Bruce Nesmith, the senior game designer behind the original The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, has expressed his awe at Bethesda and Virtuos' work on the Oblivion Remastered, suggesting that the term "remaster" might not fully capture the extent of the transformation. In a conversation with VideoGamer, Nesmith highlighted the immense effort invested in revitalizing every aspect of Cyrodiil, making the new release a surprising and extensive overhaul.
"I was assuming this was going to be a texture update," Nesmith remarked. "I didn’t really think it was going to be the complete overhaul that they’ve announced it to be... I would not have batted an eye at that. But to completely redo the animations, the animation system, integrate the Unreal Engine, revise the leveling system, and redesign the user interface—I mean, that’s touching every part of the game."
Bethesda surprised fans by launching Oblivion Remastered without prior announcement. The game has impressed many with its extensive changes, ranging from visual enhancements to significant gameplay modifications. New features like a sprint mechanic and alterations to the leveling system have led many, including Nesmith, to consider it more of a remake than a remaster. Nesmith went as far as to suggest it could be labeled "Oblivion 2.0," emphasizing the vast scope of the update: "That’s a staggering amount of remastering. It almost needs its own word, quite frankly. I’m not sure remaster actually does it justice."
In his discussion, Nesmith tried to encapsulate the essence of Oblivion Remastered: "The closest that could come [to categorising it] is Oblivion 2.0."
As the gaming community celebrates the efforts poured into Oblivion Remastered, Bethesda shared its perspective on the project's naming in a recent social media post. The studio clarified that their goal was not to remake Oblivion but to enhance the classic experience for both returning players and newcomers, imperfections included.
"We know many of our longtime fans will be thrilled to revisit Oblivion and the land of Cyrodiil," Bethesda stated. "But there are also so many who have never played it. We can’t thank you enough for all the support you have given us and our games over the years. Our hope with this remaster is, that no matter who you are, when you step out of the Imperial sewer – you feel like you’re experiencing it for the first time."
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered was unveiled and released simultaneously as a surprise from Bethesda. It's now available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S, and is included at no additional cost for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. The modding community's enthusiastic response to this unexpected launch highlights the renewed excitement within the Elder Scrolls fanbase.
For those diving into Oblivion Remastered, we offer a comprehensive guide covering everything from an expansive Interactive Map, detailed Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and Guild Quests, tips on How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, and much more.
