Ask most gamers who experienced the Xbox 360 era, and despite the infamous Red Ring of Death, you'll likely hear a lot of fond memories. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a game that sparked countless such memories for Xbox 360 owners, including myself. Working at Official Xbox Magazine at the time, I found that while The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind's Xbox port didn't quite capture my interest, Oblivion did so from the very start. Initially planned as a launch title for the second Xbox, Oblivion was the subject of multiple cover stories at OXM, with its stunning screenshots captivating everyone. I eagerly made several trips to Bethesda in Rockville, Maryland, to cover it.
When it came time to review Oblivion, I was back in the days of exclusive reviews, and I jumped at the opportunity once again. I spent four glorious days in a conference room at Bethesda's basement, immersing myself in the breathtaking world of Cyrodiil for nearly 11 hours each day. Before returning home, I had logged 44 hours on a submission build of the game, playing on an Xbox 360 debug kit. My review for OXM scored Oblivion a 9.5 out of 10, a rating I stand by to this day. The game was exceptional, featuring engaging quests like those from the Dark Brotherhood, hidden surprises like the unicorn, and much more. Despite having to start over when I received the final retail copy, I eagerly dove back in, ultimately investing another 130 hours into the game. It's no surprise then that I'm thrilled about its remastered and re-released version on modern platforms.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Screenshots
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For younger gamers who grew up with Skyrim, the newly released The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is their first "new" mainline Elder Scrolls game since Skyrim debuted over 13 years ago. I envy this generation who consider Skyrim as their quintessential Elder Scrolls experience. They are now experiencing a "new" entry in the series while fans of all ages eagerly await The Elder Scrolls VI, likely still 4-5 years away.
However, I doubt Oblivion will resonate with them as powerfully as it did for me back in March 2006. For one, it's a two-decade-old game, and though Bethesda chose to release it now rather than wait another year for its 20th anniversary, it's still a significant step back. Furthermore, subsequent games have built upon Oblivion's foundations, including Bethesda's own titles like Fallout 3, Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Starfield. Visually, while the remaster undoubtedly looks better than the original, it no longer stands out as it did in 2006, when it was arguably the first true next-gen game of the HD era brought in by the Xbox 360. Remasters aim to modernize older games on current platforms, but they don't carry the same expectations as a full remake, such as Resident Evil, which aims to look as good or better than current market offerings.
AnswerSee ResultsThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was the perfect game at the perfect time. It fully utilized HD televisions, expanding the scope and scale of what gamers could expect from an open-world game. It was a revelation for console gamers who had been limited to 640x480 resolution. (Though, speaking of visual impact, EA's Fight Night Round 3 released just before Oblivion in February 2006, and it was stunning in its own right.)
My memories of Oblivion are plentiful, thanks to its expansive world full of discoveries and activities. For first-time players, I recommend either rushing through the main quest or saving it for last. Why? Because once you begin the main storyline, Oblivion gates start spawning and can become quite bothersome, so it's best to deal with them early on.
The technological leap from Morrowind to Oblivion might be unparalleled, though perhaps The Elder Scrolls 6, if we wait long enough, could surprise us. Yet, playing Oblivion Remastered won't feel as revolutionary as moving from Morrowind to Oblivion did, especially for younger gamers accustomed to Skyrim. Nevertheless, whether you're exploring Cyrodiil for the first time or revisiting it after countless hours, its richly detailed medieval fantasy world and the adventures it holds continue to make it my favorite Elder Scrolls game. I'm thrilled it's back, even if its re-release was anticipated long before it finally arrived.
