MiguelItUp
Member
Beat the original, beat the remaster. I loved it, had a great time with it and it felt refreshing enough to play all the way through. Definitely one of the most memorable releases this year for me.
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Oblivion Remastered? GAF impressions?
- Thread starter Humdinger
- Start date
Humdinger
Member
I'm enjoying it a lot, glad I picked it up. I'm about Level 7, just poking around Bruma at the moment.
For a long time, I was resistant to playing "another long open-world RPG." I felt tired of them. They were too long, too much of a time-waster, too bloated with busywork. That's what I thought, anyhow. Something changed for me lately, though. I want something that you can lose yourself in for hours. I want something you can just wander around in.
I'm not being quest-focused. That's helping. Sometimes I'll follow a questline, but more often I'm wandering around, exploring whatever I happen to run across. It's a relaxing, pleasant experience.
It's a game I played before, but it's been so long -- 20 years -- that I don't remember any of it. I sort of feel like I'm playing a new Bethesda game. I'm glad that I've played these games before, though, because I know where the enjoyment is for me, and I also know what I don't want to bother with (e.g., alchemy). That saves time and reduces the sense of "too much to do."
For a long time, I was resistant to playing "another long open-world RPG." I felt tired of them. They were too long, too much of a time-waster, too bloated with busywork. That's what I thought, anyhow. Something changed for me lately, though. I want something that you can lose yourself in for hours. I want something you can just wander around in.
I'm not being quest-focused. That's helping. Sometimes I'll follow a questline, but more often I'm wandering around, exploring whatever I happen to run across. It's a relaxing, pleasant experience.
It's a game I played before, but it's been so long -- 20 years -- that I don't remember any of it. I sort of feel like I'm playing a new Bethesda game. I'm glad that I've played these games before, though, because I know where the enjoyment is for me, and I also know what I don't want to bother with (e.g., alchemy). That saves time and reduces the sense of "too much to do."
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Zacfoldor
Gold Member
Because the anniversary edition screwed up Fallout 4, it is the go to on PS5 for Bethesda games now.
On XSX that is still New Vegas(the best vanilla version of NV available imho) but short of NV on XSX, Oblivion on PS5 is the best.
On PC a modded something or other will be best. Skyblivion perhaps.
On XSX that is still New Vegas(the best vanilla version of NV available imho) but short of NV on XSX, Oblivion on PS5 is the best.
On PC a modded something or other will be best. Skyblivion perhaps.
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Humdinger
Member
I'm enjoying Oblivion a lot more this time vs. my first playthrough, 20 years ago. Back then, I remember continually measuring it against Morrowind and feeling let down. I loved Morrowind, and I expected Oblivion to improve on that, but instead it felt dumbed down and lacking. So it really suffered by comparison with Morrowind, at least in my mind at the time.
This time, I'm measuring it against Bethesda's recent output -- Starfield, Fallout 76, Fallout 4 Anniversary edition, etc. -- and appreciating how it captures the old Bethesda magic.
This time, I'm measuring it against Bethesda's recent output -- Starfield, Fallout 76, Fallout 4 Anniversary edition, etc. -- and appreciating how it captures the old Bethesda magic.
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DonkeyPunchJr
World’s Biggest Weeb
I'm playing it now and enjoying the hell out of it. It has a ton of charm to it. It's janky but also really ambitious and ahead of its time.
I love the visual style, it's like what me from 20 years ago dreamed RPGs could look like.
And thank god they fixed the retarded leveling system. That was almost enough to ruin the original for me.
I love the visual style, it's like what me from 20 years ago dreamed RPGs could look like.
And thank god they fixed the retarded leveling system. That was almost enough to ruin the original for me.
ShaiKhulud1989
Gold Member
My opininon will be out right after the patch that fixes the PC performance. Or any performance.
Humdinger
Member
Yeah, I remember a lot of people complaining about that in the original. I'm glad they fixed that. I remember feeling frustrated with it. I didn't feel like I was getting that much stronger as I went along, because the enemy leveling seemed very closely tied to mine. Something about it was off. It's much better now.
They seem to have mixed up the loot better this time, too. I chuckled in the original at how every chest had the same amount of gold in it.
And yeah, the visuals are a big improvement over the original. It adds a lot to the atmosphere.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Agree on all accounts.
I enjoyed my time with the remaster immensely earlier this year, even 1000G'd it like the original.
RainblowDash
Gold Member
Got it for PS5 and Platinum'd it.
