WhenThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remasteredwas shadowdropped, players were excited to see what had changed and what had stayed the same. Oblivion is a majorly beloved title for good reason; some of that glorious jank is hugely nostalgic, and not to mention, pretty funny too.
Of course, there’s a thin line between Remake and Remaster, but this game seems to have found the perfect balance. There have been a ton of satisfying quality of life upgrades that simply iron out old flaws, while not messing with the flavor of the original.
Oblivion Remastered: How To Access The Shivering Isles
Bring a coat before going to The Shivering Isles.
While this wasn’t an easy task, it seems as though the risk was certainly worth it. This list is going to take a look at some of the biggest improvements in the Oblivion remaster and why these changes make it a smoother and more satisfying experience.
10New Player Improvements
We’ve All Got To Start Somewhere
Naturally, this remaster was going to bring in a lot of different players. Some veterans of the original, some who have playedSkyrim, and others who may have never even touched an RPG in their lives.
While keeping the spirit of the original, the developers decided to streamline certain elements that would probably confuse or irritate those who haven’t played through Oblivion before.
Little changes, like making the quests less buggy,making plants have a 100% harvest rate(Why was it not always like this) and adding the Clairvoyance spell from Skyrim to help those who may be a little lost.
In addition, the UI was cleaned up a lot, while keeping that dusty tome/tabletop game vibe totally intact.
9Difficulty System
We Can Do This The Easy Way…
Now, instead of having a weird slider that determines your difficulty, Oblivion remastered has gone with a more simplified design that offers 5 distinct difficulties.
This isn’t to say that these options are perfect: Adept feels about right, which is the default, but simply by moving the option one higher, you will be chugging potions and racing through dungeons like your life depended on it.
It certainly feels like a leap to say the least, as though they’re missing a difficulty option there.
Of course, while it may still need a bit of ironing out, the choices you now have are at least clear and can be changed whenever you feel like it.
8Brand New Sound Effects and Voice Acting
The Ultimate Immersion
A hugely welcomed addition was the inclusion of new voice actors to give the world a bit more depth.
In the original Oblivion, sometimes you could go between 3 different NPCs and hear the exact same voice actor over and over again. While it was a product of its time, it certainly broke the immersion a bit, which is really one of the most important things when you’re locked in for a massive RPG sesh.
Having a more colorful cast of characters truly helps bring the world to life and makes Cyrodiil feel more realized than ever. And what’s more, they even kept some of the misread lines. Never fails to make me laugh.
And on top of that, now all types of combat have new sound effects, making swords feel heavier and armor more weighty while in the thick of it.
7Stagger Isn’t Random Anymore
No More Combat Sleeping
A huge complaint from the original was that, during melee combat, you could be knocked down at any time.
When you were lying down flat on the ground, naturally, you would be pummeled by every single enemy that was trying to take you down, and you’d just have to lie there and take it. It wasn’t particularly fun or immersive, and just made melee combat feel bad.
There’s a reason most people in the original decided to take magic or ranged options, to stay as far away from NPCs as possible.
This has been fixed to be closer to Skyrim’s system. You’ll only be staggered (not knocked down) when your stamina bar has depleted. This makes far more sense and is more predictable, while punishing those for overrelying on their shield. Win, win!
6Skill and Level Progression
A Steady Curve
The level progression between the various skills offered in Oblivion was always a bit of a mystery. Thankfully, this has been changed, and changed for the better, too.
Certain skills now give more XP based on different criteria compared to the original. For example, now the mercantile skill will give more XP depending on the sell value of the item you are offering. This makes it far more worthwhile to level up the skill and utilize the bonuses that you get upon reaching a level bracket.
Similarly, with magic, now you’ll get more XP based on the amount of magicka it takes to cast a certain spell. This makes far more sense, and makes it more worthwhile to use more powerful spells instead of spamming lower-level ones to reach level 100.
