The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

 PC
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3846 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,010 out of 3846
  2. Mixed: 542 out of 3846
  3. Negative: 294 out of 3846
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. sezzce
    Jul 3, 2023
    0
    The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a timeless masterpiece that has captivated the hearts of gamers since its release. Developed by Bethesda Game Studios, this epic open-world role-playing game takes players on a breathtaking journey through the fantastical realm of Cyrodiil. As a passionate fan, I cannot help but pen this review to celebrate the boundless wonders and immersive experiencesThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a timeless masterpiece that has captivated the hearts of gamers since its release. Developed by Bethesda Game Studios, this epic open-world role-playing game takes players on a breathtaking journey through the fantastical realm of Cyrodiil. As a passionate fan, I cannot help but pen this review to celebrate the boundless wonders and immersive experiences that Oblivion offers.

    From the moment you step foot in the lush and meticulously crafted world, you are greeted by a level of depth and attention to detail that is truly awe-inspiring. The expansive landscapes, brimming with vibrant flora and fauna, breathe life into the game's environment. Whether you're wandering through dense forests, exploring ancient ruins, or traversing serene countryside, the visual splendor is simply breathtaking.

    The heart and soul of Oblivion, however, lies in its engaging gameplay and enthralling storyline. The game offers players unprecedented freedom to shape their own destiny. You have the ability to create a unique character, choosing from a wide array of races, classes, and skills, each with its own distinct advantages and abilities. This customization adds a personal touch, ensuring that every playthrough is a truly individual experience.

    The quest system in Oblivion is nothing short of a triumph. The main storyline, centered around the Emperor's assassination and the rise of the Oblivion Gates, is gripping and full of surprises at every turn. The intricate web of side quests, guild quests, and miscellaneous tasks provides countless hours of gameplay. Each quest feels purposeful and rewards players with compelling narratives, memorable characters, and valuable loot.

    Combat in Oblivion strikes a perfect balance between strategy and action. Whether you prefer wielding a sword, casting powerful spells, or relying on stealth, the game accommodates various playstyles. The leveling system is intricate yet accessible, allowing you to develop your character's skills and attributes as you see fit. The sense of progression and growth is immensely satisfying, as you become a force to be reckoned with in the realm of Cyrodiil.

    Furthermore, the enchanting musical score composed by Jeremy Soule elevates the game to new heights. The sweeping orchestral melodies effortlessly transport you into the game's world, enhancing the emotional impact of every moment. Combined with the superb voice acting and ambient sound effects, Oblivion's audio design is truly a work of art.

    It's worth mentioning that the modding community for Oblivion is vibrant and active. Countless fan-made modifications enhance and expand the game, offering players even more content, quests, and visual enhancements. This dedication from the community further solidifies Oblivion's enduring appeal and longevity.

    In conclusion, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a testament to the power of immersive storytelling and meticulous world-building. With its captivating gameplay, stunning visuals, unforgettable characters, and an unparalleled sense of exploration, it has rightly earned its place as a classic in the RPG genre. Whether you're a seasoned adventurer or new to the world of Tamriel, Oblivion promises an unforgettable journey that will leave you yearning for more. Step through the gates and lose yourself in this gaming masterpiece.    … Expand
  2. EevieRoseAmalee
    Jun 24, 2023
    0
    The elder scrolls games spits in the face of most good elder scrolls games by destroying so much established lore and also it's open world is just a blank canvas with not much to do inbetween which says a lot as elder scrolls games have so much to do in their games.
  3. GreenMenace
    Oct 13, 2022
    4
    In hindsight, Oblivion suffers from being sandwiched between two great games. On one hand, you have the newer, flashier Skyrim. On the other, you have its predecessor, Morrowind, which is a masterpiece. I did not make it far in Oblivion because it introduced a few mechanics I wasn’t fond of (namely, introducing how everyone knows whether something is stolen or not). Characters level likeIn hindsight, Oblivion suffers from being sandwiched between two great games. On one hand, you have the newer, flashier Skyrim. On the other, you have its predecessor, Morrowind, which is a masterpiece. I did not make it far in Oblivion because it introduced a few mechanics I wasn’t fond of (namely, introducing how everyone knows whether something is stolen or not). Characters level like they do in Morrowind, and the game looks a lot like Morrowind. But when you hear people talking about the Elder Scrolls, this entry gets glazed over.… Expand
  4. EptaEpt
    Sep 13, 2022
    1
    Sorry, but positive feedback is not available in your region. At least until your leadership changes the two-faced policy in their actions and statements.
  5. Antohadance
    Jun 22, 2022
    0
    Скучный душный кал, кому нибудь может и понравится, но для меня это неиграбельно
  6. Gazownik
    Jun 8, 2022
    4
    As much as I love Elder Scroll games, this one was a terrible experience for me - played for around 10 hours > got pissed > uninstalled it.
  7. Carlton156
    Apr 11, 2022
    0
    THis game sucks ass... The only reason people like it must be nostalgia because the levelling system, a major part of any RPG. is utter garbage and makes you become weaker relatively speaking. The combat sucks and the only saving grace is some funny dialogues between NPCs.

