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For years now, I’ve heard many The Elder Scrolls followers proclaim that Oblivion is a greater recreation than Skyrim. After almost 80 hours spent exploring the various and fantastical land of Cyrodiil in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, I couldn’t agree extra.
I’m floored by how effectively the core of Oblivion holds up virtually 20 years after its launch. It is a fantastically crafted RPG game with a real coronary heart of gold, a depraved humorousness, and a deceptively deep effectively of issues to do and locations to discover. Regardless of its identify, Oblivion Remastered is nearer to a full remake, with sensible updates whereas holding the core untouched. It’s nearly completely executed, if only a contact too cautious in its method to modernizing sure methods.
I missed The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion the primary time round, having jumped aboard the Bethesda RPG prepare with Fallout 3 after which sinking my enamel into Skyrim across the time I ought to have been finding out to get into College.
Within the years since, I’ve realized to grasp Oblivion’s fame as a basic, however one which’s been made considerably irrelevant by the juggernaut success of it’s sequel. Pair that considering with my lack of curiosity in diving into RPGs of a sure age, particularly ones as notoriously buggy as Bethesda’s, and it’s actually no marvel I’d largely written Oblivion off till now.
Overview data
Platform reviewed: PS5 Professional
Accessible on: Xbox Collection X, Xbox Collection S, PC, PS5
Launch date: April 22, 2025
With Oblivion Remastered being maybe the worst stored secret in gaming ever, I can’t say I used to be excited on the concept of a remaster of a 2006 fantasy RPG. Slap the phrase remaster onto a challenge, and I believe we’ve all realized what to anticipate. A better decision, the entire DLC tied up into one neat package deal, perhaps some re-recorded VO for good measure. Nice for followers of the unique, pretty unexciting for people who by no means performed it.
However Oblivion Remastered isn’t what you’ll count on. This isn’t a easy facelift, it’s a meticulously crafted reconstruction, meshing previous and new in ways in which I don’t assume we’ve actually seen up up to now.
The visible upgrades are beautiful, extra voice strains add new depth to character class decisions, and fight is now simply the correct mix of Skyrim jank and up to date motion. That is the improve Oblivion at all times deserved, giving it the prospect to lastly step out of Skyrim’s shadow.
That previous Bethesda appeal
No matter your opinions are on Starfield, Fallout 76, and Fallout 4, Bethesda’s fashionable RPGs are undeniably a little bit of a combined bag, with wildly totally different approaches to open-world design when in comparison with The Elder Scrolls sequence.
Nonetheless, I’ve discovered myself liking one thing about every, after digging deep to seek out the components that show the studio’s pedigree is well-earned, and ongoing. Oblivion would possibly effectively be the place Bethesda’s distinctive model of recreation design is finest showcased.
There are bugs and jank, oh the jank, nevertheless it’s all utterly outweighed by glorious writing, an virtually impossibly detailed world, and RPG methods that reward you for truly roleplaying. You is usually a thief, an murderer, a mage. You possibly can concentrate on alchemy, exit into the world and clear fortresses for loot, and even run Guilds as the massive boss in cost.
Greatest bit
The Darkish Brotherhood questline in Oblivion Remastered is maybe my favorite from all of the Bethesda RPGs I’ve performed. It rewards you for finishing assassinations in particular methods, extra akin to one thing present in Hitman moderately than a fantasy RPG. Each single member of the Brotherhood is a standout, from the pale, vampiric chief Vicente Valtieri (who, in my playthrough, would generally seem utterly bald resulting from what I’m assuming to be a glitch), to the obnoxious Khajiit sorcerer M’raaj-Dar. There’s a murder-filled escape room quest too that’s among the finest facet quests I’ve ever performed.
NPCs discuss over one another, digicam angles change wildly in dialog, and selecting up the improper merchandise can ship the sport into a tough crash, nevertheless it’s definitely worth the commerce off for moments that solely Bethesda video games can provide. Moments the place you stroll right into a tavern and witness an argument that you must intervene in, and earlier than you already know it you’re serving to a person pretend his personal dying to keep away from paying his money owed.
