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. Ty
    Apr 23, 2006
    10
    Amazing.
  2. MichaelJ.
    Apr 30, 2006
    10
    This game is simply marvelous. The graphics are stunning and there are heaps of RPG elements. Outstandng.
  3. BoogerNugget
    Apr 4, 2006
    9
    Great game, best single-player RPG ever. Would be a 10 if the PC interface was customizeable - as it stands now it's awkward and clunky. Why can't I open map by pressing "M", or inventory by pressing "I". Damn you XBOX!
  4. JacobK.
    May 13, 2006
    10
    OMG. This is deff one of the best games i have evr tryed. i played for like 3 mins and already i was hooked. I loved the begging dungoun. cant wait to play more of it.
  5. MikeM.
    May 17, 2006
    8
    I agree that this is probably the best RPG to date, when i first got it i couldnt put it down, there are thousands of quests, and on high settings with a high resolution it looks better than any other game its true sometimes my framerate drops to 30 :( but this is only for a second or so, and the NPC's do suck but it still manages to draw you in, We all know it has its bugs but no I agree that this is probably the best RPG to date, when i first got it i couldnt put it down, there are thousands of quests, and on high settings with a high resolution it looks better than any other game its true sometimes my framerate drops to 30 :( but this is only for a second or so, and the NPC's do suck but it still manages to draw you in, We all know it has its bugs but no game is perfect, But also no game comes this close.… Expand
  6. ErikM.
    May 2, 2006
    8
    Would have gotten a 9 if Bethesda actually released a finished product instead of this bug-ridden beta version. Black marks for STILL not having a patch either, since they're focusing only on revenue-generating expansions. Fun game when it works, but the scaling dungeons dumb the game down way too much. Not enough variety in gear. Graphics are great, save for the annoyingly ugly faces.
  7. BellinoP.
    May 2, 2006
    10
    Simply the best game I have ever played. Hands Down!
  8. PackerL.
    May 2, 2006
    10
    WOW !! I can't believe how great this game is.
  9. MattB.
    May 6, 2006
    7
    The game itself is amazing, untill it suddenly comes to an abrupt end. sure you can keep going with side quests and whatever, but the main quest should have been much longer, graphics are awesome, but why is everyone so ugly? release a pretty face patch or something.
  10. AndrewN.
    Jun 14, 2006
    10
    Superb game. A real life eate. Although it's not perfect the little flaws do nothing to detract from a game that is vast in scope and enjoyment. You don't even have to play the story line - I've clocked 160+ hours and still haven't touched it. The side plots are more than enough to keep you entertained.
  11. Hef
    Jun 20, 2006
    7
    A decent game, good for wasting away the hours, however it's plagued with bugs and the difficulty scaling issue doesn't help its cause much either. I stopped playing it with about half the quests finished, the repetitiveness of the game made me feel like I'd seen every new quest before.
  12. KameelE.
    Jun 28, 2006
    5
    Nice graphics, but the scaling levels are a bad idea. You never, ever feel strong. Not nearly enough armor and weapons to find that you can use. One can become the leader of all the guilds without even embarking on the main mission which consists of, uh what was it again? Areas and dungeons all look the same and even though you can wander all over the map, it never feels like you are Nice graphics, but the scaling levels are a bad idea. You never, ever feel strong. Not nearly enough armor and weapons to find that you can use. One can become the leader of all the guilds without even embarking on the main mission which consists of, uh what was it again? Areas and dungeons all look the same and even though you can wander all over the map, it never feels like you are visiting new areas. Great fun for a while, but it loses it's luster fairly quickly. Run around in Sneak mode all the time and you soon become so unnoticable, you can walk right by every enemy in the game and NEVER fight. Voice work is ridiculosly silly when you are talking to an NPC and all of a sudden his voice is from a different person! There really is no immersion, as you always feel like an outcast and a stranger, intruding into others lives. I was rather disappointed.… Expand
  13. JohnI.
    Jun 4, 2006
    6
    It only deserves a 10 if you have the highest PC and video card system in the world. I have more than min. specs but can hardly run it. Do not trust the specs bethesda gives! My Morrowind looks almost as good and is a lot better game despite no speech or "radiant AI". The swamp area feels like a swamp area and the wildenerness feels like a wilderness. Not so Oblivion, even if Morrowind It only deserves a 10 if you have the highest PC and video card system in the world. I have more than min. specs but can hardly run it. Do not trust the specs bethesda gives! My Morrowind looks almost as good and is a lot better game despite no speech or "radiant AI". The swamp area feels like a swamp area and the wildenerness feels like a wilderness. Not so Oblivion, even if Morrowind doesn't look as good. More proof that graphics isn't everything!… Expand
  14. hcarter
    Jun 9, 2006
    9
    I haven't played an RPG this good since the Baldur's Gate series. The endless play is amazing, let alone the great main quest arc. The amount of variation you can play in this game is just amazing. The graphics are wonderful. Back when CIV4 came out I had upgraded my video card--so I was easily able to play Oblivion with no modifications whatsoever.
    There are a few glitches    I haven't played an RPG this good since the Baldur's Gate series. The endless play is amazing, let alone the great main quest arc. The amount of variation you can play in this game is just amazing. The graphics are wonderful. Back when CIV4 came out I had upgraded my video card--so I was easily able to play Oblivion with no modifications whatsoever.
    There are a few glitches here and there--but nothing too major---the first beta patch is sincerely a take or leave install--which means the version you get in your box was tested well. Still, I'm eager to see what the full exp. patch will entail when it's released. The only thing that would earn a 10 from me is multi-player--same party capabilities like Baldurs Gate. Otherwise, bravo to Bethesda--well done.    … Expand
  15. Cocidius
    Jul 27, 2006
    10
    this game rocks... It's not only a huge world which looks amazing and give you (almost) total freedom; It's modding system gives you the ability to mod all those pesky little bugs away :D The only downside is that is has a tendency to crash.
  16. Exos1stWalker
    Jul 29, 2006
    10
    This game is so cool. Ignore what those other bastards say Oblivion deserves a 10. Bethesda has worked bloody hard on this game. The A.I. is so next-gen. The graphics are eye candy that you're eyes won't stop staring at (if you have the right graphics card). The combat is fun but the level scaling system really ticks me off so there's no use in leveling up. Sure there bugs This game is so cool. Ignore what those other bastards say Oblivion deserves a 10. Bethesda has worked bloody hard on this game. The A.I. is so next-gen. The graphics are eye candy that you're eyes won't stop staring at (if you have the right graphics card). The combat is fun but the level scaling system really ticks me off so there's no use in leveling up. Sure there bugs some are hell some are not so hell. But thats why patches were invented. The Pc version is 5% better than the X BOX 360 one beacause you can download stuff and create your own bonus content. Some things are really anoying like how an imperial gaurd on the other side of the island all of a sudden knows that you stole a horse. But nothing is perfect buy this game now.… Expand
  17. TristanEdge
    Jul 5, 2006
    10
    One of the greatest games I have ever played, and I'm not overreacting; I've played plenty of RPGs (and games in general). Graphics are simply beautiful - you can stand on a mountain overlooking a town and see a huge Imperial city in the distance. Gameplay was varied and enjoyable - several styles of combat, plenty of character interaction, some fun mini-games, and a whole hostOne of the greatest games I have ever played, and I'm not overreacting; I've played plenty of RPGs (and games in general). Graphics are simply beautiful - you can stand on a mountain overlooking a town and see a huge Imperial city in the distance. Gameplay was varied and enjoyable - several styles of combat, plenty of character interaction, some fun mini-games, and a whole host of back story in the form of books, letters, newspapers, and gossip. The world is pretty damned big - coastlines, rivers and bridges, mountains, forests, towns and cities, hamlets, dungeons, caves, ancient ruins... the map has a nicely spaced out feel to it, it's not too clustered. Each individual dungeon area seems different with its own traps, monsters, scenary etc... Realistic physics were a great addition - seeing an enemy fall down a cliff can be very satisfying. Level scaling was well implemented, as your enemy's levels match your own. The various addons that Bethesda are releasing look to make this game very enjoyable for a very long time to come! You MUST buy this game!!… Expand
  18. AcharneA.
    Aug 1, 2006
    10
    The most stand up game ever made.
