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Metareview - Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Following a four month delay, Bethesda Softworks has finally delivered Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and the gaming press is abuzz with marathon review sessions. As usual, the TeamXbox coverage reads more like a tutorial, but that's fine for a game as deep and meticulous as Oblivion. You'll want to read every word.Credit Bethesda for maintaining their cool and keeping the fan base in the loop with frequent developer chats and previews. It appears the extra effort has paid off, resulting in a worthy successor to Morrowind.With God of War-like ratings, Oblivion is sure to contend for game of the year honors. Yahoo! Games (100/100) was instantly addicted ("The only problem with Oblivion is putting it down"), and spent plenty of time taking in the scenery: "Screenshots don't do this engine justice -- seeing it in motion will impress the most jaded of gamers. Sumptuously detailed and full of vivid, rich color, it puts even the most graphically detailed of FPSs to shame, let alone the rest of its typically drab genre." GameSpot (96/100) compliments Bethesda's attention to replay value: "The many types of gameplay in Oblivion are well-designed and deeply satisfying, even when taken on their own. That's the main difference between this game and Morrowind. This may be a role-playing game, but you could play it like a pure action game, or like a stealth game, or like an adventure game, and it'd still be at least as good, if not better, than games that are specialized in these regards." TeamXbox (95/100) enjoyed the customization and level progression: "Although the amount of options provided when creating a character not only amazed us, it tops our list of favorite features. The way in which a character’s skills and abilities are increased works great for the experience, and we found ourselves not having to worry about what level we were, as it seemed to naturally move up as our quest evolved." IGN (93/100) suggests the game will appeal to both hardcore and newbs alike: "Once outside the initial dungeon, you'll start to understand just how massive Oblivion's world really is. Opportunities for new quests and stories are everywhere, and there's no pressure as to which path you should follow. Thanks to the map, journal and fast travel system, it's way easier to follow a path once you pick one." [via Metacritic]
