Why I’m Excited to Revisit The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion’s Open World

by

Over the past nearly 20 years since Bethesda Game Studios launched The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion into the gaming market, open-world games have grown to be a common feature in the gaming industry, serving as the primary type for most single-player releases. At minimum, open-world elements can now be found throughout various genres and many game releases, if not entire open worlds themselves.

As a gamer, I might wonder why I’d want to dive back into an almost two-decade-old open-world game when there are newer, more immersive titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Cyberpunk 2077 available. After all, open-world games are all about fully submerging the player, so what’s the appeal of revisiting an Xbox 360 era experience?

It’s a reasonable question, but it’s also worth noting that even an updated version of Oblivion might not reach the same level of quality as some of the top-tier games mentioned earlier. However, it’s unfair to only compare Oblivion to the very best. A re-released Oblivion doesn’t have to be the absolute best open-world game on the market in 2025 to be worth playing. In fact, a simple port of Oblivion could still offer a lot of value and appeal in 2025, whether you’re an open-world enthusiast or if you’ve grown tired of them at this point.

One major factor could be that the Bethesda approach to open worlds is relatively rare even in the present day. Although there’s been a significant increase in open-world games over the past decade and a half, most of these titles don’t adhere to the design philosophy typically found in Bethesda Game Studios (BGS) productions. Instead, modern open-world games often reflect the style popularized by series like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, which are divided into smaller, separate chunks and activities, with distinct main and side content. Even critically acclaimed open-world games such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring employ this modular design to some extent.

As a devoted fan, I’d say that immersing myself in Oblivion feels less like completing tasks and more like exploring a breathtaking, intricate fantasy realm brimming with hidden gems. Unlike many games from Bethesda, it doesn’t force you to tick off items on a checklist, such as marking towers on a map or clearing out specific numbers of enemy strongholds. Instead, I find myself meandering through this world, drawn by whatever captures my curiosity, and discovering the tales – both grand and intimate – that lay scattered along the way. In essence, playing Oblivion is like living out a captivating fantasy narrative, where the stories unfold naturally rather than being presented as predetermined content.

One aspect where Oblivion truly excels is its narrative depth. Compared to later Bethesda games, the writing quality in their releases would noticeably decline, but The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion stands out with exceptionally well-crafted questlines, both for the main story and the guilds. For instance, the Dark Brotherhood questline in Oblivion is particularly gripping. This captivating tale effectively pulls players into its world, and it’s just one of many compelling narratives found within. Unlike some other Bethesda games, the allure of exploring Cyrodil in Oblivion lies not only in discovering random events, but also in encountering well-written stories and characters that may leave Skyrim players from 2011 surprised by the quality.

Rest assured, the unique, organic, player-driven storytelling that Bethesda is known for in their games remains intact and brings about humor (albeit unexpectedly). The use of Havok physics, first introduced in Oblivion, has become a common feature in subsequent Bethesda titles. Similarly, this was the initial game to incorporate Radiant AI, which refers to Bethesda’s sophisticated NPC scripts that defined their schedules and activities to an unparalleled extent at the time. The interaction between these two elements often results in the kind of amusement typically associated with Elder Scrolls games. Therefore, there is no compromise here – you won’t be sacrificing emergent, player-driven content for improved authored content.

While Cyrodil may not be as visually stunning as other Bethesda settings like Morrowind or Skyrim within the Elder Scrolls games, it does offer an engaging gameplay experience. However, its expanses of green grasslands and forests might make exploration less captivating compared to the more diverse landscapes in Morrowind and Skyrim. Over prolonged gameplay sessions, the world of Oblivion may seem less vibrant and more monotonous compared to other games like Skyrim or Morrowind. This is not an issue you’ll notice immediately when starting Oblivion, but after investing hundreds or even thousands of hours into the game, the world might feel less appealing faster than in other Bethesda titles.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but notice the recurring patterns that seem to be an integral part of Oblivion’s design, which was unfortunately carried over from the 2006 classic and still lingers today. For instance, the series’ last installment to employ procedural generation for its dungeon design, Oblivion, relied heavily on this method, and it’s evident. To give you a comparison, the dungeons in Skyrim aren’t exactly groundbreaking, but they certainly outshine those found in Oblivion. The repetitive nature of the dungeons in Oblivion can be quite off-putting, even to the point of being actively unappealing. This monotony extends beyond the dungeons and into the Oblivion Gates, which, despite having fixed layouts, only have a limited selection of designs they can pull from. Consequently, the Oblivion Gates start feeling repetitive very early on in gameplay.

In a potential remake, both the persistent problems, notably the Oblivion Gates, could potentially be addressed, though this would depend on the ambition level of the remake initially planned. It would certainly enhance the experience if these issues were resolved in this version of Oblivion, making its world even more immersive. However, even without addressing these problems, Oblivion’s world still offers much to appreciate. This game world harks back to an era where having a massive world with numerous settlements was standard. Cyrodiil in Oblivion boasts nine major cities, each bustling with NPCs, unique quests, and rich atmosphere, making them delightful to explore. Even in the wilderness, despite the repetition that characterizes Oblivion, the game encourages exploration due to its broken progression systems.

As a devoted fan, let me clarify that I didn’t make an error; what I meant is that Oblivion’s advancement is so unconventionally structured that it can make the game incredibly easy to exploit. The right equipment and loot can transform you into a formidable force, wreaking havoc across the Imperial landscape, regardless of your chosen playstyle. In 2006, when Oblivion was first released, countless players spent hours tirelessly crafting the most absurdly overpowered builds, and I believe that this pursuit will remain as captivating in 2025 as it was back then.

The level of appeal Oblivion may hold two decades after its release will depend significantly on the scope of the rumored remake. Regardless of any alterations or improvements, the fundamental gameplay remains captivating, as is typical for Bethesda Game Studios productions. This upcoming remake, once it’s unveiled and launched, will determine the game’s strength. If Bethesda and Virtuos have devoted time to correcting issues and addressing apparent flaws within the original game, this remake could become the definitive way to explore Cyrodil, potentially offering one of the most distinctive and immersive open worlds available today, despite its age. However, even if it doesn’t achieve that status, its unique design sets it apart from most other open-world games currently on the market, making it a fascinating prospect and a virtual world I eagerly anticipate revisiting for hours on end.

Note: The opinions shared in this piece are solely those of the writer and do not reflect the collective viewpoint or attribution to GamingBolt as a whole.

Read More

2025-04-21 07:41