Review in Progress: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

Much like a member of the Mythic Dawn emerging unexpectedly to ambush the emperor, a revamped edition of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has landed suddenly, and it’s an ambush I’m more than willing to embrace. As a longtime fan of this RPG classic, it’s no surprise I’ve immediately sunk an entire day into exploring it again: I’ve closed ten Oblivion gates as the hero of Kvatch, struck deals with Daedric gods, battled my way to become the arena champion in the Imperial City, and made decent progress through several faction quests. So far, I’m quite impressed with the significant enhancements in this updated version. Having re-experienced the original recently, the improvements in user interface, revamped voiceovers, and especially the visual upgrade have breathed new life into this nearly two-decades-old gem. However, the familiar glitches are still present, like awkward animations when mounting a horse, broken questlines, and intermittent framerate issues. But even as someone slightly resistant to the allure of nostalgia, revisiting this whimsically strange open-world escapade is a delightful experience.

It almost goes without saying that the visual upgrade is the most striking enhancement in Oblivion Remastered. While it doesn’t quite reach today’s cutting-edge standards, putting this edition side-by-side with its 2006 predecessor is startlingly impressive. The entire map now offers a clarity and draw distance my younger self could only fantasize about. The overhaul in lighting, shadows, and character lip syncing is genuinely astonishing. However, it seems the NPC faces didn’t quite make it to the upgrade list, retaining their unappealing, almost caricatured looks with a decent chance of being cross-eyed. However, perhaps this is part of Oblivion’s unique charm. Not every character or creature is a visual delight like what you might expect from modern high-budget titles, but it’s undeniably a step up. It’s funny how memories of the original graphics feel upgraded in hindsight, showing how well they’ve preserved its essence and style.

One gameplay element that’s made a world of difference is the addition of a sprint button. For those who haven’t touched Oblivion in over a decade, it might be surprising to learn there was no sprinting option – wild to think about, right? And if this is your first foray, you’re in for a treat you never realized was missing. Even though sprinting now drains stamina faster, a detail that typically irritates me in RPGs where you’re constantly on the move, it’s a small price to pay. It even makes the whole map feel smaller because you can now dash through cities and dungeons in about half the time. Consequently, I find myself more invested in boosting skills and magical boosts that increase stamina, as that meter gets a workout now. Despite needing a bit more attention in this respect, familiar areas are a joy to traverse briskly, significantly reducing the tedium.

Additionally, there are significant changes to the user interface, skills, and leveling system, alongside a new feature called Character Origins, which seems to tweak starting stats further. The UI has been modernized with design elements common today, leading to several welcome tweaks that aren’t blatantly obvious. The compass is more informative and has been repositioned to the screen’s top, while the health, magicka, and stamina meters are more evenly distributed on the screen. Menus also come across as more intuitive, allowing faster switching between spells and character stats. Some features still retain an old-school feel – for instance, the quest log awkwardly pops up in the center whenever new progress is made, interrupting whatever you’re doing – but thus far, these quirks haven’t been overly disruptive. Understanding the new leveling system and skills will require more gameplay to determine if the changes are for the better.

Even though developer Virtuous Games handled this remaster, it remains at its heart a Bethesda creation, marinated in a fair share of bugs. I’ve encountered oddities such as an Oblivion gate vanishing from sight upon approaching it, or NPCs who refuse interaction despite quests directing me to speak with them (fortunately, the quest progress was not hindered, saving me from more annoyance). Performance issues are noticeable on the Xbox Series X, causing brief frame drops during autosaves or when faced with multiple creatures in Kvatch. While these glitches usually add a cheeky character without spoiling the adventure, it’s a letdown that even after twenty years, those familiar quirks haven’t been ironed out.

That’s my initial take for now, though I anticipate delivering a comprehensive review soon. But first, I aim to complete the main quest, visit the Shivering Isles, and maybe stir up a little chaos throughout Cyrodiil, just to hear those Imperial guards recite their classic arrest lines few more hundred times. Alright, signing off – off to discover some vampirism or whatnot. Catch you later!