After plenty of rumors and leaks, the dream of many longtime fans ofThe Elder Scrollshas finally come true:The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredis real, and it arrived the same day as its reveal. It has now been nearly two full decades since the release of the original game, and with the massive upgradeThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredis already proving itself to be, there are bound to be plenty of brand-new players arriving on the scene for their first journey through one of thebestElder Scrollsgamesever made.
GivenThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered’s new audience, as well as those who haven’t set foot in its world for quite some time, it’s important that some unwritten rules be spelled out to make the adventure feel a bit easier.The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredis chock-full of systems and avoids holding the player’s hand too much, which means there is plenty to go over when it comes to what the game doesn’t tell its players.
The Unwritten Rules of Oblivion Remastered’s Exploration
Save Frequently
The number one rule ofThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, and anyElder Scrollsgame for that matter, is that players should save their game frequently. Though it might be referred to as “save scumming” by some,The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasterednonetheless makes it very easy to get out of trouble or prevent the overuse of certain items by saving the game at pretty much every turn. For instance, should players come across a lock that is too difficult to pick, they can save the game before they begin the mini-game to break in using the fewest number of Lockpicks possible.
Don’t Overuse Fast Travel
While many modern open-world games encourage the use of fast-travel systems due to the amount of content typically found in said games, things are a bit different inThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered. Just as it is ineveryElder Scrollsgame,Oblivion Remasteredspecializes in worldbuilding and discovery. Needless to say, overusing fast travel can lead to players missing out on some ofOblivion Remastered’s best moments, and potentially result in them feeling underwhelmed about the world they’ve stepped into. Players should instead pace themselves, go at their own pace, and take time to appreciate the world around them.
Join Guilds Early
Some of thebest quests inThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredare the Mages Guild, Fighters Guild, and Thieves Guild quests — both for their stories and their rewards. Each guild offers unique quests, benefits, and access to specialized services, making them highly beneficial to players, especially when engaged with early. If players ensure these quests are completed ahead of the main story, they will find themselves well-equipped for the larger journey ahead of them.
Delay the Main Quest
Unlike manymodern role-playing games, it’s actually best to delay progressing the main quest inThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered. This is because advancing the main storyline triggers the appearance of Oblivion Gates, which introduce more challenging enemies to the world. Rather than prioritizing the main quest, then, players should take time to complete side quests and strengthen their character beforehand, as that can make the main quest more manageable in the long run.
Don’t Feel the Need to Pick Up Everything
In games likeThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, it can be very tempting to loot every single item players come across, even if it’s just the prospect of selling those items and earning some good money that’s hanging over their heads. However, becoming over-encumbered inOblivion Remasteredcan happen fairly quickly if players are blindly looting everything they come across, so they should pace themselves there. Also, it’s actually quite easy toobtain gold inOblivion Remastered, so long as players are willing to do the exploring and quests necessary to obtain it. As such, players should prioritize picking up what is most useful for them in the moment rather than thinking about how much they can earn from it later.
The Unwritten Rules of Oblivion Remastered’s Combat
Understand Enemy Scaling
InThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, enemies scale with the player’s level. Since the game lets players allocate their attribute points every time they level up and then sleep in a bed, focusing on non-combat-based attributes can make combat increasingly challenging. In light of that, players are encouraged to invest in anything that increases their survivability and damage output as often as they are able to, while still occasionally allocating some points to other non-combatskills inOblivion Remastered.
Keep a Bow and Some Arrows on Hand
One of the most important weapons inThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredis the bow, and players should discover that quite early on in the game. During the prologue, players are given free access to a bow, along with a surprising number of arrows to use with it — almost as if the game is making a recommendation as to which weapon players should use. Bows can be extremely useful inOblivion Remastered, especially if players manage to perform a sneak attack on an unaware foe from a distance.
Always Have a Damage Spell or Scroll Available
Even for those who aren’t equipped for spellcasting or don’t consider themselves a magic user, it’s important to always have a damage spell or scroll available inThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered. This is because players are bound to eventually encounter enemies that can only be defeated usingspells inOblivion Remastered, and they can sometimes even be guarding valuable items that players might wish to acquire.
Regularly Swap Out Weapons and Armor to Avoid Repair Costs
The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredcan be a bit punishing at times for those who are perhaps taking their first steps in its world, and that’s especially true when it comes to keeping up with weapon and armor repairs. WhileOblivion Remastered’s Repair Hammerscan be used to repair gear, as well as certain merchants, one of the best methods for keeping gear up to date is to regularly swap it for newer gear of the same or better type. For example, if players have a damagedIron Bowequipped and happen to loot a brand-new Iron Bow from an enemy, simply swapping the new bow for the old will eliminate the need for repairs.
