The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Game of the Year Edition

"A few problems, issues, but a GREAT game"

First of all, I absolutely love this game. Iv'e been a gamer for over 35 years (since back when D&D was brand new, and done in your head instead of on a machine). I mainly do Strategy / Simulations, War Games and the like. To date, my favorites have been the KoToR games. I never have been able to get into the PC or Console RPG's - that is until now. My youngest son got me hooked on this game, and I love it!

Unlike any console game or PC game I've played before, this one has days - even months I'm sure - of play time. The possibilities of something new are almost endless. I am sure that there isn't anyone who has yet exhausted all the possibilities. With several different character races, styles, attributes, etc... not to mention the amount of customization you can do on a character - I doubt that anyone will ever play them all. And there are loads of quest, will take forever to do them all. For playability, longevity of play, this game is the greatest ever - a real 10+ rating there.

I've seen reviews where the graphics were stated as not being up to par. As far as I'm concerned they are great. Of course I have a high def TV, so maybe that makes a difference. Still the graphics are a 10 in my book. There are a few little glitches in them, but nothing that takes away from gameplay. For instance, slight movement of the character will sometime cause mountains in the distance to change height - or shift a bit. But that really isn't a distraction.

Game controls are great - and being able to assign items for quick use via the D-Pad is really good too. Of course, I am nowhere near the wizard with combat movement that my kids are. For me, I would say game controls are a 9 - but I'm not sure how they could be improved.

So what are my issues? Well, the first one - and biggest - is the NPC levels. NPC's level and get tougher as your character levels. That's good, for some of the NPC's - but really, should a Rat level like that? Or a dog, wolf, etc... Crabs? I think not. There are some NPC's, beast, demons, and animals that should not level with the characters level.

My second issue - and this isn't too bad unless you are a neat freak like me - is the lack of ability to "place" items. You can buy houses in this game, which is really cool, and all the furnishings too. Great for storing all that extra booty you collect. And really cool if your into that whole "real" world aspect of the game. You can easily store items in your house, in the provided chest and cupboards, but you can not place all those books you've collected in the book shelves - nor can you place items on top of cabinets, in display cases, etc... That is a big issue for people who want their houses to look cool.

My third issue - and again a small one - is sort of related to the second. You can go into all sorts of Inn's and see people sitting and drinking, eating, etc... Now you can sit in any chair and watch, but you do not get the opportunity to sit and enjoy a mug of Ale like all the NPC's do. You should be able to order a meal or drink in these places.

My fourth issue is a big one. Game lockups... I don't know if they are game issues, or XBox 360 issues. Every once in a while, the game will lock up. It doesn't happen too often, less than some games I have played - and I don't think more than many. Still, if you follow the #1 rule for any hardcore gamer - save, save, save - it isn't bad.

All in all, this is a great game. I haven't gotten past level 14 yet on my character, but I am looking forward to many days (months) of gameplay. Maybe I'll find more little flaws as I go along, but I doubt they will stop me from enjoying what is now my favorite game of all time!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/12/08

Game Release: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Game of the Year Edition (US, 09/10/07)