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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is possibly the most immersive RPG to date.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game Cover
95%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
stability, grinding
95% User Score Based on 38,536 reviews
Critic Score 94%Based on 5 reviews

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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game Cover

About

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a single player open world role playing game with fantasy and historical themes. It was developed by Bethesda Game Studios® and was released on June 15, 2009. It received very positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

In "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion® Game of the Year Edition Deluxe," players can experience a rich, detailed game-world with unprecedented graphics and freeform gameplay. The included expansions, Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles, add even more unique quests and content to this expansive RPG. The game features a powerful combat and magic system, as well as a revolutionary AI system for a more immersive experience.

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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion screenshot
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion screenshot
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion screenshot
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion screenshot
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95%
Audience ScoreBased on 38,536 reviews
story3.2k positive mentions
stability653 negative mentions
  • The game features a vast open world with engaging storytelling, memorable side quests, and extensive character customization, making it a classic RPG experience.
  • The hauntingly beautiful soundtrack enhances the game's atmosphere and emotional depth, contributing to a captivating experience.
  • Despite its age, the game remains enjoyable, especially with mods that improve graphics and performance, allowing for significant replayability.
  • Many gameplay mechanics, such as the leveling system and combat, are considered outdated and can lead to frustration for new players.
  • The game suffers from poor optimization, frequent crashes, and numerous bugs, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • The main storyline is often viewed as weak and repetitive, lacking the excitement found in the game's side quests.
  • story
    7,807 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" is often described as engaging and immersive, with a compelling main quest that revolves around the protagonist's journey to close the Oblivion gates and save Tamriel from a demonic invasion. However, many players find the true strength of the game lies in its rich array of side quests and faction storylines, particularly those of the Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild, which are praised for their depth and creativity. While the main storyline can feel repetitive and lacks the same level of excitement as the side quests, the overall narrative experience is considered one of the best in the Elder Scrolls series, making it a beloved classic despite its dated graphics and occasional bugs.

    • “Oblivion has some of the best, most entertaining and most memorable quests in any RPG ever, let alone the Elder Scrolls.”
    • “The dark brotherhood quest line is easily the best in the series with a long and convoluted story I can't really talk about without spoiling major plot points.”
    • “The quests in this game are fun and creative, and the main story is engaging, but the random side quests are where the game truly shines.”
    • “Though I will say, the main storyline can get really corny after the halfway to three-quarter mark.”
    • “The main storyline is weak, worse than Skyrim's.”
    • “The main quest is quite short and wasn't very interesting.”
  • graphics
    3,446 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of *Oblivion* have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they have aged poorly compared to modern standards, particularly in character models and animations. However, the game's vibrant art style and immersive environments still hold a certain charm, and numerous mods are available to enhance the visuals significantly. While some players find the dated graphics off-putting, others appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and the depth of gameplay, often recommending modding to improve the experience.

    • “The hand-crafted world this game takes place in is honestly stunning, and the graphics hold up.”
    • “The atmosphere is wonderful, the visuals are beautiful, and it’s so easy to lose yourself in that world.”
    • “Despite the dated graphics, the game still holds up remarkably well, especially when using graphics mods.”
    • “The visuals haven't aged well, and the aesthetic isn't memorable compared to Morrowind or Skyrim.”
    • “Old game, full screen limited due to old graphics.”
    • “The graphics are definitely of a different generation, but graphics are not all that make a game, and without good gameplay, the game cannot be great.”
  • gameplay
    2,375 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" is characterized by a blend of traditional RPG mechanics and action-oriented combat, offering players a vast open world filled with quests, character customization, and exploration. While some mechanics, such as the leveling system and combat, are considered dated and can be frustrating, the game remains engaging due to its rich storytelling, memorable side quests, and the ability to create unique spells. Despite its age, many players find the gameplay enjoyable, especially when enhanced with mods, making it a classic RPG experience that still captivates fans today.

    • “The gameplay is very exciting, and the world is fun to explore.”
    • “The gameplay holds up on its own but the stories and lore push it further.”
    • “Oblivion is amazing because of its 'sandbox' gameplay.”
    • “But from a gameplay standpoint, the original version struggles under the weight of outdated mechanics, clunky UI, and pacing issues that can frustrate new players.”
    • “The gameplay loop was an awful experience for me.”
    • “The combat mechanics, the leveling system, the quest progression, and much else is poorly produced and downright garbage.”
  • music
    1,094 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion," composed by Jeremy Soule, is widely praised for its haunting beauty and immersive quality, enhancing the game's atmosphere and emotional depth. Players frequently highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke nostalgia and create a serene experience while exploring the vast landscapes of Cyrodiil. Despite some criticisms regarding repetitive battle music transitions, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack is one of the best in gaming history, making it a significant aspect of the game's enduring appeal.

