The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

8.0
Great

Gameplay	7.0	"Oblivion is certainly an instant classic."
Graphics	9.0
Sound	8.0
Value	8.0

By Angus Deacon

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The Emperor of Tamriel has been assassinated under mysterious circumstances. With the throne sitting empty, and the future of the empire in doubt, fiery portals to Oblivion have opened up across the land, and all manner of demonic nasties are set to invade. It has been prophesised that a hero will find the missing heir and return him to the throne. Well, guess what, that's where you step in!

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion continues the Elder Scrolls tradition, with a world of vast size, depth and breath-taking beauty. Oblivion is a single player RPG experience played in either 1st or 3rd person view depending on your preference. You create your character from scratch and from the outset your every action influences your character's advancement. If you are anything like me and you can’t stand the hoop-jumping linear story type game, you should be well pleased with the free-form nature of Oblivion. As with the other Elder Scrolls games, the main quest can be put off or ignored for as long as you like while you explore the game at your own pace, meeting some of the thousand or so NPC’s and taking on the numerous side quests that you’re bound to come across.

The game starts in a dank prison cell of Tamriel‘s Imperial City, where you are imprisoned for unknown crimes. At this harsh starting point you get the chance to select your character. You can choose from the numerous human and non-human races of Cyrodil and each have different abilities which are explained in detail. There are plenty of options for changing your age, sex, special skills, appearance and even your hairstyle or choice of funny hat. In fact it’s almost a game in itself, and you can spend ages just customising your character to suit you perfectly.

The controls, along with certain key concepts, are gradually introduced in these early stages of the game. You are given the opportunity to try various styles of play – stealth, magic, bow and blade before finally being asked to choose your character class. It’s a very clever way to let you try out things before you have to commit. There are 20 classes to choose from, which is a staggering number for any game, although they generally fall into the three broad categories of sword, sorcery and stealth. One of the great things about Oblivion is that your choice of class does not restrict your character's abilities in any way, so you shouldn't worry too much about choosing the wrong class. Your Barbarian is free to pick pockets, and your Assassin can learn healing spells if you wish. Each class does however have a unique set of “major” skills. These are the skills that each class needs to practice in order to advance in levels. Any other skill is considered “minor” and does not effect your character’s level advancement.

The combat system seems a bit limited but does a good job of putting the player into the thick of a cut and thrust battle. Basically you have one button to attack and one to block. Variety comes in the form of power attacks which are performed by holding down the attack button while moving the character forward, back or sideways. As your combat skills increase, your power attacks have a chance of paralysing, knocking down, or even disarming your opponent. If you do disarm your opponent though, be sure to grab their weapon before they do!

One disappointing aspect of the game would be the magic system. The range of spells is unimaginative at best and higher level spells are simply the same selection again with slightly more powerful or longer lasting effects. It would be better if each new spell had a fun and unexpected result, rather than “here is your new fireball spell… it hurts more now! Just wait till you see the next fireball spell!”

Of the many skills your character may learn, alchemy deserves a special mention. Through alchemy you can create a wide range of potions from ingredients you gather on your travels, from the commonplace (carrots, foxglove) to the rare (troll fat, vampire dust). With a bit of experimentation you can create both beneficial potions for your character to drink and powerful poisons which can be smeared on your weapons in combat. You may find yourself taking an unusual interest in all manner of flowering plants and weeds in the “real world” as a side effect of long hours of Oblivion alchemy.

The graphics are absolutely stunning, from the richly detailed towns and villages, to thickly wooded forests and grasslands. With your high-definition TV and the sound cranked up you’ll really feel like a new realm is in your living room. The music is standard fantasy game fare but the voice acting from the likes of legendary Patrick Stewart and others really complete the package

Oblivion is certainly an instant classic and its success can only mean good things for the future of RPG gaming, although the depth and detail of the world of Tamriel are let down somewhat by an overly simple combat and magic system. With several add-ons available and the first full retail expansion coming soon, this game is sure to be a favourite for years to come.

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On 17 November 2008, 06:20PM Posted by Mach1_9pants

Another game ruined by immersion destroying aspects. I had played about 10-12 hours and got into all sorts of side quests. I was in the middle of a forest and slaughtered this knight I saw (I like the look of his armour!). Once he was dead a pop up said 'your actions have been observed' and within minutes I was being arrested by the next town guard I saw...HOW DID THE GUARD FIND OUT!? &(#$(*