Oblivion Remastered Review: Fighting Mudcrabs in 4K

Score: 8 out of 10 — A Classic Reforged, but Not Without Blemishes

When Bethesda announced a full remaster of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, expectations shot through the roof. After all, Oblivion isn’t just a fan favorite — it’s a landmark RPG that shaped a generation of open-world fantasy games. Now, in 2025, Oblivion Remastered has arrived, and while it shines brightly in many areas, a few old ghosts still haunt its newly polished world.

A Stunning New Coat of Paint

First things first: Oblivion Remastered is gorgeous. Using a modified version of the Creation Engine 2 (borrowed from Starfield and Elder Scrolls VI development), Bethesda has breathed new life into Cyrodiil. The forests feel lush and dense, the cities are bustling and vibrant, and the sunsets over Lake Rumare are breathtaking enough to make even a hardened adventurer stop and stare.

Character models, historically one of Oblivion's biggest criticisms, have been completely overhauled. Faces now convey emotion with far more nuance, armor has intricate detail, and magic effects crackle with modern visual flair. It’s clear a lot of love went into making Cyrodiil feel modern without losing its classic charm.

Gameplay: Familiar, for Better and Worse

At its core, Oblivion Remastered is still Oblivion — and that’s both its greatest strength and its occasional weakness.

The fluid, flexible character building system remains a joy. Whether you want to stealth through the shadows, conjure armies of undead, or charge headfirst into battle with a claymore, the freedom is intoxicating. The game’s signature Radiant AI system has been improved too; NPCs feel more alive, reacting more naturally to player actions and carrying out daily routines with fewer bizarre quirks.

However, certain mechanics that felt revolutionary in 2006 feel clunky by today’s standards. Combat, while improved, can still feel floaty compared to modern action RPGs. Level scaling, while tweaked, still occasionally punishes players for leveling "wrong," making certain encounters feel more frustrating than rewarding.

Bethesda has added some quality-of-life updates — streamlined menus, a vastly improved journal and quest tracker, and optional modernized controls — but players hoping for a complete mechanical overhaul might find the remaster a little too loyal to the original.

Quests and Story: As Brilliant As Ever

The heart of Oblivion was always its world-building and quests, and that magic remains intact. The Dark Brotherhood storyline is still a masterclass in dark, morally complex storytelling. The Thieves Guild remains one of the most rewarding questlines in RPG history. Even simple side quests — like investigating the cursed painting in Chorrol — feel rich and memorable.

Minor improvements to dialogue delivery and added voice variety help modernize the storytelling, though a handful of reused lines and awkward animations occasionally pull you out of the experience.

Performance and Technical Aspects

On next-gen hardware (PS5 Pro, Xbox Series X2, and high-end PCs), Oblivion Remastered runs at a buttery smooth 60 FPS with optional 4K resolution support. Load times are nearly nonexistent.

That said, Bethesda’s reputation for bugs isn’t entirely left in the past. Players can expect minor glitches — an occasional floating NPC here, a stuck quest marker there — though nothing game-breaking. A few early patches have already smoothed out some rougher edges, and more are promised post-launch.

Verdict

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered succeeds in bringing a beloved classic into the modern era while preserving what made it so special. It’s visually stunning, richly detailed, and packed with unforgettable quests — but it’s also somewhat shackled by design decisions that haven’t aged perfectly.

If you loved Oblivion back in 2006, this remaster is a triumphant return to Cyrodiil. If you're new to it, you’ll find a sprawling, ambitious RPG that still holds up remarkably well — just be prepared for a few old-school quirks along the way.

Final Score: 8/out of 10

A classic, beautifully reborn, but not quite redefined.