Video Game Review: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered by Bethesda Game Studios and Virtuos

By the Nine Divines, the rumors were real!

Back in April, the rumor making its way around the games industry was that there was to be a remake of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and further, that it would be shadow dropped (released at the time of, or soon after the announcement). A few weeks went by in this fashion, and all the internet faithful who fondly remembered their adventures in Cyrodil twenty years past began to doubt the authenticity of all the claims. And then it happened. A dream comes true, a rumor becomes real. Microsoft, Bethesda, and Virtuos announced a complete remake (that for some stupid reason, they decided to call a remaster) and that it would launch that very day. Praise the Nine! If there was one game I could have had remade from the ground up, this was it. So, as someone who played the original Oblivion for over a thousand hours, how does the remake stack up?

To reiterate, this is not a remastered version of the game from 2006, this is a full-on, soup-to-nuts remake of the old Oblivion and its Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles expansions. The game is faithful in every way that I can remember, with some slight adjustments being made to better enhance gameplay/gameplay experience. They removed some exploits (like easy sneak leveling) while leaving some classic ones that are always fun to exploit in subsequent play-throughs (Boots of Springheel Jak can still be plastered onto your feet while you wear another set of boots, thank Akatosh--though I didn't use the exploit this time around). These details prove that Virtuos and Bethesda took care in ensuring that the spirit of the game remained while addressing things that could break other aspects of the experience, especially for new players. For instance, using that previously mentioned sneak exploit early in the game would affect how strong enemies become, making the player character unequipped to handle them. For those of you who may have found more errors than I, I must apologize. It has been almost twenty years since I last played. But for what it’s worth, to me, everything that made the game memorable is still here.

The Elder Scrolls isn't quite as household a name as the subtitle for the fifth game; Skyrim. Those who know the name Skyrim will know what Oblivion is about. For those who don’t, the Elder Scrolls series casts the player into a sprawling open world with vast choices in character build, stories to uncover, guilds to join, dungeons to explore, and glitches to exploit. You begin Oblivion in a prison cell, looking through the bars while a dark elf across the way uses the race you’ve chosen to taunt you with racist remarks. Ah, how art imitates life. If you choose the same race (dunmer/dark elf), he’ll threaten to sleep with your wife (if male), or he'll threaten to sleep with you (should you choose a female character). Don't worry, you can deal with him later. The choice of race has its repercussions in the early game, with some people disliking you from the outset. Raising your personality and speech craft will allow you to smooth-talk anyone into being your friend though. It can be tough going at first, but it helps create an immersive atmosphere.

Speaking of, Oblivion is an easy game to get lost in. It’s one of those games where you could wander, find a random dungeon, complete it, find another one close by, complete that, too. Realize that you had a mission, but instead, you’ve spent the last two hours doing nothing whatsoever to do with whatever you had planned in the first place, and yet, you still feel satisfied. You’re an adventurer inhabiting a magical foreign world, and Oblivion’s idiosyncrasies are a wonderful catalyst to help the player immerse themselves further. Listening to the soundtrack as I skimmed the chiming nirnroot from the edge of a body of water was a soothing experience that brought me back nearly twenty years. Happy to say, the game still has that effect on me.

One of the best aspects of this remake is the high-quality upgrade of all the models. Everything looks gorgeous, the world, the characters, the armor, and the weaponry. Sure, there are things that popup here and there, and performance is at times suboptimal (and this from someone playing on a PS5 Pro, so be warned standard console and non beefed-up PC users), but the game doesn't just copy old character models over, they are remade, some looking completely different from the original, but all in a way to enhance the experience. While the original had a certain charm, it could sometimes be alarming to see just how hideous some of those old models were. From the sky to the oceans, to the flora and fauna, the remake is remarkable and precisely what I wanted out of the long-rumored game.

The gameplay is first person, though it can be played in third, and has been improved upon thank goodness. You have access to a variety of play styles and can eventually branch out and make your character a jack of all trades if you so desire (like I did, I like to feel like a god toward the end of my RPGs). Whether you choose to be a blade/blunt in one hand with a shield in the other, a two-handed blade or blunt weapon, a pugilist master, or an archer, the options are pretty similar throughout. The same button is used to fire an arrow as it is to swing a blade. Blocking incoming attacks with your shield, shield bashing an enemy, then getting a few quick swings in with your blade is satisfying. The gameplay isn't revolutionary, it is a nearly twenty-year-old game after all. But I must admit it is satisfying, after having played Skyrim all these years, to have the ability to always have a magic spell on hand without having to save a hand slot for it. A character that levels up in magic has all sorts of abilities at their disposal. Some to enhance, some to deceive, some to destroy, some are a mix. How you play your character, and the spells you can eventually create (in combination with the armor that you magically enhance) are entirely up to you and the play style you prefer.