Originally played on the Xbox 360.
Great game!
Originally played on the Xbox 360.
Great game!
DonkeyPunchJr
World’s Biggest Weeb
The enemy scaling was dumb, but the worst part was the way the stat bonuses at level-up worked. If you played the way the game seemingly intended (as in, pick the skills you plan to use most as your primary skills and just play the way you feel like playing) you permanently screwed yourself with shitty stat growth. If you wanted those sweet +5s then you had to micromanage your skill growth and play in the most counterintuitive way possible.
It's like torture if you're a RPG nerd with OCD
Humdinger
Member
Yeah, you're right. A lot of people complained about that. Glad they fixed it. I guess I wasn't paying enough attention to the nuances of the leveling system to notice that, at the time.
I did have a bad case of RPG restart-itis, though. I used to spend the first 8 hours of an Elder Scrolls game creating a character, playing a while, then starting over and creating a different character, trying to get the balance just right. This time, I just stuck with the character I chose, even though I screwed up some of the stat bonuses (e.g., took a big bonus to Strength thinking it went to Health but actually it went to heavy weapons, which I don't use at all, oops).
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Humdinger
Member
Damn, I love this game. I'm playing 4 hours a day. I haven't done that for nearly a decade.
I'm 40 hours in and feel like I've just scratched the surface. Haven't even bothered with the main questline yet. Martin who?
Great game. Bethesda really nails the freedom, exploration, and immersion.
I'm 40 hours in and feel like I've just scratched the surface. Haven't even bothered with the main questline yet. Martin who?
Great game. Bethesda really nails the freedom, exploration, and immersion.
Humdinger
Member
I'm 110 hours in and still really enjoying it. I haven't touched the main quest. Well, I did return the ring to Weynon Priory, but I haven't visited Kvatch yet or found Martin. Partly that's because I'm not interested in the main quest -- I found the story generic and the Oblivion realms repetitive. But I also don't want to trigger Oblivion gates popping up all over the place, which will make free exploration harder. And to me, the free exploration is what it's all about. That's mostly what I'm doing -- adventuring, doing whatever I come across (forts, caves, etc.), then returning to town to sell loot, do a few quests, and head on out again.
I thought I was burned out on open-world RPGs. Turned out I was just burned out on boring open-world RPGs. I still like the way Bethesda does (or did) it.
I thought I was burned out on open-world RPGs. Turned out I was just burned out on boring open-world RPGs. I still like the way Bethesda does (or did) it.
Nintendo's Witch
Member
I enjoye it. Didn't finished tho, but that's me and 80% of games nowadays
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adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
You should do the guild quests, at least, if you haven't. Most of them are pretty good.
Humdinger
Member
Yes, I'm doing some of them occasionally. Working to qualify for entrance to Arcane University. And I'll get to the Dark Brotherhood quests eventually. I don't think I did them on my first run for some reason, or at least I don't remember them, but everyone talks about how good that questline is, so I'll have to do it this time. A few Fighter's Guild quests so far, just low level-ones. I have not bothered much with the Thieves' Guild yet, because I have more than enough money and don't really need to steal.
Btw, I just realized my game clock is way off. Apparently what is happening is when I put the PS5 in "Rest" mode, the game clock continues. So if I play a little in the morning, put it in "Rest," then play more that night, the game thinks I've been playing the whole day. No wonder it shows 120 hours. I thought that seemed like an awful lot. Actually, that's a relief to know. I have been playing a few hours a day, but I found it hard to fathom that I'd already put over 100 hours in. But no, it's probably more like 40.
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simpatico
Gold Member
If any TES game needed a systems and quest update, it's Oblivion. For what I would have wanted out of it, they took the worst approach. Skyblivion will do this better than this. This needed to be Obrim to have a reason to exist.
If you're console only and deadset on staying such, it's a different story. Might be worth your time if you can appreciate the quaint aspects. It's got a lot of old school clunk without the benefit of old school, more serious writing.
If you're console only and deadset on staying such, it's a different story. Might be worth your time if you can appreciate the quaint aspects. It's got a lot of old school clunk without the benefit of old school, more serious writing.
UltimaKilo
Gold Member
Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood are the two best, IMO.
I really would have thought we were due for a major patch before Christmas, but alas, incompetence.