    Aged horribly..
  8. Simonyan4ik
    Mar 7, 2022
    0
    Old and disgusting game. the pinnacle of absurdity. and terrible game design. main quest for children with down syndrome
  9. CasualReviewer
    Oct 8, 2021
    0
    This game is so damn awful. The combat is terrible, enemies are overpowered even if playing on super easy, the quests are so blank or straight up impossible. When you get past the tutorial, THE WHOLE map is open to you meaning you can fast travel anywhere with no exploration at all. The buildings are massive compared to the actual entrance. i spent 15 minutes figuring out how to get intoThis game is so damn awful. The combat is terrible, enemies are overpowered even if playing on super easy, the quests are so blank or straight up impossible. When you get past the tutorial, THE WHOLE map is open to you meaning you can fast travel anywhere with no exploration at all. The buildings are massive compared to the actual entrance. i spent 15 minutes figuring out how to get into the arena.
    Best for last, THE LOCKPICKING. Its so **** tedious, causing you to loose everytime because theres no indication wherever you are doing it right or not. We have got to a point where lockpicking virtually is harder than in real life and im NOT kidding here.    … Expand
  10. Skevinger
    Mar 23, 2021
    4
    Why is this the all-time-reference for a RPG? I like the setting, the world and the soundtrack, but the level-scaling ruins it for me. So if I'm to week to fight a wolf and want to get better, I level up. But suddenly the wolves are now "Timberwolves" and are stronger. That happens with every enemy-type. But if choose alchemy and some other stuff I never use as my main skills, I canWhy is this the all-time-reference for a RPG? I like the setting, the world and the soundtrack, but the level-scaling ruins it for me. So if I'm to week to fight a wolf and want to get better, I level up. But suddenly the wolves are now "Timberwolves" and are stronger. That happens with every enemy-type. But if choose alchemy and some other stuff I never use as my main skills, I can improve my fighting skills without leveling up. So if I stay level 1 the game gets easier and easier.

    Also: The faces. Aside from the argonian and khajiit faces everyone looks ugly because of the weird game engine. And when the camera zooms in at the beginnig of a dialogue and the NPC smiles at me, I suddenly want to punch his face. Even Morrowind or other older games have better faces.

    If those factors don't matter to you, you get a world with a lot to do.    … Expand
  11. JakubTyszko
    Feb 14, 2021
    4
    The game looks very interesting but as soon as you play you get disappointed over and over until you die inside.
  12. ViperITB
    Jul 23, 2020
    0
    Unbelievable disappointment after brilliant Morrowind. Plot written by guys who created last two seasons of GoT, animations and graphics ugly and unrealistic, gameplay boring as hell. You know where is the escape route from your prison? Under your bed, in the cell you had spent months in. And this is just the beginning of the game, it gets worse over time. If you never played Oblivion -Unbelievable disappointment after brilliant Morrowind. Plot written by guys who created last two seasons of GoT, animations and graphics ugly and unrealistic, gameplay boring as hell. You know where is the escape route from your prison? Under your bed, in the cell you had spent months in. And this is just the beginning of the game, it gets worse over time. If you never played Oblivion - skip it and go straight to Skyrim, you'll save yourself lot of time and frustration.… Expand
  13. canceRnya
    Oct 30, 2018
    0
    Тупа ноль. Наверное худшее творение худшей студий. Плохо все: от генератора персонажа в начале, до пещерки, в которой я это недоразумение бросил.
  14. JohnnyG500
    Jul 3, 2018
    2
    oh how i wanted to like this game ! now i'll go into detail as to why one of the "Best" games according to metacritic is a flaming pile of **** ,

