The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

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an interactive tutorial to familiarize you with the controls), you enter a virtual world with what could be the most freedom any video game has offered before. After gaping at the astounding graphics of the world map (I have not played the 360 version, but based on screenshots I have seen, the PS3 release is by far the better of the two), your choices are truly limitless.

Perhaps you wander immediately into the Ayleid Ruins across the lake, seeking your fortune in the dark, ancient fortress beneath. Or maybe venture into the Imperial City to make friends (and enemies) or obtain valuable goods and information. Join the Fighter's Guild for some rewarding side quests, or if the arcane is your specialty the Mage's Guild also awaits. If stealth is your forte, perhaps you will have what it takes to find the Thieves Guild instead, or maybe you will even be welcomed into the inner circles of the Dark Brotherhood of assassins. Be a valiant hero, a silent killer, a powerful sorcerer, an agile thief, or all or none of the above. The choice is yours.

For Elder Scrolls veterans, leveling your character is nothing new, but to the newcomer it is a unique and detailed process. Unlike the standard RPG, there are no Experience Points that accumulate toward a magic number that results in a level up. Instead, you improve your individual skills by using them successfully. Cast a fire spell that hits its intended target, and you gain a little experience at Destruction Magic. Damage your adversary with a short sword, and your Blade skills improve. Create a potion out of raw ingredients, your Alchemy skill improves. Improve a skill enough, and the skill itself will go up a level. Level-up any combination of your favorite skills ten times, and your character goes up a level. But if you don't use a particular skill, it will never improve, perhaps to the detriment of your overall attributes.

Interact with hundreds of characters, creatures, and monsters scattered throughout dozens of locales, from large cities, small villages, and roadside inns, to dank caverns, crumbling fortresses, and ancient ruins hidden away in snow-capped mountains, thick forests, and even demon-filled Netherworlds. Enemies and artifacts encountered throughout the world level along with your character so you never have too much of an advantage, or too weak an enchantment. Background characters banter about current events and local news. Word of your accomplishments spreads across the continent as your fame (of infamy) increases. The level of detail that found its way into the game is impeccable.

The only element this game lacks (that fans of say, the Final Fantasy franchise, will miss) is an enthralling story. While there is indeed a main plot and ultimate goal for your character, Oblivion lacks the emotion and humanity of strong story that become the focal point of many other RPGs. This leads to more a systematic style of game-play, simply progressing for the sake of progress, rather than playing to develop an underlying story. In effect, the game sacrifices a gripping story and a bit of fun for your freedom to play it out however you want. If you are looking for pure game-play without the distraction of a story, then this truly is the perfect game. But if you are looking for a game with an interactive story, it may not be for you.

This is the ultimate gamer's RPG, addictive, challenging, and visually stunning. This Game of the Year edition includes two built-in expansion packs, previously available only as separate downloads, and is worth the extra money if this sound likes the game for you.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

...

an interactive tutorial to familiarize you with the controls), you enter a virtual world with what could be the most freedom any video game has offered before. After gaping at the astounding graphics of the world map (I have not played the 360 version, but based on screenshots I have seen, the PS3 release is by far the better of the two), your choices are truly limitless.



Perhaps you wander immediately into the Ayleid Ruins across the lake, seeking your fortune in the dark, ancient fortress beneath. Or maybe venture into the Imperial City to make friends (and enemies) or obtain valuable goods and information. Join the Fighter's Guild for some rewarding side quests, or if the arcane is your specialty the Mage's Guild also awaits. If stealth is your forte, perhaps you will have what it takes to find the Thieves Guild instead, or maybe you will even be welcomed into the inner circles of the Dark Brotherhood of assassins. Be a valiant hero, a silent killer, a powerful sorcerer, an agile thief, or all or none of the above. The choice is yours.



For Elder Scrolls veterans, leveling your character is nothing new, but to the newcomer it is a unique and detailed process. Unlike the standard RPG, there are no Experience Points that accumulate toward a magic number that results in a level up. Instead, you improve your individual skills by using them successfully. Cast a fire spell that hits its intended target, and you gain a little experience at Destruction Magic. Damage your adversary with a short sword, and your Blade skills improve. Create a potion out of raw ingredients, your Alchemy skill improves. Improve a skill enough, and the skill itself will go up a level. Level-up any combination of your favorite skills ten times, and your character goes up a level. But if you don't use a particular skill, it will never improve, perhaps to the detriment of your overall attributes.



