PLATFORM: PC, PS5, XBOX SERIES (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Originally released in 2006, Oblivion followed up on the success of the beloved ES III: Morrowind by introducing players to a new story in the high fantasy Elder Scrolls series. Set in the province of Cyrodiil, the game follows an unnamed (unless “the Hero of Kvatch” counts as a name) character’s quest to thwart the efforts of the Mythic Dawn, a nefarious cult who are attempting to open portals to the demonic realm of Oblivion. Upon its initial release, the game was praised for its engaging storytelling, impressive (for the time) visuals, and the way that it combined its action, adventure and RPG elements into a cohesive gameplay experience.
Fast forward to 2025, though, and 20-year-old titles – even ones that are as good as Oblivion – can be a tough sell for modern audiences. Falling in that middle ground between remake and remaster (the “Remastered” part of the title undersells the amount of effort that’s gone into this release), Oblivion Remastered brings the game into the current era with a comprehensive overhaul that feels right at home in the modern day. The most immediately noticeable change can be seen in the visuals, with new character models, textures, animations and lighting, along with increased resolution and framerate that help the game to sit comfortably alongside its contemporaries, albeit in a charming yet “not quite current-gen” sort of way. Elsewhere, amongst hundreds of small tweaks and changes, the most welcome improvements come in the form of a reworked UI that makes things easier to find and menus much less fiddly to navigate, changes to the levelling system, new voiceovers (the original game was infamously only furnished with a handful of different voices for dozens of characters), and a new sprint button that allows players to travel across Cyrodiil at a quicker pace (which might not sound like much, but really makes a difference!).
A few aspects of the game could maybe have been improved for a re-release of this scale. From forgivable slip ups like minor typos here and there to bugs and glitches that have been left untouched, these were intentionally overlooked in order to present the original game to a new audience in exactly the same state as it would have been experienced in 2006, which might be a blessing or a curse depending on your preferences. Some of these have even been made more noticeable, such as the original game’s accidental inclusion of a voice actor fluffing their lines and repeating them. Back in 2006, the character – Speechcraft master Tandilwe – would stop talking at the end of the first take, but now the entire line of dialogue is fully lip-synced, including the actor breaking character to say “let me do that one again” before repeating the line. It’s lovely to see that in a game that’s as serious in tone as Oblivion, the developers have still managed to have some light-hearted fun with it. It’s unfortunate, though, that other glitches can sometimes see quest objectives disappearing, characters failing to show up when they’re supposed to, or even your own character getting stuck and forcing you to reload an earlier save.
Even with a few slip-ups here and there, the world of Oblivion remains as enticing to explore as it was two decades ago. Those with fond memories of the original will feel right at home jumping back into the game’s world, although some of its old-school quest design might not quite live up to newcomers’ expectations. Having said that, climbing the ranks of the Mages, Fighters and Thieves Guilds is still immensely enjoyable, and the main questline remains one of Bethesda’s most well-written stories. As an added bonus, the Shivering Isles expansion – included here along with the Knights of the Nine DLC – is one of the all-time greats, sending you into the realm of the Daedric Prince of Madness where all manner of twisted delights lie in wait. Overall, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is easily an essential purchase for fans of the original game. And for those who perhaps have enjoyed Skyrim or other Bethesda games like Fallout or Starfield but have yet to revisit earlier entries in developer’s back catalogue, this remaster is absolutely the best place to start.