    -now as my first experience in the elder scrolls series (and i can assure you it will be the last) it was a bit "epic" for a start, you are introduced to a character creation system that is severely lacking in interesting stuff, and i dare you    oh how i wanted to like this game ! now i'll go into detail as to why one of the "Best" games according to metacritic is a flaming pile of **** ,

    -now as my first experience in the elder scrolls series (and i can assure you it will be the last) it was a bit "epic" for a start, you are introduced to a character creation system that is severely lacking in interesting stuff, and i dare you to try to make the character look like a normal human being and not just a blob pretending to be a human, the character is ugly no matter how long a time you spend creating it so if you hate yourself and decide to buy this game just make yourself into a troll or a lion or something.

    -now for the "epic" part, which to be honest could've been a start for a great story immediately goes to **** you are a prisoner but then suddenly you are the chosen one that the king saw in a prophecy/dream (which is already painfully cliche'd) and then the king is killed because reasons, then you escape through a dull dungeon that would make superman 64 jealous.

    now the moment you step out into the world you feel like this will be a great game, which is an illusion that immediately fades away.

    -The world at first feels expansive and huge as in "encouraging exploration" but then once you are about to explore a menu pops up telling you that you can just teleport wherever you want from the map... which boils the game down to a basic collection of locations each one more dull than the other.

    -did i mention that everything in the world F*cking hates you ? Wolfs , Rats , trolls , random npcs you name it they all just want you dead for some adequately unexplored reason.

    -now to describe the story would be a waste of time so i'll just liken it to something, imagine a ten year old watched every cliche'd movie/TV series about medieval times with fantasy elements and then decided to write his best impression of all of them combined making an incoherent, done to death, by the numbers story that will leave you counting the seconds of your life being wasted, yes its that bad!

    -now for the big one, now all of the terrible things i've mentioned could be forgiven or even compromised for enjoyment sake, but one thing, yes, one thing breaks this game even more than the astronomical number of bugs and glitches, even more than the unorganized interface and inconsistent budget, and that is the graphics. what can i say about this that wouldnt be noticed at first sight ? the npcs look (and i'm not even exaggerating here) absolutely terrifying, just trying seeing a nice looking lady with great clothes and well done hair then look at her face and die, just die forever, i cant tell if the graphic designers were underpaid or on drugs, apart from the horrifying visage just try to admire the awfulness of how npcs attempt to convey emotions, they're either the face of a guy that won the lottery i.e grinning till their jaws are ripped apart or the face of one that is burying their relative as in frowning like its their job and then there is the neutral face which as previously mentioned is as comforting to look at as a man that is eating his own liver.

    now for the positives because even **** is used as a fertilizer sometimes, hence why i gave it 210 and not just a blatant shallow 0 because that would simply be unfair.

    +first of all : i would give props to bethesda for trying really hard to make this work, it doesnt feel like a dead seed by any means, its just a plethora of squandered potential or an impression of a way way better game that could've been but sadly was not.

    +second, this game has a very impressive class system which again could've been done better but it served as an influence to better future games.

    +versatility of items, as in : potions , weapons , armor , materials , random bollocks. which you would argue that all these things exist in other RPG games as well, to which i respond ; Well at least it has those!

    all in all i cant stress more just how you shouldnt waste a Cent on this game, dont take it, not even if for free, it doesnt deserve your time not even just for curiosity's sake, this game is so very bad i cant say enough about how cheated i felt by spending a mere 10 dollars on this absolute piece of garbage.

