We are continuing this series, of course. You thought one low-rated post was gonna hold me back from talking about my favorite games? Maaaannn, you got another thing coming. ๐ค
So let's talk about the previous RPG Champion of the World. The predecessor to the ever-present Skyrim and the game I've spent the most hours playing. ๐ฏ
In this edition of Through the Lens ๐, we will talk about the game that put Bethesda on the map, the 2006 Game of the Year: The Elder Scroll IV - Oblivion, Roll it! ๐ฝ
๐ฉ **UP TOP** ๐ฉ
Ok, yes, this is another of my Top 3 games that we are talking about. And we'll talk about the third one on that list in the next edition. But for now, let's take care of one of the most influential RPGs to have ever been created. ๐
As I've already stated, this is the game I've spent the most hours playing. I have: done every quest, visited every location, talked to every NPC. Would I do it again? ๐คข The hell you think you're talking to? I barely have enough time to write this article, you kidding me? Would I go back in time to relive my experiences all over again? Hells to the yea. ๐
This game is far from perfect, and we will touch upon those imperfections later, but first:
Needless to say, I know a lot about this game. ๐ A buggy mess it might be, but bugs never broke an experience for me. And Oblivion is a heck of an experience. Starting with:
โ๏ธ **QUESTING** โ๏ธ
This area is where Oblivion truly shines. Now, I'm not saying Skyrim didn't improve on some things, but its quest? Maaaannnn. Skyrim's quests sucked. I remember being actually angry for years because it never lived up to my high expectations set by Oblivion's amazing quests. ๐
The single most important thing in an RPG is its quests. Patrick Stewarts on that in spades. ๐
Its main story is so-so. Bethesda managed to get big-name actors like Sean Bean ๐จ and Patrick Steward ๐ฑ but that's where the excitement ends, unfortunately. If you know anything about Oblivion's dungeons is that they are long and repetitive - the main quest exasperates that issue. The story itself is passable, fun but definitely seen before.
The Dark Brotherhood quest-line is one of the best quest-lines in gaming, not just RPGs, yo, in gaming. ๐ It characters, the roller coaster of emotions, the quests themselves. All top tier stuff.
The Mages Guild quest-line on the other hand... ooof ๐คฃ - if there's a singular weak point in this game: it's the Mages Guild. But apart from that, the rest of the faction quest-lines are all well-made and executed.
A lot of villages/ruins/caverns also contain amazing quests. The two big DLCs: Knights of the Nine and The Shivering Isles are also amazing in their own right. The Shivering Isles in particular is arguably one of the best expansions ever made.
๐ **OPEN FOR ALL** ๐
The open world in this game was genre-defining. Nowadays, open-world games are a dime in a dozen. But back then? They were what everyone talked about and wanted. Oblivion delivered on that need in spades. ๐ฐ
๐ฝ TOP DOWN VIEW: The map is far less cluttered than it would be today. Yes, this is due to technical limitations, but it serves in the game's favor either way. SO, eh. ๐คทโโ Because we have less clutter, it allows for the content that is there to be better made. Honestly, Bethesda could learn something from their past selves in regards to their newer releases. ๐
๐ผ BOTTOM-UP VIEW: First of all, I have no idea what that means. moving on. The nitty-gritty of the world is repetitive. Cyrodiil is a large open world even for today's standards. And while the story-lines might be written with care, the areas and locations you visit have to take some shortcuts. Most of the dungeons you find are forgettable - and that's putting it mildly. ๐
Before we move on, we have to talk about the Oblivion Gates. The first time you encounter these it's great: the sky darkens and red lighting starts falling from the sky, suddenly there's this massive demonic portal in your way, and in order to destroy it you have to go inside it! ๐ฐ
However, once you've done two Oblivion Gates you've done them all. ๐ And it's unfortunate, but this great conceptual idea falls flat on its face because of technical limitations.
As were its:
๐จ **MECHANICS** ๐จ
You thought Skyrim's combat was floaty? Weeeeelllll. His daddy's issues are even worse! ๐
And don't get it twisted- Oblivion is Skyrim's daddy. It paved the way for Skyrim in every imaginable way. The combat being the first of these imaginations. Is it weightless and unsatisfying? Yea, it is. I wanna say that's the era it was created in talking - but Skyrim didn't innovate in any substantial way, and that came out 5 years later. So... ๐คทโโ
Its leveling system is also out of wack, yo. Because skills level up the more you use them, you could just spam certain spells (like healing yourself at max hp) and you good. ๐ Or you could run + jump anywhere to level up athletics and acrobatics. Not the best system you've ever seen, ye? Well, its economy is even worse. Make a bunch of useless potions and constantly sell them for infinite money. There are so many exploits in this game, it's actually funny. ๐
Bethesda seems to have had an inkling of this, as they made the enemies scale with the player. ๐ฎ This, in theory, sounds great. But then you run around the wilderness and every bandit is in like daedric armor, and the once-bears are all max level trolls now (not the internet kind either, but the threatening kind). Yeah, not fun.
Every mechanic is passable in this game - it barely works to feel adequate. But it still works. And if your brain is still developing, like, let's say in 6th grade, then you get sucked in by the amazing world and storylines. ๐
๐ **LEGACY** ๐
Bethesda wouldn't be where they are today if it wasn't for Oblivion. Scratch that, open-world games wouldn't be so prevalent if Oblivion, and Skyrim subsequently, didn't blow open the market with their value. ๐ค
If you are itching to play an open-world RPG, and seem to have gotten bored with the current formula, I highly suggest trying Oblivion. ๐ค You will have to mod it, of course. But with the correct mods this game destroys recent releases.
It's janky and unresponsive at times - but it's also magical. Evident by the impact it has had on both developers and players. For many people, me included, it's the best Elder Scrolls game - and honestly, it's not even a competition. ๐
Shout-out to the ๐PIZZA๐ gang, ๐ค gang. ๐ค
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Have a great start to your week everyone! ๐
Return from The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion ๐ฝ Through the Lens to ะะพัะบะพ's Web3 Blog
