After weeks of rumors and speculation, Bethesda has finally announced and promptly released The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, a thoroughly polished and modernized version of the iconic RPG from 2006. It is now playable on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S with subscribers to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass being able to dive in without an extra purchase.
Oblivion Remastered features completely remade visuals running on Unreal Engine 5, all while maintaining most of its original gameplay and engine under the hood -- both the glorious and the janky. This brand-new version comes with all add-ons that were released for the original game, so fans needn't purchase any DLC to relive the full story.
For those seeking an even more enhanced experience, the Oblivion Remastered Deluxe Edition includes some pieces of fresh content, such as additional quests to obtain brand-new gear.
A few changes have been made to the game's system, though. For example, leveling up your character and skills works differently from the original, with some influence from Skyrim coming into play. Movement has been reworked as well to appeal more to a modern audience with the ability to sprint being introduced -- after some immense internal debates, the developers said. An entire host of new voice actors is breathing additional life into the game, as the size limits of physical media back in 2006 kept Bethesda from recording voices and soundbites for much of the available content.
"Oblivion was a really defining moment in the series and for how we make games as a studio," Bethesda studio head and creative director Todd Howard stated. "We want people to feel the way they did then, that it's still a game of its time. You want to keep those bones in place. We want some of that old charm."