    Have a Great Day!    … Expand
  15. GameExpert777
    May 30, 2018
    0
    The game is a complete disaster, not intuitive, non-friendly.
    It's obvious that the game was made only for hardcore fans and not for regular people/ gamers.
  16. Kovasz
    Aug 7, 2016
    1
    I'm sure it's a GREAT game, but unfortunatelly, I'll never experience it, as it always crashes. I've tried running the game on different configs, different OSes, still, I can't really play it as it's crashes. I can't think of any other game having this serious quit-to-desktop issue.
  17. Voyou
    Jan 14, 2016
    3
    For a lively RPG world, play Gothic instead (the 2nd being my favourite). Or keep playing Morrowind if you like Morrowind: the exploration of the scenery was way cooler and surprising in Elder Scrolls 3.

    I'm not kidding. Oblivion continues the trend of quantity over quality. Of big is beautiful, when it so obviously is not. Just look at the ugliness of the massive imperial city, clearly    For a lively RPG world, play Gothic instead (the 2nd being my favourite). Or keep playing Morrowind if you like Morrowind: the exploration of the scenery was way cooler and surprising in Elder Scrolls 3.

    I'm not kidding. Oblivion continues the trend of quantity over quality. Of big is beautiful, when it so obviously is not. Just look at the ugliness of the massive imperial city, clearly designed by people who didn't grow up surrounded by ancient ruins and monuments. Nothing looks real about these walls. Nothing.

    There is some good in Oblivion, but largely outweighed by the bad, the worse and the pathetic. The excellent covers 2 things:
    - Character creation is well open; you can create and name your own class, based on the skills of your choice, which incidentally is exactly what I needed.
    - NPCs have their own conversations. It's basic but very effective.

    The good section isn't more crowded:
    - Pickpocketing is pleasant (despite the randomness and the save/load routine.)
    - NPCs give geographical indications. Again, it's basic but agreeable. It makes for a promising future.

    Let's adequately put the average in the middle section:
    - The world is vast, but pretty much empty and lifeless.Travelling is not dangerous like in other games. Villages have no charm and no soul. Ruins are nice the first time, until you realise it's all about cut n' paste. And then... there are loading screens between zones.
    - Automatic travel. I can't put it in the bad section since I'm not forced to use it, but it does remove the thrill of being lost and alone in the wilderness. Every other game does the teleportation thing much better by requiring an activation.
    - Touch 1 apple and every other object around will jump and roll. This would be in the bad section if the physics engine had any impact on the game.

    The bad section is by far the most populated:
    - The interface is ludicrous. As the top offender, the Escape key doesn't close windows. It doesn't affect the GUI and instead brings forth the game menu.
    - Quick Load isn't directly accessible when the game is paused. Oh, you do have the possibility to load... by calling the menu, but the quick key doesn't function and is specifically programmed to tell you that you can't quick load. Now rate that level of ridiculous on a scale of 0 to 10.
    - You can improve your skills in game by keeping a key pressed. Just wow.
    - There is no AI. What. So. E. Ver.
    - The map is tiny and virtually useless. No enlargement, no zoom, no markers, no common sense...
    - The bartering system is inane. It is also advantageous to sell your 250 arrows 1 by 1. I'm not kidding.
    - You have to play a childish mini-game before each NPC interaction to make sure you'll get all dialogue options and the best bargains. I'm still not kidding.
    - Everybody is the same. No, not kidding. Apart from their race, everybody has a similar ugly face, has a similar boring long name that won't stick, and speaks with 1 out of 3 or 4 voices. I can't identify anyone. Absolutely nobody is memorable.
    - Everything is randomised. Therefore, every action calls for a save/try/reload routine.
    - Seriously, even picking up a plant or a mushroom is randomised and can fail, who knows why. As a bonus if you will, a picked up plant doesn't disappear. That's how good the visual clues are.

