Oblivion Remastered Might Have Fancy 4K Graphics, But This Has Nothing On Its Incredible Lighting

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Announcing that your game is now available in 4K resolution is an exciting boast, and it’s a great, non-technical way to attract consumers towards a fresh product. However, research shows that this claim often turns out to be less significant.

When it comes to movies, it’s ideal to present images as closely as possible to their original form, and that often means using 4K resolution because it does a better job of showcasing the details that directors intended. However, in video games, striving for such high resolutions is usually unnecessary and not worth the extra processing power. Instead, we should place greater emphasis on lighting effects and ray tracing, with Oblivion Remastered being a great demonstration of this concept.

Ray tracing is employed to mimic genuine world lighting effects, creating shadows, reflections, refractions, and illuminations that occur instantaneously rather than the pre-prepared solutions we’re often familiar with.

The Difference Between Resolution And Dynamic Rendering

As someone who isn’t a developer or game designer, I want to clarify that the opinions I share are based on my personal experiences as a player and critic. Since these views don’t stem from any professional expertise, it is essential to keep this perspective in mind. Now that we have established that, let’s explore the topic together!

In 2017, when Switch 2’s marketing began touting 4K upscaling, I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Firstly, the concept of upscaled 4K is hardly significant compared to genuine 4K resolution. Secondly, it’s disheartening that a feature hyped since my first 4K TV in 2017 is still being emphasized in 2025, particularly when there are other more striking features like Nintendo’s once-promising OLED screens, which seem to have been abandoned.

Well, it’s good to know that the Switch 2 includes High Dynamic Range (HDR) display, a feature that really added to my gaming experience back in 2017 when I launched Final Fantasy 15 and had to squint due to the game’s bright sunlight!

This discussion isn’t limited to Nintendo, but encompasses video games in general. The connection to Nintendo arises from recent promotional efforts, but even if we consider “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” running on its initial 2017 hardware, it managed to run at a resolution of 720p in handheld mode and 1080p when docked. However, despite the game’s relatively low-resolution textures, its impressive lighting effects and art design made it appear visually superior to many games on more advanced platforms.

Then there are emulators, where individuals can add ray tracing. This unexpectedly brings to light the fact that a game running at 720p/1080p resolution can have an astounding look when the lighting is properly executed – no high-resolution scaling or HDR enhancement needed (to be fair, I don’t believe the Switch 2 was ever intended to attain Nvidia RTX standards).

Oblivion Remastered Balances Everything To Showcase Lighting At Its Best

Exploring Cyrodiil in Unreal Engine 5 keeps surprising me with its stunning visuals. Yes, it’s quite demanding, but the graphics are exceptional (I manage to run it at 1440p on my PC). However, what truly captivates is the ray tracing, which makes each moment I step into cities I used to know feel like a rediscovery. The sunlight touching the streets, the way light dances through trees, the water’s reflections revealing the chapel steeple’s ripples, and the shadows cast by buildings on their bricks, all contribute to an intricate depth that adds a sense of freshness to my journey.

In simpler terms, the quality of textures being in 4K or even highly realistic assets isn’t essential for me; they can add more depth but aren’t crucial. What truly captivates me is exceptional lighting, as it can breathe life into any art style. I remain unimpressed by games or hardware that emphasize 4K resolution, but if you mention Real-Time Ray Tracing (RTX) or advanced lighting techniques, I’m immediately intrigued – just like an NPC in Oblivion who quickly focuses on you during a conversation.

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2025-05-04 22:08