Like a member of the Mythic Dawn coming out of a secret room to stab the emperor within the again, a remaster of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has proven up out of nowhere, and it’s a dagger I’ll gladly throw myself on. As one in all my favourite RPGs ever, it’s no shock that I’ve already put in a full day’s value of taking part in: I’ve closed a dozen Oblivion gates because the hero of Kvatch, made Faustian bargains with a bunch of Daedric gods, fought to turn out to be champion of the world within the Imperial City, and am effectively on my approach to finishing a couple of of the faction questlines – and to this point I’m fairly impressed by the substantial upgrades of this new model. I not too long ago revisited the unique Oblivion, so with its shortcomings very clear in my thoughts, the improved UI, revised voice strains, and particularly the graphical overhaul have made this practically 20-year-old basic massively extra playable. That mentioned, I’ve additionally seen a disappointingly recognizable quantity of jank, like bizarre animations when getting on a horse, damaged questlines, and common framerate hitching. But as somebody who’s fairly resistant to the charms of nostalgia alone, I’m nonetheless having a improbable time returning to this adorably bizarre open-world journey.
It in all probability goes with out saying that the graphical improve is Oblivion Remastered’s largest enchancment. While issues undoubtedly don’t look wherever close to the conventional requirements of right this moment, placing this model side-by-side with its 2006 doppelganger is eye-raisingly spectacular. The total map is crisp, with a draw distance my teenage-self might have solely dreamed of. Lighting, shadows, and character lip syncing specifically have been overhauled a lot that it’s truly form of stunning. That mentioned, different issues bizarrely didn’t get the memo, just like the faces of NPCs, that are virtually universally hideous and cartoonish and have a couple of 40% probability of being cross-eyed. (Although, truthfully, being horrified by character faces may truly be a part of the genuine Oblivion expertise.) So not each Nord and mudcrab is as lovely to have a look at as your typical huge price range recreation in 2025, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a complete glow up. It’s a type of conditions the place I by some means keep in mind issues trying similar to this in 2006, despite the fact that they very clearly regarded a lot worse, which speaks to how the spirit and magnificence of the unique has been maintained.
Perhaps the factor that has had the most important impression on gameplay in Oblivion Remastered is the inclusion of a dash button. If you haven’t performed Oblivion in over a decade, sure, there was no sprinting – wild, I do know – and when you by no means performed it, simply perceive that you just’ll by no means really know this reward you’ve been granted from Akatosh himself. I don’t even actually thoughts that I’m now dropping stamina by sprinting (one thing that annoys me in RPGs the place you’re actually at all times working round). It’s value it, even when it does have the odd facet impact of creating your complete map really feel smaller, particularly cities and dungeons that may now be totally explored in about half the time. This change has additionally made me care an entire lot extra about investing in abilities and magical buffs that improve my stamina, since now I’m utilizing that meter for practically every part I do. But regardless of the additional fiddling that causes, transferring rapidly by way of areas I already know just like the again of my hand makes for a remarkably much less tedious time.
There are additionally a bunch of main adjustments to the UI, abilities, and leveling system, in addition to a wholly new function known as Character Origins, which appear to additional modify beginning stats. The UI has been modernized with right this moment’s design sensibilities, so there are many appreciated additions you won’t even discover. The compass has moved to the highest of your display and gives far more info; the well being, magicka, and stamina meters at the moment are spaced out throughout the display as an alternative of being shoved into one nook collectively; and the menus are far more intuitively positioned, so you’ll be able to toggle between your spells and character stats loads quicker. Some components nonetheless really feel fairly previous timey – like the hunt log popping up proper in the midst of the display anytime you’ve reached a brand new milestone in a single, awkwardly interrupting no matter you have been doing – however most of those annoyances haven’t bothered me a lot simply but. I additionally simply have to spend extra time with the altered leveling system and abilities to grasp if these adjustments have been for higher or worse.
Although developer Virtuous Games headed up this remaster, that is nonetheless a Bethesda recreation by way of and thru, and with that comes quite a lot of bugs. I’ve already seen odd stuff, like one time when an Oblivion gate disappeared earlier than my eyes, or how an NPC walked away and wouldn’t let me discuss to them even when my quest goal instructed me I needed to (although I used to be nonetheless capable of advance the questline regardless of the log not updating, in any other case I’d be madder about that). Then there’s simply plain and easy efficiency points I’ve seen whereas taking part in on Xbox Series X, like how I lose frames for a second or two anytime the autosave triggers or if I’m battling too many soiled, rat-faced scamps in Kvatch. So far most of this has been the same old cheeky blunders that usually don’t smash my time, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly a bummer to see that 20 years wasn’t lengthy sufficient to repair this janky fantasy world.
That’s all I’ve acquired for now, however am hoping to have a full evaluation earlier than too lengthy. First I wish to wrap up the principle quest line, pay a go to to the Shivering Isles, and perhaps go on a rampage throughout Cyrodil simply to listen to the Imperial guards give me their arrest monologue a couple of hundred extra instances. Okay. That’s it. Gonna go catch vampirism or one thing now. Goodbye.