    Don't think I'm done yet. Now comes the section of the truly pathetic:
    - Behold the worst lock-picking system of all times. Here, playing a thief is an ordeal. Or a deal-breaker.
    - There are no fences to sell your stolen goods to, therefore there is no point in thieving. I'm slightly exaggerating, since you'll have access to fences if you go to the one place in the so-called immense world to do the one thing that will connect you with the so ever-present, so American, and so absurd concept of a thieves guild, but I would argue that this forced path makes it even worse.
    - Level scaling. I think that's what it's called. It's the retarded notion that the world improves every time you improve, so as to remove any sense of immersion, emotion, strategy, accomplishment, fun, motivation, and whatnot.
    - Somehow in the same vein, here is yet another example of how dreadfully the game is designed: Improving your alchemy adds negative effects to your ingredients. As a corollary, a poisonous plant will kill you when ingested, but only if you know it's poisonous, otherwise it is harmless. For the last time, I am not kidding.    … Expand
  18. Sirik_Matak
    Feb 6, 2015
    0
    The prime example why the next-gen was the biggest mistake in human entertainment history by lowering video games to lower and lower masses.
    Technically it was and especially still is a catastrophe (good luck running it on 64 bit), it really looked bad when it came out in 2006. It was mostly the lie, promising features that were not implemented (the bump mapping was only in the starting    The prime example why the next-gen was the biggest mistake in human entertainment history by lowering video games to lower and lower masses.
    Technically it was and especially still is a catastrophe (good luck running it on 64 bit), it really looked bad when it came out in 2006. It was mostly the lie, promising features that were not implemented (the bump mapping was only in the starting cell, now run the hype machine!).
    Level scalling basically ruined this game gameplay wise.
    The writing and world design was non existant. It's was just some **** put randomely in the world without any thought of reason. It was designed as a marketing product to promote Xbox and sell to masses expecting an easy, dumbed down ride in a disney land they can "enjoy".    … Expand
  19. koval321
    Dec 6, 2014
    0
    Enemies progression is broken, this is not right for RPG game because you may get feeling that you are punished for leveling rather feel like have benefits from it. And worst is that you can level pretty fast, am explored nearby locations around starting point and after make one circle I was already boss with super armor and weapon. After that all enemies around become pretty nasty and amEnemies progression is broken, this is not right for RPG game because you may get feeling that you are punished for leveling rather feel like have benefits from it. And worst is that you can level pretty fast, am explored nearby locations around starting point and after make one circle I was already boss with super armor and weapon. After that all enemies around become pretty nasty and am feel like nobody again, some weak looking monster kills me LOL Am made epic battle with some rat !!! And treasures probably don't match to your level so it look epic and ridiculous at one time. Also my problem was with locations where at beginning I though they are stunning beautiful after while they become repetitive, in this parts Skyrim is much better game. Play Gothic 3 its much better game in many parts in long distance. At very beginning am love Oblivion but now am at point where don't even want to complete it and am realized that Gothic 3 have all what is missing in it. So in fact am would rather complete G3 than continue this game. Its basically good game and may be enjoyable for few days but for long play its very bad it going downhill all the time to point where become unplayable. Its pretty ridiculous that I want to play it again and try to avoid leveling to have better chances complete it on level 1 LOL as RPG its terrible how they test it? Was its tested anyway? And on what are based scores on first hour play? In my opinion this game is broken to point of unplayable because you will never get advance, you never change anything for better all you do work against you LOL Am already have epic equipment and don't see any whatsoever advance from it. Only one good point is sneak + bow but after monster see you it may be pretty frustrating battle because boss are everywhere even some stupid road thief with full glass armor etc it look crazy! More you play then more you see that stuff. My initial score was really 10/10 but it drop to zero and that is final score. Its just bad game for long play.… Expand
  20. Anonymous_1
    Sep 12, 2014
    3
    Pros: N/A

    Cons: Hideously ugly faces on the people in the game; mediocre graphics by modern standards; terrible leveling system where all the enemies level with you; horrible and boring combat system. Score Breakdown: Game Stability 9/10, Background Story 5/10, Loading Screens and Frame Rate 5/10, Sound Effects and Music 4/10, Voice Acting 3/10, Graphics 3/10, Plot Development 2/10,    Pros: N/A

    Cons: Hideously ugly faces on the people in the game; mediocre graphics by modern standards; terrible leveling system where all the enemies level with you; horrible and boring combat system.