Moments like by chance discovering a vampire lair and contracting Vampirism, which then should be cured in case you’re ever to journey throughout daylight once more. I can rely the memorable quests and moments from the previous few Bethesda RPGs I’ve performed on one hand, however have little doubt that there’ll be twenty plus that’ll stick with me from my first Oblivion playthrough.
Better of each worlds
I’ve talked about that Oblivion Remastered sits someplace between a conventional remaster and a remake, however what does that imply precisely?
Effectively, in some ways, the crew at Virtuous have Skyrim-ified Oblivion, bringing methods like levelling and participant physics extra in step with that of The Elder Scrolls 5. You now degree up each main and minor abilities simply by doing that individual ability – e.g. enhance lockpicking by selecting extra locks, get higher at persuasion by making an attempt to steer NPCs.
It’s a easy however elegant resolution that helps take away among the obstacles that beforehand punished gamers for behaving out-of-character. You’re continually enhancing your construct as you go, whether or not that’s by sprinting between cities, or blocking assaults with a defend. These are very minor adjustments to the unique components, however provide a sufficiently big high quality of life enchancment to make Oblivion really feel like a recreation from 2016 (and a forward-thinking one at that), not 2006.
Then there’s the graphics, and oh boy, does Oblivion: Remastered look unbelievable. By switching over to Unreal Engine 5, the builders have utilized all new lighting tech. At night time, this implies moonlight dances throughout the floor of lakes, including depth and vibrancy to even the darkest of settings. Wall-mounted torches flicker and solid shadows, filling chilly sewer tunnels and deep subterranean caves with dynamic oases of sunshine.
The sport’s sensible environmental design is left to supply the spine right here, however high-tech extras have been layered atop to intensify and praise, moderately than remake utterly.
You possibly can inform Oblivion Remastered is a brand new model of an previous recreation, completely, nevertheless it additionally offers some up to date open world RPGs a run for his or her cash when it comes to presentation, artwork course and atmospheric results. It’s a wierd combine – half previous, half new, half one thing else completely – nevertheless it works.
Shifting ahead, Oblivion Remastered ought to be a reference level for how one can replace an previous recreation for brand spanking new audiences, whereas holding the magic of the unique intact.
“Oblivion Remastered ought to be a reference level for how one can replace an previous recreation for brand spanking new audiences, whereas holding the magic of the unique intact.”
As somebody who had solely performed the newest instalment of The Elder Scrolls sequence till now, I’m impressed to seek out that Magic performs a deeper, extra advanced position in Oblivion. Mage builds aren’t solely extra viable, however simpler to place collectively due to the superior Guild quests present in main cities. You possibly can solid spells along with your weapons out, and Conjuration can be utilized to actually package your self out as a flexible battlemage.
Like many gamers, I’ve tended to slide right into a stealth archer construct when taking part in these types of video games, however in Oblivion I’m being continually rewarded for experimenting with play-styles, and sampling from all points of the sport’s build-mechanics. Typically, this all feels extra in-line with my expertise with Dungeons & Dragons, in that whatever the scenario I’m in, there’s in all probability a stat change, an enchantment, a spell or consumable that may assist me tip the scales in my favor.
There’s actually room to roleplay if you wish to stick to 1 outlined path and character, however for these on the lookout for extra of a complete expertise of the sport, there’s little or no punishment for attempting out one thing new.
Nearly too devoted?
Remastering a recreation like Oblivion isn’t any simple process, provided that the unique’s inherent bugginess and unpredictability are huge causes as to why gamers nonetheless carry it as much as today.
The memes are historic at this level, the marginally wonky line deliveries and erratic digicam snaps now closely ingrained in web tradition. To remake Oblivion utterly can be to snuff out its originality and coronary heart, however simply how devoted are you able to be earlier than you merely provide up what quantities to the identical recreation simply on newer platforms? Effectively, Oblivion Remastered is nearly as shut as I believe it’s doable to get to whereas strolling this notably precarious tightrope.
