, skills, and leveling system—and there’s a fresh feature called Character Origins, offering tweaks to initial stats. The updated UI embraces modern sensibilities subtly, yet significantly. The compass has ascended to the top of your screen, loaded with invaluable info; your health, magicka, and stamina bars now span out conveniently, and menus flow smoothly, allowing quicker toggling between spells and status. Some old quirks persist, like the quest log obtrusively centering when hitting new milestones, which can be an awkward pause in your adventure, but these aren’t overly bothersome. My journey with the revamped leveling and skills will need more time to assess whether they enrich or detract from the gameplay.

Though remastered by Virtuous Games, Oblivion retains its Bethesda roots—warts and all. There’s still a slew of bugs lurking about. I’ve experienced classic moments where Oblivion gates vanish unexpectedly or NPCs inexplicably stroll off, defying quest scripts (though, luckily, I could progress despite logs suggesting otherwise). Performance hiccups on the Xbox Series X, such as frame drops during autosaves or brawling in Kvatch amidst hordes of scamps, remind me it’s still very much a Bethesda creation. While mostly harmless, these niggles are a stark reminder that two decades haven’t entirely smoothed out the kinks of this eccentric universe.

That wraps it up for now, but I aim to pen a comprehensive review soon. First, I need to conquer the main storyline, revisit the Shivering Isles, and perhaps spark some chaos across Cyrodiil just to relish those infamous Imperial guard arrest monologues a few dozen more times. For now, I’m off to potentially catch vampirism or embark on some other adventure. Until next time, take care!