For years, fans of The Elder Scrolls series have debated whether Oblivion is better than Skyrim. After spending nearly 80 hours exploring the fantasy land of “Cyrodiil” in Oblivion Remastered, I finally understand why many consider it superior, and I completely agree.
Even after nearly two decades, Oblivion remains a superbly crafted role-playing game (RPG) with an incredible sense of adventure, sharp humor, and a deep world full of things to explore. Despite its name, Oblivion Remastered feels more like a complete remake, carefully refreshed but without compromising the essence of the original. It's a skillfully executed modernization, if perhaps a little too cautious in updating certain mechanics.
A game that deserved a second chance
I missed Oblivion when it originally came out, joining the Bethesda RPG bandwagon with Fallout 3, and then fully committing to Skyrim at a time when I probably should have been focusing on my grades in grade school. Over the years, I've come to appreciate Oblivion's status as a classic, but one that's been largely eclipsed by the success of its successor. Add to that Bethesda's reputation for buggy open-world games, and it's no wonder I haven't felt the need to go back and experience Oblivion firsthand... until now.
To be honest, I wasn't particularly excited about the remaster of a 2006 RPG. The term remaster usually brings with it predictable expectations: higher resolution, all DLC packaged into one release, maybe some re-recorded dialogue. Great for longtime fans, but mostly uninteresting for new players.
Oblivion Remastered, however, shatters those expectations. This isn't just a simple visual refresh. This is a carefully crafted reconstruction that blends old and new in a way we rarely see in remasters.
Modernization without losing the soul
The visual improvements are stunning, bringing Oblivion to life with dynamic lighting and significantly improved textures. Additional voice acting adds new depth to character interactions, while combat has been carefully tweaked to balance the familiar Skyrim system with more modern action RPG elements. This is the upgrade Oblivion has always deserved, finally putting it in the spotlight, beyond the shadow of Skyrim.
Modern Bethesda RPG releases, whether it's Starfield, Fallout 76, or Fallout 4, have experimented with different approaches to open-world design, with varying degrees of success. But Oblivion remains one of the best examples of Bethesda's unique game-making style.
And yes, Bethesda's well-known flaws are still there: NPCs (computer-controlled characters within the game) interrupt each other in the middle of conversations, the camera behaves strangely, and sometimes picking up the wrong item will cause the game to crash. But any such glitches are completely overshadowed by the unforgettable moments that Oblivion offers. Whether you're helping a man fake his death to avoid debt, accidentally discovering a secret vampire lair (and having to deal with the problem of unwanted vampirism), or becoming the leader of one of the game's powerful guilds, the role-playing possibilities are incredibly rich.
Unlike some of the newer Bethesda RPGs where truly memorable missions are rare, Oblivion constantly surprises you with stories and details that will stay in your memory long after you get up from your computer.
Systemic changes and atmosphere
Virtuoso has modernized some of Oblivion's core mechanics in clever ways. For example, the progression system now allows you to upgrade skills simply by using them. For example, lockpicking improves with each new lockpick, and persuasion becomes easier as you convince NPCs more often. This change removes some of the restrictions that previously penalized players for experimenting outside of their chosen class, making Oblivion more intuitive and more up to modern standards.
Graphically, Oblivion Remastered is a true masterpiece. Thanks to Unreal Engine 5, moonlight now dances across the surface of lakes, torches cast realistic shadows in underground tunnels, and the world feels more alive than ever. The original environment design remains intact, but the added visual effects elevate everything to the next level without compromising its essence.
Model for future remasters
It's rare to modernize a game without losing its identity, but Oblivion Remastered does it admirably. Along with Age of Mythology: Retold, it should serve as a model for future remasters of classic games.
However, this commitment to authenticity comes with some drawbacks. The difficulty balance isn't entirely consistent, often oscillating between too easy and too hard. Occasional performance drops, whether the result of old bugs or new technical challenges, can disrupt gameplay. It's frustrating to see some of the issues from the original version still linger, but given the effort put into preserving Oblivion's unique qualities, they were probably inevitable.
Still, I'd rather deal with old bugs than play a sterilized remake that lost the soul of Oblivion.
performance
To play this remastered masterpiece, you need at least the following components:
- Operating system Windows 10 or higher
- Procesor AMD Ryzen 5 2600X ili Intel Core i7-6800k
- RAM memory 16GB
- AMD Radeon RX5700 or NVIDIA GeForce 1070 Ti graphics card
- 125GB of free space on your hard drive
Conclusion
Oblivion Remastered is a triumph! A carefully crafted loving tribute to one of Bethesda's most beloved RPGs. Virtuos and Bethesda manage to deliver a version of Oblivion that finally allows it to shine on its own merits.
It's so good that, and I can't believe I'm saying this, maybe another Skyrim remaster wouldn't be such a bad idea? Or better yet... maybe it's time for Morrowind to get its five minutes of fame.
8 is the rating for Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered
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