The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

I picked up this game "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" and I was immediately hooked in its advanced graphics and its vast and varied options. When I first heard of this game, I was hoping for an original and inspired RPG with a slew of classes, races, and other options, with some insight on its very own geologic time scale, and with its own human cultures. This title didn't meet my hopes and expectations, it surpassed them. Oblivion delivers far better graphics than my 1.4 GHz processor can work with, a cast that could not have been better-assembled, a history that I could never have pulled entirely from my brain, and a series of race options that I would never have thought possible. The humans are not only culturally divided, they are geologically divided as well. In other words, two of the races look very human but are not human at all according to the lore that this is apparently the third sequel (fourth original) in. The game-play is very well-thought out, you have different skills that you can advance in, and all of the characters' and creatures' effectiveness are quite realistic. There are also many paths to choose, from warrior to sorcerer to hit-man; and more. I could easily see why this game got a 9.5 and "Computer Game Of The Month" award from Game Informer. I can't see anyone with even half a brain hating this game. If you are aged 13 to elderly and are a fan of fantasy, Bethesda, or just of anything that makes any sense in the world of its story, then Oblivion is for you.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, truly, an amazing and beautiful game. No, game, this isn't a game, this is digital art. Few games, *ahem*, digital pieces of art have total thrown me into an entire world of myth, and realism. The people have actual lives, the world evolves, and you grow and live in a different place. The computers, wait, the artificial beings are so smart its scary, like when the Ferbes came out. The people talk to you and each other, and have 100's of hours of spoken dialog. The each have names and personalities and respond differently to all situations. Same with the vast wildlife, like deer, wolfs, and big-ass spider people. The world is so huge, you'd get even more lost just going to the nearest Fighters Guild than walking to the Governor of Rhode Islands dentist office. The total obsession of the digital work of artistic master piece does come at a price. Though loading isn't killing long, its not very fast. The pop up does suffer at times as well. Other issues like jumping could have been tweaked but nothing serious. Overall the realistic values of this is beyond belief, from books, to the ingredients of a meal, potion making and all the quests truly support a gigantic step for all of digital artwork, um... kind. *9.5 out of 10*

While Morrowind was indeed an incredible game, Oblivion clearly cleans up much of the crap from the previous title. For one, the combat system is incredible (I found myself playing Morrowind for the story, not the action; here I'm playing it almost more for the action). Two, the fact that everyone actually talks to you makes the game more of a game, rather than a book with controls. Three, the physics system ensures quite a lot of mischievous fun.

Sure, there are drawbacks, but I think what people might be whining about when they say Morrowind was better is that Oblivion might perhaps be too familiar. In Oblivion, there are oak trees and deer and bears and pretty common looking flowers and weather patterns. In Morrowind it was all so exotic and foreign, with the towering mushrooms and strange cities and everyone calling you "muthsera" and the strange creatures no one's ever seen before. Morrowind was more original. Oblivion's just plain good.

Sure, the main quest might be a little shorter, but I can say that I'm definitely tempted to play this game all over again just to play around and get all the stuff I didn't before. Morrowind was a little too empty feeling. Oblivion is a more living world, with wind in the trees, creatures fighting one another ...

But while many may complain about lack of content, look what happened with Morrowind! The original game was long as it was, but two different expansions were released for it! Who knows how much extra material, extra armour, extra adventures, extra lands will be added to the Oblivion experience before the next Elder Scrolls is released (assuming it is, which I certainly hope is so). 10/10, so I say.

ES IV: Oblivion (2006) was amazing back when it first came out, (and yeah, it still is!) a sheer tour de force, epic genius and masterpiece! And yet, while it may seem a bit graphically dated nowadays, the game still laid precious groundwork for many other RPG fantasy greats to come. Not only that, but it is one of the console games that really showed developers how much "Open World" styled games could be appreciated by players and the vast potential therein. Role playing games thrive in open world settings, especially when in First Person perspectives. And this game brought players that knowledge, along with endless hours of fun.

Many other reviewers have stated the many wonderful things about this game previously, including voice acting, writing and storyline, soundtrack, quests, and especially the epic lore found in ES games. I completely agree. Gameplay was super fun and made first person mode a near must for me, especially in Fantasy. Love the immersion of this series. The Elder Scrolls series rocks. Extended edition DLC was also great. Overall, this modern classic still holds up and offers endless ammounts of fun and enjoyment.

P.s. While I adore this game in all its imperfections and outdated glory, I may secretly be wishing this game was up for a Bethesda Remaster soon. Maybe someday we'll get a "Skyrim-esque" graphic version of the Oblivion masterpiece.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. What is Oblivion? I tell you now, Oblivion is more than a just a video game. It is a Revolution of gaming as we know it. Fun, open-ended game-play like none ever before experienced. A grand, deep plot, more expansive and in-depth than Lord of the Rings. A masterful voice cast, featuring wonderful, famous talents. Miraculous graphics- trees that look real and grow just as normal trees do with accurate geology, corpses and other objects that roll down hills and move with real-world physics as you grab them. A wonderful character creation system, allowing you do customize your character from the tone of his skin to the point of his nose to the puffs of his lips to the length of his hair. Fabulous creatures, from the wolf, to the horse, to the Minotaur, to the Daedra, all of them giving the feeling which they are intended. Grand cities, with stores, houses, churches, hotels... everything a real city would have. Revolutionary Radiant AI allowing all of the 2,000 NPC characters to think on their feet, and complete their own goals. Dozens of thousands of quests to complete: So many that the side-quests of side-quests have side-quests! This is a game like never before. A game which sets a new standard for all gaming, and truly gains dominion over all games previously released. I'd like to welcome all who desire to buy this game to the wonderful world of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the greatest video game of all time.