Summary
It’s finally here. After countless leaks and rumors,The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredhas finally shown itself, and it has been off to a very strong start since its surprise launch. For longtime veterans,Oblivion Remasteredis a trip down memory lane with a fresh look, and for newcomers, it’s a chance to experience one of themost definingElder Scrollsgamesin style. While it does have a lot of style, however, it still keeps a lot of the substance of the original game intact.
For all intents and purposes,The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredmight be Bethesda’s most honest game yet. Rather than attempting to convince its audience thatOblivion Remasteredis something that it isn’t, both its showcase of the game and the game itself are proof that Bethesda doesn’t want that at all. Instead, it knows its fans wantedOblivion, so it gave themOblivion— and it’s better for that.
Oblivion Remastered Shows Bethesda’s Commitment to Its History
Oblivion Remastered Overhauls the Visuals But Embraces the Original’s Quirks
Ahead ofOblivion Remastered’s release, one of the biggest questions about the rumoredElder Scrolls 4: Oblivionremake was whether it would or should retain the quirks, bugs, and jank of the original game. After all, that is a significant part of not only what makesOblivionwhat it is, but also what gives anElder Scrollsgame its personality. Now thatOblivion Remasteredhas launched, that conversation has continued, except that it has somewhat shifted inside the looming shadow of the much larger debate aboutwhetherOblivion Remasteredis a remaster or a remake.
Well, technically,Oblivion Remasteredreally is just a remaster, despite all the gameplay improvements it introduces. For a game to be a true remake, it needs to be built from the ground up, potentially with new assets, a new direction, and revamped mechanics. Agreat example of a true remakeisFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, which still maintains the core story and gameplay principles of the original game but builds on top of them something entirely brand-new. The primary thing thatOblivion Remasteredhas changed is its visuals, though, again, its gameplay has improved in some ways.
Oblivion Remasteredhas made improvements to the original game’s third-person mode, its leveling system, its sneak and stealth system, and much more.
What this has ultimately resulted in isOblivion Remastered’s Cyrodiilembracing the quirks of the original game rather than disposing of them or trying to cover them up. In a way, this is Bethesda being honest about whatOblivionwas and still is, especially in light of the fact that it chose to call it a remaster rather than a remake.
Oblivion Remastered Even Includes the Original’s Horse Armor DLC
Oblivion Remasteredhas even gone so far as to offer the infamous Horse Armor DLC, which was not only one of the first major microtransactions for a single-player game, but also one of thebest-selling DLC packsfor the originalElder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. However, in an age of gaming when microtransactions are largely looked down upon, simple Horse Armor DLC might be a tough sell. Nevertheless, it shows Bethesda’s commitment to double down on the originalOblivion’s charm, even that which extended beyond the game itself.
In a way, this is Bethesda being honest about whatOblivionwas and still is, especially in light of the fact that it chose to call it a remaster rather than a remake.
Oblivion Remasteredisn’t trying to be flawless, and that’s what makes it so unique as a Bethesda game. The developer had an opportunity here to significantly improve the gameplay of a game that is nearly twenty years old, and instead it chose to letOblivioncontinue to beOblivionin the remaster, only with the fresh coat of paint it has long needed.Oblivion Remasteredembraces the flawsof the original, showing Bethesda isn’t afraid of the quirks found in its games, instead of trying to convince its fanbase that its new game is polished to perfection.