  19. AnonymousMC
    Aug 23, 2006
    6
    Considering how hyped this game has been, it would have to be the best game ever made (and 20 times as good as the second best) not to be incredibly overrated.

    It's a good game in a lot of ways. There is a ton of opportunity to play the game in different ways. The range of characters you can develop feels almost limitless and the span of the world is huge. I have three main    Considering how hyped this game has been, it would have to be the best game ever made (and 20 times as good as the second best) not to be incredibly overrated.

    It's a good game in a lot of ways. There is a ton of opportunity to play the game in different ways. The range of characters you can develop feels almost limitless and the span of the world is huge.

    I have three main beefs: instability, quest fragility, and NPC lameness. Instability doesn't affect everyone, but it affects people across a wide range of computing power. On the PC it crashes at minimal settings even with reccommended hardware. It crashes overclockers and non-overclockers, patched and unpatched versions alike. It's even been known to crash the console! nothing ruins a high immersion game like frequent crashes.

    Quest fragility is another problem. A lot of quests can be broken if you do things slightly out of order. It's not all that common, but this isn't some half-assed budget game like KOTOR II. It's oblivion. Things should just sort of work. On a related note, the way horses work sucks.

    The NPCs are my last complaint. Their facial expressions are totally wrong all the time. When people are flipped out, their eyes are supposed to get bigger, not smaller. This is not rocket science. All that work went into making faces life-like and varried, but the expressions are creepily unnatural. How is it that the most touted RPG of all time has NPCs that look so much worse than the ones in HL2 - a first person shooter?!

    This is an almost great game and if I hadn't experienced so much instability, I might let the other complaints go. Still maybe we can all stop pretending that this is the best game since Sliced Bread Challenge Ultra (remember that game?) and get real.    … Expand
  20. MarcO.
    Aug 6, 2006
    7
    Oblivion is the greatest game in terms of the massive amount of freedom and mods. There are countless mods/plug-ins for Oblivion and that is what i like. Even though the plug-ins cost a small sum it doesn't bother me. This game has somewhat little to no realism in terms of the jumping and weapon damage, physics etc etc. But I don't expect it to be perfect because nothing is Oblivion is the greatest game in terms of the massive amount of freedom and mods. There are countless mods/plug-ins for Oblivion and that is what i like. Even though the plug-ins cost a small sum it doesn't bother me. This game has somewhat little to no realism in terms of the jumping and weapon damage, physics etc etc. But I don't expect it to be perfect because nothing is perfect. And the most disapointing fact is that it has a tendency to crash ALOT. Other then that all is fine. Story line is okay. It's basically another life, i hope they patch up the technical problems, crashing glitches etc etc… Expand
  21. SebastianM.
    Sep 11, 2006
    10
    Immersive and extensive game play makes for a great - and lasting- experience; enhanced blending visuals.
  22. MikeD.
    Jan 13, 2007
    10
    This is a single player for World of Warcraft. Trust me, nothing got near World of Warcraft other than this game for the single player role playing game.
  23. BenA.
    Jan 14, 2007
    10
    Simply the best game I have ever played, beats Halo or Gears of War Hands down. Simply eye popping - mind blowing visuals, a brilliant story. A must have for ANY RPG fan. Also fear not if your computer isn't good enough to run it, there is a mod called Oldblivion that alows older/worse computers to play the game!
  24. noobclass
    Oct 28, 2007
    7
    Beautiful graphics. Pretty corny 'huge production' theme music at the title screen. I really enjoyed my time playing it, so I'll give it an 8. I'll outline some criticism for it down below. 1st person is great, really like to be able to control it that way. If you want to complain about it, go back to world of warcraft and the continuous clicking of 'cast Beautiful graphics. Pretty corny 'huge production' theme music at the title screen. I really enjoyed my time playing it, so I'll give it an 8. I'll outline some criticism for it down below. 1st person is great, really like to be able to control it that way. If you want to complain about it, go back to world of warcraft and the continuous clicking of 'cast spell', or clicking on the enemy and saying 'attack'. Making your own class was fun, but it didn't really make any difference. You can pick any class and end up being the same as others in the end. Also, a lot of useless skills (alteration, mercantile, illusion, speechcraft, security, etc...) that are just not worth it. The storylines were interesting, but again it was 'go to X city and talk to this person'. go to Y location and kill Z and retrieve AA item. Go back to X. Pretty repetitive after awhile. Unless you've played the game before, the birth signs all seem like really cool, unique ideas. Most of these can be completely obsolete after a couple levels (stat bonuses, shadow, tower, etc...). I would really love to see birth signs that are completely unique and you can't find as a scroll or spell after a couple hours of playing.… Expand
  25. DamienN.
    Feb 11, 2007
    10
    ABSOLUTELY SUPERB! If you haven't bought it buy it this instant you haven't a clue what your missing out on! Ticks all the right boxes (GFX, SOUND, quantity of quests) and on top of that CPT Jean Luc Picard is in it to so BUY IT!
  26. TomA.
    Mar 23, 2007
    8
    This game is definitely fun. The graphics are excellent. You are free to explore a large world. The game developers seemed to only use about 5 different voices for hundreds of non player characters. In a game where everything is focused on quests, the realism is goes out the door fast. I would also like to say that this game has a lot of very repetitious elements so if you can rent it This game is definitely fun. The graphics are excellent. You are free to explore a large world. The game developers seemed to only use about 5 different voices for hundreds of non player characters. In a game where everything is focused on quests, the realism is goes out the door fast. I would also like to say that this game has a lot of very repetitious elements so if you can rent it you'll enjoy it more. Oblivion was fun for about two weeks.… Expand
  27. ColbyA.
    Mar 23, 2007
    9
    Okay, I won't waste your time rephrasing everything everyone has said here. Great Graphics, Great gameplay (imo), but the scaling system is seriously flawed, yes. My suggestion? If you buy this for the PC, find a modding site and download a scaling modification for the game. Oblivion for the PC was -made- to be modded, so find mods that fix the game how you want it, and play. Okay, I won't waste your time rephrasing everything everyone has said here. Great Graphics, Great gameplay (imo), but the scaling system is seriously flawed, yes. My suggestion? If you buy this for the PC, find a modding site and download a scaling modification for the game. Oblivion for the PC was -made- to be modded, so find mods that fix the game how you want it, and play. It's definitely worth the money and the time.… Expand
  28. TheWasp
    Mar 25, 2007
    8
    The only down side to to this game is (was),you can not attack while ridding on your horse.
  29. TimothyM.
    Apr 16, 2007
    10
    This is really one of the most addicting games ever created. The world is huge, there are tons of quests, and there are so many variations of characters. This is not the normal type of turn based RPG. This mixes the two worlds of RPG and FPS in a beautiful almost seamless way. There are few games that I have played and been sucked into. This is one of them.
  30. ConorL.
    May 12, 2007
    10
    Totally the best game on the PC that i'v played, Its also great on the 360 everythng about the game has a very good feeling to it and the graphics for a world that big is AMAZING.
  31. NoName
    Jul 11, 2007
    10
    Aside from a few bugs (all of which have been bypassed by some use of the ingame console), this game is perfection. I have only ever said that about 2 other games, (final fantasy 7 and 8), and i don't give 10's out lightly. So far i've played around 70 hours of Oblivion, and i haven't been bored for a minute. I cannot say that about any other game, and i feel that Aside from a few bugs (all of which have been bypassed by some use of the ingame console), this game is perfection. I have only ever said that about 2 other games, (final fantasy 7 and 8), and i don't give 10's out lightly. So far i've played around 70 hours of Oblivion, and i haven't been bored for a minute. I cannot say that about any other game, and i feel that after 1,000 hours of questing, i would still be telling you the same thing. Definitely worth a purchase, especially now after the release of lots of official plugins and patches, and also an ever growing community, committed to expanding the game further. World of Warcraft, eat your heart out!… Expand
  32. OovVictory
    Sep 26, 2007
    8
    4 for graphics, 4 for the soundtrack, 8 for the player made mods, -3 for leveling, -5 for bugs and crashes. As you can see Beth, the player made mods saved your game.