Interact with hundreds of characters, creatures, and monsters scattered throughout dozens of locales, from large cities, small villages, and roadside inns, to dank caverns, crumbling fortresses, and ancient ruins hidden away in snow-capped mountains, thick forests, and even demon-filled Netherworlds. Enemies and artifacts encountered throughout the world level along with your character so you never have too much of an advantage, or too weak an enchantment. Background characters banter about current events and local news. Word of your accomplishments spreads across the continent as your fame (of infamy) increases. The level of detail that found its way into the game is impeccable.



The only element this game lacks (that fans of say, the Final Fantasy franchise, will miss) is an enthralling story. While there is indeed a main plot and ultimate goal for your character, Oblivion lacks the emotion and humanity of strong story that become the focal point of many other RPGs. This leads to more a systematic style of game-play, simply progressing for the sake of progress, rather than playing to develop an underlying story. In effect, the game sacrifices a gripping story and a bit of fun for your freedom to play it out however you want. If you are looking for pure game-play without the distraction of a story, then this truly is the perfect game. But if you are looking for a game with an interactive story, it may not be for you.



This is the ultimate gamer's RPG, addictive, challenging, and visually stunning. This Game of the Year edition includes two built-in expansion packs, previously available only as separate downloads, and is worth the extra money if this sound likes the game for you.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

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to be found in the game
5) Become a gladiator
etc. etc.

This game is HUGE. And I love it for that.

2) Battle mechanics: I've rarely been a fan of the first person slash game, but "Oblivion" gets it right. Enemies move fast, and while some enemies act remarkably stupidly, others will fight well. You can devise your own style of play as well. Are you one that likes to run into the fray screaming? Do you like to fire off spells or arrows from afar? Do you prefer to stalk your prey and slash in the darkness? Take your pick.

3) Character development: I spent an hour just designing my character's physical appearance. Yet "Oblivion" allows you to also develop their traits, their race, their skills - heck, even their birthsign is a big deal. And the game allows you to expand on their abilities, creating a very personalized character. I myself prefer slinking around in the night, and killing my prey up close. Thus, instead of using one of the many pre-made character classes, I instead created the "skulk". You can do whatever you want. Want to be a reptile that breathes underwater, is an incredibly wizard, and can wield a mace? be my guest. Want to be an elf who fights with a sword? No one's stopping you. Want to be a vampire? You can even do THAT in time.

Sounds great, right? In short, the world of "Oblivion" is huge and varied. You can play for days without ever touching the main quest. Heck, I haven't even bothered with the expansions.

Unfortunately, not all that glitters is gold. Here's the bad:

1) The levelling system: Without a doubt, this has taken the most heat, and it is ALL deserved. Mostly, the reviewers here have complained that whenever you level, so too does the world around you. But really, this doesn't fully explain the trouble here. So, instead, I choose to give an example (apologies: I will expose one small end to a large quest).

While advancing in the mage's guild, I noticed that I hadn't been levelling up. Not a big deal, as my character was an assassin mostly, and so level should matter that much (if a child sneaks up on you and cuts your throat, you're still going to die). However, I was faced with the so-called King of Worms, and lord of all necromancers. He saw me, and there was no way my level 1 character was going to win. Right? Ummm, no - he brandished a dagger, I sported a sword, and the battle lasted a little over 30 seconds. I had vanquished arguably one of the most powerful denizens of the world, and was rewarded greatly.

This in and of itself is really unbelievable, but it gets worse. Afterward, I decided, "What the hey?" and leveled myself to level 10. And as it turns out, I couldn't even beat the guardians of the king, let alone the master himself. That's right - leveling my character actually made me WEAKER in the end.

And that is the rub. "Oblivion" is simply broken. Keep your character at level one, and you will ensure that you clear pretty much any quest in the game. Level your character normally, and expect a real challenge. It's not as bad as some have mentioned, but it certainly makes for a longer and more tedious game, as you must recollect armor, weaponry, etc. This is a MAJOR weakness. It is silly that a level one character can defeat anything thrown at him. It is even sillier that a level 10 character suddenly cannot.

2) Graphics: It's like looking in a funhouse mirror. I despise the creepy figures with which I am accosted in every town. It is obvious that the developers spent a lot of time and effort in designing the most realistic-looking people they could find. It is also apparent that we have a LONG way to go. I would have preferred more canned people to the horrors in the game.

3) Voice acting: Ugh. Painful. There are like 5 voices used for the plethora of characters you will see throughout the game. It is a horror. Moreover, because of one particular skill (speechcraft), you can bet that you'll hear these voices saying the SAME lines, over and over again. How many times I've heard "Blah blah blah - what a bore" from some incredibly lame voice, I can't even count. And the nonsense they blather - you would think that americans would write better conversation. It would seem that they spent their time writing tomes and tomes of useless books rather than spending quality time developing the characterization of the NPCs inhabiting "Oblivion".

