The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
 Oblivion is the successor to The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind. The series is known for its unique style of fantasy sandbox game play, and Oblivion takes it to a whole new level with gorgeous graphics and an expansive world. There are so many things to do in Oblivion that it seems daunting at first, but any path you take will lead to some of the finest moments in gaming.
First things first. Oblivion is huge. The world is so fully developed and beautiful that it is easy to lose hours just wandering around the environment with no particular objective in mind. From luscious green hills to the fiery gates of Oblivion, the amount of detail in the environment is astounding. There is no denying that the world of Tamriel is brilliantly realized. The quality of the graphics and music facilitate the awesome locales and pull you into the adventure. Trees sway in the wind and you’ll spot villages and ruins - future destinations - off in the distance. |
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I guess fire doesn't work anymore.
There’s more to do in Oblivion than simply explore. There is the main quest which will probably take you less than 20 hours to beat, but that is a small percentage of what Oblivion has to offer. You join guilds such as the fighter’s guild, mage’s guild, dark brotherhood etc. and receive varied and interesting missions as you move up through the ranks of your guild. The beauty of the quests is the complete freedom you have in how you complete them. You can complete the quests in any order you desire and hold positions in most of the guilds simultaneously. Oblivion is all about making the character you want. Your actions have repercussions that will follow you through your journey. Try killing a guard and fleeing to the countryside. You’ll soon find that guards in every city have been alerted of your crime and will hunt you down on horseback, forcing you to pay a fine, go to jail, or continue the fight, increasing your bounty with each swing of your sword.
The combat in oblivion is first person (although there is the option to pull back to a 3rd person view). You block and strike with a variety of awesome weapons and use devastating or manipulative magic to destroy your foes. The combat is a little rough sometimes, but overall, Oblivion did a great job within the constraints of the first person view. As you gain power, you’ll be knocking enemies back with powerful blows and sending them flying in the air with powerful destructive magic.
The combat in oblivion is first person (although there is the option to pull back to a 3rd person view). You block and strike with a variety of awesome weapons and use devastating or manipulative magic to destroy your foes. The combat is a little rough sometimes, but overall, Oblivion did a great job within the constraints of the first person view. As you gain power, you’ll be knocking enemies back with powerful blows and sending them flying in the air with powerful destructive magic.
If you're tired of traveling on foot, hop on a horse!
Oblivion is not watertight. Due to the size of the world and complexity of its inhabitants, you’re bound to run into a few glitches. I was fortunate enough to have only one major glitch in all my time playing oblivion on multiple consoles and with multiple unique characters. Some of the textures in a town called Bruma mysteriously disappeared, leaving some objects completely black. The animations throughout Oblivion are serviceable, but they are certainly the weak point. When talking to another character, they will stand stiff as a plank and stare at you. The NPC’s and enemies are believable enough, but a more complex set of animations would help immerse the player fully in Oblivion’s world.
Oblivion is a game that is so easy to get into and so full of content that you may well be playing it long after the next generation of consoles arrives. The drawbacks show that there is room for improvement, but never really detract from the amazing world of Tamriel.
Oblivion is a game that is so easy to get into and so full of content that you may well be playing it long after the next generation of consoles arrives. The drawbacks show that there is room for improvement, but never really detract from the amazing world of Tamriel.
