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
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  1. fateappointed
    Feb 3, 2014
    8
    Story: 7 out of 10, Graphics: 10 out of 10, Fun: 8 out of 10, Controls: 6 out of 10, Difficulty: 8 out of 10, Length: 10 out of 10, Re-play: 6 out of 10, Value: 8 out of 10
  2. Richardvennberg
    Jan 25, 2014
    10
    The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion is the best game i have ever played in my entire life. Skyrim does not even come close. Every character in this game has their own personality and every quest feels worthwhile to do. All the guilds has interesting stories that keeps you playing for way longer then you planned. It does not matter if you are inside a dark dungeon or in the deep forests, the gameThe Elder Scrolls: Oblivion is the best game i have ever played in my entire life. Skyrim does not even come close. Every character in this game has their own personality and every quest feels worthwhile to do. All the guilds has interesting stories that keeps you playing for way longer then you planned. It does not matter if you are inside a dark dungeon or in the deep forests, the game is still colourful and epic, compared to Skyrims 10 shades of gray and no other colors in the game.

    If you have not played this game and you like games with strong stories and RPG, buy it... NOW. You can get it for as cheap as 5 bucks these days.    … Expand
  3. sagesource
    Dec 22, 2013
    9
    Newcomers to the Elder Scrolls world should be warned of the existence of a menace that should not be allowed to influence their opinion of the series or its individual game. This is the sub-variety of fanboy I have dubbed the "Morrowindbag." The attitude of a Morrowindbag is that Morrowind was a great game (I agree with that) and that every other Elder Scrolls game after it was garbage.Newcomers to the Elder Scrolls world should be warned of the existence of a menace that should not be allowed to influence their opinion of the series or its individual game. This is the sub-variety of fanboy I have dubbed the "Morrowindbag." The attitude of a Morrowindbag is that Morrowind was a great game (I agree with that) and that every other Elder Scrolls game after it was garbage. 95% of the time, this is pure fanboy snobbery. Morrowind was an outstanding game for its time and is well worth playing today. But its complexities merely reflect the complex society in which it was set, the Dark Elves of Morrowind. The idea that the urbane Imperials of Cyrodiil, much less the "hearty" (or stupid) Nords of Skyrim should behave like Dark Elves is ludicrous. But that's your fanboy for you. He learns one game, and instead of taking a flexible approach, he sits in his little fortress and spends the rest of his days sneering at everyone else. OK, dude, it's a free country. But outsiders trying to get some idea of what the ES series is all about are well advised to ignore him.

    Not that some good ideas from Morrowind, and Oblivion, haven't been mistakenly set aside. I much prefer Morrowind's drag and drop approach to equipping your character to Skyrim's dress-in-the-dark, which sometimes leads you to wandering around outside in your underwear. I don't think that Skyrim should have thrown out custom spellmaking, either it was ridiculously overpowered in Oblivion, but the answer to that is to tone it down, not to throw it out. But many of the Morrowindbag's criticisms are on the level of "the armor in Skyrim is too simple!" If you can get so attached to one game that you can't accept the next one unless it has pauldrons, then you damn well need professional help.    … Expand
  4. TomR
    Dec 13, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of my favorite games as a kid.
    I loved this masterpiece and it introduced me to the Elder Scrolls, like it was godlike.
    The thing I loved the most was the grand arena as it was fun and a little challenging.
    And The thing that made me laugh and a little annoyed was "the annoying fan" who followed you everywhere you went.
    But I also loved being a vampire, and the mods.
    If you want to try the Elder Scrolls, I would strongly recommend trying this masterpiece as an introduction.    … Expand
  5. 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
  6. DominikCZE
    Nov 9, 2013
    10
    I must say that this is another one of my all time favorites, the lore sucked me right in and I've been an Elder Scrolls fan/nerd ever since, reading every bit of information available anywhere about Tamriel. The graphics were outstanding for the time and Cyrodill was beautiful with its diverse cities and fantasy landscapes.
    There are a couple of things that need to be scrutinized though.    I must say that this is another one of my all time favorites, the lore sucked me right in and I've been an Elder Scrolls fan/nerd ever since, reading every bit of information available anywhere about Tamriel. The graphics were outstanding for the time and Cyrodill was beautiful with its diverse cities and fantasy landscapes.
    There are a couple of things that need to be scrutinized though. For one, the main quest wasn't that entertaining and constantly closing Oblivion gates got old fast, it was also quite invasive, you were basically forced into the main quest right from the start. Another thing that needs to be mentioned is the auto-scaling system. Oh damn, those bandits are too strong for me, I'll just come back later after I level up a bit. What's this? How did they all get glass armor and higher level? And I'm dead again. Terrible game mechanic. Otherwise fantastic game everyone should atleast give a shot.    … Expand
  7. keefbaker
    Nov 3, 2013
    8
    Sadly, while bethesda sorted out the control system and and voice acting for this installment of the elder scrolls, they removed the heart and character from it. It's still a good game with a lot of content but compared to other installments this is the ugly step-child.
  8. QuitBeingStupid
    Oct 30, 2013
    10
    Loved it.
    Tons to do. Lots of side quests of all shapes and sizes.
    Good main story, and climatic ending that has an epic look and feel to it. Virtually a total open world. So much to do, especially for the Easily 100+ hours of playtime. You can even finish the main quest first and still have 2/3 of the game left to play. And the Shimmering Isle questline/expansion really feels like    Loved it.
    Tons to do. Lots of side quests of all shapes and sizes.
    Good main story, and climatic ending that has an epic look and feel to it.
    Virtually a total open world. So much to do, especially for the Easily 100+ hours of playtime. You can even finish the main quest first and still have 2/3 of the game left to play.
    And the Shimmering Isle questline/expansion really feels like another game in itself. Since it comes with the gamer on Steam it is another reason to buy, especially when it's on sale.
    Easy to start/stop for casual gamers too.