4) Glitches: Bad ones. One time, the load screen appeared, and the PS3 simply froze. I actually had to unplug the system to unfreeze it. That's really bad.Clipping issues abound, particularly when swimming in caves, but this is to be expected. Sometimes, weird stuff happens (a soldier walking on air attacked and killed me, because I couldn't guard from his attacks). This is expected somewhat - I've never found a PC game without such glitches, and in the end, mostly nonfatal. However, I don't like anything that freezes up my entire system.

While a couple of the points might be nitpicky, the first is not. The leveling system is an abomination. I can't fault the developers too much for this - they were trying to make a truly non-linear experience, the holy grail of RPGs. But, the leveling system is a complete and total failure. The fact is, there is NO reason that my character should be weaker because he levels. None. And yet, here we are.

Long story short - this is a fine game, and one of the best for the PS3. But it isn't without its major problems. A player might become overwhelmed if he isn't careful with the leveling.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

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to the PS3 version. 5 out of 5! GET IT!!!

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

...

to the PS3 version. 5 out of 5! GET IT!!!

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

...

to the PS3 version. 5 out of 5! GET IT!!!

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

...

version) come into play. The imaginative plotting in this game puts it above many other peers - I've played 40 game days and, amongst many other adventures, I've executed a quest for half a day inside a painter's painting, I've followed a mad man through his paranoid belief that a number of NPC's are out to kill him and so on and so on. The beauty of the writing is the moral dilemmas that are sometimes posed by a quest's conclusion. You might discover that you rescued an item for a character who does not rightfully own it or you are unsure which of two characters to support.

I've played, I estimate 40 or so hours of 'Oblivion' and I suspect I've not tapped 5% of the game world. It's always engaging and often exciting attempting to overcome the myriad of clever quests or daunting enemies put in your way in this game world.

Last and not least, this game looks simply magnificent, it's an adult fantasy world, more convincing than the partial manga style of many of the MMORGs. It certainly has the scope and grandeur that rivals any of them.

If you are partial to Tolkien style RPG entertainment - you really must experience 'Oblivion'.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

...

version) come into play. The imaginative plotting in this game puts it above many other peers - I've played 40 game days and, amongst many other adventures, I've executed a quest for half a day inside a painter's painting, I've followed a mad man through his paranoid belief that a number of NPC's are out to kill him and so on and so on. The beauty of the writing is the moral dilemmas that are sometimes posed by a quest's conclusion. You might discover that you rescued an item for a character who does not rightfully own it or you are unsure which of two characters to support.



I've played, I estimate 40 or so hours of 'Oblivion' and I suspect I've not tapped 5% of the game world. It's always engaging and often exciting attempting to overcome the myriad of clever quests or daunting enemies put in your way in this game world.



Last and not least, this game looks simply magnificent, it's an adult fantasy world, more convincing than the partial manga style of many of the MMORGs. It certainly has the scope and grandeur that rivals any of them.



If you are partial to Tolkien style RPG entertainment - you really must experience 'Oblivion'.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

...

version) come into play. The imaginative plotting in this game puts it above many other peers - I've played 40 game days and, amongst many other adventures, I've executed a quest for half a day inside a painter's painting, I've followed a mad man through his paranoid belief that a number of NPC's are out to kill him and so on and so on. The beauty of the writing is the moral dilemmas that are sometimes posed by a quest's conclusion. You might discover that you rescued an item for a character who does not rightfully own it or you are unsure which of two characters to support.





I've played, I estimate 40 or so hours of 'Oblivion' and I suspect I've not tapped 5% of the game world. It's always engaging and often exciting attempting to overcome the myriad of clever quests or daunting enemies put in your way in this game world.





Last and not least, this game looks simply magnificent, it's an adult fantasy world, more convincing than the partial manga style of many of the MMORGs. It certainly has the scope and grandeur that rivals any of them.





If you are partial to Tolkien style RPG entertainment - you really must experience 'Oblivion'.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

...

investment for your gaming collection.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

...

custom build your class. Say you want to be a warrior mage, or a Mage thief. It's all possible.

You even pick your zodiac, and what sign you were born under directly influences your attribute bonuses.

AND THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING!

You adventure all over the country of Cyrodil, visiting the many cities. And nearly every single resident of the cities, including the counts & countesses, the shop owners, and the police have tasks for you to take on, earning yourself status, gold, magic weapons & armor, etc.

There are also many things hidden off the beaten path, from long abandoned mines and caves, full of monsters, riches, and adventures, to towns that are never outlined on the map, with their own set of residents with adventures to undertake!

