NINETOES VS. THE ELDER SCROLLS IV: OBLIVION REMASTER

Ninetoes has gotten some play time on the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remaster, and has some thoughts about it.

Hey there, gamers! It is your old pal, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes HQ with my first thoughts on Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. I have coffee in my system and my thinking cap on, so let’s get to it.

So, this past Tuesday, 04/22/2025, Bethesda Games released Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. I was on the fence. I have been burned so many times in the past with a game I loved being “remastered”. Some games gave it the bare minimum in actually updating the game in question. Then a friend asked me if I was going to play it. Well, shoot, I have Game Pass, so why not give it a try? Then I mentioned it to my boss, asking if he would like a first thoughts article, and he said yes. So now I am on the hook to do it. Now…I regret asking him, and you will see why in a moment.

Let me just say, right out of the gate, this is a huge game to download: 123GB and some change. The original game was 4.6 GB when it was released in 2006. That is a 2500% increase in size! Oh. My. God! So, after waiting for the game to download, I jumped in.

I did what another friend called a FAFO character, one to jump in and test the waters before I went in and created my own character. I played FAFO for thirty minutes, popped out, and jumped into a new game.

Now, I have to say, this is not merely a game. Oh, no, no, no…it is a LOVE LETTER to fans of the Elder Scrolls series, including Elder Scrolls Online. From the very beginning, I saw what the 2500% increase was used on: EVERYTHING! From the graphics to the music to the voice acting and making the words fit the mouth of the character speaking, to effects that would be taken for granted (look at the water effects when you swim), to my character struggling to go up a steep hill, EVERYTHING was updated and made fresh.

Before I leave, let me give you some advice. Do not rush. Take your time, even through the dialogue, take your time. Do not just fast travel to get to a city to meet your objective. There is a wide, beautiful, open land waiting to be discovered. Walk it, embrace it, discover it.

In closing, let me say this: THIS IS HOW REMASTERED GAMES SHOULD BE!

Oh, and the reason I regret telling my boss I would do an article is that I had to leave the game!

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is perfect for fantasy gamers, adventure gamers, and those who want to play in a work of art.

Darren “Ninetoes” Perdue is a book and media reviewer. When he is not reading, he is watching true crime shows, cooking for his family, or working on a plan for universal domination. If you see him on his porch, say hi. He does not bite…much.