    *There was the occasional graphical bug glitch, and one of my weapons copied itself twice.    … Expand
  9. makeswell
    Oct 26, 2013
    8
    I love the setting of this game. You can be a vampire and enter people's homes and feast on their flesh. You also have to choose whether to be a vampire or not and if you do there are both advantages and disadvantages, like being stronger at night but weaker during the day. That is awesome. There is also a bunch else that's cool with the setting, like assassinating people and fiery worldsI love the setting of this game. You can be a vampire and enter people's homes and feast on their flesh. You also have to choose whether to be a vampire or not and if you do there are both advantages and disadvantages, like being stronger at night but weaker during the day. That is awesome. There is also a bunch else that's cool with the setting, like assassinating people and fiery worlds with goblins and stuff. It's really neat in that sense.

    The combat in this game is just lame. There is no combat. I would rather play a shooter, or Bioshock, or anything. Maybe I'm just a complainer, and yes I do tend to lean towards strategy anyways, but the combat is too much click too little think for me, but that's just my take on it.    … Expand
  10. TheGamer31
    Oct 11, 2013
    9
    This game is simply amazing in many aspects. Amazing scenery, great graphics, excellent gameplay, one of the best stories in games, the list goes on and on. This is a very different experience than it is on console. I actually recommend this version over the console version because of two things: mods and better graphics. The only thing holding this back from being a perfect title is theThis game is simply amazing in many aspects. Amazing scenery, great graphics, excellent gameplay, one of the best stories in games, the list goes on and on. This is a very different experience than it is on console. I actually recommend this version over the console version because of two things: mods and better graphics. The only thing holding this back from being a perfect title is the insanely annoying UI in the inventory screen.… Expand
  11. Andrevv14
    Oct 9, 2013
    10
    This is my favourite game of all time, it covers all aspects a game should. The combat, world design, level design, character design, controls, and soundtrack all work together to make what in my opinion is a flawless game. For those who hate on Oblivion, because they are veterans of the series and prefer Morrowind or because they joined the bandwagon when Skyrim came out, at least give itThis is my favourite game of all time, it covers all aspects a game should. The combat, world design, level design, character design, controls, and soundtrack all work together to make what in my opinion is a flawless game. For those who hate on Oblivion, because they are veterans of the series and prefer Morrowind or because they joined the bandwagon when Skyrim came out, at least give it a try. Fantastic game… Expand
  12. 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.
  13. 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
  14. CaptainThom
    Sep 9, 2013
    9
    Its beyond me how anybody can give this game 0 out of 10, as this would imply that Oblivion is one of the worst games ever created, this is far from true. However this doesn't mean that Oblivion is perfect a lot of the characters repeat the same lines and the facial animations are nothing to write home about on top of that the system with which you persuade people to like you more is wayIts beyond me how anybody can give this game 0 out of 10, as this would imply that Oblivion is one of the worst games ever created, this is far from true. However this doesn't mean that Oblivion is perfect a lot of the characters repeat the same lines and the facial animations are nothing to write home about on top of that the system with which you persuade people to like you more is way to easy.