    • “The music, composed by Jeremy Soule, is hauntingly beautiful and perfectly complements the tone of the game.”
    • “The soundtrack is phenomenal and highly memorable, and the sandbox this game offers is truly second to none.”
    • “The music is unforgettable and the voice acting is peak.”
    • “When entering combat, however, there is a very obvious cut and lack of transition into the combat music, and vice versa.”
    • “As if this weren't enough, enemy detection radii are so massive that, when traversing Cyrodiil, you'll often hear combat music long before you notice or can even see what's pursuing you.”
    • “The battle music can get a little repetitive, especially when you sink as many hours as I have into this game.”
  • humor
    815 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Oblivion" is often described as unintentionally hilarious, stemming from its quirky NPC interactions, awkward dialogue, and numerous bugs that create absurd situations. Players appreciate the game's charm, with many finding joy in the bizarre character designs and the comedic potential of its glitches, making it a memorable experience filled with laughter. Overall, the humor adds a unique layer to the gameplay, enhancing the enjoyment of its rich quests and vibrant world.

    • “This is a total jankfest with so many unintentionally hilarious moments.”
    • “The world is gorgeous, the story is engaging, and even the humor hits just right.”
    • “The npcs and the game in general are really funny.”
    • “Was that supposed to be funny?”
    • “This game took me by the [redacted] and turned me into a god (at being unfunny).”
    • “Not funny.”
  • stability
    691 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of "Oblivion" is widely criticized, with players noting its numerous bugs, glitches, and occasional crashes, which are characteristic of Bethesda games. While many find the glitches amusing and part of the game's charm, they can also lead to frustrating gameplay experiences, particularly on modern systems. Overall, players recommend using unofficial patches and mods to enhance stability and reduce the frequency of issues, but acknowledge that the game's inherent jankiness is a significant aspect of its appeal.

    • “Runs great even on my basic little laptop, so if you're wondering, it should run on whatever you are using.”
    • “It is relatively bug-free, which is a nice standout from the normally buggy games that are released.”
    • “One of the best open world games of all time, still runs great on lower to mid machines as if it's a high-end machine from the time of its release.”
    • “This game is a buggy mess, and visually not great in the year 2020, but the environments are bright and enthusiastic, and the questing is fun and rewarding.”
    • “It's a buggy mess, and visually not great in the year 2020, but the environments are bright and enthusiastic, and the questing is fun and rewarding.”
    • “The game is so buggy you need unofficial patches for your unofficial patches on top of separate modifications to stop the game from crashing every 10-15 minutes (this is not an exaggeration).”
  • atmosphere
    364 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, vibrant environments, and enchanting soundtrack, which together create a captivating experience that draws players into its world. Despite its dated graphics, many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke nostalgia and a sense of wonder, with diverse landscapes and engaging quests that enhance the overall ambiance. The combination of charming NPC interactions, atmospheric sound design, and a rich lore contributes to its status as a beloved classic in the RPG genre.

    • “The atmosphere is wonderful, the visuals are beautiful, and it’s so easy to lose yourself in that world.”
    • “The music, the atmosphere, the story, the characters, it all makes for one genuinely immersive experience.”
    • “The atmosphere, the music, the details, the dialogues, the characters, the history behind the missions—everything is just perfect.”
    • “The horrid voice acting, broken game engine, horrible animations and general jank paired with Cyrodiil's idyllic atmosphere and the mesmerizing soundtrack make for one of the comfiest RPG experiences in existence.”
    • “The atmosphere can go from calm and peaceful when in the cities and forests, to suspenseful and hard-hitting when you enter an Oblivion gate or approach a ruin.”
    • “The atmosphere is where this game shines.”
  • replayability
    269 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts significant replayability, largely due to its extensive character customization, diverse quest options, and a vibrant modding community that continually refreshes the experience. Many players report that each playthrough can feel unique, with different choices and approaches leading to varied outcomes. However, some critiques note that replay value may diminish after multiple runs, particularly for those who exhaust the main content and factions.

