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| | Title:
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
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System:
Xbox 360
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Genre:
RPG
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Publisher:
Bethesda Softworks
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Developer:
Bethesda Softworks
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Release:
March 20, 2006
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Online:
No
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ESRB:
Teen (T)
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Hype is something that can either kill a game, or make it a legend. It all depends on whether the final product meets or exceeds the expectations laid upon it by raved fans. If a game achieves the later than it most certainly sits in the hall of games that are like no other; ones that took the hype, molded it, and gave it back to the gaming community in the form of their final product; the game itself. For the longest time the Xbox name has been without RPGs, so when a new Elder Scrolls game was confirmed to be in production for Microsoft's next-gen console, one can imagine the hype that consumed Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. Every time a new screenshot appeared on the web, or a new article about the gameplay surfaced fans went crazy. Finally, Oblivion is now in the hands of Xbox 360 owners and has a special surprise for each one of them. It lived up to the hype. It is an amazing game, one no Xbox 360 owner should not be without. Slowly, more and more games are coming to Microsoft's console that prove without a doubt that the Xbox 360 is next-gen. Oblivion is just another one of these perfect examples.
It is hard to review Oblivion without mentioning the great feel of nostalgia as one boots up the game for the first time. Slowly the name forms onto the screen with the familiar theme of the Elder Scrolls filling the air. I had to crack a smile as the game started up; the effect was too great not to mention. This is one of the great things about Oblivion. It is not so foreign that veterans of the series will feel completely lost. Instead each and every single element in the game has been carefully crafted to make the transition from Morrowind to Oblivion without any hiccups. When it comes to the races there are the familiar (Dark Elves) while at the same time the new (the ever expanded human species with several different races to choose from). Familiar and new magic are on the scene, as well as weapons, potions, and just about every single aspect of the game. I know this may not seem like a big deal or even a minus to some players (who need everything new). But to me, too often I pop in a sequel and find myself experiencing too many "new" things. The end result is a game that may be superior in every aspect to the original but it does not capture the magic of the original. It feels like the old title was abandoned. Oblivion does not suffer this fate. Loyal fans should not worry; everything you loved about Morrowind is in this game.
The real gameplay hook of the Elder Scrolls series is giving players an insane amount of freedom to do what ever they wish. Grand Theft Auto can't even compete with the awing inspiring realization that absolutely anything can be possible in the Elder Scrolls games. Oblivion is no different and infact enhances this effect ten fold. The first big factor in this experience is the player's character. I can almost guarantee that no two gamers will ever produce the same character in Oblivion. After the intro gamers will be given time to create their own character in terms of race, gender, and physical appearance. The amount of choices here is a little intimidating. Think of it as the Sim's character creation but even more in depth. It might take gamers an hour or two until they reach their final product (depending on how picky one is), but the result in a truly unique character. Even better is if one is not satisfied with their creation they are given the option to change them before venturing head first into the meat of the game. Throughout the intro players will also pick their class, birth sign, and a few other options to finally flesh out their creation. Like mentioned before, this can all be changed after gamers venture through the opening dungeon and see if they actually like who they are. No pressure. From here the sky is the limit. Want to be a noble knight who rides through the night slaying monsters and shutting Oblivion gates? Go for it. How about a recluse mage who searches dungeon after dungeon for rare scrolls and spells? Have at it. Or better yet, could you be a thief who secretly loves alchemy and will spend hours collecting ingredients on hillsides. You can do that too. I can't convey enough into words just how open the experience is. The only limiting factor is how powerful your character is. But who would want to be all powerful right from the start? The beauty of this game is the progression to higher levels, and crafting your character to fit your needs.
It doesn't hurt either that the world where the entire adventure takes place is a site to behold. Oblivion is, like GRAW, one of the best examples of the graphical power of the Xbox 360. The first time players venture outside they better watch out that their eyes don't melt from the amount of eye candy that will be bombard their cornea. Whether it is the trees, grass, rocks, ruins, villages, snow, plains, water, sea side, everything and anything looks incredible. The style of Oblivion can best be described as the Lord of the Rings crossed with Victorian England. I know this doesn't help much, but once you pop in the game, you'll see what I mean. Complimenting the locations are the character models. Much improved from Morrowind, the people inhabiting Oblivion look and act much more believably. This is thanks to Oblivions new A.I. system that allows the NPCs to understand what is going around them and react accordingly. This is really seen once the main quest is taken up. Instead of programmed reactions to your exploits; the NPCs will have conversations with each other about the events as well as many other quests that could be taken up. Finish a quest a certain way and the conversations the NPCs have will change. It is a great effect that really pulls the gamer into the world.
