Game Info
Game Name: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Developer(s): Bethesda Game Studio (Xbox 360/PC)/4J Studios (PS3)
Publisher(s): 2K Games/Bethesda Softworks
Platform(s): Xbox 360/PS3/PC
Genre(s): RPG
Release Date(s): March 20, 2006 (Xbox 360/PC)/March 20, 2007 (PS3)
ESRB Rating: T
The land of Cyrodiil is in trouble. A group called the Mystic Dawn is determined to open portals to the dark world of Oblivion and is tearing reality apart to do it. You must find the illegitimate heir to the throne and bring him to the Imperial City to light the Dragonfires and save the world.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is the unrelated follow-up to the hit game The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind which was released on Xbox and Windows in 2002. The core The Elder Scrolls IV game was released in March of 2006 for Xbox 360 and PS3 version the following year. The game also released two expansions The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine in November 2006 and The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles in March 2007. The game was a multi-award winner and also has been released in a Game of the Year edition with both expansions.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (often simply called Oblivion or even stylistically OblIVion) is one of the earliest next generation games and one of the best RPG games. This game is worth the money and will reward you with hours and hours of play.
Oblivion really isn’t about the main storyline. I really struggled with the main story because 1) I have issues leveling up in the game and 2) I would rather just spend time walking around the really cool world. The real story is rather simplistic and really doesn’t have a lot of parts. It also has required levels for stuff.
The world of Cyrodiil is amazing. If you just walk around the area you find new missions and events and activities. Unlike Bethesda’s Fallout 3, the concept of trophies and achievements was a bit new, and it feels like Oblivion has less direction. There are a lot of missions but they seem a bit harder to find and complete. It is a bit unfortunate that there isn’t more of a uniform story with branching stories off of it. I pretty much started the story, did a few parts of it, then became “the Wanderer” by just traveling the world. In just wandering, you find caves, strange creatures, and tons and tons of territory (the game is approximately sixteen square miles of ground).
The enemies of Oblivion are somewhat limited, but I love how as opposed to old RPG games, you can see them coming. You can spot the enemy coming, and it is sometimes terrifying. I love when you encounter a creature and just get running. I enter a place…and just have to sprint away from the danger…If you play the game, get used to it.
I am not very good of the gambling and vocal persuasion, and that is part of leveling up. I also hate to be “wanted” and fear being disliked…so it is sometimes difficult to be “the good guy” and get what you need from this game, but it is a lot of fun trying.
The controls for the game are a little tricky at points. I find it difficult to juggle spells, etc. You also have to choose your character which will effect your abilities (I like night vision so I don’t have to mess with torches). You can play the game 3rd Person but 1st Person is way to go. You also have to deal with weight and certain characters can’t carry as much as others…it is pretty frustrating when you keep finding cool stuff.
Though it is quite old now, I still recommend The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for hours and hours of play. Fallout 3 improved on The Elder Scrolls controls and presentation, and Fallout 3: New Vegas improved it even more. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim released in 2011 has all the benefits of Fallout 3 with the fun of Oblivion so if you have to choose, you might go with the newer title, but Oblivion is still worth the ride.