Elder Scrolls: 5 Things To Thank Oblivion For (And 5 That Sucked)

The Elder Scrolls series has always been popular. It seems with every subsequent release, the games go from strength to strength. From the first console release of the series with Morrowind to the world-famous Skyrim, the series does not seem to be stopping anytime soon.

Many people though, myself included, started with Oblivion. The fourth main entry in the series, Oblivion seems too often divide elder scrolls fans. Either being seen as an important technical evolution of the series or as a glitchy and comedic mess. It is hard not to see the influence that Oblivion has had on so many games. There is a reason a number of them attempted to emulate Oblivion in the late 2000s.

From its glorious landscapes to epic music Oblivion has given a lot to the world of gaming, however, it isn’t often remembered for this. Many articles and videos make Oblivion out to be a comedic and glitchy mess.

While we can’t deny that this is sometimes the case, those who simply dismiss the game may be missing out on one of the greatest adventures in gaming.

So, here are five things we should thank Oblivion for... and five we really shouldn’t.

There is nothing quite like the landscape of Cyrodil. From the Cold and snowy Jerall Mountains to the warm sun of the Gold coast, the scope and variations on offer are something to marvel at.

Games had large and varied landscapes before - you could even say that Morrowind offered more variety - but what a lot of these other games missed out on was the scope of an environment.

There were games at the time that had larger maps, but most of these felt empty, and there is nothing more boring than a plain open landmass. In Oblivion you could find Caves, forts or settlements in all areas of the map and some of these would even have a small quest associated with them.

There was nothing quite like the feeling of conquering your first mountain and then looking out at the vast landscape that surrounded you. Seeing the walls of towns or lone structures and wondering where your adventure would take you next.

If you get a chance next time you play, remove the compass, don’t look at the map and explore the wilderness.

You will not be disappointed.