    Now that's over with let me tell you that Oblivion is one of my all time favorite games that i have logged countless hours onto. The world really drags you and i even found myself reading up on the lore just to understand the game more (You really don't need to). The combat isn't amazing but there are many ways to fight depending on your class offering a different experience with every play through. The story itself is engaging and draws you in making you actually care about the fate of Tamerial. The game itself is huge there are thousands of quests to complete and dungeons to explore on a huge map, the quests themselves differ massively from simply clearing dungeons to going into a warped painting world (Yes really) and that's ignoring the portals to Oblivion (Different plane of existence for Deadra) that take you to a completely different world more reminiscent of hell.

    For me Oblivion is a benchmark for all future RPG's to compare themselves. Truly a great game and one of the ultimate gaming experiences.    … Expand
  15. BountyCritic
    Sep 8, 2013
    10
    My absolute favourite Elder Scrolls game of all time, for the fact that it has the best atmosphere and quests, a veried envoirment and an astounding soundtrack.
  16. gerbils99
    Sep 7, 2013
    6
    Almost every single mechanic in this game was done better partly in Morrowind and then later partly in Skyrim making it seem very dated and irrelevant. They took a step back from Morrowind.
  17. UntoldAv3nGer
    Aug 31, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I think it's time for me to give this game the 10 that it deserves. Although I did not like the main quest (such a chore imo) which I did only to get rid of the extremely annoying oblivion gates, I still thought that the main characters (Baurus, Jauffre, and Martin) were somewhat lovable. When every one of them died at the end, Cloud Ruler Temple died. More bad: the wolves will chase you forever, which is annoying as well. HOWEVER, those are pretty much the only bad things about the game, other than it crashes whenever I exit. The world is so amazing. I love every single village, town, and city. The map is incredibly easy to memorize. The soundtrack is one of the best soundtracks in games because you'll find that whenever an enemy sees you, the intense music plays and you'll want the peaceful music back again. The leveling system isn't very good compared to Skyrim's, but it will do. There are so many adventures to be had, like being kidnapped while sleeping and find yourself in the middle of the ocean on a boat, or you see a soldier charging into a fort and follow him, to find yourself in the midst of a bandit bust. There are so many locations, not to mention many more added by mods. Nexus Mods have anything from graphics mods to being a pirate. And Deserts of Anequina brings Elsweyr to Oblivion. Get this game! Why not, it's not like its $60 anymore.… Expand
  18. Lowpayne911
    Aug 17, 2013
    10
    This game always loomed around the video store unnoticed, until I picked it up one day by chance. I never looked back since then, it is one of my all time favorites, and I will always treasure the memories and experiences this game gave me. Absolute 10/10.
  19. OmnipotentGamer
    Aug 5, 2013
    9
    This game was my introduction to the elder scrolls series.
    Story-
    7/10 as far as story goes I'd give oblivion a 7/10 monarch X has been killed the hero must now find his heir and stop event Y from happening. The story has a couple memorable characters such as Baruas, Mankar Cameron, Lucius and Jauffre, but outside of that none really seem that unique or different. Gameplay 9/10 The    This game was my introduction to the elder scrolls series.
    Story-
    7/10
    as far as story goes I'd give oblivion a 7/10 monarch X has been killed the hero must now find his heir and stop event Y from happening. The story has a couple memorable characters such as Baruas, Mankar Cameron, Lucius and Jauffre, but outside of that none really seem that unique or different.

    Gameplay
    9/10
    The gate mechanic is fun and original, I never thought closing gates got old. Another great mechanic is the radiant AI, they make you feel like you are actually in a living, breathing world.

    Quests
    8/10
    Some quests in the game are better than others for example, in my opinion, the fighter.s guild, thieve's guild (until the last couple of quests) and mage's guild are fairly lack luster; while The Dark Brotherhood, The main quest line, various NPC quests, and the Deadric quests are very fun.

    The Sound
    10/10
    Amazing OST, simply epic

    Dungeon Design
    9/10
    non-linear dungeons with traps and lots of loot keep these very entertaining at first, but start to feel repetitive by the end of the game.

    Graphics
    at its time 10/10, but even with aging I can't give it below a 8/10

    Challenge
    8/10
    The difficulty slider is there for experienced RPG players, but once you get to the late game where you have money out your ears the game becomes fairly easy once more.

