The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Reviews

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Written by BuckGB on March 24th, 2006

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Many gamers felt lost when Morrowind gave them the freedom to go anywhere yet told them hardly anything about what they should do next. With Oblivion, Bethesda wanted to keep things as free as possible, while also satisfying the gamers who want a little more structure and more clues as to where to go next. So how did they do that? To start, there's a brand new quest journal system that's been beefed up yet streamlined. It winds up looking a lot like the quest log from World of Warcraft. But here, all the relevant information for any single quest goes into one long entry, even for those parts you've long finished. To avoid confusion, the data in each quest is sorted from the newest information at the top, all the way back to the oldest information at the bottom. This way, you can look back to what an NPC told you five steps back if you want, or just look at the top to find out what you need to do next. Any quest you select as the "active" one will pop up a pointer on both your map and compass, leading you to the next place you need to go, although some quests have more general goals that don't require you to do something specific - those won't supply a pointer.

Oblivion is a staggeringly ambitious game that successfully unites some of the best elements of RPG, adventure and action games and fuses them into a relentlessly immersive and intoxicating whole. If the irresistibly picturesque visuals don't draw you in, then the ability to engage in a massive, unique and above all hugely entertaining adventure ought to tip the balance for anyone doubting how good this game could be. If ever a game was worth the full asking price, Oblivion is it - to miss out on it would be tantamount to a dereliction of duty.

Upon booting up The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for the first time, the game feels incredibly overwhelming. Massive. Daunting. Basically any synonym for freaking huge will work. This left us (as it may for most) a bit unsure as to where to proceed, the right choices to make, or even what on earth is going on. However, spend some time furthering the main quest, pick up some side quests here and there, work on leveling up your character (plus go for a horseback ride or two), and you will be hooked. This title evolves as players get deeper and deeper, and it just keeps getting better.

In short, there's very little not to like about it. Some of the graphical choices rub us the wrong way. Sure, it's essentially a polished version of Morrowind with a better graphics engine and a different plot. But the painstaking attention to detail, outstanding worldcrafting, and inspired AI make it a huge improvement; and there wasn't all that much wrong with Morrowind to begin with. Oblivion is a stunning game -- don't miss it.

To truly expand on everything Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion would be to write a massive tome of information. Want proof? Check out how massive Prima's strategy guide is. The game is just too big to elaborate on in its entirety, and this is a game that really has to be experienced, not just read about. Want to know what to expect? You can expect a massive game that is very open. There is a main story, but you are not forced or coerced in any way to complete it. The combat you encounter is fun and fresh and there is a wealth of enemies you will stumble upon. The citys and towns are lively and there is always something to see, someone to help, or a quest to complete. You can even purchase a house in the city if you wanted to always have a home to return to. The graphics are amazing, but you will definitely notice some slowdown. The draw distance isn't spectacular, but the details and textures up close and personal are excellent.

In a nutshell, this is one of the must own titles for the Xbox 360. Highly recommended. Why don't you own it already?

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