  33. AlexS.
    Jan 17, 2008
    7
    "Out of the box," Oblivion is huge, beautiful, and dull. It's true -- first leaving the sewers forces a strong, appreciative reaction. At the same time, there are definite problems. For example, despite its graphical potential, many spell animations are remarkably bad -- "Flare," the starting offensive spell, is understandably under-stated. Yet, additional spells sometimes look "Out of the box," Oblivion is huge, beautiful, and dull. It's true -- first leaving the sewers forces a strong, appreciative reaction. At the same time, there are definite problems. For example, despite its graphical potential, many spell animations are remarkably bad -- "Flare," the starting offensive spell, is understandably under-stated. Yet, additional spells sometimes look practically identical to it; the "radius"/splash effect of many is simply a red or blue coloring, which sort of looks like nothing. Luckily, there are many spell mods out there, using the kind of graphic animations and spell variety Oblivion should have already come with: beautiful comets dropping from the sky, multiple conjurations, black holes, etc. -- just really creative stuff that was simply missing. Even worse, the combat system is merely above decent. You simply aim, slash, block, and so on; although there are "power moves" which are unlocked, there is usually nothing special about them. In fact, every power move is the same from weapon to weapon, with the same effects: disarming, knocking out, paralyzing, etc. There is little variety here, too. There are some mods that add a few things, such as new moves and decapitation, but it's not much. It would have been great to include pressure points, many additional moves, and so on. Directly tied to this are the "skills," which are often uninteresting or useless. There is no, for example, combat-specific abilities that are unlocked -- as you improve abilities, you simply jump higher, run faster, hit harder, and so on. True, there are "perks," but they are tiny additions compared to the size of the game itself. I'm not saying this should have been like Diablo 2; at the same time, this game was released in 2006, when such abilities, etc., were often the norm. There are also significant balance issues, which have not been addressed. Combat is the main part of the game -- "role-playing" or not, you need to survive. But, if you play as Thief, for example, you will certainly be faster and more agile than the average NPC, but you simply won't be able to win most melee fights. Hand-to-Hand, too, is very dull, and quite weak -- despite the tweaks, mods, and so on, it has not been fixed. A promising mod with katars, claws, etc., to augment hand-to-hand was never finished -- it looked like it would have been a great help, especially since katars, etc., are just pure common-sense additions. In short, the game feels large at the expense of substance. I think the developers might have cut out about 1/4 of the areas, and focused more on tightening the gameplay itself -- in this way, we would still have a huge product, and a greater experience. Oblivion -- 7.5 / 10. Oblivion with mods -- 8.5 / 10.… Expand
  34. P.S.
    Jan 19, 2008
    10
    This game was a bit of a disappointment, considering its predecessor, but even years later, few titles could hope to compare. It sacrificed some complexity and gameplay to become more accessible for the console crowd, but overall a pretty good game.
  35. XX
    Mar 21, 2008
    6
    Though it starts off superbly, it actually commits a RPG cardinal sin which is an extremely poor character level design. In other words, you won't be stronger than your enemy -- they all level at the same time that you are. Still, one could close his eyes on this major flaw if you would still be able to complete your missions -- but that's where the problem lies: your friendly Though it starts off superbly, it actually commits a RPG cardinal sin which is an extremely poor character level design. In other words, you won't be stronger than your enemy -- they all level at the same time that you are. Still, one could close his eyes on this major flaw if you would still be able to complete your missions -- but that's where the problem lies: your friendly NPCs do not level like your enemies, so you won't be able to progress into the story if you do all the side quests before moving on. Can't believe it received 9s and 10s... avoid it.… Expand
  36. JJ
    Apr 11, 2008
    10
    Oblivion is simply one of the best games ever made. I lost my copy and have been thinking about getting it again to play it again, because there's no other RPG available right now that even comes close to being as well-crafted, entertaining, varied or just plain sprawling; nothing currently available of its calibre. And yeah, it's a hybrid RPG/FPS. Did I mention that it's Oblivion is simply one of the best games ever made. I lost my copy and have been thinking about getting it again to play it again, because there's no other RPG available right now that even comes close to being as well-crafted, entertaining, varied or just plain sprawling; nothing currently available of its calibre. And yeah, it's a hybrid RPG/FPS. Did I mention that it's one of the best games ever made? Perhaps the best Fantasy-Adventure RPG ever made? The story is excellent, the gameplay is fun, the graphics are stunning, the gameworld is huge and there's probably 200 hours of stuff to do in it should you attempt to see everything it has to offer-- on one character, on one path; and there are, of course, multiple paths. I think I'm gonna go get it again, and pick up the expansions to boot.… Expand
  37. AnomynousGamer
    Apr 14, 2008
    8
    Oblivion is an amazing game. Don't get me wrong it does have its flaws with some tedious quests which get repetitive but it still doesn't make the game rubbish. Reading a lot of comments what most people complain about is the leveling system. All the things about staying lvl 1 and being the strongest is stupid but the leveling system is worked out pretty well. 10 major skill Oblivion is an amazing game. Don't get me wrong it does have its flaws with some tedious quests which get repetitive but it still doesn't make the game rubbish. Reading a lot of comments what most people complain about is the leveling system. All the things about staying lvl 1 and being the strongest is stupid but the leveling system is worked out pretty well. 10 major skill levels is 1 combat level. Once you reach higher levels people are complaining that it gets "to hard" the reason for it being "to hard" for these players is the fact that they are inexperienced. The higher level you are the more "skilled" you are. This should mean that you know how to kill certain enemies certain way with weaknesses etc. People complaining about it being to hard just can't play the game properly. The graphics are very good and does make everything look very good. The AI isn't the greatest and on a few occasions I've been chased by a person with their weapon drawn for them to talk to me like a normal person. But aside from all the bugs and some flaws i give this game an 8. P.S. This is weird that I, being an avid gamer and posting on a PC review site, has only played on the Xbox 360. Even then i still wouldn't think that there would be much different with combat apart from controls. I have played Oblivion for 200+ hours and still play it.… Expand
  38. FB
    May 6, 2008
    7
    I could write a long review explaining all the problems with this game and why it does not deserve a 99/100 but I would prefer not to... All I really have to say is that GTA IV does not bring anything truly revolutionary to the table and is mostly just a prettier rehash of the previous games. Shame of the critics.