    Score Breakdown: Game Stability 9/10, Background Story 5/10, Loading Screens and Frame Rate 5/10, Sound Effects and Music 4/10, Voice Acting 3/10, Graphics 3/10, Plot Development 2/10, Realism 1/10, Gameplay 1/10, Replay Value 0/10, Total Score 3.3/10

    Conclusion: Skip Oblivion and play The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim instead.    … Expand
  21. Belus
    Nov 13, 2013
    3
    Morrowind was very good, so I had great hopes for Oblivion.

    Unfortunately I was very disappointed. It is a dumbed down game, with less customization options and more an "action" feel than an "RPG" feel. It is very repetitive and there is very little atmosphere too. I enjoyed the game only until I understood that leveling up serves no purpose whatsoever. Level-scaling makes all the    Morrowind was very good, so I had great hopes for Oblivion.

    Unfortunately I was very disappointed. It is a dumbed down game, with less customization options and more an "action" feel than an "RPG" feel. It is very repetitive and there is very little atmosphere too.

    I enjoyed the game only until I understood that leveling up serves no purpose whatsoever. Level-scaling makes all the creatures in the game level up along with you. This is absolutely idiotic. It makes no sense whatsoever. Still trying to like it, I played more, and more, and more, but finally gave up trying to like it.

    After a wholehearted attempt to like this I have to say I didn't. This game is bad, and seems to be made not our of passion and love for RPGs, but out of love for money. Buy Morrowind instead.

