It was the culmination of many months of rumors: a few days ago, Bethesda joined forces with Virtuos and released The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
The wait was long, and sources sometimes put forward contradictory information, but they often came together around the same theory: that of the shadowdrop. By this we mean the release of a game with no delay between announcement and launch. We can now discover or rediscover the world of The Elder Scrolls IV, overcome the gates of Oblivion and wander the enchanted world of Cyrodiil.
But above all, this release gives us a pretext to take a look back at this emblematic Bethesda game and explain why it is one of the must-have entries in the series. Let’s take a closer look at what it brought to the video game industry, and the new features it comes with.
A breath of fresh air in video games
With a few notes of a Jeremy Soule song and an opening cinematic that immediately set the tone, we were transported in a fraction of a second to a game that would draw us in for many hours without ever running out of steam. It was back in march 2006 that PC and Xbox 360 gamers could discover The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. PlayStation 3 owners had to wait yet another year in order to enjoy it.
It had been several years since the saga had welcomed a new game, with The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind having been released in 2002. Back then, 3D was still in its infancy, and consoles couldn’t bring such level of freedom and immersion to the table.
This fourth entry was finally able to realize some ambitions, despite the technological limitations still very much in evidence. However, Oblivion never really gives the feeling that major concessions had to be made, which makes for an absolutely fantastic and disorientating experience.
It’s also a game that opens up to an audience that isn’t necessarily a fan of the genre, and is certainly more casual. Where Morrowind could still seem fairly obtuse, Oblivion benefited from a clearer interface and better-guided quests.
All this was supported by a new artificial intelligence system for the time, the Radiant AI, which reinforced the impression of a living world by giving the various NPCs real daily routines.
As mentioned above, despite the limited capabilities of the Xbox 360 or even a good computer of the time, the game managed to offer players vast, detailed landscapes, convincing lighting effects and high-quality 3D models, making it considered by some to be a technological feat for its time.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and the story of the controversial first ever DLC
So far, we’ve discussed the game’s positive contributions to the videogame industry. However, it’s equally important to look at its downside, with the appearance of the very first controversial DLC offered for a game.
You may not remember it, but the Horse Armor Pack was extremely poorly received by gamers at the time, due to its poor content. Indeed, for around $2, you could become the proud owner of a simple set of armor for your horse.
Even though this type of microtransaction has now become part of the consumer habits of enthusiasts, Bethesda was one of the first to inaugurate this concept. As it was not yet widespread, it provoked an outcry, even though, with our eyes on 2025, the situation is rather laughable.
However, the developers quickly regained the trust of gamers some time later, thanks to the release of a very substantial DLC, Shivering Isles, which enriched an already dense body of work. A real game within a game, this extension made any further criticism difficult.
A success propelling the license to new heights
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is undoubtedly the game that lifted the license out of its niche status. In just a few weeks on the market, it sold 1.7 million copies, reaching 3 million in early 2007 and 3.5 million in 2011. According to estimates, the game will sell 9.5 million copies worldwide in 2015.
Impressive figures for the time, even if they seem modest compared to those of the next episode, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which remains the most popular in the series, with over 60 million copies sold.
And what was it about The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion that stood out for you at the time? Tell us in the comments!