My favorite things about Oblivion? The guild quests and overall quest variety. I was pumped to run through them all again, and they’re just as I remembered. Thieves Guild, Mages Guild, and oh, that Dark Brotherhood quest line. So satisfying. I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone, but one of my favorite quests—in any game—is in that Dark Brotherhood quest line (Whodunnit?). Outside of the guilds, some other quirky quests make the world that much more endearing. Ever rescue someone trapped in their own painting before?

Compounded with some of the glitches/bugs/features, some not-so-memorable quests can easily become something to remember. For example, I had helped defend a castle at one point in the game, a random side quest. One of the knights comes out to assist me, and he thanks me for my help. Cool. You’re welcome, guy. I go into the castle, take a nap, come back out, and there’s that knight again, standing by a corpse that he helped me kill. He gasps first, then, in a genuinely devastated voice says something like, “He’s dead. There’s a murderer around.” If that isn’t comedy gold, I don't know what is.

My primary issue with any quest-related writing has to do with the main story. It’s always been serviceable, but not quite on par with the guilds. The final battle is a bit underwhelming, but the ending cutscene is appropriately climactic. Though I would think the main story would be a bigger part of the experience, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is so vast that it doesn't get weighed down too much by the inferiority in comparison to its main guild quests. Still, it could be better. I could take or leave the Oblivion gates. Fun challenge at times, but they all feel a bit similar.

I’m going to use this big paragraph to compare Oblivion to Skyrim a bit more, so bear with me. For those of you who’ve played Skyrim (and let’s be real, who hasn't by this point?), you’ll find a familiarity with Oblivion. This is its predecessor, so that's to be expected. What you may not expect, however, is just how much was taken away from the fifth entry in the Elder Scrolls (and, from what I understand, some was lost between Morrowind and Oblivion as well, but that's a conversation for another time). The athletics and acrobatics skills are completely removed, two skills that have profound effects on your vertical movement as well as your traversal speed. Playing your Oblivion character, then moving over to Skyrim feels a bit like you dipped your character’s feet in molasses. Other things were also removed, but nothing quite so inhibitive. Skyrim streamlines more, has better gameplay and animations in some regards (but this remaster fixes a bunch of old Oblivion issues). The world here is much more varied, which is to be expected when compared with the cold Northern Skyrim, but still something worth noting. The music, of course, a subjective thing, is much more my speed and memorable, transportive. I listen to it while I write. The quest writing is much better. I can't tell you how disappointed I was playing through Skyrim the first time. I enjoyed Skyrim’s Thieves Guild line, but that was it. In Oblivion, I wanted to be part of these guilds, work my way up, find out what was happening and why. When it comes to dungeon crawling, the dungeons in Skyrim are better crafted. Though there are plenty in Oblivion that are exciting to explore, many dungeons lack that unique hand-crafted feel that you find in Skyrim. Both games are great, however, and I would happily play through either.

Also, sorry to inform you, but there are no dragons in Oblivion.

In other sad news, the game does have performance issues. I think it was a great idea to keep some of the exploits for players who liked to mess around with their builds and create god-like characters. It’s a single-player game and isn't harming anyone else’s experience. To keep game crashes and severe frame rate drops? Not a great idea. My friend put the game down early, resolved to wait for a patch. I believe patches are currently being worked on to address some of these issues, but as of my playthrough, the game has some issues. When too many models are on the screen, you get some slowdown. The game occasionally crashes (thankfully the autosave is forgiving). The most horrendous issue I had occurred at the very end of the Shivering Isles quest line. I had to look up a crazy workaround to be able to complete it (and mind you I was near the end of my playthrough, only needing to finish the main quest afterward). I thought I had lost my hundred-plus-hour save. Thanks to the kings and queens of Reddit who helped me figure that one out. These frustrations, though irritating in the moment they occurred, are but a drop in the hundred hours I sunk into the game. I hope it won't let it deter someone completely from buying the game. If anything, wait for a patch.

A few small things got on my nerves, things that I must have forgotten over the last two decades. For instance, enchanted weapon charging. Some weapons need to be constantly charged if you want their magical effects. After a few enemies, you have to go into the menu again just to recharge. The same goes for repairing weapons and armor. Why is there no repair all button once you’ve become a repair master? I also preferred the old-style UI for items, which had more character. That said, these are minor gripes that, as I mentioned, don't etch themselves into my memory when I look back. Still worth noting.

