The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is a step in the right direction for Bethesda after a long time.
At long last, Bethesda has lifted the curtain on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, and you can dive in. Rebuilt from the ground up using Unreal Engine 5, this edition brings the 2006 classic into the modern era with jaw-dropping visuals, smoother gameplay, and all previously released content bundled together. Here’s a closer look at what’s changed—and why it feels like you’re stepping into Tamriel for the first time.
Fans, both returning and new, are loving the visual and technical overhaul of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Obviously, the Unreal Engine 5 is the secret sauce behind this remake. Sunlight filters through the trees in stunning rays, water shimmers with real-time reflections, and the forests around Kvatch feel alive with leaves rustling and branches swaying – precisely as you’d expect.
Iconic landmarks like the White-Gold Tower now loom in breathtaking clarity, every brick and carving crisp and detailed. Characters have gotten the same treatment. Thanks to motion capture and physically based rendering, their faces show fine lines and skin textures, armor gleams realistically, and movements—whether a guard’s patrol or a merchant’s idle chatter—flow naturally. It’s the same world you remember, only better.
Not to mention the streamlined interface of the TES IV: Oblivion Remastered and overall improvements to the gameplay. If you ever got lost in the old menus, you’ll love the new interface. Quick-access radial wheels let you swap weapons or potions on the fly, tooltips pop up exactly when you need them, and the quest log now tracks objectives without constant page-turning. You can place fast-travel markers anywhere you’ve visited, and the revamped map lets you zoom in and rotate to plan your journey.
Leveling feels more balanced, too. Skills advance at set milestones—no more accidentally becoming overpowered—and special perks are grouped into clear skill trees for stealth, magic, or combat. Battles have extra punch: sparks fly when swords clash, critical hits slow time just a touch, and blocking an attack gives you a satisfying camera jiggle. Even riding horses feels tighter, making long treks across Tamriel a breeze.
The audio overhaul is every bit as impressive. While the original dialogue is still here for nostalgia, each race—from the hissing Khajiit to the regal Altmer—now has its own freshly recorded voice lines. Conversations look and sound natural, thanks to improved lip-sync animations.
Jeremy Soule’s legendary score gets a makeover in 7.1 surround sound, and ambient noises—from echoing dungeons to clattering chain mail—gain new depth. Combat sounds crackle with life, pulling you even deeper into every skirmish.
However, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered isn’t just the base game—it’s the complete package. The Shivering Isles and Knights of the Nine expansions are included and fully updated to match the game’s new look and feel. That means extra quests, new lands to explore, and unique gear are all there when you start. On top of that, every smaller DLC pack—armor sets, side quests, cosmetics—is bundled in, so you won’t have to hunt down old downloads.
The game launched on 22nd April on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in North America and Europe, and offers two editions:
- Standard Edition: $49.99 / £39.99
- Deluxe Edition: $59.99 / £49.99 (includes a digital artbook, developer commentary videos, and Skyrim-themed cosmetics)
Heads up: it’s a hefty 119 GB download, so clear some space before you hit “Install.” Bethesda hasn’t confirmed PC or Xbox Series X|S versions yet, but they seem likely. Cross-save hasn’t been detailed, though PS5 cloud saves make swapping consoles painless.
In an age of live-service games and multiplayer crazes, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered reminds us why single-player epics still matter. It proves that with the right technology and a bit of TLC, a beloved classic can feel brand new again—without losing the soul that made it special. Whether a veteran hero or a brand-new adventurer, this release delivers everything you love about Oblivion—only fresher, richer, and more magical than ever.
