The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was a real game changer when it came out. It was a fantastic sequel to Morrowind, but was likely overshadowed by the next game, Skyrim, and of course the Elder Scrolls Online MMORPG.
This leaves us with a simple question: 13 years and more sequels later, is Oblivion still worth playing? Or should you take an arrow in the knee with a different game in this franchise?
History
This game is set in the Cryodill province of Tamriel. You play a prisoner who is pardoned by the emperor. After he and his children are murdered, you must find an heir to the throne.
Along the way, battle many conventional villains and otherworldly Daedra. And it soon becomes clear that you must find a way to close the gates these demons are entering or there will be no kingdom left to serve!
Visual
Whenever you start a really old game, you are likely to come up with a straightforward question: “Does it still look good?”
After all, nostalgia is a hell of a drug. And some of the games that have thrilled you in years past may be downright bad now.
Fortunately, Oblivion isn’t one of those games. It still looks very epic – crisp sprites, interesting designs, and eye-catching architecture. And while some of the NPCs certainly look weird, this is more a symptom of weird design choices rather than old-school graphics that look weird on a new PC.
Lonely kingdom
At its heart, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is meant to be an epic game of sword and sorcery. The vocal acting and the wide open world help evoke the feelings of such classics as The Lord of the Rings movie.
And while voice acting, world design, and story help to do that, one thing really sabotages that epic feeling: this realm is really damn lonely.
It is very remarkable how few characters are on the screen at any one time. And once you notice this, it’s hard not to notice the same dozen people doing almost all of the dialogue in the game.
This doesn’t diminish the overall experience, but it does make traveling that open world a little more lonely.
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