The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered dropped on April 22, 2025, giving the 2006 classic a serious glow-up. Virtuos and Bethesda teamed up to rebuild it with Unreal Engine 5, keeping the core game intact but adding modern visuals and smoother gameplay. Here’s the rundown on what’s new compared to the original
Visual and Technical Upgrades
The remaster swaps the old Gamebryo engine for Unreal Engine 5, making Cyrodiil look sharp at 4K and 60 FPS. Every texture, model, and environment is redone—think denser forests, better lighting, and dynamic weather that shifts naturally.
Shadows are crisp, and character models are more detailed, though some folks say the NPCs’ faces look odd compared to the original’s quirky style. It’s a hefty 119.2 GB download (125 GB with install), way up from the original’s 4.6 GB.
Gameplay Improvements
- Sprinting: You can now sprint to move faster, eating up stamina like in Skyrim or Fallout. The original didn’t have this.
- Combat Overhaul: Fighting feels punchier with new animations, hit reactions, and effects like sparks or blood splashes. Blocking is smoother, taking cues from action games, fixing the original’s clunky system. Stealth gets clearer sneak icons and tweaked damage, while archery is tighter in both first- and third-person views.
- Third-Person Mode: Third-person is way better, with an over-the-shoulder camera and controls that don’t depend on where you’re looking, like in Starfield. The original’s third-person was stiff.
- Leveling System: Leveling is less of a headache, mixing Oblivion’s Major Skills setup with Skyrim’s simpler approach. Character creation adds some race-based “origin” text, but it’s unclear if it changes gameplay.
- Movement Animations: Walking, running, jumping, sneaking, and swimming all get new animations. You’ll slow down running uphill, unlike the original’s basic movement.
- Lockpicking and Persuasion Minigames: The lockpicking and persuasion minigames are back with sharper visuals. The persuasion wheel is easier to read, showing NPC preferences clearly when you try multiple times.
Audio Enhancements
NPCs sound livelier with new race-specific voice lines, cutting down on the original’s repetitive generic ones. Most of the classic dialogue, like “Cheese for everyone!”, stays, though some characters have new actors or extra lines. Combat sounds are beefier, and you’ll hear muffled audio through walls or doors. Haptic feedback on certain controllers adds immersion. The original soundtrack is untouched, with no new music.
User Interface (UI) and Quality-of-Life Changes
The HUD and menus get a modern look, pulling from Skyrim and The Elder Scrolls Online but keeping the parchment style. The compass is now at the top, showing your location and quest steps. D-pad shortcuts (up for stats, down for map) make navigation quick, and the world map has clearer icons.
The difficulty slider is gone, replaced by five set levels from very easy to very hard. The game runs smoother on modern systems, with fewer crashes than the original, especially when switching apps.
Content and Expansions
Included DLC: You get Shivering Isles, Knights of the Nine, and all the smaller DLCs (Fighter’s Stronghold, Spell Tome Treasures, Vile Lair, Mehrune’s Razor, The Thieves Den, Wizard’s Tower, Orrery, Horse Armor). The Deluxe Edition ($60) throws in exclusive armor, weapons, horse armor, and two new quests, unlike the standard edition ($50).
Core Content: The open world, main story, guild quests, and side content (200+ hours) are unchanged, keeping Oblivion’s depth.
Miscellaneous
Mod Support: No official mod support is announced, which might bum out fans who love modding Bethesda games. Still, mods like the Ahegao Short Sword popped up on Nexus Mods soon after launch, so the community’s already at it.
Preservation of Charm: The team kept Oblivion’s weird charm, like its awkward dialogue and game logic. Fans like that the persuasion minigame and classic lines are untouched, though some aren’t sold on the new NPC models losing the original’s unique look.
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