From the moment the emperor enters your prison cell and sets you free on a journey to do whatever the heck you want, when that fresh Cyrodil air hits your face and that atmospheric music stirs in the air, promising adventure, you know this is a place you could stay for a while. I’m so glad that this game got remade. It was truly a memorable day for me when they made that announcement. Despite some issues that pop up, I have to say that I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a fantasy setting in an immersive, moving world. For those who've played other games in the series, I do believe it is possible that whichever Elder Scrolls game you play first has a strong chance to always be your frontrunner of the series, but objectively, I think Oblivion has the best balance of accessibility and role-playing elements in the series thus far. You’d be remiss to skip out on it just because it’s a remake of an old game. It feels like it could have been made today, it’s still that good. After so many hours of playing the original, I still found new quests to do, characters to meet, and people to exploit. Oblivion Remastered is bursting with content, and, returning player or new, Cyrodil’s more beautiful than it’s ever been.

--

The Math

Objective Assessment: 9/10

Bonus: +2 for guild quests. +1 for visual overhaul. +1 for atmosphere and immersion.

Penalties: -3 for crashes and performance issues. -1 for genie glitches and bugs. -.5 for inventory/recharging annoyances.

Nerd Coefficient: 8.5/10

Posted by: Joe DelFranco - Fiction writer and lover of most things video games. On most days you can find him writing at his favorite spot in the little state of Rhode Island.

Microreview(?) [video game]: The Elder Scrolls Online by ZeniMax Online Studios (developer)

Endless Boredom

MMORPGs are largely unreviewable. They're designed to endlessly consume your time so they're functionally massive and it's almost impossible for your average game reviewer to experience everything (or even most things) an MMORPG has to offer in a reasonable amount of time. But this is going to be a review because I've seen enough.

In the year 2018, what is an MMORPG? I struggle to call what The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is a roleplaying game. While I play a character with a spreadsheet full of statistics and character-defining numbers of my own choosing, I'm not really roleplaying in the traditional sense. The roleplaying I'm doing in ESO is the role I would fit in for some endgame boss fights: tank, healer, or dps. But none of my actions in this game world amount to much. They can't. Everyone's doing the same quests, fighting the same world-threatening evil. Everyone is the only person who can save this world. There's no reasonable narrative explanation for this. I'm saving the world and so is every other person playing this game.

Since I'm not roleplaying, what am I doing? Fighting monsters, crafting, or fishing. That's kind of it. None of them are particularly rewarding or well done either. Combat is hitting my combat skills and waiting until the cooldown is done before I hit them again. To craft, I have to scour the world for materials, then I go to a work bench and hit the "craft item" button a few times and it spits out a thing. Fishing is fishing. It's as simple as tossing your line into some prearranged fishing spots and waiting until something bites.

If I don't sound enthusiastic about any of this, it's because I'm not. Looking back at the time spent, ~40 hours, none of it stands out. I ended up wasting so much time playing ESO because this was a long winter and seasonal depression hit hard. It was sort of comforting to get into ESO and kill an evening doing very little actual gaming. In retrospect, it wasn't a good way to spend my time, but it was all I wanted to do for the month of April. If that’s something you’re looking for, a game to carry you through a seasonal funk, the I guess ESO is one you can count on.

The Math

Baseline Assessment: 6/10

Bonuses: +1 it's got a whole lot of opportunities to do what this game offers

Penalties: -2 nothing is all that fun and nothing you do in this game matters

Nerd Coefficient: 5/10 (problematic, but has redeeming qualities)

***

POSTED BY: brian, sci-fi/fantasy/video game dork and contributor since 2014

Reference: ZeniMax Online Studios (developer). The Elder Scrolls Online [Bethesda Softworks, 2014]

Skyrim: Dragonborn DLC

[Skryim: Dragonborn, Bethesda Game Studios, Bethesda Softworks, 2012]

what took so long?

I realize that this third and final downloadable content package for Skyrim came out about a year-and-a-half ago, but I'm just getting around to it. When I played Oblivion, I bought the Game of the Year Edition, so all of the DLC came with the game. I racked up over 180 hours on the thing and completed every quest in the game, DLC included. However, with Skyrim I bought it on Day One and, to be honest, when I finished the main story line I was ready to put it down for a while. I never thought it would take me this long to get back to it, though. That said, here we are, and here's my critique of the highest rated of the Skyrim DLC offerings.  

what's the buzz? Tell me what's-a-happenin'!

