There are games whose arrivals are considered Epochs. Defining moments when all other game studios see the bar raised yet another notch higher. Metal Gear Solid, Grand Theft Auto, and Halo are all examples of epochs. The Xbox 360 hasn't had one of these generation defining games... Until now. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is massive in scale, an artistic triumph, and a game so large you could spend weeks, if not months, exploring every nook and cranny of the game world. The most important question is, however, should you buy this?

Features

Large variety of character creation options to fine tune the character just for you

First-person combat view puts you in the action

Huge world to explore openly

Potential replay is almost limitless

To merely say this game is large is to do it a disservice. This game is massive, and it is over sixteen real miles in dimension. While it is possible to actually traverse through the majority of the terrain on foot, most players will make use of the fast travel system conveniently placed in the game. Doing so will mean missing out on some amazing scenery as well as little surprising moments. For example, early on the in game you are tasked with delivering an amulet to a place called Weynon Priory. Most people will opt for the fast travel system, but if you choose to walk, you can stumble across a bandit camp, explore a bandit infested dungeon, rescue a traveling conjurer from a wolf attack, get held up by a highwayman, explore a ruined fort, hunt deer, find new ingredients for you to mix into your potions, see the most graphically impressive overlook in the game, and stumble across a fountain that boosts your magic recovery. All this, and your just heading in one direction. Despite the appearance of an empty world from a distance, there are tons of things to see and do in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and you could spend weeks exploring them all.

The graphics in this game are amazing, to put it bluntly. Everything from the wrinkles in people’s faces, to the look of being slightly drunk is well reflected in each character. Since each face is so unique, you will actually come to recognize even the most common person just by appearance. Each of the creatures and villains you encounter are likewise rendered beautifully and are fully textured and unique. Where most games of this variety suffer from an inability to keep NPCs from repeating, the world of Oblivion is so diverse that one would be hard pressed to find two NPCs who look exactly alike. The audio also has the epic, medieval feel as the games soundtracks all fit the mood and atmosphere. The voice acting from the NPCs is generally well done.


That's the last time I raid the Undead Lumberjacks convention...

The game world itself is beautiful to behold as well, from flowing grass, to sparkling water, to beautiful creatures; you can't help but look and admire the scenery. The draw distance is somewhat poor, but once you get up close and personal, you really see some of the excellent texturing and detailing. The buildings and towns all have a medieval feel and are all unique. When you enter the house of one person, they will have different clutter and items spread about than the house of the neighbor. You can almost get a sense of the NPCs personality by noting if they have a writing desk or a pain set nearby. Of course, all this graphic beauty comes at a cost, but thankfully it is somewhat minimal. There is a loading prompt for every few hundred feet you run, but it loads in the background and other than a quick skip of the frame rate, you can plow right through it. You will occasionally see longer, more pronounced load times when you switch between major areas, sleep, wait for an excessive amount of time, or at various other times. The frame rate when not loading is usually pretty good, but you can definitely feel that it bogs down at times, sometimes for no obvious reason at all. When the area is cluttered full of NPCs or enemies, it’s not uncommon to notice the rate skipping. But it’s never so bad as to be anything more than a minor distraction.

When you first start out, you begin the potentially lengthy process of character creation. You begin by choosing from one of ten races, each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses. Should you be a powerful Nord, whose base stats make him perfect for a fighter, or should you be a crafty Khajiit, whose amazing cat-like reflexes lend her or him to be an awesome thief? Better yet, do you choose to become a Brenton for the awesome starting boost in magic skills? Or do you prefer to settle some things in Melee, choosing the High Elf not only for solid magic boosts but for decent fighting stats. Further, should you be female for a slightly higher endurance stat, or male for the slightly better strength stat? These questions alone can take up over an hour of the first section of the game. When you’re done with the “simple” choices, you can then customize almost every detail of your character’s face. Everything from the slope of your forehead to the angle of your ears (assuming the race you choose has them) can be tilted, adjusted, thickened, or moved around to create a unique avatar each time you play.