There is also the main task - Save the world from the Daemons of Oblivion, who have assassinated the king and are trying to destroy the world of mankind!

It's absolutely the most fun I've ever had with a video game, and it just never ends! Some games, you pay $60 for and play for 8 hours and it's over. This game, you pay $60, and you won't need another game for a year!!!

Overall, the best game I've ever owned. I'd give it more stars if I could.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

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more than a match for the mobs on the default "medium" level and perhaps even hold your own at the "hardest" level on the difficulty slider. gamefaqs.com has some really good guides that can help you along with all that.

Anyway, the bottom line is that if you have a PS3 and you are into RPGs this game is definitley recommended.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

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become someone. To advance from the lowly prisoner to a god among men. In Oblivion I play to bring higher levels to all mankind. Its a great service for the game people, but it is not a fun gameplay mechanic. As I level up, so does all the world. All that great gear I have been hoping to get? Once it was unheard of, now every shop and two-bit thief has it. Its just a little absurd, kills immersion and really hurts the fun factor. It also makes for some absurd situations. By accident as a level one character I found one of the gates of Oblivion. As a level one character I traveled to hell and defeated all the demons. Because just like the world levels up, it levels down. In Oblivion you never have a quest you cannot do, which deprives you of the feeling of success you usually get in such games when you find a place where you cannot advance and return later, more powerful, to slay your enemies. Not here.

*The world is bland. There are no dungeons with mighty powerful monsters and great treasure waiting for you to stumble accidentally on them. Only when you become mighty and powerful - then suddenly every dungeon is filled with amazing treasure. This randomness and blandness makes exploration of dungeons and locales pointless. In Oblivion if you have seen one dungeon, you have seen them all.

I should probably have played Oblivion on the PC, where these problems can be fixed, leaving only the positives. Overall, I think Oblivion is a decent game and will keep me busy for awhile. For now I pray that Bethesda does not carry on their advancement design and world leveling into Fallout 3 and make a mess out of that noble franchise.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

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selling them for better equipments and houses, decorating.
To hell with saving the world. I only finished half of the main quest, and I have no intention to finish it in the foreseeable future.

The production value is simply stratospheric. From character design, character model, environment, grass, tree, flower, water, animal, item, monster, building, right down to single pebble and stone, Bethesda paid so much attention to details that it is breathtakingly marvelous.

Music by Jeremy Soule and sound effects are another praise-worthy achievements.

No other RPG in the history of video game gives the gamer so much freedom in gameplay as it is so evident from the very beginning in character creation.
If you spend enough time, you can virtually create any actual person's face both living or dead in uncanny resemblance.

Whether you like it or not, I think 'Oblivion' has set the standard by which all future CRPG, and even other genres to some extent, will be measured for a long time.

To Bethesda's credit, 'Oblivion' successfully streamlined the CRPG mechanics from its beloved franchise into more accessible mainstream game that became a runaway success; or dumbing down for console kiddies as many describe, depends on how you look at it. I know many of people were turned off by the changes made from older TES series, and 'Oblivion vs Morrowind: Which is better?' is still one of the most fiercely-debated topic in the official forum. Since I have fond memories of all previous TES series, I won't get into the flaming war. I just don't see any constructive point of insisting one game over another. They all have pros and cons, and no game is perfect.

I couldn't read single review of new CRPG called 'Two Worlds' without comparing it to 'Oblivion'. What a burden and curse it is for 'Two Worlds', which has been brutally trashed by critics and users alike. I really love that game, too. Although I really enjoyed that game, it was ultimately not enough to erase the memory of 'Oblivion'. If 'Fallout 3' becomes anything close to the success of 'Oblivion', Bethesda Softwork will become the next formidable RPG Giant like 'Blizzard' / 'Black Isle' / 'Bioware' trinity once achieved back in the days. You can be sure Bethesda will come out with TES V, and its success is pretty much guaranteed no matter which direction it will take.

Now I think far too many game mechanics from the past CRPGs such as 'Ultima', 'Baldur's Gate', 'Wizardry' or 'Diablo' series stemmed from the limitation of technology at the time rather than game design choice. I still have the original copies of 'Baldur's Gate' and 'Diablo' series along with 'Ultima' series, 'Wizardry 8', 'Planescape: Torment', 'Fallout 1, 2', and of course 'Daggerfall' and 'Morrowind'.
Except for 'Morrowind', I don't see myself playing and enjoying those game as I once used to anymore.
I tried them recently and was pleasantly surprised how pathetically they are outdated now. The vidio gaming asthetics have grown exponentially since those days.

