Summary
Since 2006,The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionhas held its claim on the RPG genre, being regarded as a formative experience for many gamers despite its flaws. However, unlikeThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, which received numerous re-releasesand enhancements, it has largely remained in its original state, meaning any trips back to it felt immensely dated to what the industry currently offers. Now,The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredgives longtime fans a chance to go back to the world their RPG tastes are rooted in, only with a fresh coat of paint and some much-needed improvements that make it much more than a nostalgia trip.
Sure, nostalgia does play a role inThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered’s appeal to those who grew up with the original, but this release is significant — not because it’s a trip back in time, but because it offers fans of the originalOblivionclosure in some areas that many may not have even known they needed.Oblivionhas never been a perfect game, but its flaws have nonetheless been present, andOblivion Remasteredoffers players a chance to experience the original game in a renewed form with some of those flaws now alleviated.
Oblivion Remastered’s Improvements Bring Closure to 20-Year-Old Criticisms
Oblivion Remastered Adds Modern Mechanics to Improve Gameplay
Technically speaking,Oblivion Remasteredis a remaster, not a remake. It has not been built from scratch and its direction has not changed. Primarily, it’sOblivion’s visuals that have been enhanced in the remaster, but that also didn’t stop Bethesda from checking off some gameplay boxes for longtime fans of the game. InOblivion Remastered, those who remember the original game have likely been pleasantly surprised by some of its gameplay improvements, which add mechanics that not only modernize it but also make it more the game it was always meant to be.
Firstly,Oblivion Remasterednow allows players to sprintat the expense of stamina, which they were incapable of doing in the original game. Combat and movement animations have also been improved to makeOblivion Remastered’s gameplay behave more realistically than the original’s did. The improvements made toOblivion’s third-person mode in the remaster are another welcome change, as players could hardly use it in the original game, as it would only make the experience more difficult.
Primarily, it’sOblivion’s visuals that have been enhanced in the remaster, but that also didn’t stop Bethesda from checking off some gameplay boxes for longtime fans of the game.
Finally,Oblivion’s leveling systemhas been overhauled to offer a more modern experience. In the originalOblivion, only Major Skills contributed to leveling up, but in the remastered version, both Major and Minor Skills contribute to leveling, allowing players to progress naturally by using the skills they prefer. Additionally, players now receive 12 Virtue Points to allocate across their attributes every time they level up, replacing the previous method where attribute increases were tied to the frequency of related skill usage. Needless to say, all these changes are a massive win forOblivionfans, makingOblivion Remasteredmuch more than a nostalgia-fueled trip to the past.
Oblivion Remastered Adds Newly Recorded Voice Lines to Increase Immersion
Something else major thatOblivion Remasteredhas accomplished is the addition of newly recorded voice lines that inadvertently increase and retain immersion. The originalOblivion’s voice actingis still infamous to this day for its lack of diversity, as multiple characters and races would use the same voice actor due to budget restraints.Oblivion Remasteredbrings more diversity and immersion to the game’s world by featuring unique voiceovers for each race, thereby somewhat relievingOblivionof its current meme status in that regard.
Oblivion Remasteredstill preserves many of the original’s iconic and quirky dialogues. Notably, it retains the famous voice acting blooper by the character Tandilwe, where the voice actress says, “Wait a minute, let me do that one again,” and then repeats the line.
All things considered,The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredfeels like more than a simple restoration of a classic. Instead, it’s a careful, thoughtful refinement that gives longtime fans permission to revisitOblivion’s Cyrodiilwithout the burden of its original limitations weighing them down. While it still carries the unmistakable DNA of the 2006 release, the changes made in the remaster quietly affirm thatObliviondeserves to be remembered not just for what it was, but for what it could have been. In doing so,Oblivion Remasteredboth celebrates its past and finally brings a sense of completion to one of Bethesda’s most beloved worlds.