  39. LiZard
    Sep 4, 2008
    10
    It does not deserve a 10/10 if you play Vanilla Oblivion (no mods), but with enough mods, a nice overhaul, and tweaking a few of the .init files, it becomes a great experience. SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT: I THINK THAT VANILLA DESERVES A 5/10!!! but really, everyone here on Meta either hates it or loves it. I like it, but I would never play it without atleast RealSleep and Alternate It does not deserve a 10/10 if you play Vanilla Oblivion (no mods), but with enough mods, a nice overhaul, and tweaking a few of the .init files, it becomes a great experience. SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT: I THINK THAT VANILLA DESERVES A 5/10!!! but really, everyone here on Meta either hates it or loves it. I like it, but I would never play it without atleast RealSleep and Alternate start, arrive by ship. REPEAT!!! OBLIVION WITHOUT MODS GETS A 5/10!! I wouldn't play it vanilla unless it was on the 360. But just cause a few people's computers can't handle it, and because of the normal, no mod version of it doesn't help matters, everyone hates it. Give it a break. Fallout 3 almost completely ripped I AM LEGEND off. It isn't that good either.… Expand
  40. TomVt
    Nov 5, 2009
    6
    The beauty of this game does not make up for it's obvious flaws. While it is very fun to pick up once in a while, I never find myself playing through the game. Sure, it's not a linear game in the sense that you must follow a specific path - it is a very open ended game, but far from the open ended gameplay in for example Fallout 2. The scenery is wonderful, and the atmosphere is The beauty of this game does not make up for it's obvious flaws. While it is very fun to pick up once in a while, I never find myself playing through the game. Sure, it's not a linear game in the sense that you must follow a specific path - it is a very open ended game, but far from the open ended gameplay in for example Fallout 2. The scenery is wonderful, and the atmosphere is relaxing. I found myself picking flowers for an hour and making potions to poison my weapons. The close combat can be fun sometimes, but it feels wrong hitting a skeleton several times with a large hammer before it crumbles under it's feet. What I can't really forgive is the "big world" which is Oblivion. You walk into a town, and you overhear people taløking about some really evil demons that invaded a nearby town yesterday. (say, 1 or 2 miles away) The immersion really drops to a point of being hilariously implausible. What? So some demon lord have invaded a town nearby and doesn't move outside a radius of some hundred meters. I just don't get it. And don't forget the "randomized" interactions between npc's. Sometimes it works, but since it's "random" you can hear some pretty strange interactions. No doubt, I will pick it up again, just to sneak around castles and assassinating mayors and stealing their hidden treasures, but no way I'm gonna follow the main story. The pretentious boasting of it's scale coupled with it's serious flaws make it a potential victim for jokes. I recommend trying this game, but don't expect something big. It's a fun little game, nowhere as "big" as others say. The world is NOT big. Say, 25 square kilometres or something. And there are many towns at the size of a pack of farms.… Expand
  41. AlexM
    Oct 2, 2009
    10
    I playing games since 1993. I played evrything from Tetris to Baldurs Gate. And i have to say this is best game ever made.Best RPG ever made , Best 3D RPG ever made , Best Graphics ever made , Best modding system ever made. Best Lore ever made. Oblivion is just Brilliant , if u didnt liked this game then u have no taste in beautiful things.
  42. IanV
    Oct 23, 2009
    7
    The best example of setting the bar too high and stretching your resources too thin can be found within Oblivion. While everything within the world feels devoid of both life and meaning, there is an enormous amount of content to explore. Memorable quests stand out in a bitter sweet way, reminding you of the game's potential.
  43. AlexB.
    Feb 3, 2009
    10
    Easily the best game of any genre on any system I have ever played. The graphics are phenomenal. The gameplay is solid. The storylines for the main quest and each of the guilds are excellent. There are TONS of side quests that can take you tens if not hundreds of hours to complete, and they are almost all very fun and have very good plots. The world is huge and filled with caves and Easily the best game of any genre on any system I have ever played. The graphics are phenomenal. The gameplay is solid. The storylines for the main quest and each of the guilds are excellent. There are TONS of side quests that can take you tens if not hundreds of hours to complete, and they are almost all very fun and have very good plots. The world is huge and filled with caves and dungeons and forests that are all completely exlporable. And don't forget the thousands of mods that can add many more hours of gameplay. The only flaw that even comes close to ruining the gameplay is that it might be too much for lower end PCs to handle, but its simple to change the settings to make it work better. Overall, there is absolutely no reason this is not in every RPG fan's collection.… Expand
  44. Jamesm
    Apr 12, 2009
    10
    While it does have some issues that come inherent with go anywhere do anything games that have a vast a scope as oblivion (compared to very scripted linear progression rpg's ie jrpg's) oblivion does well as a whole rahter than a sum of it's parts. Throughout the game enemies level as well to sustain a challenge all the way through (Pro tip:complainers who want a cake walk While it does have some issues that come inherent with go anywhere do anything games that have a vast a scope as oblivion (compared to very scripted linear progression rpg's ie jrpg's) oblivion does well as a whole rahter than a sum of it's parts. Throughout the game enemies level as well to sustain a challenge all the way through (Pro tip:complainers who want a cake walk once leveled can just turn the difficulty down). Great looking graphics and artistic design with most towns having thier own building design look. It all comes together very nicely, most dungeosn look the same but these arn't usually required and you'll easily get 80 hours of game play by completing the main missions and exploring the landscape.… Expand
  45. KevinR
    Jun 10, 2009
    10
    People need i grow up and stop your crying, and if you really do not like the game go play something else... its not that hard to do people, or even if you think you can do better make your own game and stop putting down a game that was made for gamers like YOU!!!
  46. JackL
    Jun 17, 2009
    10
    Oblivion isn't perfect, no game is. But I think a 10/10 score is for when it ticks the all the boxes for the player and it certainly does for me. It is surely a step down from Morrowind from an RPG perspective, but I think the game makes up for it with a simplified control system from that which is found in Morrowind and blinds you with copious amounts of bloom. The dialog is Oblivion isn't perfect, no game is. But I think a 10/10 score is for when it ticks the all the boxes for the player and it certainly does for me. It is surely a step down from Morrowind from an RPG perspective, but I think the game makes up for it with a simplified control system from that which is found in Morrowind and blinds you with copious amounts of bloom. The dialog is hopeless but you have to admit that it's alot better than having to read a novel each time you inqure about something. Graphics? Good on the consoles and better on the PC even by 2009 standards. The leveling system is fine and if you don't like it then reduce the difficulty, unless you don't dare to stoop so low as to do something like that. On the whole I think Oblivion tries appeal to a wider audience but ends up alienating some fans of older TES', but is still a very good game and should be tried at least.… Expand
  47. AnonymousMC
    Jul 29, 2009
    8
    Good game, great gameplay, nice quest, the expansions are cool (shirvering isles) you get your moneys worth of gameplay (around maybe 250+ hours if u do every quest) but the game isnt perfect, i played it un patached and un modded and even though it rain fairly, i felt the graphics werent as good as i could get them to be (even though i have a lower end dell, i can get insanly goodGood game, great gameplay, nice quest, the expansions are cool (shirvering isles) you get your moneys worth of gameplay (around maybe 250+ hours if u do every quest) but the game isnt perfect, i played it un patached and un modded and even though it rain fairly, i felt the graphics werent as good as i could get them to be (even though i have a lower end dell, i can get insanly good graphics in games like call of duty, and left 4 dead etc) sometimes if i opened it through steam it would close to my desktop wich would be annoying when im exploring a cave because i would need to start over. Also not enough voice actors, one time when i was in cloud ruler temple i heard to charcters with the same voice actor have a conversation. Leveling system can get annoying aswell.