    Verdict
    8.6/10    … Expand
  20. Osmium
    Jul 29, 2013
    8
    A great RPG with a huge world to explore. Soundtrack, atmosphere, the freedom to roam freely around Tamriel, hundreds of quests to fulfill, Oblivion is full of content. On the downside, the world feels a bit lifeless and generic after some hours of playtime, which is why personally I found the addon "Shivering Isles" with its weird surroundings to be the best part of the game. Not as goodA great RPG with a huge world to explore. Soundtrack, atmosphere, the freedom to roam freely around Tamriel, hundreds of quests to fulfill, Oblivion is full of content. On the downside, the world feels a bit lifeless and generic after some hours of playtime, which is why personally I found the addon "Shivering Isles" with its weird surroundings to be the best part of the game. Not as good as Skyrim or Morrowind, but still definitely recommandable for anyone interested in RPGs.… Expand
  21. dwaynejones
    Jul 26, 2013
    10
    I have played many RPG in my life and this one always remains a classic. This is leaps and bonds over the final fantasy, fables and even Morrowind. Morrowind in terms of combat and atmosphere was alot less enaging than in oblivion. Combat is much more engaging, as it should be for this style of game. Quests are entertaining and tough enemies are very challenging.
  22. Ndi
    Jun 12, 2013
    10
    The game is great, superb graphics, well optimized, stable. But that gives it an 8.

    The 9 is because of immersion. No only is the game absolutely immersive, more so than any other TES games (Skyrim included) but it's so impressive that sometimes I just stop and look around, soaking the atmosphere. Sunset by the sea, with the sun making its reflection on water orange-red, storm in the    The game is great, superb graphics, well optimized, stable. But that gives it an 8.

    The 9 is because of immersion. No only is the game absolutely immersive, more so than any other TES games (Skyrim included) but it's so impressive that sometimes I just stop and look around, soaking the atmosphere. Sunset by the sea, with the sun making its reflection on water orange-red, storm in the woods, with an amazing sound and the trees swaying in the wind, grass shaking and animals running for cover. This makes the game more than a walk-talk-fight game if you take the time.

    And the 10 is because Oblivion is one of the most expanded and modified game ever made. Thousands of skins, bodies, armors, weapons, locations, adventure, missions, even the books have content that can be added, effects, magic, textures, SFX, sound, music, everything.

    If you have the computing power, a high resolution pack makes this game a marvel even in 2013, 7 years after its release and the community keeps it fresh every day.

    This game deserves its place among the titans.    … Expand
  23. unclefester91
    Jun 2, 2013
    10
    i owned it on the Xbox on release, followed by the PC upon getting a gaming rig, i have completed each faction and the main quest countless times and still discover new things with each playthrough. you have my recommendation.
  24. BlackWidow
    Jun 2, 2013
    8
    I am a HUGE fan of the TES games. I have played them all and even modded the tar out of III and IV. TES IV: Oblivion is a fantastic game. The only reason I gave it a score of 8 is because although I love the game, there are a few things I wish Bethesda would have done better or differently.

    Let me start with the BAD: There's a lot here. The leveling system I don't care for, because    I am a HUGE fan of the TES games. I have played them all and even modded the tar out of III and IV. TES IV: Oblivion is a fantastic game. The only reason I gave it a score of 8 is because although I love the game, there are a few things I wish Bethesda would have done better or differently.

    Let me start with the BAD: There's a lot here.

    The leveling system I don't care for, because the way the creatures level with you, I never felt like my player got any stronger. I also thought the storyline was a little weak. I felt very unsatisfied when it ended. The Oblivion gates were very tedious. It seems like someone just got lazy and copy/pasted. Not much fun. Furthermore, the NPC races share voices instead of each having a unique voice as in TES III: Morrowind. This was a let down. Furthermore, it doesn't seem like Bethesda put very much effort into NPC realism with this title. For instance, if you get caught stealing or trespassing, the guards will try to arrest you, however, if you get busted in let's say the Imperial City, resist arrest, head to let's say, Bruma and then talk to a guard, they will try to arrest you for that crime you committed in the Imperial City. I guess the guards are all psychic. Weird. I mean, how could the guards know your character was a wanted criminal in another village? Same thing when you steal an Imperial Legion horse. Even though the guard is lying there dead and you take the horse, you can still get busted. Those legion horses are the same as other horses in the game. Are they tagged or branded or something? NPC reactions are pretty bad. As with Morrowind, people had many things to say to your character regarding nudity, the weather, disease, and many other things. You don't see this in Oblivion. Rather dull if you ask me and very unrealistic. Thanks to mods, many of these bad points I've noted have been fixed, but it's something Bethesda should have done. Oblivion seems to have focused mainly on graphics and eye candy rather than realism. Sad but true.

