It finally happened. After years of whispers, supposed leaks, and forum speculation, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is real—and it’s available now on PS5, Xbox and PC. Bethesda Game Studios, in collaboration with Virtuos, have brought this classic RPG back to life with a fresh coat of modern polish. For someone like me, who played the original religiously back in 2006, this remaster feels like stepping into a vivid dream I once had as a teenager. And for a whole new generation of players who were too young—or not even born—when the original dropped, this is the perfect way to experience one of the most influential RPGs of all time.
Oblivion was always a game you could lose yourself in. Not because it forced you to grind or artificially padded your time, but because it gave you so much to do that getting sidetracked became part of the experience. Heading out to complete a simple fetch quest? You’ll probably end up talking to a troubled farmer, exploring a haunted ruin, getting arrested, joining a guild, and slaying a Daedra—before you even remember what the original quest was about. That’s the beauty of Oblivion. It doesn’t rush you. It lets you play how you want, be who you want, and get lost in its richly woven world.
The core of the game remains unchanged, starting—as all Elder Scrolls titles do—with you waking up in a prison cell. It’s a humble beginning, and in true RPG fashion, it sets the stage for your personal journey through the lush and politically turbulent province of Cyrodiil. The Emperor himself, voiced by the legendary Patrick Stewart, makes a brief but memorable appearance to set you on your path. From there, the story quickly escalates into a high-stakes race to close demonic Oblivion gates and save the realm from destruction.
Despite the epic scope, what’s always stood out to me is how Oblivion never forgets the smaller, more human stories that make its world feel alive. It’s not just about saving the world—it’s about helping a grieving ghost find peace, uncovering a murder plot in a quiet village, or hunting down a mythical sword lost to time. You meet hundreds of characters along the way, some forgettable, others utterly unforgettable. The main plot is still gripping, even now—almost 20 years later—full of twists, betrayals, and unexpected turns that kept me invested from start to finish.
What makes this remaster special is how much content it includes. You’re not just getting the base game here—Knights of the Nine and The Shivering Isles expansions are baked in, offering two distinct and excellent side campaigns. Knights of the Ninetaps into the more traditional hero’s journey archetype, while Shivering Isles dives headfirst into a surreal, twisted realm ruled by the Daedric Prince of Madness, Sheogorath. Both are still top-tier RPG content and hold up remarkably well.
This isn’t just a resolution bump with slightly sharper textures. Oblivion Remastered is the result of serious effort, and while it doesn’t go as far as a full remake, Virtuos has rebuilt much of the game’s visual presentation using Unreal Engine 5. The improvement is immediate and striking. Lighting, shadows, and facial animations are drastically better. Characters have depth and subtlety now, especially Khajiit and Argonians, whose features finally have texture that feels alive. Dialogue scenes—which used to be meme-worthy with their dead-eyed stares and stiff expressions—now feel more natural. It’s not perfect, but it’s a huge step forward.
Cyrodiil itself has never looked better. The forests feel denser, cities more lived-in, and the dungeons darker and moodier. Whether you’re strolling through the Imperial City Market District or creeping through an Ayleid ruin, the visual overhaul genuinely enhances immersion. I spent way too much time just admiring the improved design of weapons and armor. Every item, from rusty iron swords to glass daggers, has that extra bit of polish that makes you stop and take a closer look.
Combat, one of the more criticized aspects of the original game, also gets a much-needed tune-up. Gone are the floaty, disconnected melee swipes that made it feel like you were dueling ghosts. In the remaster, hits have weight. When you land a blow with a sword, you feel it. Enemies stagger. Shields clang. There’s a tactile sense of impact that was sorely missing before. It’s not on the level of modern action-RPGs, and there’s still a bit of jank here and there, but it’s a noticeable improvement that makes the frequent battles far more satisfying.
The leveling system remains intact and, for better or worse, as quirky as ever. Your character grows based on how you play. Swing swords, and your blade skill increases. Sneak everywhere, and you’ll level your stealth. Your “major” skills influence how quickly you level up, which can lead to some odd moments where you suddenly gain levels just by jumping everywhere or constantly repairing armor. It’s a system that rewards intentional playstyles but can punish those who don’t plan ahead. Still, it’s flexible, and I appreciate how it encourages you to roleplay your character through your actions.
Joining factions like the Thieves Guild, Dark Brotherhood, Fighters Guild, or Mages Guild is still as rewarding as ever. Each has its own lengthy questline, full of memorable characters and dramatic plot developments. The Dark Brotherhood arc, in particular, remains one of the series’ high points. There’s something deeply satisfying about having so many paths available that you can pivot mid-session—maybe you planned to explore a dungeon, but ended up spending two hours sneaking through the Imperial City stealing jewels instead.
That freedom is at the core of Oblivion’s appeal. You’re not locked into one role. You can be a battlemage one day, an alchemist the next, and a wandering bard the day after that. The world doesn’t judge you for changing directions. It invites it.
That said, this remaster isn’t without its flaws. Performance on PS5 is mostly smooth, but not perfect. I noticed frame rate drops in high-density areas or when lots of enemies were on screen at once—especially when Oblivion gates opened and multiple Daedra came pouring through. It’s not game-breaking, but can be distracting.
And yes, the Bethesda jank is alive and well. NPCs still clip through objects, pathfinding can glitch out hilariously, and certain quests can bug if triggered in the wrong order. To be fair, some of that is part of the charm at this point, but it’s also a reminder that underneath the visual facelift, this is still the original 2006 game running the show. Virtuos chose not to rebuild the core systems from scratch, which maintains the authenticity of the original, but also locks in some of its quirks, outdated mechanics and repetitious, aged dungeons that would be designed much differently if they were created in this day and age.
Despite that, I can’t help but admire what they’ve accomplished. Oblivion Remasteredis an ambitious and heartfelt return to a beloved game. It walks a fine line—modernizing just enough to appeal to new players while preserving the soul of what made the original so special. It’s not perfect. It’s not trying to be. But it succeeds in providing a modern window into a classic RPG experience.
If you played the original, this remaster is like coming home after years away to find your childhood home renovated, cleaned up, and full of fond memories. If you’ve never played Oblivion before, this is the best way to see what all the fuss was about.
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9
- + A beautiful visual overhaul of the original
- + Improved quality of life changes
- + Includes all of the expansions remastered as well
- + Story and mission writing still hold up well
- - Does have some performance issues in crowded spaces
- - Comes with bugs, jank and dated design caused by retaining the original game logic
