The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

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.

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.

This game is the reason gamers like me don't get much sleep. It's basically your everyday fantasy RPG (Role Playing Game) set in a world full of demons, monsters, knights, bandits, goblins, and more. That's where the similarity ends. The game is based in a mythical world that's just plain massive. It's basically a country with several cities and towns. The mapping is spectacular, with no two areas alike (swamps, mountains, gaping forests, snow covered lands, lakes, rivers), the towns have unique architecture, and not to mention the developers show how the 360's graphics engine can make for some very realistic water effects. Everything in this game is superb, right down to the sound (not to mention Sean Bean and Patrick Stewart lend their voices). It wasn't enough to knock it down a point, but I did find the character creation a bit of a challenge, along with some of the people in the game, too many of them look old and worn out. Other than that, this game hit every mark in my book... it allows for complete control of your character, you can be a mage (magic) or a warrior, or both. You can actually choose your path. Follow the main quest first and beat the main story line, or follow some side quests and get your character to a more respectable level (which I recommend)? I truly believe out of any non-MMORPG out there this has one of the biggest replay value factors ever, not to mention hours upon hours of gameplay and entertainment (some quests require you to travel great distances to complete). The gameplay is fantastic, the selection of tools, weapons, and other items is magnificent, and the graphics are, for lack of a better word, gorgeous. This game, so far, is the only RPG that comes very close to real life. I think the only thing that makes it different from real life is that the real world has no reset button. This is a must have, must play, must get addicted game. Like great literature, this you cannot put down until it's done!

I can only but agree with what have been said by others; This is one of the greatest games ever conceived, truly!

However if you are wondering weather to buy Oblivion for PC or Xbox 360, i would recommend you buying for PC. Although you might not get the exact same graphical performance, the Construction Set that follows the PC version is reason enough in itself.

For those who don't know: The Elder Scrolls Construction Set is a program that holds resources that lets you create, tweak and mod all, and that means *all*, aspects within the game. This opens up a whole new aspect of gameplay. Files produced by people who use this set is uploaded to the internet and usually free to download, for PC. As far as i know, this is not an alternative for Xbox 360. Consider this when debating on what platform to buy for. Take into account all the new aspects of gameplay it opens up.

But bottom line is, anyway: *But this game!*

Just got the game today. Day of release (it's the first game I've EVER pre-ordered). I have one simple word to describe it: Breathtaking.

The graphics are astounding, the A.I. is brilliant, the voice talent ranks up with the KOTOR games.

The combat system has been tweaked so it is not the same boring system as the last game (one of the few flaws of it).

The glint of light off of metal and the swaying of the trees all add to the realism of the game.

This game is a must have for ANY RPG fans.

10/10