    Now for the GOOD:

    The journal/quest system is awesome. In Morrowind, you could break quests if you weren't careful. This has been very much improved in Oblivion. Great. The graphics are incredible. The combat system I found very fun and enjoyable. The alchemy is a blast to play with as you can make very powerful potions. I especially liked the powerful weather effects. Very good! The guild quests were all good and the side quests were fun as well. I really liked the ability to buy houses and ride horses. The forts and caves all seemed a little repetitive, but were still fun in ways. All in all, although I feel the game has more bad points than good, I still have to rank it as the 3rd best in the TES series. The game is awesome despite its many flaws. 8/10.    … Expand
  25. chandler1178
    May 23, 2013
    10
    Considering the required technology, oblivion is the most technically brilliant game ever created. Not only upon release did no other game match its graphics, but no other game matched its size. The levelling system which is the most heavily criticized characteristic, is completely brilliant. The game rewards the creation of the character in a way that is planned to succeed. For example,Considering the required technology, oblivion is the most technically brilliant game ever created. Not only upon release did no other game match its graphics, but no other game matched its size. The levelling system which is the most heavily criticized characteristic, is completely brilliant. The game rewards the creation of the character in a way that is planned to succeed. For example, an orc that tries to be a pure mage will inevitably fail by level 20 for lack of magicka and levels, but a high elf will succeed. Oblivion makes the decisions while creating and levelling your character determine their ability after to succeed after levelling. Someone very good can make their character improve after levelling up compared to their surroundings if they do everything correctly. Otherwise, they have to compensate with skill in battle. I have spent hundreds of hours perfecting characters and maximizing efficiency and moving through the game at a normal pace allows this to still be achieved by the smart.… Expand
  26. timmybus
    May 20, 2013
    10
    My favorite RPG of all time, I wish it would have been as in depth rpg wise as morrowind, and have as many weapon types but it makes up for it with tonnes of quests, really fun combat and a massive map that I'm still finding new things in after years of playing. This game will never be forgotten.
  27. PStakhiv
    May 16, 2013
    8
    The best game of 2006 when fully patched! Huge and beautiful world of Syrodyl can give you an adventure you won't forget! Sure it has it's downside lack of memorable characters(except maybe Martin voiced by Sean Bean), and most missions are boring (go bring me...).
  28. Pepelinojosefo
    Apr 13, 2013
    9
    Uno de mis juegos favoritos! Aunque, tengo que aceptar que tiene varias cosas malas, por ejemplo, la cara de los NPCs (sobretodo los orcos) dan miedo, pero eso es lo de menos. Los gráficos para la época eran cosas de otro mundo, la historia al principio tal vez sea aburrida, pero poco a poco va mejorando y haciéndose mejor, algunos voice actors capaz estaban dormido mientras se grababan laUno de mis juegos favoritos! Aunque, tengo que aceptar que tiene varias cosas malas, por ejemplo, la cara de los NPCs (sobretodo los orcos) dan miedo, pero eso es lo de menos. Los gráficos para la época eran cosas de otro mundo, la historia al principio tal vez sea aburrida, pero poco a poco va mejorando y haciéndose mejor, algunos voice actors capaz estaban dormido mientras se grababan la voz, pero otros poseen un buen voice acting, los efectos de sonido son muy realistas, el sneaking system esta muy bien hecho, la libertad que posee es muy bueno, las misiones opcionales (para mi) son mejores que la historia principal (sobretodo la arena). La inteligencia artificial esta muy bien desarrollada y el juego es muuuuuuuy adictivo. Cyrodill tiene mucho para ofrecer, tiene una gran variedad de monstruos que se adaptan a tu nivel cada vez que progresas en el juego y la cantidad de misiones opcionales es impresionante. Altamente recomendable!… Expand
  29. The_Bear
    Apr 3, 2013
    10
    The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion has its flaws, but what it does right, dear God, it does SO right. This game is one of a kind, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. A must play.
  30. Aralvar
    Mar 30, 2013
    9