Banjo64
cumsessed
dropped off this hard after the first oblivion gate.
looked amazing on screenshots but it's dreadful in motion. the frame drops kill it completely.
the biggest thing for me though was the gameplay. it's a very pretty version of oblivion but oblivion is a product very much stuck in the early 2000s. the fane simply hasn't aged well imo.
looked amazing on screenshots but it's dreadful in motion. the frame drops kill it completely.
the biggest thing for me though was the gameplay. it's a very pretty version of oblivion but oblivion is a product very much stuck in the early 2000s. the fane simply hasn't aged well imo.
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DEAD ORIGINAL
Member
Was a great game, anyone else had the glitch at night looked like someone shinning lights everywhere
ValiantInstance
Member
It took up a good 3 weeks of my life back in spring. I'd never played it before so it was refreshing to play a Bethesda game with half decent writing. I'm a big New Vegas fan so I always understood what Fallout 4 did wrong. I now get why some people were disappointed with Skyrim.
Simple things like making your own spells. Why would you take that out?
I played it on a 9070XT which has very strong 1% lows, especially in UE5 games it seems. So the stuttering wasn't a huge issue for me.
Simple things like making your own spells. Why would you take that out?
I played it on a 9070XT which has very strong 1% lows, especially in UE5 games it seems. So the stuttering wasn't a huge issue for me.
Cyberpunkd
Member
I would say the gameplay is still miles ahead of the convoluted systems we have right now for the sake of being "complex".
Anyway, wife demands, wife gets. Bought this for Steam Deck, made engine tweaks, Lumen is on. Mix of Low and Medium, open world is 28-30FPS, inside it locked 30FPS. I can live with that, cartoony graphics is never something I appreciated, I prefer the grounded Morrowind graphics way more so the remaster IMO improved from the original.
Cleric_of-
Neo Member
Personally i enjoyed the Remaster much more than the original which i hated with passion because i was a hardcore Morrowind fanboy.
After so many years i was finally able to enjoy the game on its own terms and the small tweaks to the leveling system also helped a bit.
After so many years i was finally able to enjoy the game on its own terms and the small tweaks to the leveling system also helped a bit.
Soodanim
Member
I never finished the original, but I would like to enjoy that world. There's a lot there lore-wise and by all accounts some great stuff to appreciate.
I'm put off by both the performance of Remaster and the uncertainty around modding.
I know that when Skyblivion drops I will be able to jump in with the most up to date Skyrim QOL and core gameplay enhancement mods, no questions asked. And I won't be bogged down by stutters and all the rest of it. Hell, there are even Skyrim mods to patch in DLSS/FSR if needed.
As much as I'm not particularly impressed by pretty graphics, the tweaks to Oblivion the game are what interest me most about Remastere so it's a shame the other bits let it down.
I should probably practice modding on Linux though, it might be messier at first and I'm out of practice with MO2.
I'm put off by both the performance of Remaster and the uncertainty around modding.
I know that when Skyblivion drops I will be able to jump in with the most up to date Skyrim QOL and core gameplay enhancement mods, no questions asked. And I won't be bogged down by stutters and all the rest of it. Hell, there are even Skyrim mods to patch in DLSS/FSR if needed.
As much as I'm not particularly impressed by pretty graphics, the tweaks to Oblivion the game are what interest me most about Remastere so it's a shame the other bits let it down.
I should probably practice modding on Linux though, it might be messier at first and I'm out of practice with MO2.
Fess
Member
Absolutely loving it. Was my GOTY. Yes
Punished Miku
I went from Avowed (which I enjoyed more than expected) to Oblivion and it instantly made Avowed seem older. The way Oblivion do object interaction, physics, NPC simulation and routines, is still impressive 2 decades later. Bethesda really is the king on this stuff and it really matters imo.
And they improved the whole thing a ton. Up close it looks nicer of course but also how the different areas look, a swamp look like a swamp and a mountain like a mountain etc. I think it looks amazing, playing it maxed out on PC. And they've improved a bunch of gameplay related things. I like the sprint and sword combat is definitely better, not sure what they did but I'm having fun. And the level up mechanic is easier.
I could never go through and finish the original, partly as with Skyrim because there is so much stuff to do and and I always drift away from the main quest, but partly also because I couldn't deal with the level up system. You had to really know what you were doing in the original or you would end up making the game harder the more you level up.
Haven't finished the remaster yet but I should be at minimum half way through by now and in general don't have any problem with my character build. I've carved out a nice sword and magic build, still holding on to Honorblade of Chorrol, never returned it, so no weight since it's a quest item, then destruction magic, can plow through oblivion gates. I'm having fun!