    the quest in the game are good, only memerable ones are the ones such as the main quest line, the dark brotherhood questline (which i play on every charcter i make because of how fun it is) have to admit though some enimes arent real creative, and i think bethsidia gave up too quickly (only one real expansion pack, knights of nine is really more of a bunch of addons on a CD with OBLVION stamped on the cover) campared to a fully expanded Fallout 3, not as good but is still a good game i would pick it up on steam as its at a fair price there.    … Expand
  48. RC
    Aug 1, 2009
    9
    This is a great game. Hell I don;t even need to mod it in order to have a good time. Ive played this game exactly 48 times over and each time was fun. The graphics are a little outdated now, but it's still not bad for today's generation. The quest are fun, but are lacking meaning, you're mostly doing it for money so you can buy new stuff. Some of the quest are just not This is a great game. Hell I don;t even need to mod it in order to have a good time. Ive played this game exactly 48 times over and each time was fun. The graphics are a little outdated now, but it's still not bad for today's generation. The quest are fun, but are lacking meaning, you're mostly doing it for money so you can buy new stuff. Some of the quest are just not interesting. The AI is great (when it came out) today it's ok, considering this was made in 2005. Overall though the game is long and you have a massive modding community to help keep it fresh all in all this game is great and can't wait for the next elder scrolls.… Expand
  49. SD
    Aug 31, 2009
    7
    Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. It may be beautiful, but that can scarcely hide the wafer thin plot or the mind-numbing repetition. Creating a great virtual world is one thing, and here this has been achieved. But a great virtual world needs to be inhabited to beings that aren't just clones of each other, and it needs to contain a game that's not just being an armed Fed Ex guy in a Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. It may be beautiful, but that can scarcely hide the wafer thin plot or the mind-numbing repetition. Creating a great virtual world is one thing, and here this has been achieved. But a great virtual world needs to be inhabited to beings that aren't just clones of each other, and it needs to contain a game that's not just being an armed Fed Ex guy in a pretty mythological world.… Expand
  50. JacobL
    Sep 12, 2009
    10
    Oblivion, is simply brilliant game! The plot line is imersive, the gameplay is thrilling, the adventuring is invigerating! When it was first released, most common computer systems had a hard time playing it. But now, with rigs that can play Crysis at 250 FPS, Oblivion's graphics system is merly a tick on ones RAM. I recomend all action/adventure gamers imediatly go to there local Oblivion, is simply brilliant game! The plot line is imersive, the gameplay is thrilling, the adventuring is invigerating! When it was first released, most common computer systems had a hard time playing it. But now, with rigs that can play Crysis at 250 FPS, Oblivion's graphics system is merly a tick on ones RAM. I recomend all action/adventure gamers imediatly go to there local game store and pick up a copy! Bravo Bethesda for creating such a wonderful game!… Expand
  51. JoshAckerman
    Dec 18, 2006
    10
    Oblivion is in my top three all time
  52. PedroViegas
    Dec 28, 2006
    10
    This is the best rpg ever, an innovation and package of brand new experiences for role playing game lovers.
  53. AeliusS.
    Mar 21, 2006
    6
    A step back. The hype was just that. Doom3 and HL2 were both superior games technically speaking. Many of the hyped aspects are poor. The game cannot scale back like D3. The NPCs talk with each othe in non-sequitors, just like the NPCs in Kingping or Postal2. The voice work often sounds like a mod, complete with differing room verb. Some NPCs even speak using a mix-n-match of voices A step back. The hype was just that. Doom3 and HL2 were both superior games technically speaking. Many of the hyped aspects are poor. The game cannot scale back like D3. The NPCs talk with each othe in non-sequitors, just like the NPCs in Kingping or Postal2. The voice work often sounds like a mod, complete with differing room verb. Some NPCs even speak using a mix-n-match of voices depending on the topic. I am so upset that Bethesda would do this to us. Especially after the dissapointing FPS point and click Call Of Cthulu.… Expand
  54. Wes
    Mar 21, 2006
    10
    awesome game. The world is giant and I am going a good portion of my life playing this game. This game smashes Morrowind to pieces. Completely meets the hype, and my expectations.
  55. JulesP.
    Mar 22, 2006
    9
    Great game just played it for five houres amazing. Sets a new standard for rpg's
  56. DavidM.
    Mar 22, 2006
    9
    I don't like to attack people in these reviews. However Aelius is completely off-base. First of all let me address one of his points: The NPCs do sometimes talk in non-sequitors or change voice pitches depending on topic. 95 percent of the time however, they are great and a HUGE leap forward over Elder Scrolls 3. That's really the only thing in Aelius's review with merit. I don't like to attack people in these reviews. However Aelius is completely off-base. First of all let me address one of his points: The NPCs do sometimes talk in non-sequitors or change voice pitches depending on topic. 95 percent of the time however, they are great and a HUGE leap forward over Elder Scrolls 3. That's really the only thing in Aelius's review with merit. The world is beautiful. The game has an incredible physics engine. Also, they made the combat much more intense and immediate than the wack-a-mole hits of ES3. Other points: What the heck does "cannot scale back like D3" mean? I don't even know what Aelius is talking about. Aelius's point about Doom 3 and Half Life 2 being technically better than this game is purely objective. This game's interiors match up well with Doom 3. There is realistic shadowing and great texture/animation work. Now against Half Life 2, that is an unfair comparison as HL2 has no free-form outdoor areas. A better comparison would be Far Cry and Oblivion holds it's own there as well. There is a 2 mile draw distance in this game and it looks great. The quests are also interesting and varied. There are problems but is this a 6/10 game? Absolutely not, and only a bitter over-hyped maniac would rate it as such.… Expand
  57. JerryN.
    Mar 24, 2006
    10
    This game is amazing. It's been hyped for a long time, and let me tell you, it delivers and then some. The graphics are spectacular. The addition of voice to every bit of dialogue is wonderful. The traveling sytem is great. The quest system is a wonderful improvement over Morrowind. Some of the peopl complain about some seriously rtivial factors. Factors that could only be an issue This game is amazing. It's been hyped for a long time, and let me tell you, it delivers and then some. The graphics are spectacular. The addition of voice to every bit of dialogue is wonderful. The traveling sytem is great. The quest system is a wonderful improvement over Morrowind. Some of the peopl complain about some seriously rtivial factors. Factors that could only be an issue ina game this daring and expansive, as no other has anyhting close to the sheer amount of depth and attention to detail. Even the side quests you'll likely never even find are really well done. The whole thinig just reeks of quality. It runs well on mid range systems, and has very scalable settings. In fact, why are you reading this and not buying/playing Oblivion right now? It's undoubtedly the best RPG ever made. Possibly the best game ever. It's not without it's small flaws, but those are easily dismissed when appreciating this game for what it is. If you can't do that, you are asking way too much and you should go back to playing all the other "perfect" RPGs.… Expand
  58. MiKE
    Mar 25, 2006
    10
    WOW WOW WOW!! The graphics are stunning, HUGE enivornments to wonder in, crystal clean music, with voices! Excellent game!!!
  59. HoracioP.
    Mar 25, 2006
    10
    Es exelente. Un juego que no tiene desperdicios
  60. JoshV.
    Mar 27, 2006
    9
    words can not properly describe my love for this game, it is a world into its self. no person can describe this world to someone who hasnt played it. so expansive that i played 45 hours the first weekend that i had it and i completed the main series of quests. it would have gotten a 10 but i tend to stand to close to doors when i open them and on a rare occasion when the door opens tword words can not properly describe my love for this game, it is a world into its self. no person can describe this world to someone who hasnt played it. so expansive that i played 45 hours the first weekend that i had it and i completed the main series of quests. it would have gotten a 10 but i tend to stand to close to doors when i open them and on a rare occasion when the door opens tword me i get smashed into the wall and end up clipping through into a giant ocean below the level also the menu was a pain, i dont need to elaborate on that the only other gripe was that there where too many people that looked too much like martin and i couldnt seem to get my person to look just right.… Expand
  61. JasonW.
    Mar 29, 2006
    10
    I have played the 360 version and the pc version, I dont see how anyone would give 360 version a higher rating, when the pc version was 10x more detailed and will be patched etc... while 360 will stick with its sound bugs among others it's having.
  62. DaveR.
    Apr 12, 2006
    8
    How truly awe-inspiring this game would be if the AI weren't flawed and those sometimes not-so-sublte collision glitches were removed. Once the buzz of freedom ran out, I began wincing occassionally at problems both with gameplay and character creation.
