Summary
The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredis frustrating some players with its vampirism system, particularly those who expected it to be more akin toSkyrim. While these complaints sparked some interesting fan discussion over game design andTEStradition, they also led to players proclaiming that they “hate” the way being a vampire works inOblivion Remastered.
Vampires have been part ofThe Elder Scrollsfranchisefor the entirety of its existence. However, Bethesda’s 1994 classicTES: Arenaonly included them as enemies. It wasn’t untilTES 2: Daggerfalltwo years later then the celebrated RPG series embraced vampirism as a gameplay mechanic, allowing players to join these magical beings rather than fight them. As was the case with most of its systems,Daggerfall’s take on vampirism was fairly complex, featuring nine distinct vampire bloodlines, each with its own abilities, questlines, and lore peculiarities.
FromDaggerfallonward, every mainlineThe Elder Scrollstitle has gradually streamlined vampirism, making it noticeably more accessible over time. Some players are now learning this firsthand after eagerly jumping at theopportunity to become a vampire inOblivion Remastered, only to find themselves shackled with unexpectedly severe penalties. “I HATE being a vampire,” exclaimed Reddit user LoTheReaper in a recent online rant that prompted widespread agreement,TheGamerreports. The complaint proved popular enough to hit the front page of r/Oblivion, a community of 860,000.
Sun damage is one of the most inconvenient penaltiesOblivionimposes on vampires, forcing them to avoid broad daylight unless they feed constantly, thus keeping the disease’s worst symptoms at bay. Contracting vampirism in both the original game and its massively successful remaster essentially forces players to realign their priorities. This might mean fully giving in to the vampire way of life, or dropping everything toseek a cure forOblivion Remastered’s brand of vampirism.
Oblivion Remastered’s Vampirism Is Polarizing Players
Some series veterans enjoy these dynamics, having said as much while chiming in on LoTheReaper’s recently shared frustrations. “Vampirism is a disease, not a cheat code,” as one internet denizensuccinctly put it. While that assessment is spot-on, anyone who playedSkyrimbeforeOblivioncan certainly be excused for expecting a less punishing experience after contracting Porphyric Hemophilia in Cyrodiil—intentionally or not.
Vampirism is a disease, not a cheat code.
Skyrim’s version of vampirism avoids sun damage and imposes only mild penalties for failing to feed regularly. That said, bloodsucking poses little challenge inSkyrim, essentially coming down to pressing a button near any sleeping NPC.
