The Observer, April 14, 2006
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 24
Oblivion provides artistic fun, realism
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The role-playing genre has seen somewhat of a renaissance in recent years. Games such as Knights of the Old Republic and Fable gave players moral choices that determined whether their characters were good or evil. At the same time, World of Warcraft became wildly popular due to its expansive worlds and freedom to do almost anything. While some of these innovations have been superficial, RPGs appear to be at a turning point. Less time is devoted to exhausting cut scenes, and more toward the actual gameplay. Developers are encouraging gamers to customize their alter egos and explore the world around them as they see fit. An example of this increasing personalization can be found in the excellent Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, a first-person epic for the Xbox 360 and PC.
You can do anything you want in Oblivion. Landscapes stretch as far as the eye can see, with plenty of dungeons and shrines along the way to make early expeditions more exciting. Caves, lakes, and forests contain even more secrets. To walk from one end of the map to the other would probably take a couple hours. There are hundreds of things that can be done at any point in the game, meaning that if a player gets bored with the main quest, he has the option of engaging in dozens of optional missions. Basically, Oblivion is the ultimate "sandbox" title, giving even WoW a run for its money in the real-estate department
Combat is enjoyable but could be improved. The controls feel a bit cumbersome, especially on the 360, which features a frustrating quick-select option to pick spells and weapons. I think that a lock-on mechanism, similar to the one found in Metroid Prime, would go a long way in remedying some of the headaches in trying to defeat multiple foes. Even so, the plentiful spells, swordplay, and sneaking keep battles lively even when the controls don't function as well as would hope.
Graphically, Oblivion is beautiful. Some readers are definitely going to need a new graphics card to run this game. All of the special effects, levels, and especially the foliage, are jaw-dropping. I've never played a game that pulled off an organic environment so well. Even the cities are convincing, with citizens walking along their predetermined paths, conducting conversations with each other. How the developers did all this while also maintaining a constant framerate (barring loading) is a mystery.
The story in the game is told well and the voice acting is top notch, but I think most players will find the side quests more compelling. There is a large variety in the number of available adventures, ranging from rescue missions to espionage. Along the way, you can fool around with alchemy, restoration, or any other attribute that needs improvement. There is always something to see or do in this game; the developer's attention to detail is astounding. Just be ready to adjust to a learning curve towards the beginning of the game. Some of the dungeons can be brutal depending on your magic and class.
Oblivion is the best RPG to come around in a long time. Though I originally had doubts that such a mammoth game could work with little direction, I have happily been proven wrong. This is a huge, evolutionary step in both PC and console gaming, and best of all, the experience will continue to improve as downloadable levels are introduced this week.
