Hands On: Oblivion Remastered Is Impressive, But There Are Some Performance Issues At Launch
By So, Bethesda has indeed done it, the bold folks, they unveiled The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered during the official announcement livestream – just as had been speculated – and we’ve already navigated through the initial tutorial to share some early observations.
To begin with, this “hands on” experience is solely based on the Xbox Series X edition. Here, you can choose between a Quality and Performance mode, although the game does not seem to inform you of this option during the initial setup. At the moment, performance is undoubtedly the best choice, as there’s a bit of stuttering while traversing open landscapes, but it’s significantly better than the current subpar quality mode, which suffers from noticeable lag.
The game begins with the familiar tutorial from the original, guiding the king and a troop of soldiers through the sewers. All of this feels quite similar to what we’ve encountered before, although it’s certainly extended; the most notable aspect is simply how much improved everything looks and feels!
The combat now has substantial weight, the animations and details are far superior, you can sprint (!), the third-person camera has been enhanced (hurrah), and the action feels much smoother during these opening encounters with rats and brittle skeleton enemies. As evident in our screenshots, the game indeed presents a vastly different appearance, featuring more subdued, natural colors compared to the original, and NPCs appear almost photorealistic, which can be somewhat disconcerting.
Regarding open-world exploration, we’re still in the early stages, but we can confirm that the compass has undergone some nice adjustments, making it easier to discover new locations, hidden caves, and all sorts of interesting spots. We’re confident that if you prefer a more challenging experience, you can disable some of these new aids as well.
The HUD has also been refined for increased usability and clarity, and we sense that numerous subtle adjustments have been made to mechanics like sneaking and archery. Everything feels remarkably polished. There’s a new leveling system that bridges the gap between Skyrim and the original Oblivion, and the inventory menus have greatly improved in both accessibility and detail.
Additionally, there’s a sense of realism in how the world has been reimagined, making it feel much more alive, perilous, and intriguing to traverse. It’s fascinating to hunt for ingredients and gear you’ve previously collected in the old game, as they all now possess a unique character and charm due to the graphical enhancements.
The draw distance has evidently been significantly improved – we spotted distant buildings on a far-off peak, for example, and the textures of clothing, the sheen from your bloodstained sword, and other elements have all seen substantial enhancements, contributing to a game that appears completely contemporary and fresh.
Of course, it hasn’t been without challenges. We’ve encountered a few issues so far, aside from the stuttering phenomena in both graphical settings. There is some peculiar artefacting – presumably due to some type of upscaling – particularly noticeable around objects as you navigate, which could definitely benefit from being less obvious.
Nevertheless, putting aside these minor technical hiccups, we are genuinely excited. This truly feels like embarking on a journey in a whole new RPG, with an impressive amount of effort put into the remake. We’re sure there are many exciting surprises waiting to be discovered, along with the joy of reuniting with familiar faces and places that have been entirely transformed. So, if you’ll excuse us, we’re heading to Kvatch to assist Jauffre. Farewell!
Have you already dove into the Oblivion remaster? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments!