Review in Progress: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

Just like a sneak attack from the Mythic Dawn, a remastered version of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has emerged unexpectedly. It’s an encounter I welcome wholeheartedly. Given Oblivion is one of my all-time favorite RPGs, I’ve dived right back in, clocking a full 24 hours of gameplay already. I’ve been closing Oblivion gates as the hero of Kvatch, making shady deals with Daedric gods, fighting my way to becoming the arena champion in the Imperial City, and progressing through a number of faction quests. This new version’s substantial upgrades have truly impressed me. Having recently replayed the original, its flaws were fresh in my mind, making the improved UI, revised voice acting, and especially the graphical revamp all the more striking. Still, there’s a fair amount of familiar rough edges, like quirky animations when mounting a horse, broken quests, and frequent framerate stutters. But, as someone who doesn’t just rely on nostalgia, I’m thoroughly enjoying revisiting this peculiar and charming open-world adventure.

Undoubtedly, the graphical boost is the standout enhancement of Oblivion Remastered. While it doesn’t quite match today’s high standards, comparing this with the 2006 edition is astonishingly remarkable. The entire landscape is clear and detailed, with a draw distance my teenage self could’ve only imagined. Improvements in lighting, shadows, and character lip syncing are particularly noteworthy and somewhat startling. Yet, bizarrely, some features didn’t receive the same attention, like the NPCs’ faces, which are still quite peculiar and cartoon-like, often cross-eyed. Strangely, finding horror in character faces feels authentically Oblivion. Despite not every creature and character looking like those in a blockbuster game of 2025, it’s a tremendous upgrade. It’s amusing how it matches how I remember it looking in 2006, even though it evidently didn’t, which highlights how well the essence and style of the original have been preserved.

One of the game-changers in Oblivion Remastered is the addition of a sprint function. If you haven’t touched Oblivion in over a decade, yes, there was no sprinting option before—which sounds wild now. If you never played it, just know how significant a boon this is, as if bestowed by Akatosh himself. Even though losing stamina while sprinting usually grinds my gears in RPGs because you’re always on the move, it’s worth it. This change makes the map feel smaller, as cities and dungeons can now be explored much faster. It also makes me more invested in skills and magical boosts that enhance stamina, as I’m relying on it for just about everything now. Despite the extra care needed there, moving swiftly through areas I know like the back of my hand is wonderfully less tedious.

The UI, skills, and leveling system also see major updates, with the introduction of a new feature called Character Origins to tweak starting stats. The UI has been brought up to modern standards with welcome tweaks you may not even notice. The compass is now at the top of the screen with more info, the health, magicka, and stamina bars are spaced out rather than cramped together, and the menus are more user-friendly for faster toggling between spells and stats. While some bits still feel antiquated, like the quest log popup awkwardly interrupting gameplay, most quirks aren’t hugely bothersome. I just need more time with the updated leveling system to judge if the changes are for the best.

Though developed by Virtuous Games, this remaster firmly bears Bethesda’s signature, meaning bugs abound. I’ve encountered oddities, like an Oblivion gate vanishing before me, or an NPC walking off, ignoring my attempts to converse—even when my quest required it (luckily, the quest advanced despite this). Performance issues are also present, such as brief frame drops on Xbox Series X when autosaving or during intense battles. Most glitches aren’t game-ruining, but it’s disappointing that two decades weren’t enough to iron out the quirks in this fantasy world.

That’s where I’m at for now, although a full review is on the horizon once I’ve completed the main quest, visited the Shivering Isles, and maybe rampaged across Cyrodil just to hear the guards recite their arrest lines a few hundred times. Alright, that’s it for now. Time to go catch vampirism or something. Catch you later!