After you've downloaded the Dragonborn DLC package and you start to play, you are quickly attacked by a group of cultists on behalf of one Miraak, who turns out to be the first Dragonborn. This type of aggression will not stand, man, so you set out to find Miraak and put him down. In order to track down your failed assassin, you hop on a ship headed for Solstheim, an island in Morrowind. Long time Elder Scrolls players will remember Morrowind from the third game in the series, and Solstheim from Bloodmoon, an expansion pack for the same. 

You do some sleuthing in an attempt to locate Miraak, but the islanders only seem to have a vague recollection of who or what he is. It's almost like they've all had the same mostly forgotten dream about the man, but they can't seem to remember any details about the first Dragonborn. Eventually, you find your way to the Temple of Miraak where you team up with Frea, a woman from Skaal whose people are being tormented by the evil, power-hungry villain. It turns out he is using the people of Skaal in an attempt to return to Tamriel and take over. He has placed them, along with many other citizens of Solstheim, into some sort of a trance where they are using formerly helpful magic stones to bring about his triumphant return and the downfall of Skyrim. 

You learn all of this when you find a "Black Book" deep in the recesses of Miraak's Temple and read it. Upon opening the text, you and Frea are transported to the Apocrypha, which is another dimension temporarily inhabited by Miraak as he prepares for his hostile takeover of your homeland. For reasons that don't really make sense, considering that you are the only other Dragonborn in Tamriel, Miraak doesn't find you to be much of a threat and he sends you and Frea back to Solstheim. I understand that it's necessary in order to keep the events of the DLC moving along, but this is a HUGE plot hole in the story. I mean, come on, he's already sent cultist assassins to kill you once. You spend the rest of the story gaining enough power to eventually take the man down. He's got you right there, in his dimension, surrounded by his cultists, underpowered and untrained, and he lets you go?! 

Now, I realize I've been talking about magic rocks and other dimensions, so obviously a little suspension of your disbelief is necessary to enjoy the game, but I just couldn't ever let go of this plot hole in my head. I won't go into too much detail about the rest of the story for those who haven't played it yet but intend to, but you literally spend the rest of the game trying to gain enough power to defeat Miraak. Due to that fact, you have to assume that you don't possess the necessary powers at this point in the game. It's the Skyrim equivalent of a Bond villain monologuing just long enough for James to escape from the overly-elaborate trap that has been set for him and defeat whatever SPECTRE baddy has come for him this time. All Miraak had to do was kill you, right then and there, and it's over. He wins. Instead, he sends you back to Morrowind to learn everything you need to know to eventually defeat him. Ugh. Sorry to harp on it so long but it really bugged me. 

so, you hated it?

No, I actually really enjoyed it. For one thing, you FINALLY get to ride dragons! It's something that I'd been dying to do since I killed my first dragon nearly three years ago. Not only that, but it was nice to have something new to do in the Elder Scrolls universe while waiting for the Elder Scrolls Online to come out (Thanks for pushing it back six months, Bethesda! Boo!!!) Unlike Oblivion, which I beat in its entirety in one huge go around, this served to break up Skyrim into at least two chunks. I fully intend to purchase at least one more piece of DLC because I had so much fun returning to Tamriel in Dragonborn. Aside from that one huge plot hole, it was a truly enjoyable experience. I can't wait to get Dawnguard or Hearthfire and do some more exploring of my favorite RPG world while I wait for the Elder Scrolls Online to come out. 

time for the breakdown

While I didn't enjoy this DLC as much as the Shivering Isles from Oblivion, it definitely holds its own against the Knights of the Nine. With the aforementioned postponement of the Elder Scrolls Online, my hunger for more of Tamriel has only grown. It was the perfect time for me to dig back into Skyrim and, having put off buying any of the DLC until now, I was able to do so without starting over and re-playing any parts of the game that I've already beaten. While it isn't revolutionary, Dragonborn was an enjoyable trip back into the lands of the Elder Scrolls and I can easily recommend it for anyone who is itching to get back into the zone in preparation for the next Bethesda release. 

the math

Objective Score: 7/10

Bonuses: +1 for just giving me more Skyrim. I truly love these games and, as long as they aren't total garbage, I will continue to enjoy most anything Bethesda puts out in the Elder Scrolls universe. 

Penalties: -1 for that HUGE plot hole I just couldn't get past. I mean, come on! He's right there! JUST KILL HIM!!! Ugh. Okay, I'll let it go now. 

