"Oblivion's Impact Surpasses Skyrim's, Even Today"

Ask most gamers who were around during the Xbox 360 era, and despite the infamous Red Ring of Death, you'll likely hear a flood of fond memories. Among those, *The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion* stands out for many, including myself. As a former writer at Official Xbox Magazine, I found myself less captivated by *The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind* on Xbox, but *Oblivion* grabbed my attention right from the start. Initially planned as a launch title for the Xbox 360, it was the subject of multiple cover stories, with screenshots that left us in awe. I eagerly participated in trips to Bethesda's headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, to cover its development.

When it came time to review *Oblivion*, I jumped at the opportunity once more. In the days of exclusive reviews, I spent four glorious days—11 hours each—in Bethesda's basement conference room, immersing myself in the world of Cyrodiil. Before flying back home, I had logged an impressive 44 hours on a submission build, which led to OXM's glowing 9.5 out of 10 review—an assessment I still stand by. *Oblivion* was a masterpiece, filled with captivating quests like the Dark Brotherhood, delightful surprises such as the unicorn, and so much more. Although I had to start over with the retail version, that didn't stop me from diving back in and clocking an additional 130 hours. Naturally, I'm thrilled about the remastered release of *The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion* on modern platforms.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Screenshots

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For younger gamers who grew up with *Skyrim*, the newly released *The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered* is their first "new" mainline Elder Scrolls game since *Skyrim* debuted over 13 years ago. I'm envious of this generation; while they await *The Elder Scrolls VI*, which is likely still 4-5 years away, they can now experience *Oblivion* for the first time. However, I doubt it will hit them the same way it did for me back in March 2006. *Oblivion* is a two-decade-old game, and subsequent titles like *Fallout 3*, *Skyrim*, *Fallout 4*, and *Starfield* have built upon its foundation. Moreover, while the remaster looks better than the original, it doesn't carry the same groundbreaking visual impact it had in 2006 as the first true next-gen game of the HD era. Remasters aim to modernize older games for current platforms, in contrast to remakes like *Resident Evil*, which are rebuilt from scratch to rival contemporary titles.

*The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion* was the perfect game at the perfect time. It leveraged the power of HD televisions to expand the scope of open-world gaming, delivering a visual feast to console gamers accustomed to 640x480 resolution. (Not to be outdone, EA's *Fight Night Round 3*, released a month earlier, was equally stunning.)

My memories of *Oblivion* are rich with discovery and adventure. For those experiencing it for the first time, I recommend either rushing through the main quest to quickly close the Oblivion gates or saving it until after exploring every sidequest and open-world activity. The gates can become quite bothersome once the main questline begins.

The technological leap from *Morrowind* to *Oblivion* was monumental, and while we might not see such a leap again, *The Elder Scrolls 6* could potentially surprise us. However, playing *Oblivion Remastered* won't feel as different from *Skyrim* as the original did for me. Yet, whether you're a first-time player or a veteran with hundreds of hours logged, the fully realized medieval fantasy world of *Oblivion* remains my favorite in the series. Its re-release, despite being somewhat spoiled beforehand, is a welcome return.