It was actually nice seeing all the joy from followers when Oblivion shadow dropped earlier this week. For lots of people, the fourth installment within the Elder Scrolls collection is the sport, the expertise that both was the impetus for his or her profession in video video games, instilled in them an eternal love for the format, or each.
But I by no means performed Oblivion after I was youthful. It got here out in 2006, after I was a freshman in faculty and firmly throughout the iron grip of the PS2. (While you partied on Cyrodiil, I studied the keyblade.) I used to be first launched to the Elder Scrolls collection through Skyrim, a sport that I merely couldn’t get into regardless of my greatest efforts and having a companion who beloved the sport who I wished to turn into nearer to. When I began Oblivion for the primary time I used to be so hopeful that it will seize me in a means its successor didn’t. It did — however not for the explanations I anticipated.
My first shock got here throughout the sport’s opening minutes after I met Emperor Uriel Septim VII. I used to be shocked. This was the Patrick Stewart, Captain Picard himself, greatest pal of Gandalf the Grey. I used to be stunned but once more after I met Brother Martin; I’d know Sean Bean’s voice anyplace. (And as a result of it’s him, I believe I’ve a serious clue as to his inevitable destiny.)
I have a tendency to think about stunt casting in video video games as a way more current factor. Video video games have at all times been common and celebrities have at all times engaged with the medium. (See additionally Clair Obscur Expedition 33 which got here out this week boasting the voice skills of fellow Lord of the Rings alum Andy Serkis and Daredevil himself, Charlie Cox.) But having Patrick Stewart present up in your sport in 2006 is one other stage. I wished to know why and the way Bethesda managed this which led me to the Making of Oblivion documentary. I really like listening to how moments from a developer’s private historical past affect a sport and it was actually cool watching Todd Howard gush over Terrance Stamp and seeing the builders freak out listening to Patrick Stewart voice Oblivion’s opening traces for the primary time. It was a particular sort of forensic enjoyment I’d not have gotten simply enjoying the sport itself.
When it involves the sport, I like the pliability of the category system. I desire ranged fight and I appreciated that Oblivion didn’t shunt me into both a pure archer construct or a pure magic construct the way in which different RPGs do (like Dragon Age) and as a substitute gave me the very best of each worlds within the monk. I are likely to wrestle with the “you will be something” kind of video games as a result of I would like route. I can’t have too many choices as a result of I’ll wind up not choosing any of them. With Oblivion, I may make a category that feels good to play and is suited to my specific tastes with out getting overwhelmed. I can sling my spells and arrows safely whereas nonetheless with the ability to mess shit up in melee vary due to my Redguard’s affinity for all types of weapons.
As for the precise gameplay of Oblivion itself, the expertise is neither horrible nor nice. I do know it’s a kind of video games the place its bugginess is a part of its appeal however I’m not getting any of the humorous bugs, simply the irritating ones. I’m enjoying on Game Pass and through each one in all my periods, the sport has crashed. Unreal Engine 5 makes the world look good but it surely feels very generic. I perceive that seeing Cyrodiil in 2006 was most likely groundbreaking and seeing it up to date for 2025 evokes plenty of heat, nostalgic emotions. But whereas I’ve seen this sort of world earlier than in each related sport since, there’s one thing attention-grabbing in understanding Oblivion is likely one of the locations the place that each one got here from.
Speaking of up to date graphics, the NPC faces are actually terrifying. They do look higher with all the flowery graphics and textures however all of the updates solid them firmly throughout the unsettling uncanny valley with eyes too small and too icy blue on faces which might be means too huge. But as I perceive it, that’s a part of Oblivion’s attraction.
Even although enjoying Oblivion just isn’t significantly enjoyable for me, what is actually enjoyable and engaging is seeing all of the little bits and items that I acknowledge from different video games or from video games media normally of their correct context. It’s like The Simpsons, one other factor I didn’t develop up with that seemingly everybody else did. I’ve seen and used the meme of Homer disappearing into the bushes tons of of instances but it surely was solely this 12 months that I ever noticed the episode during which that occurred.
It’s like cracking open an RPG time capsule. Even for all its unsavory bits, with the ability to make the connection between Oblivion and all the opposite video games it has impressed that I really do get pleasure from is basically neat. I even suppose that with extra time I may come to benefit from the sport as I unravel the Cyrodiilian line of succession and shut all of the Oblivion gates. But even when that doesn’t occur, I’ll nonetheless benefit from the trip.
