Few RPGs are as legendary as The Elder Scrolls Oblivion, the predecessor to Skyrim. It made us dream of an open world that many of us didn't even believe was possible within a video game. It showed us an unprecedented fantasy adventure and left its mark on us for life. Nineteen years later, it's time to talk about this amazing game again. Bethesda's big surprise is finally here: Elder Scrolls Remaster modernizes a legendary game. Today, I'm going to tell you my thoughts on what I've played and about one of the most surprising releases of 2025.

What makes Oblivion so special, you already know, is that it's an open-world RPG in which you travel to the Cirodil region, with tons of places to visit, characters to interact with, quests to complete, and a story that will have you facing unimaginable dangers.

The remastering of this game changes absolutely nothing. The essence of Oblivion is intact, but it gives it a graphical facelift that highlights the generational leap that has occurred in these nearly two decades. The result is immediately apparent: Bethesda's and Virtuos' latest release uses Real Engine 5 to bring this role-playing game classic to current generations. This has been a titanic undertaking.

Graphic and technical improvements

• Graphics Engine: Completely rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5, incorporating ray tracing, high-resolution textures, and updated 3D models.

• Animations: All movements have been reworked, including more realistic facial expressions and lip-syncing.

• Audio: Ambient sounds and effects have been re-recorded, and spatial sound effects have been added.

• Interface: The user interface and menus have been redesigned to adapt to modern controls and current screens.

According to Virtuos, we're talking about millions of polygons to not only recreate the game's environments in more detail than ever, but also to build new models for all the characters in this RPG. What does this mean? Each and every 3D element has been redesigned and modeled from scratch in an almost artisanal way. It's incredible that they've recreated the hundreds of NPCs that inhabit this fantasy world. The game's lighting, one of the elements that gives more body to its setting, has also been completely redesigned to be as realistic as possible.

Let's say the visual effects are a joy. Look at that horizon or the light passing through the leaves. This is how a fantasy world comes to life. This world is nothing without its inhabitants, and this is where the new lip-syncing techniques used shine, making the game's NPCs more believable than ever. Oblivion Remaster has also implemented techniques to make the facial expressions of all characters, regardless of their race or features, much more realistic. All of this is evident in the conversations we've seen. They still have the undeniable Elder Scrolls touch, but with graphics worthy of the year 2025.

Conclusion of the 3 hours I've already played

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered isn't just a fresh coat of paint: it's a rebirth with the soul of a remake. They've taken the beloved 2006 classic and brought it into the present with all the care (and graphical power) it deserves.

Now Cirodiil looks spectacular thanks to Unreal Engine 5, combat feels more alive with revamped animations, and the progression system has finally been fine-tuned so that leveling up doesn't feel like a trap. You can also run (finally!), and the third-person camera is no longer your enemy.

The dialogue has been re-recorded, the voices have been polished, and the NPCs no longer sound like robots in human disguise. And it all comes with the Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles expansions included.

In short: it's the same Oblivion that many of us love, but with a new layer of magic. Perfect for rediscovering it… or getting lost in it for the first time.

I will upload my gameplay as soon as I finish it and since it is more than 100 hours of gameplay it will take me a while.