  63. C.Leitch
    Apr 14, 2006
    9
    This is a sweet game overall. however, if there was a list of every aspect of a game, and you had to rate it 0-10, there would be several catagories that would receive rather low, while the rest recieved 10. First up would be the system requirements. even the latest top of the range computer can render this beast at 30 fps on full. thats with a crossfire x1900. therefore, people withThis is a sweet game overall. however, if there was a list of every aspect of a game, and you had to rate it 0-10, there would be several catagories that would receive rather low, while the rest recieved 10. First up would be the system requirements. even the latest top of the range computer can render this beast at 30 fps on full. thats with a crossfire x1900. therefore, people with relativly good pci 16s like 6600s are forced to dramaticaly lower the grapic settings, to the point where the game designers desired atmosphere no longer exists because you can only see as far as you hand, whereas the game allows you to see distand mountains. another is the stability. i would be happy to run this game on full grapics, even if i did get a steady 5fps. only problem, is that it will only last about 5 mintues before it blue-screens on me. Im sure this would change if you had a more powerful graphics card, but it forces you to lower your graphics to the point where it runs well AND dosent constantly crash. another, is that much like its predecessor, if you play this game to win, it gets boring very very quickly. you have to from time to time make up your own rules , and not use the idiotic AI system to your advantage. another is the extreemly short main story line. although there is many many city and guild quests to be done, i found it amazing that i had not even been made to visit evey city before finishing the storyline. I was amazed when i found out that i had actually finished the storyline, rather than just a small section of it, probably because of the length of the morrowind campain. Although im sounding very critical, another thing that annoyed me very much was the character animations. Very many of these problems carry over from ES III. The game engne is just too smilar, almost as though they have taken the morrowind engine and added new graphics and features, but more or less left it as it was. if they had delayed for another couple o months to fix these problems, the game would be endless, because evry little thing you do would be enjoyable, with the current release, all these factors leak through the whole "seamless RPG" thing and tend to make it less absorbing. Having said all this, the graphics and world in this game are amazing.… Expand
  64. Jared
    Apr 15, 2006
    10
    Simply stunning. Great way to completely lose your life for a month.
  65. TelyS.
    Apr 23, 2006
    10
    The best computer roleplaying game ever made. I
  66. MercZ
    May 12, 2006
    9
    A great RPG for the ages. There are certain issues I feel, such as the level scaling system which makes it possible to beat the game at level 1. Don't listen to other people that say the game is completely ruined- it is still very fun and is probably the best RPG on the market currently. The graphics are good, the gameplay is great, and everything in the game is good. There are A great RPG for the ages. There are certain issues I feel, such as the level scaling system which makes it possible to beat the game at level 1. Don't listen to other people that say the game is completely ruined- it is still very fun and is probably the best RPG on the market currently. The graphics are good, the gameplay is great, and everything in the game is good. There are issues as I mentioned before, but these can be fixed with patches, expansions, and even mods. Remember, Morrowind wasn't perfect when it was released either.… Expand
  67. PaulC.
    May 22, 2006
    9
    Blew me away when I started. Once I was past the eye candy, though, I did think it was more similar to Morrowwind that I had thought it would be. Not a bad thing. It'sjust that I'd already played that instalment to DEATH. Also, add on improvements to Morrowwind like map notes were backed out of this version. So, in some minor respects this is a bit of a step back. Enjoyed the Blew me away when I started. Once I was past the eye candy, though, I did think it was more similar to Morrowwind that I had thought it would be. Not a bad thing. It'sjust that I'd already played that instalment to DEATH. Also, add on improvements to Morrowwind like map notes were backed out of this version. So, in some minor respects this is a bit of a step back. Enjoyed the hell out of it just the same.… Expand
  68. BL
    May 31, 2006
    9
    Besides occasional lag issues, this is the most immersive and intriguing game I've played all year.
  69. DerekR.
    Jun 15, 2006
    10
    This game is simply briliant. Not only are you free to do what ever you want but it is increadablly easy to edit the world that the game is played in. Like making weapons and armors custom for your charactor then placing them some where in the world. Most of all this game has beautiful landscapes, well if your computer can run them of course.
  70. HongW.
    Jul 12, 2006
    5
    TES 4: Oblivion is a game that really disappointed me. I played Morrowind for years an thought, Oblivion would also do that. But it doesn't. Well, the graphics and pyhsics are absolutely great. But the most important thing, gameplay, sucks. After 100 hours you played all quests and there is nothing more to discover. Morrowind was much better in that view. The second thing is, that i TES 4: Oblivion is a game that really disappointed me. I played Morrowind for years an thought, Oblivion would also do that. But it doesn't. Well, the graphics and pyhsics are absolutely great. But the most important thing, gameplay, sucks. After 100 hours you played all quests and there is nothing more to discover. Morrowind was much better in that view. The second thing is, that i own the german version. (bad english ^^) You cant count all the translation and layout bugs. After over 4 months finally the patch comes out. And what does this thing do? Nearly nothing! Translation and layout still sucks and no interface mods are working properly anymore. So, patch that fixes some unimprotant things, or user patches (mods) that fix nearly everything? I think the answer is clear, Bethesda has forgotten the community and i hope TES 5 is much more like Morrowind, not Oblivion..… Expand
  71. GlenD.
    Jul 14, 2006
    8
    Pros: Huge sprawling landscape, visually stunning at higher settings. Great storylines for guild quests. Somewhat multi-facetted. Open ended. Incredible mod support, someone with very little experience with the editor can figure out how to create new weapons, even new dungeons and caves! Cons: Requires some serious processing power, both CPU and GPU. The engine used is not very optimized. Pros: Huge sprawling landscape, visually stunning at higher settings. Great storylines for guild quests. Somewhat multi-facetted. Open ended. Incredible mod support, someone with very little experience with the editor can figure out how to create new weapons, even new dungeons and caves! Cons: Requires some serious processing power, both CPU and GPU. The engine used is not very optimized. The main quest is way too short. The fast travel feature is easy to overuse. Heck, the fast travel feature was implemented in a way that eliminates some encounters that were present in Morrowind. Seems like encounters are few and far between now, perhaps the landscape is the reason why, Morrowind was a valley/pass/mountain landscape; Oblivion is a forrest/hills/pretty landscape. Thus, in Oblivion you can easily zig zag to your final destination, in Morrowind there was 1 path. The fast travel feature, once used once, is used over and over! Because, if you take a stand and hoof it to a location, you find you might run into a bandit camp, okay, 3 enemies, or run past an ayleid ruin (a long dungeon with no real 'loot' at the end) Overall a wonderful experience, but I am now 3 weeks from starting the game, I've sent one char through the main quest, got another char to 18 and through the mage quests, another through the dark brotherhood and to level 21, and most recently a vampire to level 9 and through the thieves guild quests, and I have college right now and other responsibilities. So -- yes, with fast travel the game goes fast.… Expand
  72. BrandonO.
    Jul 28, 2006
    10
    ok first of all this game is the BEST i have played in total around 130 hours. I have no clue why some people say the gameplay suck i think it is awsome. graphics are perfect. physics are cool. A game like this is neat because you can go out and adventure but then you can also buy a house and 'Live The life'. just be a normal person. i used to have a lvl 32 mage character and ok first of all this game is the BEST i have played in total around 130 hours. I have no clue why some people say the gameplay suck i think it is awsome. graphics are perfect. physics are cool. A game like this is neat because you can go out and adventure but then you can also buy a house and 'Live The life'. just be a normal person. i used to have a lvl 32 mage character and after going into lots of caves getting gold and whatnot I bought the most expensive house and all the furniture for it and it was cool i had collected all the magic items and stored them there. well your probably bored hearing me talk on like this. one last thing. this game is gthe best game i have ever played in my life i havent put another Xbox 360 game into my console since i bought it. BUY THIS GAME!!… Expand
  73. AS
    Aug 25, 2006
    8
    Well, by now should be fairly clear that this game was made primarily with Xbox in mind. I must despite the hype about the graphic, I was quite disappointed. The
  74. Toomuchhype
    Nov 10, 2007
    6
    I rented it, then modded it to a six, which means playable, unfortunatley you can't mod the boring storyline, and dialogue. The gameplay out of the box without modding is poor, inferior to Morrowind, not a game for longtime pc rpg fans.
