The Observer, April 13, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 24
Shivering Isles' entertainment does not warrant price
When The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion arrived last year, it was hailed as a bold step forward for RPGs. Vast open worlds, convincing city dwellers, creative quests – few games had been this immersive. Character creation had incredible depth, as any of your actions could shape how your alter-ego would develop. Still, for all of the things that Oblivion did so well, many fans seemed to ignore the game's shortcomings. Combat was too simplistic and clunky, the scenery quickly became dull, and the main adventure was not nearly as enjoyable as the dozens of side quests. However, developer Bethesda is back with a new expansion that addresses many of these concerns. Is the content in Shivering Isles enough to warrant the steep price tag?
At the very least, Shivering Isles make a solid first impression. After downloading the game (available at take2games.com for the PC or on the Xbox Live Marketplace for the 360), you will discover a portal that will transport you to the realms of Mania and Dementia. Both of these areas are controlled by the mad prince Sheogorath, an all-powerful being with a tenuous grip on reality. His divided kingdom is a manifestation of his split personality. Until the very end of the game, it is unknown whether or not the seemingly insane ruler of the Shivering Isles can be trusted or not.
The expansion's story is easily more interesting than the main game's quest to close all of the Oblivion gates. Everyone you interact with in these realms has gone completely insane, including the entirety of the royal court, making for some surprising plot twists. You may even find yourself listening to most of the dialogue, although most of the same voices have been recycled. The world is just as mysterious. Colossal, fluorescent mushrooms cover the landscape, and the starry skies look beautiful. Rather than fighting skeletons and orcs ripped straight out of Dungeons and Dragons, the monsters here include insects, acrobatic swordsmen, and walking tree trunks. OK, they may not be original, but at least they're a change from what we're used to.
The split world is not just for show. Many of the main quests force your character to embrace either darkness or insanity. For instance, one requires the construction of the gatekeeper, your own personal Frankenstein that can be summoned at any time afterwards. Another task requires you to take a debilitating drug as you search for a valuable item; if you do not find it in time, your character will suffer through stat-reducing withdrawal. Sadly, this creativity seems to run dry about halfway through Shivering Isles.
After you have completed several of these bizarre missions, Sheogorath requests you to go on a series of uninspired fetch-quests in order to prevent his kingdom from being destroyed. In other words: more dungeon-crawling through the same dull mazes that were found in Oblivion. There are side missions to try when the main adventure slows down, but these errands are even less interesting.
Value is also an issue. As the most expensive download on the Marketplace (2400 Microsoft fun-bucks, or 30 American dollars), there are certain expectations. At half the price of the original Oblivion, shouldn't Shivering Isles be roughly half as long? I'm all for quality over quantity, but I was disappointed to discover that fulfilling your obligation to Sheogorath can be done in less than seven hours. New weapons, spells, and items help, but I found the overall package lacking. Also, the 360 version's load times are horrendous, and I've heard reports of some severe glitches in the PC version. Be wary before purchasing.
Though I was looking for something more substantial, it is hard to fault Bethesda. The developer has come a long way since the infamous "horse armor" debacle from last year, but at the same time, a ticket to Shivering Isles is just a bit too expensive for average players. If you're a diehard fan completed every single guild mission and maxed-out all of your abilities, then by all means, check out this expansion. Everyone else should wait for the inevitable Elder Scrolls V.