I do think Skyrim with a similar update would be better though. If I would rate Oblivion Remastered right now I would end at a 9 and save the 10 for Skyrim Remastered. Both originals are among my all time favorites.
Punished Miku
I went from Avowed (which I enjoyed more than expected) to Oblivion and it instantly made Avowed seem older. The way Oblivion do object interaction, physics, NPC simulation and routines, is still impressive 2 decades later. Bethesda really is the king on this stuff and it really matters imo.
And they improved the whole thing a ton. Up close it looks nicer of course but also how the different areas look, a swamp look like a swamp and a mountain like a mountain etc. I think it looks amazing, playing it maxed out on PC. And they've improved a bunch of gameplay related things. I like the sprint and sword combat is definitely better, not sure what they did but I'm having fun. And the level up mechanic is easier.
I could never go through and finish the original, partly as with Skyrim because there is so much stuff to do and and I always drift away from the main quest, but partly also because I couldn't deal with the level up system. You had to really know what you were doing in the original or you would end up making the game harder the more you level up.
Haven't finished the remaster yet but I should be at minimum half way through by now and in general don't have any problem with my character build. I've carved out a nice sword and magic build, still holding on to Honorblade of Chorrol, never returned it, so no weight since it's a quest item, then destruction magic, can plow through oblivion gates. I'm having fun!
I do think Skyrim with a similar update would be better though. If I would rate Oblivion Remastered right now I would end at a 9 and save the 10 for Skyrim Remastered. Both originals are among my all time favorites.
Cyberpunkd
Member
Playing it for about 15hrs now, wife put 35hrs and finished the game. I would say I am enjoying this, has been a long time I played Skyrim, and never got a lot into OG Oblivion. The main quest is rubbish, the side quests are really good (which i what I have read online before). However a few systems aged really badly:
1. Tedious Alchemy levelling
2. Tedious Mercantile levelling
3. Save game crashing due to too much object information being stored as the game goes on
Really good experience, although I am tempted to shelve it a bit till Legion Go 2 gets here, a it runs absolutely rubbish on the Steam deck.
1. Tedious Alchemy levelling
2. Tedious Mercantile levelling
3. Save game crashing due to too much object information being stored as the game goes on
Really good experience, although I am tempted to shelve it a bit till Legion Go 2 gets here, a it runs absolutely rubbish on the Steam deck.
pudel
Member
Alchemy was super easy to max out. Just get some ingredients for a low level recipe (cant remember which one it was) and brew them for 5 minutes over and over again...done. Magic is the same. Just cast low level spells over and over again and you level up in no time. The moment you can craft yr own spells, you can create yr own leveling spells for even better leveling up. Just be aware that you are increasing yr whole level with this as well and enemies getting harder as well.
Panajev2001a
GAF's Pleasant Genius
I do not get why this game does not get a lot more flack for that. Are people now that insensitive or have people learned to love essentially animated bullshots after mocking them in the past?
In motion, on consoles, it is one visual artefact after the other. Have people forgotten the SSR bug where your sword would be projected into an afar lake near the exit of the sewers? Yuck…
Cyberpunkd
Member
Yeah, the potion is "Restore Fatigue" one, you can use any vegetable/fruit for that. But that is also what I meant - the system are that of 20-year old game, they were not updated for the remaster.Alchemy was super easy to max out. Just get some ingredients for a low level recipe (cant remember which one it was) and brew them for 5 minutes over and over again...done. Magic is the same. Just cast low level spells over and over again and you level up in no time. The moment you can craft yr own spells, you can create yr own leveling spells for even better leveling up. Just be aware that you are increasing yr whole level with this as well and enemies getting harder as well.
pudel
Member
Whats wrong with the system? You level up according to what you are doing. I like it and its still often used in other modern games.
Cyberpunkd
Member
A few nitpicks:
1. The number of ingredients used does not effect the XP gain, best to just go with 2
2. There is no easy way to filter by potions being created, you need to look for highlighted attribute to know if you can make the potion
3. No way to make multiple potions at once, need to click one by one
4. The number of ingredients held do not show on the main potion window, only on the left side but that is sometimes hidden (since the ingredients being used are pinned to the top of the list)
5. There is no way to "favorite" recipes or ingredients and have them show with extra UI element in the open world - I don't remember which game was that, might have been Outer Worlds 1, that allowed you to set the recipe and then each time you came across that crafting item you would know
pudel
Member
Ah okay, you mean you are not total against this system, just about the way it was done....got it...and agree, there is usually always something to improve.