Even 'Morrowind' took some adjusting time to re-immerse myself. When I say technology, I am not just talking about graphic but the scope and possibilities that was just not feasible in the past. The improved technology doesn't always result in better game but it immensely helps to create immersive gaming world, and the technology lifted all the barriers for game developers to realize their vision into games. This will result in new convergent games that crossover the genres. Upcoming games such as 'Mass Effect' and 'Fallout 3' are the evidence of new gaming asthetics being formed right now.

What would you like to see in the future Bethesda RPGs in terms of game mechanics?

For me, one thing I really like to see is the interaction with NPCs improved. Radiant A.I. is the right direction for the NPC interaction, but I like to see more detailed implementation. In 'Gothic' series, NPCs actually perform various activities, which player character can also performs. NPCs react when weapons drawn upon or intruded by. I know these reactions in 'Gothic' are scripted events but the presentation makes them as if the NPCs were alive. NPCs in 'Oblivion', while acting on dynamic schedule, sometimes look like pantomiming. Many times I've witnessed the awesome NPCs interaction only possible with 'Radiant A.I', but many times NPCs walks around aimlessly in circle, too. The character deposition drops when weapon is drawn during conversation, but it would be nice to hear more distinctive reaction from NPCs about the fact. Daily routine could be more detailed in animation. Fishing, chopping woods, forging metals, making weapons, eating and drinking, the lists go on. I like to have more dialogue choices and right to refuse any quest. Many times you are given just one choice in 'Oblivion'.

Another thing is consequences of player character's action and its influence to the persistent world such as guilds. In 'Oblivion', your deeds, either good or evil, hardly create impact on the gaming world. Although there are more than one method to solve many individual task, and more than one result in outcome of the quest, it really doesn't change the grand scheme of the game. I heard 'Bethesda' is really working hard on this for the upcoming 'Fallout 3'. Multiple endings and various intricate political stands among different factions would be greatly appreciated.

Next thing is different combat mechanics for 3rd person perspective. 1st person perspective is outstanding in 'Oblivion' but it would be sweet to have the alternative combat mechanics in 'Vanity Mode' also. That way, gamers have choice between realistic 1st-person combat and more arcady 3rd-person combat. Accurate jumping mechanics like the one in 'Metroid Prime' would be awesome compared to the unrealistical moonwalking in the air in 'Oblivion'. More acrobatic combat moves like rolling and dodging would be fantastic additions.

Havoc engine is great, but I hope the object manipulation becomes more useful in the actual gaming world, quests, or combat in the next iteration.

And my pet peeve of the game, it's so difficult to fight the enemies while NPCs are around, especially the essential characters that you must protect.

These are merely the positive suggestions rather than pointing out the game's flaws.

New ideas to improve the immersion for too much open-endedness would be great idea to narrow the gap between linear RPG and non-linear RPG.

Making RPG and simulating more life-like world is the ultimate holy grail Bethesda has been working for since 'Arena', I am sure.
No matter which TES game you like the most, the pathetic reality is that the choice of CRPG is very scarce in the market right now, and we need more refined game like 'Oblivion' to embrace mainstream casual gamers without alienating the hardcore RPG gamers so that market will once be crowded with good CRPGs.

The newly released GOTY (Game of the year) edition of 'TES IV Oblivion' contains the original 'Oblivion' along with 'Knights of the Nine' and 'Shiverilg Isles'. Unfortunately, the rest of the official DLCs (Downloadable Contents) are not available in the package. But the new PSN is now up and running, and there's great chance that the DLCs will be available on PSN as many DLCs are for other games. I strongly recommend you to purchase the retail version of PS3 'Shivering Isles' if you own the previous version of PS3 'Oblivion' for it already contains 'Knights of the Nine'. If you decide to go with GOTY edition, then make sure you uninstall the entire older version before you reinstall with the newer version. And yes, you can use the older save game files, but they could potentially cause some stability issues for the console version as opposed to the PC version. If you never played 'Oblivion', GOTY edition is a terrific purchase with infinite value. The graphic is simply breathtaking, and loading time is almost as fast as most of PC. There's no shame in owning this excellent game on PS3 console. One downside of console version is the lack of access to thousands of user-created mods created by 'TES Construction Set'. They are only compatible for PC.

This game literally never ends. You'll spends hundreds of hours and one day, you'll simply quit at your own device. 'Oblivion' is the one game truly non-linear, free-form, open-ended to the bitter end, indeed.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

...

selling them for better equipments and houses, decorating.

To hell with saving the world. I only finished half of the main quest, and I have no intention to finish it in the foreseeable future.



