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> Results: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a massive action game where you can develop and customize how your character grows over time, at the same time, it's a game of moments. There are so many amazing little things throughout this game that you'll discover yourself smiling from time to time, caught up in a moment that comes out of nowhere. From the sprawling and open game world to wonderful side quests and little stories you'll uncover, there are magic moments throughout. But for all the great things in Oblivion, there is a huge list of things that aren't so great. From the weird level-matching to the boring main story to the widely varying intelligence of the characters to the frustrating limitations of the game being designed for a console and more, there are a multitude of problems throughout this huge game. And while Oblivion seems like a broad attempt to make everyone happy that leaves the game with some glaring flaws, the ﾑmoments' I mentioned are what will have you coming back again and again, wandering through the game world for hours looking for yet another magic moment. So while you may grumble or complain about something in the game, it will be while you are trying to find just a bit more time to keep playing.
 
Imagine a game where you could run through the fields, see beautiful flowers and pick blossoms, meet interesting strangers and find out interesting happenings around town. Now imagine a game in which you are haunted by zombies and gruesome disembodied spirits, where you confront a group of women who lure men to their death with the promise of fulfilling their sexual fantasies, and where you are often tasked with cold blooded murder. Imagine further a game where you can kill anyone you want, take anything you want, do anything you want, and you see a world that is ultimately built for adults. Oblivion is all of those things and more. While much of the game feels casual and comfortable, there is a dark side available to those who choose to pursue it, and can get very dark and seedy at times.
The world of Oblivion is a large and living world populated with characters that have schedules and places to go. This adds to a feeling of immersion in the world and a sense of camaraderie with those you meet. You will love the characters who sweep past you on horseback shouting that they can't stop, or the beggars looking for a spare coin to feed their family, or the jealous or vengeful person looking for you to help them exact revenge, and more. You will be reviled by the monsters and evil creatures, and the sinister Oblivion gates that spring up across the land, casting a blood-red pall over the landscape. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a game in which graphics matter ﾖ it is projecting a real world in a realistic way, and that gives decisions and outcomes a bit more moral heft than many other games. I was happily exploring a happy town with my kids watching when I met someone and had a chat that resulted in them getting furious and running off to confront the guards, which resulted in the person getting brutally struck down. My kids were shocked, and so was I ﾖ and I gravely regretted letting them watch me play. This isn't a game for kids to play ﾖ or even to watch. The game earns its M rating and Adult seal because the situations are unpredictably adult, but invariably realistically presented with very good voice acting. Editor's Note: It's worth noting that we gave the console version of this game our Adult Seal despite the original T-Teen rating from the ESRB. The ESRB has since changed the rating to M-Mature, primarily due to the complaints of parents. Read the full story about the ratings change and the "controversy" over a nudity hack unique to the PC version. -GamerDad This review edited by Andrew Bub Comments? Chat about it in our forums! Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us | Buy This Game Home > Review Archive > Video Games > Results: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion |
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