The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered Review – Cheese for Everyone!

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Did the sense of limitless exploration and excitement first strike you in an open-world video game? The thrill of venturing into a realm brimming with opportunities, where thoughts about completing tasks were minimal. Perhaps you even neglected the central plot for extended periods. Occasionally, doubts about life’s purpose might arise – but they’d swiftly vanish as curiosity took over again, asking, “What lies beyond?

Many people can trace their love for gaming back to The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, which may have been the game that initially sparked that sensation for some, although not necessarily for everyone. It was peculiar yet captivating, sleek yet complex, and frustratingly intricate at times, but it was also filled with compelling narratives and intriguing characters. Often seen as a transitional point between Morrowind and Skyrim, Oblivion radiated an air of confidence in its strangeness, elegance in its world design, and most importantly, the sensation of being immersed in a distinctive fantasy realm.

Exploring Cyrodiil in ‘Oblivion’ offers a captivating allure and a sense of amazement, with every detail appreciated, despite occasional reminders of its somewhat antiquated features.

In “Oblivion Remastered”, Bethesda and Virtuos aimed to tap into nostalgia, fixing major issues, improving elements constrained by the technology of its original release, and providing a total visual makeover. The essence of Bethesda’s unique style remains intact, be it in NPC interactions or various gameplay aspects. However, there’s a delightful allure, a fascination with discovering Cyrodiil and appreciating its details, despite some aspects of the original “Oblivion” occasionally showing their age.

The narrative opens as the protagonist finds themselves incarcerated, yet swiftly the allure of adventure beckons, this time from Emperor Uriel Septim VII and his personal guard, The Blades. Persistently pursued by assassins, the character manages to flee into subterranean tunnels beneath the prison walls. Not long after, you are drawn into the fray. Acquiring the Amulet of Kings and venturing forth, tensions simmer in the backdrop as the gates of Oblivion threaten to open, allowing the malevolent Daedra to wreak havoc on the world.

Absolutely! Your primary aim is to bring an end to this conflict and establish tranquility within the province (and Tamriel at large), but the storyline takes some intriguing twists without losing its magical adventure vibe. It’s almost unnecessary to say, but I must commend the narrative for standing strong even after so many years.

In essence, you have two options: stick to the main storyline by giving the Amulet to the Blades’ grandmaster, thereby assuming the role of Kvatch’s Hero, or alternatively, set off on an adventure. This could lead you to venture beyond familiar territories, where you might stumble upon hidden caves, forts, and sanctums brimming with valuable minerals. You’ll encounter various creatures such as goblins, ogres, bandits, skeletons, mud crabs, and more along the way.

Whether you’re a stealthy archer taking down your targets or fighting off aggressive creatures, the sound of an arrow hitting its mark is always incredibly gratifying.

Obtain enchanted armor and a dagger that can’t be discarded until its spell expires, by summoning a runestone. Approach an Imperial Guard patrolling the road, attempt persuasion, face insults, resort to combat, and seize his horse (assisted by a wolf). Eliminate bandits residing in ruins, rest, and encounter a Speaker for the Dark Brotherhood who offers you membership.

Each element seems more stunning than before, all thanks to original assets built specifically for Unreal Engine 5. The Emperor’s facial nuances are exquisite, enhanced by the latest lip-sync technology that adds a touch of authenticity and emotion to his speech. Ogres and goblins now appear even more menacing; the diverse races exhibit greater detail, whether it’s the Khajit’s fur or the Argonian’s scales. The live lighting and dynamic shadows create a unique ambiance when venturing into caves with a torch, just as they do while galloping across the countryside on horseback, appreciating the intricate details of the buzzing insects and the improved terrain geometry.

Not only have the battle animations been noticeably improved, but they’re now more fluid thanks to the enhanced hit reactions and sound effects. The simple sound of an arrow finding its mark, whether you’re playing as a sneaky archer or fighting off aggressive creatures, is incredibly gratifying. Even minor details like the slight adjustments during Power Attacks, where your character subtly shifts position depending on the direction, add authenticity. Additionally, the third-person perspective seems more comfortable, though I tend to switch back to first-person when aiming.

To clarify, while the fighting hasn’t undergone a significant transformation, it does feel improved. However, it still lags behind the top-tier combat experiences in gaming. We’ll delve deeper into this, but for now, let me assure you that if you’re an ardent fan of Skyrim‘s combat (despite its own limitations), you might need some time to adjust to Oblivion.

Adopting the fresh leveling system won’t require a significant amount of time. You’ll still find Major and Minor Skills, with each skill improving as you carry out related tasks (boosting Archery improves Marksman skill, sprinting enhances Athletics, for instance). As you accumulate sufficient points, you can advance to the next level, earning Virtues that you can allocate to different stats.

Beyond typical game glitches, there are some significant issues such as my shield and bow occasionally switching hands upon equipping a torch, leading to an impeded view. On certain instances, arrows have been observed behaving erratically mid-air.

With each level, only three attributes can be enhanced, while Virtues remain constant and their advantages (such as Endurance) take effect straight away. This system is less complex compared to the original’s complexity, offering a more enjoyable experience where you can focus on building your character rather than fretting about proper progression or increasing enemy strength that isn’t due to your actions.

I’m not fully convinced about the user interface overhaul, but it’s not as bad as others are portraying. There’s definitely potential for refinements, particularly in filtering features. As for performance, opinions seem to vary. In my case, I ran it at 1440p resolution with Vsync enabled, graphics set to Medium, DLSS on Balanced (FOV for both perspectives was 91), on a Core i5-11400 processor with 32 GB RAM and an RTX 4060 GPU (8 GB).

The frame rate generally stayed stable, but it sometimes decreased after adjusting the viewing distance and texture quality to high. Lowering the resolution to 1080p provided a blend of Ultra and High settings, Quality DLSS, and the performance remained relatively constant, except for a significant drop when transitioning from early morning to sunrise.

The effectiveness can differ greatly depending on the setup, so it’s best to explore various configurations and trials before making a final decision. Additionally, beyond common glitches, there are several significant bugs to be aware of. For instance, after picking up a torch, your shield might appear in one hand while your bow is in the other, hindering your view. Also, arrows have been seen to quiver unnaturally in mid-air on at least one instance.

It’s unclear if this can be labeled as a bug, but the enemy AI seems somewhat inconsistent. At times, they face into walls and make it simple to eliminate them when they’re not aware of their comrades dying. However, they also can respond quickly to even the slightest sound, which I find intriguing.

As the passing years reveal Cyrodiil’s imperfections, the delight of its youthful past makes the entry fee worthwhile beyond comparison.

While immersing yourself in greater amounts of ‘The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered’, certain aspects, such as dungeon layout, remain evidently dated from 2006. Yet, Virtuos has meticulously preserved the charm that originally endeared it to many. Although there might have been more drastic, groundbreaking alterations, these changes could potentially detract from the nostalgic feel cherished by fans.

Essentially, the remastered version of “Oblivion” offers a rewarding role-playing adventure, despite some minor issues that might be addressed in future updates. Compared to Bethesda’s recent projects, it truly shines as a unique gem in its category. Over time, some flaws in Cyrodiil may surface, but the nostalgic charm it brings back makes the cost of entry more than worthwhile.

This game was reviewed on PC.

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2025-04-24 20:12