The long rumored, then half-confirmed, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered has finally been legitimately revealed. This morning, Bethesda shared a livestream showcasing the game and explaining their love for arguably the most important entry in the franchise, even if it is not necessarily the most popular. Virtuous developed the remastered version of the game. Bethesda’s Todd Howard also made reference to the fact that work on the sixth Elder Scrolls is obviously continuing, but the stream was wholly focused on Oblivion.
The Remastered subtitle is almost as misnomer as footage of the game does make it look like a complete remake. Seeing screenshots and gameplay of the two games side by side shows a stark difference. Every asset was redesigned, and the Unreal Engine has allowed the team to create a significant overhaul in the lighting department. Lip-syncing has also been improved to, hopefully, make speech look better. All of the “quirky” dialogue remains, but new voiceover has been recorded to make the races feel more unique.
Gameplay has also been addressed with significant changes to the game’s feel, UI, and audio design. New effects and better enemy hit reaction should also make combat feel better. Sprinting has also been added to the game, despite internal debate about whether or not it should be included. The minigames, like lockpicking, however, remain mostly untouched.
Bethesda also confirmed that all of Oblivion’s add-ons and expansions will be included, but the stream did not make reference to Oblivion’s notorious horse armor.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is available today on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.