  75. PCG
    Nov 30, 2007
    10
    Regardless about what all the nay-sayers have said, this game's great. I've played through the main storyline, then began learning to use the toolset, which, is rather fun, actually. People may dislike it, but this game is good--granted, I do prefer to use mods; such as the one that doesn't auto-level everything to make it beatable... That just irritates me... and the Regardless about what all the nay-sayers have said, this game's great. I've played through the main storyline, then began learning to use the toolset, which, is rather fun, actually. People may dislike it, but this game is good--granted, I do prefer to use mods; such as the one that doesn't auto-level everything to make it beatable... That just irritates me... and the non-telepathic guards plugin. Yeah, this game has its problems... But tell me--what game does not? What game is not improved by fan-made content? In closing, I'd like to say that people who play the game for 2 hours, go off the main road three times, and just try to stick to the storyline, they just aren't going to get a fun game. You have to explore the world, see it through the eyes of an adventurer... ... This game has eaten up so much of my free time that it's irritating me.… Expand
  76. CattyC.
    Dec 1, 2007
    7
    The game has lots of bugs that basically discontinue the story (or make it impossible to continue. Other than that its fun for about a month.
  77. J.K.
    Mar 25, 2007
    8
    Oblivion good, but definitely not on the level of the hype it's received. The game is great fun while it lasts, but after playing through the main quest and each of the main factions, you're just about done. Yeah, that's a lot of hours, but the so called "limitless exploration," reviews that you see all over the place really aren't accurate. Definitely worth a buy, but Oblivion good, but definitely not on the level of the hype it's received. The game is great fun while it lasts, but after playing through the main quest and each of the main factions, you're just about done. Yeah, that's a lot of hours, but the so called "limitless exploration," reviews that you see all over the place really aren't accurate. Definitely worth a buy, but this game could have been perfect if there were real roleplaying elements; the quests mostly don't have multiple ways of completion, and player-NPC conversation is limited to single word choices.… Expand
  78. RyanB
    Sep 29, 2007
    10
    Best game I've ever played. Graphics are amazing, almost no lag for the amount of detail is put into everything. Vast amount of weapons, armors, AI, and quests. The weapons have outstanding amount of detail, along with the armors and such. The only real disappointment I had about this game was the short main story. But the 200+ side quests more than make up for it. If I had played Best game I've ever played. Graphics are amazing, almost no lag for the amount of detail is put into everything. Vast amount of weapons, armors, AI, and quests. The weapons have outstanding amount of detail, along with the armors and such. The only real disappointment I had about this game was the short main story. But the 200+ side quests more than make up for it. If I had played through the main quest without stopping to do side quests it maybe would have taken 4-5 hours. But, with the Shivering Isles expansion and the other expansions available for all three consoles, I've played the game for over 50 hours in total. Overall, This game is spectacular. I'd give it a 9.8 out of 10.… Expand
  79. AC
    Nov 2, 2008
    5
    A decent attempt to create a open-beautiful-world game The graphics are great. Unfortunately, they made with old style thinking leading to a frustrating leveling system, 90% of the quests is go there and there and kill kill and come back for more. My opinion it is a good game when you have nothing else to do.
  80. AndrewG.
    Jan 13, 2008
    10
    7.6 average? OUTRAGE! Those who say that this game is an Action game, and not an RPG, seem to be unaware that the base mechanics of this series hasn't changed much since Daggerfall - indeed, both Daggerfall and Morrowind had just as much cause for hacking. Simply because Oblivion does it's hacking element more effectively doesn't make it an action game. I mean, duh. 7.6 average? OUTRAGE! Those who say that this game is an Action game, and not an RPG, seem to be unaware that the base mechanics of this series hasn't changed much since Daggerfall - indeed, both Daggerfall and Morrowind had just as much cause for hacking. Simply because Oblivion does it's hacking element more effectively doesn't make it an action game. I mean, duh. However, it has been 'softened' slightly around the corners - some fewer skills, fewer item types, and linear quest lines take this game further from its Daggerfall/Arena premise of a virtual 'world' in which anything goes - it is missing some grit and depth which the others had in abundance. But I cannot give this game anything but a 10, because this is still the best hope there is - the modding community is flourishing, and hopefully Bethesda will make TES:V deeper than this - though, I must stress, the guild questlines are fabulous this time around. I say, superior to Morrowind, but not to Daggerfall, which I where I'm from, actually. OMG - Daggerfall isn't in Metacritic! Why on earth not?? Anyway - I've played 200 hours, and will re-play when I harvest a couple of hundred mods and a better computer to take on the 512mb textures.… Expand
  81. LeonardoFerreira
    Oct 16, 2008
    10
    Oblivion is from FAR the best rpg game ive ever played on my whole life ,its all about the freedom;you can either follow the main quest or just say "F*CK OFF" main quest and go and explore the world ,doing LOTS and LOTS of side-quests wich are as good or even better than the main quest ,and are DEFINITELY bigger than the main quest.Also ,there are LOTS of mods wich gives like 2 months orOblivion is from FAR the best rpg game ive ever played on my whole life ,its all about the freedom;you can either follow the main quest or just say "F*CK OFF" main quest and go and explore the world ,doing LOTS and LOTS of side-quests wich are as good or even better than the main quest ,and are DEFINITELY bigger than the main quest.Also ,there are LOTS of mods wich gives like 2 months or more of more gameplay.PLUS ,the construction set (cs) wich comes with the game is absolutely amazing ,it lets completely RETARDS do whole new houses/castles/dungeons/quests/items/etc… Expand
  82. MichaelU.
    Feb 19, 2008
    5
    This game had so much potential...but a few flaws ultimately broke it. First of all, the leveling system is broken. You have to pick 7 skills and get them up to level up. Therefore, some people will level by fighting, but some people will just run and jump around to get athletics and acrobatics up. Conjuration is overpowered, because you can summon pets and kill them for xp. by the time This game had so much potential...but a few flaws ultimately broke it. First of all, the leveling system is broken. You have to pick 7 skills and get them up to level up. Therefore, some people will level by fighting, but some people will just run and jump around to get athletics and acrobatics up. Conjuration is overpowered, because you can summon pets and kill them for xp. by the time they notice you are killing them they are dead. Another problem is how short it is. by the time i was about 40 hours into the game i had the second best armor. The main quest will only take a few hours to beat, with side-quests being the only thing supporting it. It seems they put very little work into the main quest and just randomly threw side-quests at you. But the side quests usually have little meaning and most are not that fun. The world is actually not that big...It seems even smaller due to fast travel. Fast travel eliminates the use of a horse and makes the game even shorter. The fact that you can simply skip time is useful, but sometimes it makes things too easy. The voice acting is pretty good, but i often see an old man talking and when i ask him something he completely changes his tone and sounds like a 24 year old. The characters all look old and artificial, and there expressions are simply messed up. One person was angry and i had a high disposition with him. The final flaw is the physics. The physics are poorly done and everyone does things slowly. I often hit a goblin with a fire spell and he doesn't even twitch. The second time i do it he flies several meters and then falls extremley slowly. There are very few types of armor and weapons. Overall, this game seemed genre defining, but now it is simply rpg filling. Its a huge shame, really. This might have been one of the best RPGs ever. Although it is very fun for awhile, it will eventually lose charm. I recommend Two worlds, Gothic, or morrowind once your bored with Oblivion.… Expand
  83. Kevin
    Jun 12, 2008
    10
    Oblivion is a truly wonderful game. There are countless things to do, and mods can truly add some great experiences. If you like RPGs, you should not miss this game.
  84. MatthewM
    Jun 12, 2009
    10
    likely the single best game i ever played. I shall admit that there were bugs and the sort. I shall admit that after three years the graphics dont hold up. But the sheer thrill of ignoring the main quest, the sides quests and avoiding the guides to track down and become a vampire made Oblivion the most fun i have ever had. On top of the stupidly brilliant free roam structure, the game likely the single best game i ever played. I shall admit that there were bugs and the sort. I shall admit that after three years the graphics dont hold up. But the sheer thrill of ignoring the main quest, the sides quests and avoiding the guides to track down and become a vampire made Oblivion the most fun i have ever had. On top of the stupidly brilliant free roam structure, the game includes the best and most innovative quests i have ever played. A small few of these are the Goblin war quest, The BRILLIANT Dark Brotherhood questline and the oh so killable 'annoying fan'. Sheer gaming gold.… Expand
  85. Bor
    Jun 16, 2009
    10
    The Best Game!!!
