Review in Progress: The Remastered Edition of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Unexpectedly, much like a member of the Mythic Dawn appearing from a hidden corner to assassinate the emperor, a remastered edition of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has emerged. And I’m thrilled to dive headfirst into it. This RPG has been a long-time favorite for me, so it’s not shocking that I’ve already clocked in a full day of gameplay: I’ve shut down a dozen Oblivion gates as the hero of Kvatch, struck deals with several Daedric gods that would make Faust flinch, rose to glory as the champion of the arena in the Imperial City, and I’ve started working through multiple faction questlines. I’m genuinely pleased with the significant upgrades in this version. After revisiting the original Oblivion recently, its flaws are fresh in my mind, making the revamp in the UI, the re-recorded voice lines, and especially the graphical enhancements a substantial improvement for this nearly 20-year-old classic. However, there are still some familiar and frustrating glitches, like awkward horse animations, broken questlines, and frequent framerate drops. Despite being someone who doesn’t rely solely on nostalgia, I’m thoroughly enjoying my return to this uniquely charming open-world adventure.

When it comes to Oblivion Remastered, the graphical improvements are surely the most striking. Although it might not meet today’s top-notch standards, comparing this remaster with its 2006 counterpart is eye-opening. The map now boasts crisp visuals and a draw distance that would’ve seemed like magic to my teenage self. The updates to lighting, shadows, and character lip-syncing are substantial and, frankly, a bit startling. Oddly, though, some areas didn’t get the same attention, like the NPC faces, which remain bizarrely unattractive and cartoonish, often cross-eyed. (But let’s be honest, being shocked by those faces might just be quintessentially Oblivion.) So, not every Nord or mudcrab looks like something out of a 2025 blockbuster game, but it’s a marked transformation nonetheless. It’s one of those cases where my memory of 2006 visuals feels deceptive, preserving the spirit and style of the original while clearly elevating it.

The addition of a sprint function is perhaps the most substantial change to gameplay in Oblivion Remastered. It might seem astonishing now, but there was no sprinting option back in the day—crazy, right? Whether you’ve played the game before or not, it’s like a blessing from Akatosh has been bestowed upon us. I don’t mind the stamina drain from sprinting, even though it usually annoys me in games where running is constant. It’s a fair trade-off, despite it making the entire map seem smaller, with cities and dungeons now being explored in half the time. This update has me investing more in skills and magical enhancements to boost stamina, using that resource for nearly every activity. Despite needing to adjust slightly, speeding through familiar territories significantly cuts down on the tediousness.

The remaster also brings a host of significant changes to the UI, skills, and leveling mechanics, introducing a new feature called Character Origins that seems to adjust starting stats further. The UI aligns with contemporary design trends, featuring many welcome changes that blend seamlessly into the experience. The compass now sits at the top of the screen, delivering more information. The health, magicka, and stamina meters are spread out instead of clustered together, while menus are much more user-friendly, allowing quicker access to spells and character stats. Although some features still feel stuck in the past—like quest logs interrupting the screen with updates unexpectedly—these haven’t been too bothersome yet. I’ll need more time with the revamped leveling system and skills to judge those adjustments fully.

Despite being spearheaded by Virtuous Games, this remaster is unmistakably still a Bethesda product, complete with a collection of bugs. I’ve encountered peculiar issues, such as an Oblivion gate vanishing right before my eyes or an NPC refusing to talk to me when my quest demanded it, though I could continue the quest without the log updating, sparing me too much frustration. Then there are the obvious performance hitches while playing on the Xbox Series X, like momentary frame drops when the autosave kicks in or battling too many pesky scamps in Kvatch. Luckily, most of these setbacks have been the kind that are more amusing than disruptive, but it’s still disappointing that two decades wasn’t enough time to iron out this fantasy world’s quirks.

That’s my update for now, but I hope to deliver a detailed review soon. Before then, I want to conclude the main questline, journey to the Shivering Isles, and perhaps cause a ruckus throughout Cyrodil just to hear the Imperial guards’ famous monologue a few hundred more times. Okay, that’s it for now—time to maybe catch some vampirism. See you later!