    If you haven't played this game before, please don't let the negative reviews prevent you from trying it. Many of them are from whiny Morrowind fanboys that have nostalgia goggles glued to their face, whether they admit it or not. I know this because I first played Morrowind before I played Oblivion and then Skyrim. For starters, the AI is a vast improvement in Oblivion. You won't see soIf you haven't played this game before, please don't let the negative reviews prevent you from trying it. Many of them are from whiny Morrowind fanboys that have nostalgia goggles glued to their face, whether they admit it or not. I know this because I first played Morrowind before I played Oblivion and then Skyrim. For starters, the AI is a vast improvement in Oblivion. You won't see so many NPCs that are just robots that have nothing better to do than stand in their shop or wander around town all day and night. You won't see so many enemies getting stuck on objects or jogging in place. The combat system is HUGE, and I mean HUGE improvement over Morrowind. The world is a million times more fun to explore. You're no longer limited to "Wooden door in side of mountain, Copy and Pasted Dwarven ruin, and occasional Daedric ruin." There are the usual caves and tombs, but they're more varied and the Dwarven Ruins have been replaced with Ayleid ones, and you'll find more daedric lord quests to get unique artifacts, for a refreshing change of pace. And in place of Daedric ruins, you'll now find abandoned military forts that have since been reclaimed by bandits. Plus you'll be finding more bandit camps that are just out in the wilderness. I myself found the world of Morrowind to be dull and lifeless. I'm sorry, but huge mushrooms and crazy looking animals do not cut it for me. The environment in Oblivion feels so much more alive! You'll find deer, wolves, and other such animals you would expect to be wandering the wilderness that will interact with each other; instead of just a billion Nix Hounds and Cliff Racers that stand around much like the NPCs. The graphics are a given, and I won't go into that too much. The physics have been greatly improved, the NPCs have more personality. When you meet someone, there's a better chance they're not "Fargoth, Commoner" as you would so commonly find in Morrowind. When you go into a Tavern, it feels like a Tavern. You can even sit down in a chair and roleplay a bit, unlike Morrowind where you simply go to sell some junk while the NPCs stand there lifelessly. I compare Oblivion to Morrowind because I know most of the bad reviews come from the fanboys that are completely blind to the HUGE improvements that were made in Oblivion. Trust me, as a fair reviewer who tries to be objective about the series (I rate Oblivion the highest, Morrowind second, and Skyrim third), I would recommend this game to anyone who likes RPGs. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the fun new quest types they have available. Like the Dark Brotherhood, where you can act as a hitman and sneakily assassinate your targets. Or the Thieves Guild quest, which now seem to actually require you to be a sneak thief. Unlike in Morrowind, where you could essentially be a good thief with nothing but a good lockpick skill. Walk past extremely dumb NPC, close door, pick lock on chest, take item, report back to quest giver. Just another case where Oblivion is far superior to Morrowind, I think. Oh, and then there's the new Arena quest, where you can fight kind of like a gladiator against numerous opponents in a Colosseum-esque arena. Now, to be fair, there are some flaws. At higher levels, you'll find many bandits who spawn with expensive armor, which kind of makes them seem less like bandits. They added a quest marker system, which some people feel is a terrible change from Morrowind. Instead of having to follow directions from someone, you'll have a quest marker telling you where to go. This is debatable if this is even a flaw though. The map is much larger and not nearly as easy to memorize as Morrowind, who's map seemed to consist mostly of easy to remember paths and easy to find locations. So this is a flaw for some, a positive for others, or just a "who cares" thing (that's how I feel about it). There's less weapon types, which hardly feel like a difference in most cases. Sorry Morrowind fans, but I never felt the need to use all the different random short blades and throwing knives they had in there. Though some weapons were left out that definitely should have been included, like spears and crossbows. Though that doesn't mean you'll be lacking in weaponry, you still have quite a few weapon types to select from. There is a shortage of voice actors, which doesn't seem to be a very valid complaint seeing as voice acting in Morrowind seemed almost non-existent. Even if they used two voice actors to voice every character, it would have been a step up. And even though there is a shortage of voice actors, the ones they did use sound great. The whole "Stop! You violated the law!" thing just wouldn't be the same if it weren't for that one Imperial voice saying it. I want to go on, but I'm running out of room to finish this review. All I can say is that this is my favorite Elder Scrolls game, and one of my most favorite video games of all time.… Expand
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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

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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.
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  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.
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  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.
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