The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionis considered a classic game by many critics and gamers. The open-world RPG was a huge release during the seventh console generation and was met with near-universal acclaim.Oblivionwas released just over 15 years ago and it’s hailed as one of the best games in theElder Scrollsseries.The Elder Scrolls 6is plausibly going to take a long time to develop, and Bethesda could have plenty of cause to remakeOblivionin the meantime. While it was acclaimed by gamers and critics alike, certain aspects could be improved to provide fans with a more definitive experience.
Oblivioncontinues to be a popular game even 15 years later. The modding community continues to support it with additional content to this day. As themodding community continues adding toOblivion,it’s clear that the fourthElder Scrollsgame still has quite an audience. Considering the enduring popularity ofOblivionand certain issues with the original release, Bethesda could have an opportunity to refine the experience. As influential as the game was, it wasn’t without issues when it launched in 2006. With some time beforeThe Elder Scrolls 6is released, the Microsoft-owned developer could step through the gates of Oblivion again.
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A Chance to Address the Original’s Technical Issues
The original release ofOblivionwasn’t considered perfect by a lot of fans and critics. While the game was highly rated, it did contain a host of bugs and other technical issues that could negatively impact a player’s experience. Bethesda games have often shipped with various bugs, andOblivionwas no exception. Among issues with physics and character behavior,Oblivionsave files could become corrupted. Bugs like these are sources of frustration for gamers, and a remake could address the issues that beset the original game.
Oblivionis an influential RPG, but the experience could be refined further in the new console generation. Like a lot of Bethesda games,Oblivionhas several fanmade patches, which aim to improve the game’s overall smoothness. Bethesda would need to look no further than these fan-created bug fixes to address issues with the original release. While a remake would generally suggest that a game is being made again from the ground up, using fanmade patches as an indicator of what issues to address could be a positive step. It arguably would be more important for these technical issues to be addressed before adding extra bells and whistles in the eyes of many gamers.
Oblivion Could Look Great with Modern Visuals
When it was originally released,Oblivionwas widely considered to be an excellent-looking game.The lush forests of Cyrodiiland the hellish plane of Oblivion, in particular, were lauded for their visual quality. Compared to 15 years ago,Oblivionnaturally doesn’t hold up too well, and a remake with all the modern conventions could look great. On modern PCs and gaming consoles,Oblivioncould look great, and that alone would be worth the price of a prospective remake for some fans.
It would be entirely possible thatanOblivionremake could use ray tracing, considering it’s supported on PS5 and Xbox Series X. Expected improvements with textures, character models, and animations, could make the game stand out visually. Similar to how the modding community has handled some ofOblivion’s nastiest bugs, Bethesda could look at what modders have done with the visual aspects of the game as well.The Elder Scrolls Online: Gates of Oblivionevent could be considered a preview of what a visually improvedOblivioncould look like.
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Adding Cut Content
Many RPG games end up having cut content, which is often due to the sheer scope of some titles.Morrowindhad some interesting content cut, and its successor,Oblivion,was the same. One of the most significant pieces of cut content forOblivionwas arenas. Originally, there was meant to be an arena in every city of Cyrodiil. The game managed to retain two arenas, with only one the Imperial City Arena remaining functional. A remake ofOblivionon modern systems could give Bethesda the scope needed to reintroduce content that didn’t make it into the original game.
Other than arenas,Oblivionsaw several quests removed, axed dialogue, and even whole characters cut. A remake could provide an opportunity to create a more fleshed-out version ofOblivion,complete with content that didn’t make it into the original game. Moreover, Bethesda would also have an opportunity to bring something new to the fourthElder Scrolls. The developer could have had grander plans forThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionand a remake could give it the platform to expand the game. With the addition of cut content and perhaps even fresh ideas, the worlds of Cyrodiil and Oblivion could be brought to life even more so than the original version.
A Way of Reintroducing Gamers to The Elder Scrolls
A remake ofOblivioncould be a great way to reintroduce players to single-playerElder Scrollsadventures.The enduring popularity ofThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimhas been reported on for years, and fans still consistently play the epic RPG. WhileSkyrimis still very popular, it’s nearly 10 years old now, and anOblivionremake might whet the appetite of gamers looking forward toThe Elder Scrolls 6.With modern graphics, gameplay updates, and release on modern consoles, a remake ofOblivioncould be the perfect way to bring players back to single-playerElder Scrollsexperiences without re-releasingSkyrimagain, which is starting to age after 10 years in the spotlight.
Most fans and critics expect thatThe Elder Scrolls 6is some time away from release. In the intervening time, Bethesda could find great success in remakingThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. The title is beloved by fans and it could present a great opportunity to address some of the issues from the original while also adding fresh content to the experience.Skyrimhas sustained its popularity for nearly 10 years now and has become something of a cultural phenomenon. AnOblivionremake could refine the original experience while satisfying fans' desire for a newElder Scrollsuntil the sixth entry is launched.
The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionis available now.
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