Changes like these just make a lot of sense, and make you wonder why it wasn’t always like this from the get-go.
5Face and Customization Options
So Many Options, I Just Can’t Pick
Boy, do I love customization options, and for a massive, rich RPG like this, roleplaying a certain character is of the utmost importance.
Now, you can not only have a beard, but a mustache too! I know, truly earthshattering stuff there, folks.
In addition, you now have a massive selection of eyes for every type of character, allowing you to mix and match to your heart’s content. And, of course, thecharacters just look a lot more detailed now, which is truly a blessing.
Now you also have origin options, so you’re able to create a bit of a backstory for your character, too, while getting a boost to certain stats. No longer are these changes tied to gender options, which were always a bit confusing.
4New Sneak Changes
They’ll Never See You Coming
Stealth Archers are back! And with the new and improved sneak changes, we’re eating good tonight, folks.
In the original, the sneak icon displayed in the middle of the screen would simply be closed to indicate that you were unseen or open to indicate that you’ve been spotted.
Oblivion Remastered: How To Access The Dark Brotherhood
Fancy getting your hands a little bloody? Well, might as well get paid while you’re at it! You’ll be right at home in the Dark Brotherhood.
The developers obviously took one look at Skyrim’s system and decided to whack it in here for good measure. I mean, why not? It makes way more sense. Now, the eye icon will slowly open and close depending on the level of awareness of surrounding NPCs.
Oh, and what’s more, is that you can now get headshots, which may stagger and do increased damage. Finally, we have a reason for aiming at certain body parts, instead of firing off arrows blindly and hoping for the best.
3Movement Overhaul
Gotta Go Fast
Did you often feel a little slow in the old Oblivion? Constantly feeling like youneeded to be on horsebackto actually get anywhere. Well, no longer. Now you can sprint.
It seems like such an obvious thing now, with sprinting being in pretty much every game under the sun. But this, of course, is a huge quality of life update, and it doesn’t actually change much from the original; it simply makes it better, which is the best kind of change for a nostalgia machine like this.
Really, a lot of these changes come directly from Skyrim, and it makes sense due to how popular that game was. Here you have the best of both worlds.
Additionally, they took another leaf from Skyrim’s book and upgraded the 3rd person aspect, making it clearer where your character is facing, should you wish to change your playstyle.
2Revamped Level-Up Process
Untangle That Spagetti Code
Thank the Divinesfor this change. The levelling process was a notoriously messy affair in the original Oblivion.
You had to level certain skills and max out specific things before you could focus on other skills. If you didn’t do this and leveled all your major skills at the same time, then you would end up being completely out-leveled by the mobs around you and subsequently crushed, if you attempted something like the Kvatch siege.
In the Remaster, the level scaling has been modified to be a bit less aggressive, and you also get XP from minor skills. In addition, you may put attribute points into any attribute you want, with a maximum of 12 per new level.
All in all, it’s just simply more intuitive now, and you don’t need a galaxy brain just to figure out how to play your character. Put that pen and pencil away, you won’t be needing them anymore.
1Majorly Upgraded Graphics
A Whole New World
And here we are at last. How could you write a list about Oblivion remastered without mentioning the beautiful graphics? The change here is absolutely stunning, without stripping away the charm of the world and the characters.
Certain things still look a little goofy, but it’s that classic goof that Oblivion fans have grown to love over the years. It’s endearing and certainly gives the title its own charm. And the way the devs have handled this remaster is pretty genius, too.
The game still runs on its original engine, while the graphics are handled by Unreal Engine 5, layering it over the top of the original. I don’t really understand how it all works, but it’s pretty magical, to say the least. Now you get the glorious detail, with all the classic shenanigans under the hood.
And hey, let’s be honest, even if there are some things players don’t like, the mods are coming, you’d best believe it.
Oblivion Remastered: Best Settings Explained
Know the best PC settings for Oblivion Remastered to achieve the perfect balance between stunning visuals and smooth performance on your system.