The production value is simply stratospheric. From character design, character model, environment, grass, tree, flower, water, animal, item, monster, building, right down to single pebble and stone, Bethesda paid so much attention to details that it is breathtakingly marvelous.



Music by Jeremy Soule and sound effects are another praise-worthy achievements.



No other RPG in the history of video game gives the gamer so much freedom in gameplay as it is so evident from the very beginning in character creation.

If you spend enough time, you can virtually create any actual person's face both living or dead in uncanny resemblance.



Whether you like it or not, I think 'Oblivion' has set the standard by which all future CRPG, and even other genres to some extent, will be measured for a long time.



To Bethesda's credit, 'Oblivion' successfully streamlined the CRPG mechanics from its beloved franchise into more accessible mainstream game that became a runaway success; or dumbing down for console kiddies as many describe, depends on how you look at it. I know many of people were turned off by the changes made from older TES series, and 'Oblivion vs Morrowind: Which is better?' is still one of the most fiercely-debated topic in the official forum. Since I have fond memories of all previous TES series, I won't get into the flaming war. I just don't see any constructive point of insisting one game over another. They all have pros and cons, and no game is perfect.



I couldn't read single review of new CRPG called 'Two Worlds' without comparing it to 'Oblivion'. What a burden and curse it is for 'Two Worlds', which has been brutally trashed by critics and users alike. I really love that game, too. Although I really enjoyed that game, it was ultimately not enough to erase the memory of 'Oblivion'. If 'Fallout 3' becomes anything close to the success of 'Oblivion', Bethesda Softwork will become the next formidable RPG Giant like 'Blizzard' / 'Black Isle' / 'Bioware' trinity once achieved back in the days. You can be sure Bethesda will come out with TES V, and its success is pretty much guaranteed no matter which direction it will take.



Now I think far too many game mechanics from the past CRPGs such as 'Ultima', 'Baldur's Gate', 'Wizardry' or 'Diablo' series stemmed from the limitation of technology at the time rather than game design choice. I still have the original copies of 'Baldur's Gate' and 'Diablo' series along with 'Ultima' series, 'Wizardry 8', 'Planescape: Torment', 'Fallout 1, 2', and of course 'Daggerfall' and 'Morrowind'.

Except for 'Morrowind', I don't see myself playing and enjoying those game as I once used to anymore.

I tried them recently and was pleasantly surprised how pathetically they are outdated now. The vidio gaming asthetics have grown exponentially since those days.



Even 'Morrowind' took some adjusting time to re-immerse myself. When I say technology, I am not just talking about graphic but the scope and possibilities that was just not feasible in the past. The improved technology doesn't always result in better game but it immensely helps to create immersive gaming world, and the technology lifted all the barriers for game developers to realize their vision into games. This will result in new convergent games that crossover the genres. Upcoming games such as 'Mass Effect' and 'Fallout 3' are the evidence of new gaming asthetics being formed right now.



What would you like to see in the future Bethesda RPGs in terms of game mechanics?



For me, one thing I really like to see is the interaction with NPCs improved. Radiant A.I. is the right direction for the NPC interaction, but I like to see more detailed implementation. In 'Gothic' series, NPCs actually perform various activities, which player character can also performs. NPCs react when weapons drawn upon or intruded by. I know these reactions in 'Gothic' are scripted events but the presentation makes them as if the NPCs were alive. NPCs in 'Oblivion', while acting on dynamic schedule, sometimes look like pantomiming. Many times I've witnessed the awesome NPCs interaction only possible with 'Radiant A.I', but many times NPCs walks around aimlessly in circle, too. The character deposition drops when weapon is drawn during conversation, but it would be nice to hear more distinctive reaction from NPCs about the fact. Daily routine could be more detailed in animation. Fishing, chopping woods, forging metals, making weapons, eating and drinking, the lists go on. I like to have more dialogue choices and right to refuse any quest. Many times you are given just one choice in 'Oblivion'.



Another thing is consequences of player character's action and its influence to the persistent world such as guilds. In 'Oblivion', your deeds, either good or evil, hardly create impact on the gaming world. Although there are more than one method to solve many individual task, and more than one result in outcome of the quest, it really doesn't change the grand scheme of the game. I heard 'Bethesda' is really working hard on this for the upcoming 'Fallout 3'. Multiple endings and various intricate political stands among different factions would be greatly appreciated.



Next thing is different combat mechanics for 3rd person perspective. 1st person perspective is outstanding in 'Oblivion' but it would be sweet to have the alternative combat mechanics in 'Vanity Mode' also. That way, gamers have choice between realistic 1st-person combat and more arcady 3rd-person combat. Accurate jumping mechanics like the one in 'Metroid Prime' would be awesome compared to the unrealistical moonwalking in the air in 'Oblivion'. More acrobatic combat moves like rolling and dodging would be fantastic additions.