Now if there was one thing about the Elder Scrolls series that frustrated its fans, it was the combat. It just wasn't that fun. Morrowind, while having an amazing world, had some of the worst. It wasn't fun and rather difficult to pull off any type of offensive or defensive move. Oblivion has taken some steps in the right direction, but the combat, specifically the melee, could still use some work. It is light years ahead of Morrowind and is quite playable, but there are still a few things to iron out. First off is swinging of the weapons. The reaction time between actually pulling the right trigger and your character swinging the sword is a little slow. I found myself just rapidly pulling the R-Trigger in hopes of swinging at the right time. Also it seems like the enemies can swing and attack you much faster than you ever could. Too many times I was hit backwards then barraged with tons of melee attacks that I couldn't block. If players get hit too hard their character stumbles in pain. While realistic it really stops the combat. Don't believe it is unplayable like Morrowind, it is just that the melee combat will feel clunky at times to some gamers.
The magic system though is much improved. Thanks to a feature that lets you apply certain spells to the D-Pad (or equipment), players who take the path of the mage will find themselves being able to easily switch between a maximum of eight spells. No more randomly scrolling through a huge list hoping to find the right magic. The magic in combat works much better than the melee. It hits when it should and thanks to the life bar that appears over your reticule when targeting an enemy, players will know how much more mana they need to spend. The spells are diverse enough to allow some room for creativity. The mana also recharges on its own which is a nice change so mages won't find themselves lacking in abilities.
In addition to melee and magic, players can also try their hand at long range combat or sneaking. Both of these, like the magic, work pretty well. Arrows hit their target (unlike Morrowind) and sneaking around enemies is rather easy. Sneaking up behind an enemy successfully results in a damage bonus that should make the path of the thief look promising. Overall, the combat is a big step in the right direction for the Elder Scrolls series. The melee combat still needs work, but with the excellent magic, long range, and sneaking systems players will find a lot of alternatives to taking down their enemies.
While all of the above is important, there is one key component that makes or breaks an RPG, the story. Thankfully the story of Oblivion is a rather good one. Better yet, this time gamers will actually know what to do in order to progress along the main quest. No more wandering around for fifteen hours before stumbling upon the right person to talk to. Oblivion streamlines the process by not only making the journal entries make more sense, but also marking where to go on the map to continue the quest. It is true some players got tired of walking across miles of land so Oblivion also includes the ability to simply select the location and choose to go there. No more walking. Now granted you have to have visited their once before this option becomes available (except for the major cities), but it really removes a lot of the unnecessary trekking that slowed down Morrowind. I won't spoil the plot of Oblivion, but suffice to say you'll be traveling to the "hell" of this Elder Scrolls game. Seems that the barrier that separated the hell known as "Oblivion" and the good world has been broken and as such Oblivion gates are opening up all over the place. It is your job to not only find the heir to the throne but also figure out how to stop the gates. Players have a hefty task on their plates but I doubt any won't be up for the challenge. And as anyone can guess, replay value is through the roof.
Fleshing out the whole package is the sound. Oblivion does a superb job in the music department. The theme song for Oblivion is a great evolution of the theme from Morrowind and just signals of what is to come. Whether you are walking through the tranquil forest or fighting through dark dungeons, the music is perfect for the occasion. The battle music hasn't changed much since Morrowwind and after a while the same old tunes do get a little bit old. For the first few hours though, the effect is great. The sound effects of Oblivion are also pretty well done. Wolves growl, swords clang, spells explode, and almost everything one would expect to hear from a game like Oblivion are heard here.
Overall, this is one heck of a game and a great addition to the Xbox 360 library. Finally, Xbox 360 owners have a title to point to when someone says they have no good RPGs. Oblivion is one of the best RPGs crafted and it seems only fitting that it finds its way onto the Xbox 360. Don't think about buying this game, get it.
| The Core Score |
Overall
9.4 |
| Fun |
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9 |
| Gameplay |
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8 |
| Graphics |
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9.5 |
| Audio |
|
9 |
| Replay |
|
10 |
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