As a contemporary solution to play a traditionally vital recreation, that is excellent for brand spanking new gamers, preserving the spirit of the unique whereas making it as pain-free as doable to expertise. The developer has undoubtedly erred on the facet of warning with Oblivion Remastered, selecting to go away issues the way in which they have been again in 2006 as an alternative of switching them out for parts that will in all probability be higher to play in 2025.
This devotion to the supply materials, whereas admirable and finally the precise name, does lead to some downsides. The problem settings are everywhere, not fairly managing to bridge the hole between simplified levelling methods and the newly up to date fight mechanics.
I used to be continually switching between two settings, discovering one too simple and the opposite robust as nails. There’s additionally stability points, the place the brand new atmospheric results and lighting sluggish issues down within the open world. Whether or not these are new points, or remnants of historic bugs, I don’t know. However actually, it’s disheartening to run into so many inconsistencies in what’s an in any other case stunning recreation.
All through my 80 or so hours of play time, I’ve truly run into fewer bugs than I’ve come to count on from a Bethesda RPG. That’s to not say it’s been clean crusing, with unusual visible glitches, quest-halting bugs, and straight hard-crashes being semi-frequent.
What’s actually disappointing is that after wanting up fixes for the problems I used to be experiencing, I discovered that they have been predominantly points that have been rampant within the authentic model. That is sadly a consequence of selecting to remaster moderately than remake, possible unavoidable with the extent of care put into preserving the unique’s extra charming blemishes.
Nonetheless, I’d moderately take care of twenty 12 months previous bugs than play a sterilized, over-polished remake that’s lacking what followers cherished about Oblivion the primary time round.
On the entire, Oblivion Remastered is a triumph. A fastidiously thought of love-letter to a recreation that’s been considerably overshadowed within the years since its successor’s launch. By skating the road between remaster and remake, Bethesda and Virtuos handle to supply up a worthy modernization that lastly offers extra gamers the prospect to weigh Oblivion up as one of the best recreation in The Elder Scrolls sequence.
It’s so good the truth is, and I can’t consider I’m about to say this, however maybe only one extra model of Skyrim wouldn’t be so dangerous? Okay, perhaps we should always accept Morrowind first.
Play it if…
Don’t play it if…
Accessibility
Oblivion Remastered options expanded accessibility choices compared with the unique.
Intention Help, 5 problem settings, and the choice to show off blood splatter are the one gameplay options on provide.
Sound is damaged down into a number of classes that may be tweaked to personalize the expertise, and FOV will be modified for each the primary and third individual viewpoints.
Textual content dimension and subtitle textual content dimension will be elevated, although I discovered the biggest choices to be on the smaller dimension, particularly when taking part in on a TV. There’s full button mapping, that means the sport ought to be appropriate with accessibility controllers just like the PlayStation Entry.
Total, it is a fairly commonplace suite of accessibility options. It will have been good to see extra assets put into additional increasing the choices, given it is a remaster, with gameplay-specific distinction modes and colorblind choices being lacking at current.
I performed Oblivion Remastered for 80 hours on the PlayStation 5 Pro. Throughout that point I accomplished Guild Quests for Fighters Guild, Thieves Guild and The Darkish Brotherhood.
I performed round half of the marketing campaign, selecting as an alternative to deal with thievery to get myself a home in Anvil, which did find yourself being haunted. I’m planning to proceed taking part in the sport, leveling up my lockpicking, Heavy Armor and Blocking, hoping to set off clearing Forts across the map. I performed in Efficiency Mode all through, which prioritizes body charge over graphical decision.
On PlayStation 5 Professional, I performed the sport utilizing a 4K LG gaming monitor (LG UltraGear 4K Gaming Monitor 27GR93U). I used a DualSense Edge controller, with the Razer Blackshark V2 gaming headset related by way of the controller jack.
Sometimes, I’d transfer the sport onto PlayStation Portal to play on the go. I discovered Oblivion Remastered to be the proper PS Portal game, with nice presentation and stability all through.
First reviewed Could 2025