It was actually nice seeing all the thrill from followers when Oblivion shadow dropped earlier this week. For lots of people, the fourth installment within the Elder Scrolls sequence 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.
However I by no means performed Oblivion once I was youthful. It got here out in 2006, once I was a freshman in school and firmly inside the iron grip of the PS2. (When you partied on Cyrodiil, I studied the keyblade.) I used to be first launched to the Elder Scrolls sequence through Skyrim, a sport that I merely couldn’t get into regardless of my finest efforts and having a associate who liked the sport who I needed to turn into nearer to. Once I began Oblivion for the primary time I used to be so hopeful that it might seize me in a manner its successor didn’t. It did — however not for the explanations I anticipated.
My first shock got here inside the sport’s opening minutes once I met Emperor Uriel Septim VII. I used to be shocked. This was the Patrick Stewart, Captain Picard himself, finest good friend of Gandalf the Gray. I used to be shocked but once more once I met Brother Martin; I’d know Sean Bean’s voice anyplace. (And since 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 latest factor. Video video games have all the time been widespread and celebrities have all the time 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.) However having Patrick Stewart present up in your sport in 2006 is one other degree. I needed 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 strains for the primary time. It was a particular sort of forensic enjoyment I might not have gotten simply taking part in the sport itself.
Relating to the sport, I like the flexibleness of the category system. I want 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 most effective of each worlds within the monk. I are inclined to battle with the “you could be something” sort of video games as a result of I want path. I can’t have too many choices as a result of I’ll wind up not selecting 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 allure however I’m not getting any of the humorous bugs, simply the irritating ones. I’m taking part in on Sport Cross and through each one among my periods, the sport has crashed. Unreal Engine 5 makes the world look good nevertheless it feels very generic. I perceive that seeing Cyrodiil in 2006 was in all probability groundbreaking and seeing it up to date for 2025 conjures up plenty of heat, nostalgic emotions. However whereas I’ve seen this type 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 every one got here from.
Talking of up to date graphics, the NPC faces are actually terrifying. They do look higher with all the flamboyant graphics and textures however all of the updates forged them firmly inside the unsettling uncanny valley with eyes too small and too icy blue on faces which can be manner too huge. However as I perceive it, that’s a part of Oblivion’s attraction.
Regardless that taking part in Oblivion is just not notably enjoyable for me, what is actually enjoyable and interesting is seeing all of the little bits and items that I acknowledge from different video games or from video games media basically 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 nevertheless it was solely this 12 months that I ever noticed the episode wherein 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 take pleasure in is absolutely neat. I even assume 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. However even when that doesn’t occur, I’ll nonetheless benefit from the experience.