Hardware Ten Years On: Oblivion

I play Skyrim more often but, I still like Oblivion and play it from time to time. Fortunately, whilst it was notoriously demanding of PCs in it's day, my present system makes mincemeat of running it with everything maxed.

 

So wait, you're going to write us this fond memoir about the dark and quirky sides of Oblivion - but then completely ignore Sherogorath's summons into the Shivering Isles?

 

I absolutely loved oblivion back in 2006 I was totally stunned from the moment I got out of the sewers and saw the detail and sheer size of the world

Funny to see it today totally playable on intel integrated graphics I still think of Oblivion and FEAR as being incredibly demanding games

 

To me the defining feature of Oblivion that still calls out to me is the juicy greenery. Skyrim just feels so barren (yes I know it's supposed to be, but still) and grey, even with all the mods. It just made me feel so happy wondering around on foot among the hills, encountering random mobs and basking in the beauty of the landscape.

I didn't get that same, happy vibe with Skyrim, it just felt so dark and oppressive. It was a bit like wondering around the Lake District on a standard English summer day, beautiful but you're constantly aware of the rain and wind. Arguably this is perfect lore-wise, it just didn't work for me personally. I'll have the same issues if Bethesda goes for desert or marshland in the next game.

 

man i remember this game, it launched while i was at unit studying games design. i loved it to bits scary its 10 years old

 

I have a habit of getting into things many years after the hype has worn off, consequently, I didn't play Morrowind until years after it's release, then I bought Oblivion after I saw it cheap in Game one day. I played it for a few weeks and was really impressed but then Skyrim was on special on Steam, so I bought that, and was just blow away, so I never really got to play Oblivion enough, through no fault of it's own really.



Still I think Morrowind is the best, followed by Skyrim, followed by Oblivion... Never played 1 + 2.



Nice article

 

I remember this game being the "But can it run...?" game before Crysis came along. It really is scary that it's a decade old already.

Pretty much what I wanted to say.

 

I used to find a good vantage point and admire the sunrise/sunset and the scenery.

 

I played through Oblivion a bunch of times and loved it. I tried it again recently and just can't get into it. One thing about it is that I always found out something new in each playthrough. For the longest time I felt the magic system just felt flat. I recall doing that quest to infiltrate the mythic dawn base and picked up a lightning staff. While being chased by like 5 guys I turn around and shot the staff at their feet. It missed but the bolt split and just wrecked them all like they stepped on a claymore. Had no idea a single target lighting spell could be used in that manner.

It is the little things like that give me that nostalgic feeling when I think of Oblivion, then I think about the plane of oblivion that has the path winding up the mountain and you have to go through the caves to reach the tower. I hated that one. While fun at first it just became too tedious to keep closing oblivion gates. Even speed running the planes was too much because there were just too many gates!

 

I never played this. At the time I didn't have a gaming PC and was busy sorting things out. I did buy Skyrim and did complete the main quest but I'll admit it was rather forced and I didn't really enjoy it a lot. Lore and dragons etc just don't do anything for me.

Now Fallout 3? dang, dude. I do know I have Oblivion to thank for it really