Summary: The first time I sat down and played this game my roommate had let me borrowed it. Let me tell you, I absolutely hated it! I was so used to games throwing a linear plot line at me and spoon feeding me the plot that I almost forgot what the fun of a video game was all about. Needless to say, about a year after my first encounter, I gave The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion a second chance, and wondered what was wrong with me the first time I played it.
The game play is a bit complex, but not in a bad or overbearing way. The combat system is a little lacking, but the world is immersive and deep. You can follow through with the main quest of the game or branch off and join a guild, becoming a renowned criminal, wanted by the Imperial legion, or a powerful mage. But, I couldn't tell you all of the things inside this game, it's just that vast. Every time I play I discover something new, and I try to get at least 30 minuets a day in, and I've owned the game for over a year now (And still not tired of it)
Aside from an outstanding story, and hours of wonderful game play, this game has fairly good graphics to boot. I've got a low-end computer, and I still find myself wandering the Great Forest, just east of Colovia admiring the mighty Oaks, until a small hord of Goblins interrupts my beautiful sunny day. And what goes great with the scenery is the musical score, which is very well composed and really gives the game a pleasant atmosphere.
But what makes this game succesful is it's fan base, in my opinion. After beating the main quest, without even touching the estimated 30,000+ modifications created by users online, I decided it was time to see what content was out there. You can download and install complete overhauls of the game's mechanics, body replacements to make the men and women of Tamriel a bit easier on the eyes, new guilds and quests. Currently, I'm running some 30 mods and have a total hundreds of fan made weapons, items and NPCs, making the game bigger and even more in-depth.
Cons:
Though, the game is near perfect, it is indeed not. The game is also very crash prone, not allowing you to alt-tab, and a few scripting complexities that will cause a random crash to desktop, though fans work feverishly to help mend those small bugs. Also, running several mods is a daunting task, and very time consuming, and many aren't compatible so it takes a lot of homework.
However, the most disappointing thing about TESIV: Oblivion to me, Bethesda, was the ending. The game's opening is epic, the game play deep and rich, but the ending was little to be desired, though I highly recommend completing it.
Conclusion:
So if you enjoy D&D style dungeon crawlers, with expansive quests. Or an immersive world that takes your imagination on fanciful adventures then this game is definitely for you. However, if you like a linear plot line, with some gimmicks spoon fed to you, then I suggest the nearest first person shooter.
Show less
Manage updates with the Download App
%20-%20Compare%20prices,%20reviews,%20user%20opinions%20-%20Shopper.com&srcUrl=http://shopper.cnet.com/pc-games/the-elder-scrolls-iv/4014-9696_9-32700854.html?orderBy%3Dprice%26sortDesc%3Dfalse&x_breadcrumb=9020:9995:9696&x_arw_bkts=MAD:first_impression){kind=small}