  86. AnonymousMC
    Aug 11, 2009
    7
    Very expansive world to explore, and a plethora of side quests to complete make this a very good RPG. Unfortunately, the game is marred by serious design flaws and a main storyline that leaves much to be desired. There are mods to fix the worst of its problems (such as the unbalanced creature leveling), but a game should not have to rely upon its community modders to fix their product. 7/10.
  87. HenryS
    Sep 12, 2009
    10
    This is the best RPG ever, EVER. I have finished this game on three difirent platforms (360 (RROD), PS3 (YLOD) and PC. And not once have I found this game repetive. Every time I play again I find a new quest a new itme, or I just repeat the same quests just for the hell of it. Those who think this game is Lacklustre obiously have no taste in games or this isn't their genre for in This is the best RPG ever, EVER. I have finished this game on three difirent platforms (360 (RROD), PS3 (YLOD) and PC. And not once have I found this game repetive. Every time I play again I find a new quest a new itme, or I just repeat the same quests just for the hell of it. Those who think this game is Lacklustre obiously have no taste in games or this isn't their genre for in which case shouldn't be reviewing it. Best RPG ever.… Expand
  88. MC
    Nov 12, 2006
    9
    While not perfect (due to a few minor issues with gameplay and a general "emptiness" of the game world), this game is certainly a must-have for all those who like freedom of exploration. Outstanding graphics, excellent soundtrack and the epic scale of the environments (especially outdoors) make Oblivion an excellent sequel to Morrowind. Kudos to Bethesda Software!
  89. ChrisK.
    Nov 12, 2007
    8
    Perfect example for a game saved soley by the contributions of fans. A year or so ago, as soon as I fully realized the grave implications of the leveling system (enemies are always adjusted to your level, making for a very pointless RPG experience), I uninstalled the game in disgust and disappointment (Come to think of it, the mod-less console versions are bound to be horrible) Now, after Perfect example for a game saved soley by the contributions of fans. A year or so ago, as soon as I fully realized the grave implications of the leveling system (enemies are always adjusted to your level, making for a very pointless RPG experience), I uninstalled the game in disgust and disappointment (Come to think of it, the mod-less console versions are bound to be horrible) Now, after randomly breezing through the Oblivion Wiki, I decided to give it another try. And boy, was it worth it. I can fully recommend the game now - with about a ton of mods you can perfectly adjust the it to your preferences as you see fit. Makes for a decent gaming experience, still, just don´t expect anything terribly new or innovative - the game leaves enough room for improvement. Here´s hoping that Bethesda improve with TES V.… Expand
  90. JonasH.
    Dec 21, 2007
    9
    It seems that most people voting down this game, are mostly complaining about it being a non-real RPG, presumably because it is a hybrid of a couple of game genres (RPG, sandbox and FPS). As for an introduction I feel like I have to defend this design: Because an RPG is not based on some complex system of chance, defined by a series of attributes, which could not vaguely be understood by It seems that most people voting down this game, are mostly complaining about it being a non-real RPG, presumably because it is a hybrid of a couple of game genres (RPG, sandbox and FPS). As for an introduction I feel like I have to defend this design: Because an RPG is not based on some complex system of chance, defined by a series of attributes, which could not vaguely be understood by anyone who has not played a book or board RPG, does not make it any less of a "true" RPG. And just because the character's ability to aim/time is not only based on "2+1=3 (miss)", but actually is a reflection of the gamer's abilities, it is not necessarily worse than, say, Neverwinter Nights. Hybriding genres rarely brings anything good with it, right, but in some cases, like this, it brings a powerful combination, that delivers months of excellent gameplay. I, for example, did not go stubborn when the Total War series came out, even though it mixed my favourite genre (RTS) with the genre I found the most boring (TBS), I tried it out, and today it has a place among my most favourite game. Yeah, all genres in a hybrid has to give something up, but just because you can't have your advanced roll-a-dice battle systems doesn't make it a complete non-RPG. In fact, I have never felt as much in the role of a character as I feel playing this game. I guess the above paragraph filled more than the rest of the review will, but here we go: The game is, most definitely, the one that by standard is most customisable. YOU decide 100% how you want to look, much like The Sims 2, only the controls are a bit more advanced and hard to manage, you decide what path you'll take, how you would like for yourself to level up etc. etc. What I found most astonishing was the absolute free choice you have regarding how you make money, fight enemies and form alliances. If you want to make money fighting, join the gladiators and you'll make a swift 5000. Want to make money looting robers? Walk by the roads looking for bandit camps. Even as thief you can make a pretty descent living, as long as you train your Security, Alteration and Sneak skills. The choice is pretty much yours, and the best part is: You can do whatever you want, and are NOT locked to following any history as such. The game itself contains a lot of mini games to take care of things like diplomacy (speechcraft) and lockpicking, so it is, again, the gamer's skill and not a random number that decides whether or not you are successful. (Although you can choose to make an attempt based on your security skill alone). The reason, despite my complete obsession with this game, I only give it 9, is the severe amount of bugs existent. It annoyed me beyond reason being told to pay a fine of 1 gold EVERY time I spoke to a guard in the beginning. Although that bug went away after a while. Considering the graphics, I do not have a powerful enough GPU to run it at high/full quality, so I'll avoid commenting on it.… Expand
  91. Xgrubbs
    Aug 26, 2010
    8
    great game, great concepts, great interactivity. However if you're more into a storyline than a i want to play this forever game then this isn't for you. For me without constant DLC it gets really old really fast especially when you have done all Daedra, main story, guild quests. Some may say there is a world of replay value here but i would disagree sorry.
  92. strangermoon
    Sep 27, 2019
    10
    skyrim maybe Pass this game combat and better visualy but tone of oblivion and music score and story here remains better. not jsut nostaliga feeling created world here also more simlar to regular dand setting or medieval settings like swords armords horses demons it self. its overal fit the rpg come in mind first not just exotic like skyrim but its more accurate way to history or fantasy.skyrim maybe Pass this game combat and better visualy but tone of oblivion and music score and story here remains better. not jsut nostaliga feeling created world here also more simlar to regular dand setting or medieval settings like swords armords horses demons it self. its overal fit the rpg come in mind first not just exotic like skyrim but its more accurate way to history or fantasy. it was demandig game for time Pentium 3 and geforce 4 or 5 cards cant manage to run well and fancs even crated oldoblivon mod but p4 with geforce 6600gt plays game good if you dont mesh too much visibly setting high. still thinking games like far cry half life 2 or doom 3 works better shows oblivon far ehad of time when come. 3d world masterpiece it almost felt like tomb raider 1 feel of intruduction open world. sure morrowind have same feeling little but not like this level.… Expand
  93. Budget_Security
    Jan 16, 2013
    6
    A good game if not for the bugs, crashes, mod setup difficulties, and many mediocre quests. Flaws aside, this is a big immersive game. Its the first fantasy/magic RPG I have played, and not a bad introduction to fantasy RPGs. I liked the music and little things like the ingame books and collecting alchemy ingredients. Get it to play Nehrim, a german super-mod, better than Oblivion, and oneA good game if not for the bugs, crashes, mod setup difficulties, and many mediocre quests. Flaws aside, this is a big immersive game. Its the first fantasy/magic RPG I have played, and not a bad introduction to fantasy RPGs. I liked the music and little things like the ingame books and collecting alchemy ingredients. Get it to play Nehrim, a german super-mod, better than Oblivion, and one of the best mods ever made.
    5/10 for Oblivion
    8/10 for Nehrim    … Expand
  94. 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
  95. 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
  96. Obadiah_Jenkins
    Aug 24, 2023
    9
    One of my favorite games of all times, this will live on in my memory for the rest of my life! It was a genre defining game!
  97. 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
  98. 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
  99. Sean-M
    May 27, 2020
    9
    Somehow when I think about The Elder Scrolls, Oblivion seems closer to my heart than Skyrim, not sure why maybe just because of the nostalgia! So I have to give this 9 out of 10.
  100. 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.
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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

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.
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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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