    I am not even going to try Skyrim.    … Expand
  22. DAOuser
    Sep 24, 2013
    4
    Resulta aburrido, y el sistema de combate es una pesadez. Lo jugué hasta la mitad más o menos (por lo que pude saber) y luego lo borré para siempre de mi sistema. No lo considero bueno como rpg.
  23. Stefan24601
    Sep 10, 2013
    3
    A big step down from Morrowind, its predecessor. Customization is limited--there is only one "best" armor, one "best" weapon, etc, so you ccan't choose yr character's look. Many doors can't be opened, many characters can't be killed, limiting the actual role-playing aspect of the game. The worst part is that everything in the game levels with you, enemies getting stronger and moreA big step down from Morrowind, its predecessor. Customization is limited--there is only one "best" armor, one "best" weapon, etc, so you ccan't choose yr character's look. Many doors can't be opened, many characters can't be killed, limiting the actual role-playing aspect of the game. The worst part is that everything in the game levels with you, enemies getting stronger and more numerous, and weapons getting better, so there is no sense of mystery in any of the dungeons, no hope of finding that powerful sword or item as there was in Morrowind. There is no incentive to level up at all. The plots are predictable (HINT: someone is going to betray and attack you at the end), and the characters ugly. There is little good to say except that the stealth/assassination aspect of the game is somewhat entertaining and the spell-making is fun.… Expand
  24. slick_trick
    Dec 29, 2012
    1
    The absolute worst and most overhyped game I can remember. This game is like a punishment that was secretly made by the religious fanatics who were trying to ban Dungeons and Dragons in the 80's. And everyone giving it a 10 is like one of those people who are now playing online roleplaying games. Massive, massive expanses that are COMPLETELY empty.. void of any life whatsoever.The absolute worst and most overhyped game I can remember. This game is like a punishment that was secretly made by the religious fanatics who were trying to ban Dungeons and Dragons in the 80's. And everyone giving it a 10 is like one of those people who are now playing online roleplaying games. Massive, massive expanses that are COMPLETELY empty.. void of any life whatsoever. Apparently this is considered 'exploration'. I have never seen such a barren and lifeless game environment in my entire life. The 'facial expressions' made me cringe... the 'story' was so cliche.. it also made me cringe. I think this game is more like an instructional video for making facial expressions for people who live in caves.… Expand
  25. Qis
    Oct 2, 2012
    0
    This game is broken
    1. leveling system is broken - you level up, you become weaker, not stronger while enemies become stronger and stronger. The game give you major skills that give you experience to level up but less attributes when used, minor skill give attributes but no experience to level up, so figure out how bad that is. It means to level up is by using major skills but the more    This game is broken
    1. leveling system is broken - you level up, you become weaker, not stronger while enemies become stronger and stronger. The game give you major skills that give you experience to level up but less attributes when used, minor skill give attributes but no experience to level up, so figure out how bad that is. It means to level up is by using major skills but the more you use minor skills the more attributes you get at level ups.
    2. AI is bad - NPC have no AI actually, they are programmed like robots, they just do what they are programmed to do and it is repetitive. Your ally NPC will attack enemies without AI, meaning they will chase the enemy into lava, river and they will likely be in front of you when you attack, in front of each other making friendly fire. And worse they will kill each other if there are too many friendly fire among them and turn on you in the middle of combat
    3. Anti-climax lame story - because of bad AI, big event in the game is like nothing happen to NPCs, right after the big event happen, they continue their program as usual. the story is also not worth to mention, no story to tell actually, just missions to do and these missions is not important as the whole. You can play without doing it anyway, so why bother?
    4. boring maps- The maps of caves, ruins and oblivion plane are repetitive, after few times playing you will see the very same thing over and over
    5. game breaking items and skill- Although the leveling system is broken you may carefully create a character that is in "god-mode" as soon as you have certain items and make your own spells. 120% invisibility, go figure out what is that?
    6. boring quests- all quests are boring and lost, A told you to go to B, b told to go to C, doing D or get E then return. Almost all quests are like this. These quests are lame and stupid. You become an errant boy/girl for someone. The background story of quests are also lame and not important.
    7. user interface is bad - everything are in tabs, tabs within tabs
    8. you can eat anything as long as you don't know the second effect could kill you, that is chemistry.
    9. you will end up using spells in the end even you planned to play as warrior or stealth
    10. too many to comment, just saying this game is BROKEN    … Expand
  26. Cauthon
    Dec 18, 2011
    3
    Oblivion offers a lot of good things on the surface; on the plus side theres a really big world to explore, the story is not linear, all the things we know and love from Morrowind or Fallout.

    Very unfortunately theres a lot of really big bummers especially for people who have been around the genre for a long time. At first glance the levelling system looks great, major skills leading to    Oblivion offers a lot of good things on the surface; on the plus side theres a really big world to explore, the story is not linear, all the things we know and love from Morrowind or Fallout.

    Very unfortunately theres a lot of really big bummers especially for people who have been around the genre for a long time. At first glance the levelling system looks great, major skills leading to increase of levelling in your chosen class? Damnit that´s awesome -> unfortunately they made the system broken in a way that attributes increase way slower for people who actually stick to their class and mainly use their major skills / chose their major skills and attributes according to their class and thusly giving advantages to people who deliberatly make their most important skills minor skills -> yeah way to go game designers: give the power gamers all the cookies and to hell with people who like to chose a character and actually "roleplay" it.
    This could have been easily avoided by just limiting everyones attribute increase while levelling to the same amount. (for people who haven´t played many RPGs so far: it means by chosing a warrior you should definetly not label any of your combat-oriented as major skills...otherwise you will level very quickly and your attributes increase way slower) This already hit me quite hard...but not hard enough to just deinstall ...

    well yeah...it´s not linear...all the very "creative" side-Quests and dungeons are just totally similar and offer no variation.

