EPTWhen I first wrote this article I was really harsh. If you install a patch which changes the skill system, the game is actually pretty fun and worth a look. It's not fair for me to judge a game entirely on its skill advancement system... there are a lot of merits to the game, although they really took a step backwards from Morrowind. I'm going to try and re-edit my original article to mention some of the good stuff about Oblivion as well.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
![[image loading]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rscK4Ue-Gk0/TuGDVrfxeII/AAAAAAAAAqw/fr4XMltdzQM/s320/The_Elder_Scrolls_IV_Oblivion_cover.png)
Game: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Developer: Bethesda
Platform: PC (and others)
Release Year: 2006
A potentially incredible game ruined by an absolutely retarded skill system.
Basic Plot
Oblivion is set after the events that took place in Morrowind.
The game is set in the province of Cyrodiil and like the previous game the player takes the role of a prisoner of an unknown crime. The player quickly finds themselves escaping underground with the Emperor Uriel Septim VII (voiced by Patrcik Stuart). You are ambushed by the Mythic Dawn cult, the Emperor is killed, but he gives you an amulet to deliver before he dies.
In a nutshell hundreds of portals have opened up all over Cyrodiil which lead to the plane of Oblivion. This is caused by the lack of an Emperor... which I have some moral issues about but lets move on. The only way to stop the invasion of the Daedra is to find a rightful heir to the throne and get them to use the Amulet of Kings to light the Dragonfires.
![[image loading]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N9EtBRlZFWw/TuGDkZIrQ9I/AAAAAAAAAq4/7PxDCLEjw04/s320/Oblivion_2.jpg)
Third person view in the game.
Gameplay
The game is at first glance a lot like Morrowind. It plays out as a first or third person single player role playing adventure in a vast world. There is a primary story to follow and a quest line to complete, as well as a huge variety of secondary quests which can be completed for various other factions or individuals.
I'll cut to the chase. The skill and advancement system is appalling. Here is how it works... When you start you choose from a large list of skills some to be your major skills, and some to be your minor. When you gain 10 skill points in either major or minor skills you level up. Depending on the skills you used to achieve the level up, you'll be able to increase different stats (strength, agility, endurance, etc). The frustrating thing is that in order to get the most out of a level up you need to keep track of what skills you've gained points in. Skills are linked to particular stats, and depending on how many gains you get in each skill point you will be allowed to increase your stats more or less. I literally still can't explain to myself how it all works but I can explain the impact.
Firstly, when you level up so do all your enemies. Throughout the game you will always take on opponents roughly the same level as you are. If you make poor choices in levelling up (i.e. just play the game normally) you will find yourself getting comparatively weaker and weaker in relation to your enemies. This is unintuitive and in my opinion a deeply flawed mechanic.
Secondly, you are essentially forced to keep track of your skill gains. This greatly takes away from the playing experience, as you'll find yourself carefully having to take notes with pen and paper and change the way you play in order to level up efficiently. This is absurd, for a game to expose this much of its core mechanics and force the player to keep track of it. It could mean if you gain a level in swordsmanship you might want to only get strength based skills, but while you run to hit another enemy you gain points in Athletics which is an agility skill (let's say), which screws up your levelling. I hope you agree, this is absolutely astoundingly terrible.
![[image loading]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-stgud0WWFjk/TuGDqE_MYpI/AAAAAAAAArA/rWOtFMsDjY4/s320/the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion-20051027034439286_640w.jpg)
Character information.
All and all the skill advancement is very, very, very, very, very badly thought out and executed. I could not play this game once I learnt how it worked (and now I'm still a little confused...). I did find a patch which altered the skill system to be more organic, but people who bought this game for console didn't have that option.
Granted; with the skill system "fixed" so that you gain stats and levels naturally as you advance your skills turns the game into something which is actually quite fun, and quite beautiful to play.
Other than that... you spend a lot of time travelling around the world as you did in Morrowind. You can get mounts in this game, and there are many other small changes. You can enter Oblivion gates and close them. And instant travel was introduced which is a huge improvement from Morrowind where you had to find an in-game source of transport like a silt strider.
Positives
Instant travel. Patrick Stewart's voice.
The game is beautiful to look at from a passing glance. Although the design of the world is leagues behind Morrowind, it is still a world which is interesting and enjoyable to explore.
Negatives
The skill system. The repetitiveness of the Oblivion zones. The annoying things people would say around cities. The regression in terms of the visual design of the world in comparison to Morrowind. Better graphics, worse design and detail. Single player only - what is the point in playing such a vast game when you can't share it with your friends? I have the same qualm with Skyrim - in the modern world you basically need SOME sort of multiplayer interaction for it to be relevant. For me, when I game, it's important to be witnessed in some way; and multiplayer does that. Even an item trading system would make it more relevant.
Memorable Moments
I basically hate this game when I think about it in retrospect, but at the time once I patched the skill system I did enjoy the weeks I spent playing it. In summary; it could have been amazing, but the skill system is diabolical. And it's single player.
What did you think of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion? Was it as terrible as I make it out to be? Did Skyrim do better? What are you favourite moments playing Oblivion?
So much work into a game and a few design flaws let it fail so badly 
