Bethesda announced and simultaneously released The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered on Tuesday after a string of leaks and reports that pointed to a surprise launch for the game in April. The remaster, that upgrades the visuals and gameplay from the original game from 2006, is now available on PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X, and is also accessible to Game Pass subscribers at no additional cost.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Out Now
The Standard Edition of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered includes the base game, Shivering Isles and Knights of the Nine story expansions and additional downloadable content — even the infamous Horse Armor Pack.
The Bethesda RPG also comes in a Deluxe Edition that includes new quests, digital artbook and soundtrack on top of Standard Edition benefits.
Bethesda said the remaster project began in 2021 with the aim to preserve the essence of the original game. Leaks and rumours had claimed the project to be a full remake, but the newly launched title is a remaster developed by Virtous and Bethesda Game Studios that enhances visuals and refines gameplay from the original game.
“We never wanted to remake it – but remaster it – where the original game was there as you remember playing it, but seen through today’s technology,” Bethesda said in a blog post following the announcement on Tuesday.
“Every piece of art, animation, special effects, and part of the world would be remastered,” the company said about the scale of the project. “Some new voices would be recorded, while keeping the originals there as well. Game systems were updated to feel better in your hands. Leveling systems modified for smoother progression and balance. We looked at every part and carefully upgraded it. But most of all, we never wanted to change the core. It’s still a game from a previous era and should feel like one.”
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered features visual enhancements
Photo Credit: Bethesda
Instead of a complete overhaul, Bethesda and Virtuos have opted for a graphical uplift and some modern gameplay refinements. The remaster utilises Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5 to boost visuals and performance, bringing crisp environments, detailed character models, enhanced atmospheric effects and improved lip-syncing during dialogue.
While the project carries the remaster moniker, in-game assets like characters, weapons, items, rocks and more have been remade from scratch, Bethesda said in a separate blog post detailing the upgrades.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered also comes with an advanced real-time lighting system that accurately simulates how light interacts with the environment, Bethesda said.
On the gameplay side, while Bethesda and Virtuous have stuck to the familiar feel of the original, the remaster does come with modern refinements and quality of life improvements. The game finally has a sprint mechanic missing in the original RPG. All character locomotion and models, Bethesda said, have been redone from scratch.
Combat animations have been redone
Photo Credit: Bethesda
Combat animations, too, have been rebuilt, adding more flair and flourish. Animations now bring separation between the upper and lower body. Combat is also now more convincing due to new sound and visual effects and hit reactions. The third-person perspective has also received an overhaul and comes with a crosshair. Bethesda claims the third-person mode is comparable to Starfield in terms of playability.
The QOL improvements include a redesigned levelling system, updates to UI and UX, new recorded dialogue and distinct voices for each race in the game.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is now available to buy across PC, PS5 and Xbox Series S/X. On Steam, the game’s Standard Edition is priced at Rs. 4162, while the Deluxe Edition comes in at Rs. 4,995. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was originally released on PC and Xbox 360 in 2006 and received widespread critical acclaim, winning several Game of the Year awards at the time. The RPG is considered one of the greatest games ever made.