The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Reviews
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Forget the slightly 'off' feel of combat in Vampire - Bloodlines or the strange sensation in Morrowind that you were hitting creatures with a wooden cane whose tip disappears three times out of five. Oblivion removes the passive tap-tap-tap of role-play combat and turns it into something genuinely gratifying. When you aim just above a bandit's head to account for gravity and fire off an arrow, it feels like your own skill (and your own skill alone) is to account for the neat kill - the rolling of dice is there, but done so far backstage that it could be taking place in a Securicor van in the carpark.
The second is at GameAxis with an overall score of 9.5/10:
Oblivion is the game many people have been waiting for, and it lives up to the anticipation and hopes that people pinned on it. It's a beautiful looking game, with amazing production values, massive scope, and huge amount of content for the diligent gamer, but the time investment, and the sophistication of some the mechanics may put off the casual gamer who just wants a quick fix. This is a real reward for the hardcore, and they will find the game?and its subsequent, inevitable expansions?keeping them busy for many, many moons.
The third is at AllRPG with an overall score of 8.7/10:
In a world of RPGs dominated by western created MMOs and Japanese console RPGs focused on linear point to point quests and non branching storylines, Oblivion proves that the single player role-playing experience is far from dead. While not perfect, Bethesda has gone the extra mile in order to create NPCs that are unique. Also, through the use of today's hardware specifications Bethesda also succeeds in creating a fluid and expansive world that immerses players into the protagonist's role. The interface is very user friendly which allows for newer players to pick up and play instead of scanning through hundreds of options and menus, which makes it perfect for consoles. With the sheer amount of quest and customization, players can be expected to play the game long beyond the main quest. While not flawless, Oblivion can still be defined as a superlative experience in a RPG market dominated by redundancy and clichés.
The fourth is at Gamer's Hell with an overall score of 9.8/10:
There's so much I could say about the game. I could go on and on about a whole lot, but I have to stop at some point. Oblivion is far from a perfect game, but I can think of very few titles that come as close. It's among the very best in terms of gameplay, audio, and graphics. It doesn't have multiplayer, but neither have any of the previous Elder Scrolls games. Personally, I think it's a joy to finally have a huge, offline RPG where you won't run into kids asking you to give them gold, people leaving a quest because of dinner, and unstable, laggy servers where you have to wait for 30 minutes or more just to play, only to be back in line when the connection dies.
And the fifth is at GameZilla with an overall score of "Recommended - Buy":
Oblivion has been high on the hype scale and it definitely lives up to the buzz. There are hours and hours of content.make that weeks and weeks worth of content available. If you are a discerning gamer who purchases only a handful of games per year, this game will keep you busy. If you have a large library of games, you can prepare to have them begin collecting dust. Again, I can't stress enough how the pacing of this game is not going to be for everyone but if you go in with that expectation, you will have a great time. I will gladly keep paying $60 if this is the level of game hitting the market.