Havoc engine is great, but I hope the object manipulation becomes more useful in the actual gaming world, quests, or combat in the next iteration.



And my pet peeve of the game, it's so difficult to fight the enemies while NPCs are around, especially the essential characters that you must protect.



These are merely the positive suggestions rather than pointing out the game's flaws.



New ideas to improve the immersion for too much open-endedness would be great idea to narrow the gap between linear RPG and non-linear RPG.



Making RPG and simulating more life-like world is the ultimate holy grail Bethesda has been working for since 'Arena', I am sure.

No matter which TES game you like the most, the pathetic reality is that the choice of CRPG is very scarce in the market right now, and we need more refined game like 'Oblivion' to embrace mainstream casual gamers without alienating the hardcore RPG gamers so that market will once be crowded with good CRPGs.



The newly released GOTY (Game of the year) edition of 'TES IV Oblivion' contains the original 'Oblivion' along with 'Knights of the Nine' and 'Shiverilg Isles'. Unfortunately, the rest of the official DLCs (Downloadable Contents) are not available in the package. But the new PSN is now up and running, and there's great chance that the DLCs will be available on PSN as many DLCs are for other games. I strongly recommend you to purchase the retail version of PS3 'Shivering Isles' if you own the previous version of PS3 'Oblivion' for it already contains 'Knights of the Nine'. If you decide to go with GOTY edition, then make sure you uninstall the entire older version before you reinstall with the newer version. And yes, you can use the older save game files, but they could potentially cause some stability issues for the console version as opposed to the PC version. If you never played 'Oblivion', GOTY edition is a terrific purchase with infinite value. The graphic is simply breathtaking, and loading time is almost as fast as most of PC. There's no shame in owning this excellent game on PS3 console. One downside of console version is the lack of access to thousands of user-created mods created by 'TES Construction Set'. They are only compatible for PC.



This game literally never ends. You'll spends hundreds of hours and one day, you'll simply quit at your own device. 'Oblivion' is the one game truly non-linear, free-form, open-ended to the bitter end, indeed.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition: PlayStation 3

...

selling them for better equipments and houses, decorating.


To hell with saving the world. I only finished half of the main quest, and I have no intention to finish it in the foreseeable future.





The production value is simply stratospheric. From character design, character model, environment, grass, tree, flower, water, animal, item, monster, building, right down to single pebble and stone, Bethesda paid so much attention to details that it is breathtakingly marvelous.





Music by Jeremy Soule and sound effects are another praise-worthy achievements.





No other RPG in the history of video game gives the gamer so much freedom in gameplay as it is so evident from the very beginning in character creation.


If you spend enough time, you can virtually create any actual person's face both living or dead in uncanny resemblance.





Whether you like it or not, I think 'Oblivion' has set the standard by which all future CRPG, and even other genres to some extent, will be measured for a long time.





To Bethesda's credit, 'Oblivion' successfully streamlined the CRPG mechanics from its beloved franchise into more accessible mainstream game that became a runaway success; or dumbing down for console kiddies as many describe, depends on how you look at it. I know many of people were turned off by the changes made from older TES series, and 'Oblivion vs Morrowind: Which is better?' is still one of the most fiercely-debated topic in the official forum. Since I have fond memories of all previous TES series, I won't get into the flaming war. I just don't see any constructive point of insisting one game over another. They all have pros and cons, and no game is perfect.





I couldn't read single review of new CRPG called 'Two Worlds' without comparing it to 'Oblivion'. What a burden and curse it is for 'Two Worlds', which has been brutally trashed by critics and users alike. I really love that game, too. Although I really enjoyed that game, it was ultimately not enough to erase the memory of 'Oblivion'. If 'Fallout 3' becomes anything close to the success of 'Oblivion', Bethesda Softwork will become the next formidable RPG Giant like 'Blizzard' / 'Black Isle' / 'Bioware' trinity once achieved back in the days. You can be sure Bethesda will come out with TES V, and its success is pretty much guaranteed no matter which direction it will take.





Now I think far too many game mechanics from the past CRPGs such as 'Ultima', 'Baldur's Gate', 'Wizardry' or 'Diablo' series stemmed from the limitation of technology at the time rather than game design choice. I still have the original copies of 'Baldur's Gate' and 'Diablo' series along with 'Ultima' series, 'Wizardry 8', 'Planescape: Torment', 'Fallout 1, 2', and of course 'Daggerfall' and 'Morrowind'.


