Review in Progress: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

Imagine being ambushed by a member of the Mythic Dawn—it’s that sudden feeling you get when you hear that The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has been remastered. As someone who treasures this RPG dearly, diving back into its world has been a joy. I’ve clocked in countless hours already, shutting down a bunch of Oblivion gates, making pacts with Daedric gods, battling my way to the top of the Imperial City arena, and digging into those captivating faction quests. This revamped version offers some notable improvements, especially in graphics, UI, and voice lines. Having recently revisited the original, where all its flaws stood starkly clear, this new take breathes fresh life into a nearly two-decade-old game. Yet, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows; the familiar jank is present, including odd horse animations, questline hiccups, and the occasional frame drops. Despite these quirks, especially in light of my resistance to mere nostalgia, I’m thoroughly enjoying this eccentric open-world saga again.

The graphical makeover stands as Oblivion Remastered’s most significant advancement. While it might not match up to today’s high standards, comparing it to the 2006 original is jaw-droppingly revealing. The map looks sharper than ever, boasting a draw distance my younger self couldn’t have imagined. Lighting, shadows, and lip-syncing are unrecognizably better, although not every aspect got such attention. The NPCs still sport rather unattractive, caricature-like faces with a high chance of being cross-eyed. Yet, in a funny way, this might be seen as part of Oblivion’s genuine character. So, even if every Nord and mudcrab isn’t as meticulously beautiful as they’d be in a top-tier 2025 game, there’s still a glow up here. It’s one of those scenarios where my memories deceive me into thinking the original always looked this good when it so clearly didn’t.

One update that truly impacts the gameplay is the addition of a sprinting feature. Remembering the days when Oblivion lacked a sprint shows how big a change this is—if you’ve never played the original, trust me, this inclusion is a blessing from Akatosh himself. Losing stamina while sprinting doesn’t bother me, despite my usual disdain for it in RPGs where constant running is typical. This new sprint function makes traversing the map speedier and contributes to dungeons and cities feeling more condensed. It also encourages me to prioritize skills and magical boosts that enhance stamina. The trade-off of extra stamina management feels minor compared to the convenience of quickly navigating known areas.

The refresh doesn’t stop there. The UI, skills, and leveling system have seen substantial reworks, and there’s a new Character Origins feature which tweaks starting stats. The revamped UI aligns with today’s design expectations—meaning enhancements that may go unnoticed but are invaluable. They’ve moved the compass to a more central spot, expanded its information, and dispersed the health, magicka, and stamina bars across the screen, making them easier to track. Menu navigation is also smoother and generally more user-friendly. Though some elements still feel a bit archaic, like the quest log abruptly interrupting gameplay, they’re not terribly bothersome. I’m also reserving judgment on the revised leveling and skills until I’ve spent more time exploring them.

But even with Virtuous Games taking charge of this remaster, this is unmistakably a Bethesda experience, bugs and all. Peculiarities like disappearing Oblivion gates or uncooperative NPCs who sidestep interactions are perplexing, though they don’t halt quest progression, reassuringly. Performance on the Xbox Series X occasionally falters, with frame drops during autosaves or in battles against hordes of enemies. While these quirks inject a certain charm, it’s a shame that two decades haven’t completely smoothed out these rough edges.

I’ll be delving deeper before penning a full review. There’s more to explore—such as completing the main storyline, venturing into the Shivering Isles, or just causing chaos in Cyrodil, all while relishing those classic arrest dialogues from the Imperial guards. For now, I’ll be off getting into more trouble; maybe even pick up vampirism in the process. Until next time!