Nerd Coefficient: 7/10. A mostly enjoyable experience.   

Tomb Raider - Definitive Edition

[Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, Crystal Dynamics, Square Enix 2013-14]

It's an origin story

There, now that I got that huge spoiler out of the way I can talk about the game. I was impressed by Tomb Raider in the same way I was impressed by Ryse. I went into it with mediocre expectations and had them summarily deconstructed by quality titles. I'll admit up front I'm not a huge fanboy of the series. I played a little bit of Tomb Raider on the PS2 but that's really the full extent of my experience with Lara Croft.

I guess that means I picked a good place to start, albeit due to the sad fact that there's a dearth of good Xbox One games available. Let's all hope Titanfall is everything it's cracked up to be. Anyway, back on track, this game tells of the beginnings of Lara Croft and how she came to be the Tomb Raider in her more well-known roles. It turns out Lara's father was one helluvan explorer, too. She has a father figure in the game who has replaced her father since his untimely death named Roth. 

Roth is both Lara's caretaker and her coach, challenging her to push her limits rather than resting on her father's laurels. At the same time, his favorite saying seems to be, "You're a Croft," which was what lent such weight to her father's legend. The two adventurers are on a hunt for an island called Yamatai, the mythical home of ancient Japanese goddess, Himiko. These two and a small team of others set out to make a reality television show about the discovery of the legend of Himiko. Unfortunately for them, they find her. 

the island

The island of Yamatai, found in the aptly named Devil's Triangle off Japan, turns out to have more than its share of natives. These half-insane worshipers of Himiko are led by Father Mathias. Although mostly crazy, Mathias has figured out that they must appease Himiko in order to leave the island. On this one fact he and Lara agree. However, he means to do it by human sacrifice while she simply wants to release Himiko's spirit, thereby lifting the curse keeping them all there and allowing both the stranded adventurers and the natives to leave the cursed island. 

There is also an ancient race of samurai-type warriors that protect Himiko and the island. These gruesome warriors that should be long-dead are a huge threat and not to be trifled with. It's best to avoid them altogether if possible. I won't spoil the game by telling you what happens. Just suffice it to say that Lara learns her actions can have deadly consequences, a lesson she is forced to take in repeatedly. This maybe the reason that she is such a lone wolf in the earlier (later) games. 

gameplay

I've been playing some Assassin's Creed so that's probably why this game reminds me of it more than most others. You must think in three dimensions when figuring out how to get around. You can climb rock faces as seen above using your pick axe. You can fire arrows into specialized areas to create zip-lines and climbing ropes. You also have to solve a good deal of puzzles to progress through the game. Due to these facts, it is very much like the historical series in its mechanics, if not its historical accuracy. 

There are two ways to level up in the game, one for Lara and one for her gear. She has skills that include her ability to traverse the landscape, battle, and hunting. Her gear includes a bow and arrow, shotgun, pistol, and rifle. All of these can be improved by leveling. The skill points are gained by leveling Lara through task completion. Gear is leveled by salvaging parts from both the surroundings and by hunting and skinning animals in the environment. The leveling system isn't overly difficult or deep, but serviceable enough to keep the game interesting. 

the breakdown

This introduction into the world of Lara Croft is a highly successful one. The plot contains enough twists and turns to keep it interesting and the character depth helps you understand her motivation, if it doesn't exactly make you fall in love with Lara's companions. The gameplay mechanics are well-crafted and keep you on your toes, constantly requiring you to learn then use new mechanics in order to progress through the game. Although there were a few puzzles that required me to go hunting youtube for a walkthrough, most were difficult enough to warrant some stress without resorting to "cheating" in order to complete. The graphics are very nice for a port from 2013's Tomb Raider with noticeable upgrades in both the characters and environment for the next-generation consoles. I was unable to tell a difference between the Xbox One and PS4 editions, although I read that the PS4 had the slight edge in most comparisons. Overall, I can recommend this game as a fun installment for both seasoned tomb raiders and newbies like myself just looking for a way to pass the time until some more exciting titles are released. 

the math

Objective Score: 8/10

Bonuses: +1 for creation of a believable introduction to the world of Lara Croft.

Penalties: -1 for not really adding much to warrant a "Definitive Edition." While the graphics upgrade is nice, this is hardly Oblivion with its Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles add-ons. 

Nerd Coefficient: 8/10. Well worth your time and attention. 

Brad Epperley--Gaming Guru, Ommmmm...gonna spam you from my camping spot in the shed. Haha! Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.