The most under-the-radar video game news of the past few weeks is finally official. Bethesda has just unveiled the remastered edition of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. After a touching retrospective on the game's impact within the studio and the wider industry, the teams were quick to get down to business and extol the merits of this new version. Since Bethesda's developers aren't allowed any respite between Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI, the project has been entrusted to the European branch of the Virtuos studio, located in Paris.
To reassure longtime fans, the announcement live did not fail to highlight the expertise of the developers in charge of the remaster, who all seem equally passionate about the cult RPG. Unfortunately for all the teams that worked on this nice surprise, the leaks revealed all the major information before time. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered includes all the expansions of the original game, and this set was indeed shadowdropped this Tuesday, April 22. The game is already available on Xbox Series X and S, PS5 and PC. And good news for Game Pass subscribers: the title is included in the Ultimate and PC plans. However, some additional details were also revealed during the live presentation.
Oblivion, even under UE5, is still Oblivion
Virtuos took this task to heart and took care of remastering the game in the most respectful way possible. While the visuals have all been reworked with Unreal Engine 5 – which allows for the use of cutting-edge lighting and lip-syncing technologies – the game's skeleton (yes, that's the metaphor the developers used) remains based on the original title. Unfortunately, this means that despite the stunning visual effects, the game's movements still look dated. This impression is based on the previews, however, so it remains to be seen with controllers or mice in hand.
But the game doesn't just benefit from purely aesthetic improvements. All races benefit from new models, with faces adapted to the new lip-syncing technology implemented here. Moreover, while most of the original dialogue has been retained to maintain the almost offbeat feel of the initial dubbing, new phrases will offer more diversity in the conversations and reactions of the NPCs. But don't worry: the game's best supporting character remains intact.
As for the interface, the developers tried to find a perfect balance between the menus of Oblivion and Skyrim, so as not to disorient veterans and newcomers alike. Finally, it should also be noted that a more optimized third-person view has also been implemented, modeled on what Starfield offers. The 2006 classic therefore remains true to itself, while offering a well-deserved breath of fresh air. Will this be enough to make the experience more enjoyable for new generations of players? Nothing is less certain.
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