    • “The character customization, skill progression, and faction systems allow for endless replayability, ensuring no two playthroughs are the same.”
    • “The variety of different quests, easter eggs, and secrets make for a highly replayable game.”
    • “With ~30,000 mods and plenty of official DLCs, this game has massive replay value, and can be a brand new experience every time you play.”
    • “You know as well as I do that this game has near to no replay value.”
    • “It completely loses any replayability after maybe your second run; sure, it's fun to see Martin turn into a dragon and dunk on Mehrunes Dagon, but after the third time, it loses its charm.”
    • “What I do not like is once you complete a faction, there is no replayability, like no extra sub-quests for that said faction.”
  • grinding
    216 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly in combat and leveling systems. While some appreciate the immersive quests and character development that can arise from grinding, others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, often leading to a sense of boredom and frustration. Overall, players suggest that grinding is a significant part of the experience, but it can feel like a chore rather than a rewarding gameplay element.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Can be grindy.”
    • “Almost no grinding.”
    • “Just feels super grindy without a reward; I would have looked into buying the remastered version if I knew that this was the case.”
    • “I quit this game out of boredom; it was boring, unfun, grindy, and made me feel like I'm doing chores instead of playing.”
    • “The oblivion gates are actually the worst part of the game -- repetitive gameplay that makes the ramp-up to the finale feel tedious.”
  • optimization
    176 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with many users reporting poor performance, frequent crashes, and stuttering, particularly on modern systems. While some players have managed to improve their experience through extensive modding, the general consensus is that the game remains poorly optimized out of the box, making it challenging to play without technical adjustments. Overall, the remastered version has been noted to exacerbate these issues, leading many to recommend sticking with the original version and utilizing community mods for better performance.

    • “Great game, if you are considering the remaster but graphics aren't important to you, or you're worried about performance and file size, just get the original.”
    • “With just a tiny bit of tinkering to get the performance adequate, the experience is great.”
    • “Even if you don't plan to use mods, you will want to get the unofficial Oblivion patches, which are actually mods that fix all the minor bugs in the game for a seamless performance.”
    • “Unfortunately, the optimization of it stands to be criticized for poor performance and constant crashes.”
    • “This game is terribly optimized, does not run well on a modern computer even though this was released in 2006.”
    • “Great game, awful performance.”
  • emotional
    124 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its rich storytelling, compelling character arcs, and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that resonates deeply with players. Many reviewers express a strong emotional connection to the game's narrative, particularly in questlines like the Dark Brotherhood, which evoke feelings of betrayal and loss. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to create a profound emotional experience, making players feel invested in the world and its characters, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics and graphics.

    • “The epic, sweeping scores set the tone for every journey and every battle, enhancing the game’s emotional depth.”
    • “The stories told in this game are funny, endearing, frustrating, heartbreaking, along with every other human emotion out there.”
    • “It was heartbreaking to see Jarl Balgruuf's reaction when I joined the Stormcloaks and helped take Whiterun.”
    • “Boring, long-winded quests and, in my opinion, a boring story.”
    • “Pretty boring story; it's easy to stumble into a too high-level area, making it feel too sandboxy.”
    • “Boring story.”
  • character development
    70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" is widely praised for its depth and flexibility, allowing players to shape their characters through diverse quests and playstyles. While the game excels in storytelling and offers a vast world to explore, critiques often focus on the dated character designs and some technical issues, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these flaws, many players find the character development system engaging and a key reason for the game's enduring appeal.

    • “There is a significant amount of character development, and a lot of them will develop in the direction in which you decide during their quests.”
    • “The variety of playstyles, the depth of character development, and the intricacy of the world are what keep players returning to Cyrodiil time and time again.”
    • “Oblivion is a masterpiece, well thought out quests and character development.”
    • “Oblivion gives you such a big world, but fails to deliver a character development system and diversity to keep you going.”
    • “The biggest gripes with the game are technical, as the level-scaling and character development in the game is somewhat broken.”
    • “It makes the story and character development feel like it's all just been boiled down to fetch quests.”
  • monetization
    39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many users highlighting its origins as a pioneer of microtransactions and paid DLCs, which are perceived as cash grabs that detract from the overall gaming experience. While some appreciate the absence of ads and further microtransactions in certain versions, the general sentiment reflects frustration over aggressive monetization strategies that prioritize profit over quality. Overall, the game's legacy is marred by its association with early and problematic monetization practices in the industry.

    • “This lucrative market has driven many studios, including Bethesda, to focus more on mobile and live-service games that can continuously generate revenue through microtransactions.”
    • “This is also the company that introduced the legendary horse armor DLC that brought with it the endless tide of useless DLCs and microtransactions.”
    • “From 2017 to 2020, Bethesda's revenue grew from $7.8 billion to $10.4 billion, with much of this growth attributed to aggressive monetization strategies rather than the quality of their games.”
    • “The paid DLCs only reinforced the feeling of a game more focused on monetization than quality.”
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94%Critics’ scoreBased on 14 critic reviews
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66h Median play time
191h Average play time
32h Main story
172h Completionist
18-200h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 187 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a open world role playing game with fantasy and historical themes.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is available on PC, Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and others.

The main story can be completed in around 32 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 172 hours to finish. On average players spend around 191 hours playing The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was released on June 15, 2009.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was developed by Bethesda Game Studios®.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a single player game.

Similar games include The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Dragon Age: Origins, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall and others.