Fess
Member
Worst thing on that is that merchants can't pay the real value of your stuff. I think 3000 gold is the max payout. What's the point of having items worth 5,6,7 thousand gold?
Cyberpunkd
Member
Not only that but if I noticed correctly the amount merchant has allows him or her to pay you in a single transaction, that's not the total amount of money they have. Someone showing as having 800 gold will buy from you up to 800 gold in item/multiple items at once, but not more. However you can then repeat the operation unlimited number of times, which is just dumb.
Humdinger
Member
I'm in Shivering Isles now, approaching the 200 hour mark. I'm probably going to call it quits after this. 9/10 for me. I love these old Bethesda games. They are great for just relaxing and enjoying yourself.
I spent most of my first 80 hours or so just exploring caves, ruins, and forts, plus running around the open world. As I collected loot and cashed it in, my Mercantile skill leveled to 100 before I knew it. I didn't "haggle" with a merchant once. Didn't see the point in haggling over a few bucks when the money was coming out my pointed ears. I expected a trophy for becoming a millionaire, but no such luck.
I did all the faction quests and every side quest I came across. I skipped the Main Quest. I didn't enjoy that in 2009, thought it was the worst part of the game. I found it to be a repetitive, claustrophobic, gloomy, confusing chore in a cramped space -- not what I enjoy about Elder Scrolls games at all.
I had two crashes in nearly 200 hours. Other people have more, but it hasn't been a big deal for me. I get some framerate slowdown now and then, but I'm used to that with Bethesda games. It just goes with the territory, so it doesn't bother me. I'm on PS5 Pro, fwiw. I had one quest glitch out on me, although maybe I missed something.
I didn't like the alchemy part of the game -- too much fussing around with specific ingredients and effects. I just ignored it completely. I didn't even find potions very useful. I collected and sold the valuable ones, but I rarely used them myself. I've probably used a dozen potions the entire game.
Same with scrolls. I had a bunch of them but hardly ever used them. I enjoyed archery, or else sword & shield when things got up close. I imagined a more magical character in the beginning, but that's not how it worked out.
I put most of my points into combat-related abilities and left my Personality stat alone until late game, so I was a strong, rich warrior who people didn't like much -- sort of like real life (/s). On the speechcraft side, I didn't like the "persuade" system much. I never quite understood how that worked. I always just paid people off. Again, just like real life. ;p
I spent most of my first 80 hours or so just exploring caves, ruins, and forts, plus running around the open world. As I collected loot and cashed it in, my Mercantile skill leveled to 100 before I knew it. I didn't "haggle" with a merchant once. Didn't see the point in haggling over a few bucks when the money was coming out my pointed ears. I expected a trophy for becoming a millionaire, but no such luck.
I did all the faction quests and every side quest I came across. I skipped the Main Quest. I didn't enjoy that in 2009, thought it was the worst part of the game. I found it to be a repetitive, claustrophobic, gloomy, confusing chore in a cramped space -- not what I enjoy about Elder Scrolls games at all.
I had two crashes in nearly 200 hours. Other people have more, but it hasn't been a big deal for me. I get some framerate slowdown now and then, but I'm used to that with Bethesda games. It just goes with the territory, so it doesn't bother me. I'm on PS5 Pro, fwiw. I had one quest glitch out on me, although maybe I missed something.
I didn't like the alchemy part of the game -- too much fussing around with specific ingredients and effects. I just ignored it completely. I didn't even find potions very useful. I collected and sold the valuable ones, but I rarely used them myself. I've probably used a dozen potions the entire game.
Same with scrolls. I had a bunch of them but hardly ever used them. I enjoyed archery, or else sword & shield when things got up close. I imagined a more magical character in the beginning, but that's not how it worked out.
I put most of my points into combat-related abilities and left my Personality stat alone until late game, so I was a strong, rich warrior who people didn't like much -- sort of like real life (/s). On the speechcraft side, I didn't like the "persuade" system much. I never quite understood how that worked. I always just paid people off. Again, just like real life. ;p
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Fess
Member
Guessing it's had a bunch of patches. I haven't had a single crash, but I only played it for maybe 30 hours around launch, went back later in the year to real dig into it. Still playing it, I think it's fantastic. Planning to finish the main quest this time, never done that before even though I've played it a ton.