Opinion Piece - Oblivion Is The Remaster We Need Right Now
Bethesda’s shadow drop of their seminal title has already gone over well with fans, and I’m hoping it’s given them the desire to keep their momentum going.
Cyrodiil never looked as good as it does in this remaster
The Elder Scrolls is in a bit of a weird spot right now. It’s been almost 14 years since the release of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and almost half as many years since the announcement that Bethesda Game Studios were working on The Elder Scrolls VI: Untitled Edition with no tangible time frame in sight. And as much as it frustrates fans that there’s no real updates on the game’s development, I think the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is exactly what fans of the seemingly dormant franchise need right now.
It’s been almost 20 years since the original launch, and a lot has changed in the franchise and the industry overall since Oblivion launched on the seventh generation of platforms and as fans are chomping at the bit for new information, any information, I believe Oblivion Remastered will help keep fans busy for the next while. Anything but Skyrim ports and remasters will help take people’s minds off things. The original Oblivion is old enough that it will feel fresh again to those, like myself, who haven’t made the journey back to Cyrodiil in some time, or those fans who might be making the journey for the first time.
Oblivion is a chunky RPG, even though it’s from 2006, so it should be enough to keep players busy, at least for now. On top of that, it’s a new version of the game, meaning there will likely be a huge amount of fan-made mods releasing in the coming weeks to add to the game’s longevity, something Bethesda games are well-known for. As it stands, mods are already pouring in for the remaster. There are also fans that prefer Oblivion to Skyrim, and having a chance to jump into a modern version of the game with the progress that’s been made in the modding community in almost 20 years is an enticing option.
Tonight there’s gonna be a jailbreak, somewhere in this town (here)
As the gaming industry progresses, the number of remasters and remakes increases. Older titles that are only available on hardware may kick the bucket at a moment’s notice or be locked to a single platform that sees no further updates, and receive a new lease of life with a remake or remaster. They also offer players the ability to try a game or franchise for the first time. I spoke to a colleague of mine, and this was their first playthrough of Oblivion, having only played Skyrim before. While I can’t experience this game for the first time like they will, Oblivion Remastered is the next best thing for me.
Gamers are generally divided on the concept of remasters and remakes. Those against them usually cite wanting a new IP or a game’s relatively young release. While I agree certain games should be off the board for now (looking at you, Sony, and your multiple ports, remasters, and remakes of The Last Of Us franchise since the first game’s launch in 2013), I’m generally for the release of reimaginings of old classics. Other benefits to this method of game making is also the ability to gauge interest in a dormant franchise and help fund a possible sequel. For me, the process behind bringing old games to newer hardware is important to keep game franchises alive and relevant while inviting new fans to take a chance on a game they may have missed out on.
One of the joys of playing a remaster is that the game now looks how you remembered it looking when you first started playing it, all those years ago. Graphics have improved since then, but if the gameplay remains the same, or improved through quality of life features, it does help with nostalgia, bringing back memories of times when you originally played the game, and being able to feel like you have briefly stepped back in time to those days where you may not have had as many cares.
The Imperial City, home to the finest… Imperials. And everyone else programmed to be here
Oblivion Remastered has come at an excellent time for fans of the Elder Scrolls series and RPG fans alike. The future of the series remains in progress as Bethesda is eager to reassure us, but without the addition of any new information, fans will lose interest. Not everyone is interested in dumping hundreds of hours into The Elder Scrolls Online, but people do want to return to the franchise in a familiar way, even if it isn’t entirely new, and are already worn down by the numerous re-releases of Skyrim (sorry Sony, I see now you’re only following Bethesda’s lead) to every platform imaginable.
Unlike the Fallout franchise, Elder Scrolls fans didn’t receive a TV show to help tide them over, and though Bethesda failed to capitalize on that outside of some Fallout 76 and Fallout Shelter content, it will be some time before we see a new entry in that franchise either. So here’s hoping the other rumours are true and a remaster of Fallout 3 is due out sometime soon. A graphical overhaul and combat improvements are just what that title needs.
Have you downloaded The Elder Scrolls IV: Remastered, and if so, what do you think? Sound off in the comments!
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