Except for 'Morrowind', I don't see myself playing and enjoying those game as I once used to anymore.


I tried them recently and was pleasantly surprised how pathetically they are outdated now. The vidio gaming asthetics have grown exponentially since those days.





Even 'Morrowind' took some adjusting time to re-immerse myself. When I say technology, I am not just talking about graphic but the scope and possibilities that was just not feasible in the past. The improved technology doesn't always result in better game but it immensely helps to create immersive gaming world, and the technology lifted all the barriers for game developers to realize their vision into games. This will result in new convergent games that crossover the genres. Upcoming games such as 'Mass Effect' and 'Fallout 3' are the evidence of new gaming asthetics being formed right now.





What would you like to see in the future Bethesda RPGs in terms of game mechanics?





For me, one thing I really like to see is the interaction with NPCs improved. Radiant A.I. is the right direction for the NPC interaction, but I like to see more detailed implementation. In 'Gothic' series, NPCs actually perform various activities, which player character can also performs. NPCs react when weapons drawn upon or intruded by. I know these reactions in 'Gothic' are scripted events but the presentation makes them as if the NPCs were alive. NPCs in 'Oblivion', while acting on dynamic schedule, sometimes look like pantomiming. Many times I've witnessed the awesome NPCs interaction only possible with 'Radiant A.I', but many times NPCs walks around aimlessly in circle, too. The character deposition drops when weapon is drawn during conversation, but it would be nice to hear more distinctive reaction from NPCs about the fact. Daily routine could be more detailed in animation. Fishing, chopping woods, forging metals, making weapons, eating and drinking, the lists go on. I like to have more dialogue choices and right to refuse any quest. Many times you are given just one choice in 'Oblivion'.





Another thing is consequences of player character's action and its influence to the persistent world such as guilds. In 'Oblivion', your deeds, either good or evil, hardly create impact on the gaming world. Although there are more than one method to solve many individual task, and more than one result in outcome of the quest, it really doesn't change the grand scheme of the game. I heard 'Bethesda' is really working hard on this for the upcoming 'Fallout 3'. Multiple endings and various intricate political stands among different factions would be greatly appreciated.





Next thing is different combat mechanics for 3rd person perspective. 1st person perspective is outstanding in 'Oblivion' but it would be sweet to have the alternative combat mechanics in 'Vanity Mode' also. That way, gamers have choice between realistic 1st-person combat and more arcady 3rd-person combat. Accurate jumping mechanics like the one in 'Metroid Prime' would be awesome compared to the unrealistical moonwalking in the air in 'Oblivion'. More acrobatic combat moves like rolling and dodging would be fantastic additions.





Havoc engine is great, but I hope the object manipulation becomes more useful in the actual gaming world, quests, or combat in the next iteration.





And my pet peeve of the game, it's so difficult to fight the enemies while NPCs are around, especially the essential characters that you must protect.





These are merely the positive suggestions rather than pointing out the game's flaws.





New ideas to improve the immersion for too much open-endedness would be great idea to narrow the gap between linear RPG and non-linear RPG.





Making RPG and simulating more life-like world is the ultimate holy grail Bethesda has been working for since 'Arena', I am sure.


No matter which TES game you like the most, the pathetic reality is that the choice of CRPG is very scarce in the market right now, and we need more refined game like 'Oblivion' to embrace mainstream casual gamers without alienating the hardcore RPG gamers so that market will once be crowded with good CRPGs.





The newly released GOTY (Game of the year) edition of 'TES IV Oblivion' contains the original 'Oblivion' along with 'Knights of the Nine' and 'Shiverilg Isles'. Unfortunately, the rest of the official DLCs (Downloadable Contents) are not available in the package. But the new PSN is now up and running, and there's great chance that the DLCs will be available on PSN as many DLCs are for other games. I strongly recommend you to purchase the retail version of PS3 'Shivering Isles' if you own the previous version of PS3 'Oblivion' for it already contains 'Knights of the Nine'. If you decide to go with GOTY edition, then make sure you uninstall the entire older version before you reinstall with the newer version. And yes, you can use the older save game files, but they could potentially cause some stability issues for the console version as opposed to the PC version. If you never played 'Oblivion', GOTY edition is a terrific purchase with infinite value. The graphic is simply breathtaking, and loading time is almost as fast as most of PC. There's no shame in owning this excellent game on PS3 console. One downside of console version is the lack of access to thousands of user-created mods created by 'TES Construction Set'. They are only compatible for PC.





This game literally never ends. You'll spends hundreds of hours and one day, you'll simply quit at your own device. 'Oblivion' is the one game truly non-linear, free-form, open-ended to the bitter end, indeed.