The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

When The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was released for the Xbox 360 in 2006, it was considered by many to be the best role playing game of the year. Fortunately, PlayStation 3 owners will now be able to delve into the world of Tamriel. Oblivion is based on a user created character that is immersed in a world of tyranny. The gamers role is to find an heir to the throne because the previous heir was murdered. As a result, the gates to the Oblivion open. Consequently, nefarious demons come from these gates and attack innocent civilians. Players must find a way to find the heir and prevent the destruction of Tamriel. The game starts by customizing your character from the ground up. This entails race, gender, class, and attributes (ala Jade Empire). A few of the classes include thieves, warriors, and wizards. Each class has their own pros and cons. For instance, a thief will be proficient in pilfering items. A warrior will be an amazing fighter, and a wizard will be a brilliant spell caster. The gameplay is where Oblivion really shines. It is more than a linear role playing game. One element of the game that sticks out like a sore thumb is the exploration. There are a plethora of video games that give you an objective, and you have to see it through until the end. That is not the case with Oblivion. Players are in control of when they want to further the main storyline. In regards to the main storyline, you will be encountering a myriad of malicious monsters that want to crush Tamriel.

Gamers can follow the main plot, or they can fool around with the seemingly endless character interactions. What would a role playing game be without side-quests? Nothing. Luckily, Oblivion does a remarkable job of giving you a laundry list of optional missions to complete. One of the optional missions can be to retrieve an item. But it is not as rudimentary as that. While recovering the item, you might be ambushed by some thugs or creatures. I would spend so much time away from the main storyline that I forgot all about it. Secret caves and dungeons are places that are scattered throughout the world of Oblivion. The combat in Oblivion feels more like a first person shooter than a true role playing game. You can attack with various magic spells, swords, arrows, and so much more. For example, gamers can assail a foe from afar with magic or arrows. After that, they can close in on their opponent with a sword attack. Having versatile combat like that is unprecedented for a role playing game. Sometimes you do not even have to fight. Stealth can be utilized in order to circumvent your way through the next stage in the game. The audio in the game is not bad. The sounds of weapons hitting against each other do sound realistic. All of the dialogue in the game is spoken.

In contrast to the lifeless reading of text in role playing games like Zelda and Final Fantasy. Conversely, many of the same voices are used for multiple characters. The visuals in Oblivion on the PlayStation 3 are marginally better than on the Xbox 360. Frame rate flaws on the PlayStation 3 edition are slim when compared to the Xbox 360 iteration. Loading screens are no longer a concern with the release of the game on the PlayStation 3. If anyone came across a loading screen in the Xbox 360 adaptation of the game, he or she could have more than enough time to make a sandwich and eat it. Unlike the Xbox 360 version, there is minimal load times throughout the duration of Oblivion on the PlayStation 3. Overall, Oblivion is an epic role playing game from beginning to end. Over forty hours of gameplay is well worth anyone's time.
Final verdict: The Elder Scrolls IV is a great game.
9 out of 10