10 Incredible Recent RPGs That Surprised EVERYONE

Elder Scrolls wouldn't normally be on a list like this, since the masses shouldn't be shocked when an Elder Scrolls title is a success. And yet, Oblivion Remastered caught everybody off-guard for two major reasons. 

Although it wasn't a secret Bethesda was re-releasing The Elder Scrolls IV with modern graphics, the project wasn't being plugged much, indicating the beloved sequel wouldn't see the light of day for a while.

That's why it was bewildering when Bethesda revealed on April 21st 2025 that the new version of Oblivion would be released... the following day. Though fans watching the announcement were expecting a few months of pre-release hype, they were pumped to learn they could return to the mystical land of Cyrodiil within 24 hours.

Which brings us to the next plot twist. Being a remaster, it was assumed this iteration of Oblivion would have improved visuals. However, the graphic overhaul was jaw-dropping, including assets rebuilt from the ground up, real-time shadows, 4K textures, and a dynamic sky instead of a fixed skybox. There were many additions and improved mechanics, including a third-person view, advanced AI behaviour, and a level system akin to Skyrim.

In recent years, video game remasters have gotten a bad rap, since they're often filled with minimal additions and unnoticeable visual touches. However, the quality of this Oblivion over its predecessor is so advanced, some players believe the game should be classified as a remake rather than a remaster.