    Very disappointing. Could have been a really good one.
    Save your money if you liked the depth of Fallout and older games...go buy it if you like to show of really well-designed boosted chars and pretty shiny items achieved by bizarre and boring game-rape.    … Expand
  27. jakefabo
    Nov 27, 2011
    1
    Like another reviewer said, I really tried to like this game. I came to it late however, and was never a fan of the Elder Scrolls series. My RPG experience comes from Baldur's Gate 1/2 and Neverwinter Nights 1/2. I love having free reign to do what I want, but I also need to care about the environment in order to immerse myself in it. In Oblivion I had no idea what to do, so I wandered...Like another reviewer said, I really tried to like this game. I came to it late however, and was never a fan of the Elder Scrolls series. My RPG experience comes from Baldur's Gate 1/2 and Neverwinter Nights 1/2. I love having free reign to do what I want, but I also need to care about the environment in order to immerse myself in it. In Oblivion I had no idea what to do, so I wandered... and nothing was intriguing about the land AT ALL. I was only able to play this game for about 30mins at a time because it just didn't hold my interest. Neverwinter Nights 2 probably has about 5% of the content but I have played it through about 20 times. Others have spent many hours on Oblivion though so I would suggest RPG fans at least try it... the game is quite cheap on steam now.… Expand
  28. TiesTorN
    Nov 11, 2011
    0
    This game's level-scaling system is ruining everything... There no point in doing anything to raise your level because as you level up, creatures also level up with you simultaneously with all the benefits it brings (even the rats). And the funny part is you can finish the game easier at level 1. There is also an item problem where you fight your way and clean all the badass dungeons toThis game's level-scaling system is ruining everything... There no point in doing anything to raise your level because as you level up, creatures also level up with you simultaneously with all the benefits it brings (even the rats). And the funny part is you can finish the game easier at level 1. There is also an item problem where you fight your way and clean all the badass dungeons to the last level only to find a rusty sword... The game doesn't reward you for anything. Total ****… Expand
  29. zupergozer
    Aug 24, 2011
    4
    the game seems to thing that quantity is better then quality, it has few really fun things to do and a LOT of repeating boring quests and the game has only 13 voice actors. the storytelling is terrible, the story could have been good but the story stopped being interesting after i murdered every member of the mythic dawn. the map is huge but all the space is wasted, you have a few dungeonsthe game seems to thing that quantity is better then quality, it has few really fun things to do and a LOT of repeating boring quests and the game has only 13 voice actors. the storytelling is terrible, the story could have been good but the story stopped being interesting after i murdered every member of the mythic dawn. the map is huge but all the space is wasted, you have a few dungeons around but they are boring and there is no point to go in there except for a couple of quests. in summary this game is wasted potential… Expand
  30. Malkiel
    Jun 23, 2011
    3
    Having Played Morrowind first and enjoying it a lot, I expected better from Oblivion. The game's killing flaws where 1) enemy scaling with the player making gaining levels pointless, because you do not see any increase in power and 2) lack of levitate (some storyline missions took a half hour longer to reach because I couldn't get up the bloody hill) When a particular bit of storylineHaving Played Morrowind first and enjoying it a lot, I expected better from Oblivion. The game's killing flaws where 1) enemy scaling with the player making gaining levels pointless, because you do not see any increase in power and 2) lack of levitate (some storyline missions took a half hour longer to reach because I couldn't get up the bloody hill) When a particular bit of storyline right by the end got repetitive, I said enough of this and decided I wasn't going back. (buddy playing on xbox at same time said I was ~2 hours from the end)
    Regarding the design choices about leveling: I read a number of things that suggest the true powergamer approach to this game is to stay _at level 1 or 2_ by never sleeping to avoid leveling up... this is not an ideal solution frankly.    … Expand
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PC Game of 2006
2
#2 Most Discussed PC Game of 2006
2
#2 Most Shared PC Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 54 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 54
  3. Negative: 0 out of 54
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    100
    It’s just so damned big. That’s what you’ll say after playing Oblivion for more than an hour. Or, for that matter, 50 hours.
    Read full review
  2. Game Over Online
    96
    Oblivion is by far the closest I have come to playing D&D Sunday afternoons with my friends (yes, I did that, though I’m on medication now), all wrapped up in a stunning package with tens of thousands of lines of spoken dialog and good music.
    Read full review
  3. Quandary
    100
    I honestly have to say that I am in favour of most of the changes and I think Oblivion is an awesome achievement from Bethesda.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »