Looking back on even the past few years of gaming, we’ve had some truly unforgettable moments. Discovering and escaping the Iron Throne in Baldur’s Gate 3. Diving from a floating island in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, passing by others on the way down. Venturing out into the vast regions of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Encountering a Factory Strider for the first time in Helldivers 2. Fighting Bayle the Dread and hearing Igon’s speech (which sadly didn’t warrant a nomination). Dozens of moments, all incredible and evoking some sense of emotion.
This year alone is already jam-packed with incredible happenings. If it wasn’t Blue Prince impressing puzzle fans with its intricate secrets and developments as much as frustrating with its RNG, it was Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 with its mix of emergent gameplay, incredible simulation aspects, and stunning world design. More recently, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 caught me off guard with its surreal environment design and devious combat scenarios, emerging as a triumph of what smaller developers can be capable of.
However, amid all of these is The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, recently launched for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, seemingly out of nowhere if you weren’t following the rumors. At some point in 2023, it felt almost impossible. Bethesda remastering a game, and that too, one of the most beloved titles in the Elder Scrolls franchise? Even if another developer was involved, it felt too good to be true. And even if it was a remaster or remake, what could it possibly do to make it shine?
Fast forward to this year, and it would have been difficult to believe that Oblivion Remastered is really real (if I hadn’t put several hours into it already, that is). More than anything, it’s incredible how Virtuos has recaptured everything that made the original so engaging, mystifying and engrossing. Every Elder Scrolls title has its share of moments, but Oblivion stands as a class apart, not only in writing and world design but just the sheer wonder of its quests and characters.
Remember how Starfield began? One second you’re underground, mining for some kind of mysterious artifact, and the next, someone from Constellation gives you their ship and robot companion, sending you on your way. Suffice it to say that even after so many updates and patches, Starfield still has a “Mixed” rating on Steam, with only 58 percent of its nearly 108,000 user reviews giving it the thumbs-up. The less said about its expansion, Shattered Space, the better.
In Oblivion, you’re not the chosen one. You’re not afforded numerous benefits or goodies right out of the gate, treated like some kind of savior here to make everyone else’s lives mean something. Your first real encounter with a character is with Emperor Uriel Septim VII, played by Patrick Stewart, whose very presence commands respect and, yet, disarms the player with his solemn air. Despite all the terrible things happening (including his imminent death), he never makes you feel less significant, even if he can’t see your future.
From that perspective, you’re not setting out expecting the world to hand you everything on a silver platter. You’re not a hero by design, at least in the storytelling sense, but looking to fulfill the Emperor’s last wish. Where things take you from there remains to be seen, and it fits perfectly with the urge to go anywhere.
And if Oblivion is good at anything, it’s to ensure there’s something to discover in every direction. It’s expanded even further by the wonderfully overhauled visuals. NPCs, both enemies and soon-to-be, look more natural, even as they engage in decidedly unnatural behavior. Try witnessing a conversation between characters and waiting for news of the Emperor’s death.
Then there are the environments, which look absolutely incredible due to new assets and a new dynamic lighting system. Even if you’ve explored every inch of the Imperial City, there’s a completely new dimension to it, all thanks to the revamped visuals. But by retaining all the quirks of the original, it doesn’t feel alien or out of place. Everything is where it should be – just presented in a new light (quite literally, at that). While that also includes the bugs and unintended gaffes in NPC behavior, it also means that several memorable elements – like that one botched voice line or the item duplication glitch – have been retained.
Personally, Oblivion Remastered represents a time when “Bethesda game” meant more than quirky/annoying bugs. For Bethesda itself, it was as much about innovating as presenting those moments that made their games so memorable. The fact that it cut back on bloat and presented more developed characters or multiple options in its quests isn’t just about reinforcing the role-playing aspect.
It was about drawing the player into a world where they could get lost. Maybe they wanted to become a hero or delve into the Dark Brotherhood, which remains one of the best quest chains in any game to date. There were ample choices, but more importantly, they felt significant.
Discovering Skingrad and slowly learning its disturbing secrets, heading to Kvatch to face off against the Daedra and cement your status as a hero, infiltrating the Imperial Palace – even just emerging from the sewers beneath the prison for the first time and taking in the world around you. Oblivion Remastered doesn’t just bring back the nostalgia of these incredible moments – it reminds us what made them so incredible in the first place.
In some ways, it’s a stark reminder of how Bethesda used to be. Development on the original Oblivion was handled by about 70 team members – a stark contrast to the 500 staff spread across four studios for Starfield. However, it’s more focused and creative, avoiding the mistakes of Morrowind and delivering an incredible fantasy role-playing experience. And it manages to do this while offering tons of hours of gameplay.
I can empathize with those who don’t like Oblivion Remastered’s UI or color palette and feel that it should have addressed other long-standing issues with the game. Thankfully, Virtuos didn’t completely stick to the original’s template and ensured that the leveling system actually worked instead of punishing you for daring to become stronger. The same goes for the hit reactions and sound effects in combat, even if the core gameplay isn’t a massive leap over the original.
Regardless, the fact that Oblivion Remastered exists at all is a triumph. Advocating for new stories and gameplay experiences is important, especially when Game Pass makes it easier than ever to access the same. However, there’s also something worthwhile in diving into the past and learning what makes some classics endearing for so long. And with how long the wait will be for The Elder Scrolls 6, it’s nice to revisit Tamriel, even if it’s a single region, and relive the greatest moments in gaming.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization
