Plunder the Planes of Oblivion

Being an avid gamer, I've noticed the school of thought concerning the "purpose" of video games varies from gamer to gamer. Personally, I like to explore. To see the art and architecture of a virtual world painted with digital dexterity amazes me as to the possibilities of imagination in the world of computer graphics. Fallout 3 has been one of Bethesda Softworks' most profitable ventures, yet, when it comes to exploring the world itself, the necessity of post-apocalyptic waste leaves the viewer with a bleak visage. An older game, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion rivals, if not topples Fallout in terms of the explorer's appeal.

Vast stretches of forest ending in timberlines at the base of white crested mountaintops exist for the sole purpose of exploration. "Ayleid" ruins, filled with unique designs and architecture provide for hours upon hours of eye-pleasing advenures. The game was released in 2006 which places it far behind the current trend of fast-paced gun and run for cover style of the Call of Duty series which has become the status quo of video game blockbusters. However, for the casual gamer, or those seeking respite from the high-stress world of bombs and bullets, swords, shields and sorcery immerse the player in a fantasy world which, in 1080p, is so disparate from the style of modern warfare, one questions whether or not to rejoin the real world.

With no multiplayer option, the player's interaction with the world is completely left to the player themselves. How your character is perceived, loved, hated, adored or even deified is completely up to you. However, in stark contrast to the sprawling verdant world of Cyrodiil, The Shivering Isles, an expansion to Oblivion, is a bipolar archipelago of the worlds of Mania and Dementia.

Rather than the coniferous and deciduous flora of the main game, mushrooms populate the organic world of Sheogorath's realm. Needless to say, the mentality of the NPCs (Non-player characters) seems to be strongly influenced by the produce of their world. With the Xbox 360 package, the expansion is packaged with the original. Thus, with the vastly differentiated worlds to explore, conquer or liberate, the world of Tamriel is your digital oyster.

After playing through the game half a dozen times, I continually find myself reinventing my character, reasserting my choices, and reliving my virtual fantasy. Looking for a digital vacation? Fly to Oblivion, you won't be disappointed.