The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (GOTY)

“Hey, you should check this out!” my friend enthusiastically said to me whilst we were browsing the selection in our local (game shop that is). “An RPG?” I replied, looking worried and thinking that there would be a better game with more guns and explosions available for my money. Yet, something about the back of the box caught my eye and I trusted him, so I handed over my hard earned cash and to this day I have rarely spent a better £40.

To describe Oblivion as a game is a dangerous understatement, it is a simply astonishing achievement in creating a real and believable world. Everything about it is crafted with an attention to detail which is sorely lacking in most games today and it is clear that this game has been a labour of love.

I was always initially troubled by Oblivion, when it was released for PC I heard tales of how good it was, but was always anxious as before it had a reputation that only amazing system specifications could run it well. Well, now this PS3 release has eliminated the worry and it looks absolutely incredible on a widescreen television. The graphics are amazing and really utilize the power of the console.

Having such believable graphics helps the immersion of the game, whether they are depicting a glorious sunset over some distant mountaintops, a fiery alternate dimension or the sunlight glistening off a small stream. There are times when I have found myself saving the game just to have a record of one of the stunning vistas around me.

Similarly the music used is also dynamic and emotive and there are times when you really feel the epic scale of a quest. Sound effects are good as well, with armour and weapons sounding realistic and even minor details like the splash of raindrops, all being perfectly captured. The one problem I have with the sound in the game is that the developers seemed to only use 6 or so voice actors. With the hundreds of non-playable characters in the game, when you see two people having a conversation in exactly the same voice it seems odd and breaks the otherwise excellent realism.

However the real shining factor that separates Oblivion from other RPG’s is the gameplay. Unlike many RPG’s, Oblivion is accessible and easy to get to grips with and an excellent introduction blends a tutorial level with the beginnings of the story perfectly. At the core of Oblivion’s gameplay is a series of choices. What sort of character will you play? A stealthy assassin, a heavily armoured brawler, or a spell casting mage? Yet this is an oversimplification, there are many sub-divisions to choose from and even then, you can subtly alter this as the game progresses meaning you can mix style.

Once you have decided upon your character you go about doing the typical RPG staples of questing, dungeon crawling and leveling up. Whilst these aren’t terribly different, they are handled with style and have a very high level of polish. The leveling system rewards you for using your different skills. When a set number of your major skills improve then you raise a level. The enemies that you face level up with you, which is designed to provide you with an ongoing challenge. Whilst this is a good idea, once you reach a certain level you are left facing the hardest possible enemies which can make even travelling around the landscape a difficult task, but this doesn’t really detract from the experience.

Perhaps my favourite feature of Oblivion is the freedom you have from the very beginning of the game. After the short aforementioned introduction you are left to do whatever you choose. The entire map is left open to you, there are no broken bridges or impassable walls save for the map boundaries themselves. The game world is also simply enormous and takes a significant amount of time to traverse (but an excellent fast-travel system is available to speed up the process).

Once your character is unleashed into the sunlight of Cyrodil you can pursue the main story quest, regarding a missing heir to the throne or simply wander to find new quests, join one of the 4 main guilds or simply explore the world around you in one of the hundreds, yes hundreds, of caves, dungeons and mines. The number of quests runs well into 3 figures and there is a refreshing range of different ones to choose from, as opposed to the “fetch item for NPC and return” found in most other RPGs.

Bundled with this PS3 version are the two expansion packs The Shivering Isles and The Knights of the Nine, but not the bonus downloadable content found in the PC version, at least not that I have seen, which is a little disappointing. However, this expands an already huge game and is a bonus which really enhances the experience. Whilst these expansions might not be as refined and developed as the game as a whole they are still a welcome addition.

However, whilst the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a truly outstanding game, it is not without its flaws. The PS3 controls are generally tight, but menu navigation can prove tedious later in the game when you have large numbers of items.

Similarly, without the regular mods and patches released on the PC format the game still suffers from irritating bugs and whilst many have been fixed there are still one or two frustrating ones. Getting stuck in a rock and walking into a shop only for all of the inhabitants to suddenly die are especially vexing, and unless frequent saves are made can lead to control smashing levels of anger.

Other criticisms are minor, with some of the Oblivion gate sections being repetitive and sometimes difficult when at a higher level due to the sheer volume of high level enemies you have to battle through. Some console gamers, unused to the levels of freedom on offer have complained that there wasn’t enough guidance and that they constantly felt lost and out of their depths. However if you are a fan of adventure games and RPG’s in general this shouldn’t be an issue. If this really does happen then there are always hints and tips available from other characters and an excellent quest log feature which keeps track of everything you are doing at once.

In conclusion, Oblivion is a brilliant game experience and one that I can highly recommend. Since that afternoon of momentary doubt in a game shop I have clocked over 100hours of playing Oblivion and this review has merely whetted my appetite to create a new character and experience the sense of adventure once more. If you are considering buying this game, then it can be picked up for around £30, easily the best adventure out at the moment for the PS3 and one of the best games available.