The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion RPG is a Better RPG Than Skyrim Could Ever Be

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When The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim debuted in 2011, it was widely recognized as a remarkable masterpiece (and rightly so), surpassing and excelling the extraordinary accomplishments of its predecessor, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. This wasn’t an easy feat, considering that Oblivion, in its own domain, was a bold masterpiece, a trailblazing RPG, and a cornerstone title demonstrating the potential of open-world games during the early HD era. Skyrim managed to provide an experience that reached new, even greater heights, which was no small achievement – one that certainly didn’t go unnoticed.

Despite the fact that Skyrim significantly expanded and refined the groundbreaking elements first introduced in Oblivion – such as the immersive open world, more interactive exploration, and diverse environments – there were certain aspects where it seemed to take a step sideways or even a step back, particularly in its progression mechanics. While labeling Skyrim’s progression systems as ‘bad’ might be an overstatement, it’s fair to say that they felt like a departure from the series’ previous standards.

Due to Bethesda and Virtuos’ recent release of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, many in the gaming industry are revisiting or experiencing Oblivion for the first time. This remaster has further solidified the idea that, as a role-playing game (RPG), the original 2006 title and its 2025 remaster have more substantial features than the game released half a decade later, with only minor adjustments made for balance purposes.

Initially, let’s discuss the aspects of Skyrim’s progression systems that function exceptionally well, with the standout feature being the vast array of build options it offers. Skyrim is a role-playing game (RPG) that values player autonomy and choice above all else. Unlike many other games, it doesn’t impose restrictions on players but rather encourages them to explore their own pathways. The RPG mechanics in Skyrim reward players for playing in the manner they prefer, fostering a sense of freedom that permeates throughout the game. As you continue to play in a specific way, your skills and abilities improve, creating a continuous loop of feedback and positive reinforcement, thereby emphasizing the game’s fluidity.

In essence, Skyrim’s structure as a Bethesda Game Studios RPG is similar to its predecessors, but it offers a more streamlined role-playing game (RPG) experience compared to games like Oblivion. The main reason for this difference lies in the progression mechanics of the games.

Unlike Oblivion, where character advancement was achieved through stat upgrades upon leveling up, Skyrim introduces a perks system. Instead of investing points into multiple characteristics and attributes each time you level up, as was the case with Oblivion, Skyrim allows you to invest perk points in various skill trees. This shift from granular stat upgrades to a more focused perk system results in a less customizable character progression experience compared to Oblivion, making it feel somewhat restrictive and less rewarding.

In an intriguing twist, the freedom given to players in Oblivion to determine their own progress path actually imposes more limitations on them. For instance, if you’re aiming for an archery-focused character, every time you level up, you’ll need to ensure that you’re allocating points towards attributes governing your bow and arrow skills. Although you don’t have to do this with each level-up, failing to invest in these attributes can lead to them falling behind, which could negatively impact your character build. This is intentional, as Oblivion empowers players to choose their character’s build and playstyle, then provides clear and tangible feedback to demonstrate that the choices they make truly matter.

As a devoted fan, I can say that compared to Oblivion, Skyrim provides more freedom in terms of gameplay progression. The way Skyrim’s systems are designed ensures that you never feel confined to a specific path or build. Instead, it allows for seamless adjustments to your playstyle whenever and however you desire. However, by removing elements like classes and attributes, and focusing more on a straightforward perks system, Skyrim makes the gameplay a bit too simplified and streamlined in my opinion.

It’s clear that Oblivion simplified some of Morrowind’s RPG mechanics, but its remaster demonstrates once more that it delivers a genuine, classic RPG experience. In contrast, Skyrim, despite its numerous strengths, leans more towards an action-adventure experience with generous portions of RPG elements and mechanisms. The 2011 version of Skyrim allows players to have limited interaction with its progression systems, to the point where you can essentially disregard them if you prefer. However, this is not the case with Oblivion – it requires more active participation in its gameplay systems.

Skyrim’s systems are well-suited for the game itself, offering a satisfying RPG experience for those who seek it. While it may lack the depth and complexity of some other games in the genre, its open-ended nature and various build and play style options make it consistently enjoyable. In fact, this is what makes Skyrim a game that people can easily spend hundreds of hours on. However, when it comes to RPG aspects, Oblivion might be considered slightly superior to Skyrim.

To put it simply, it’s fair to say that many would argue that Oblivion stands as a superior and more immersive RPG compared to most games Bethesda Game Studios has released since then. For instance, while Fallout 4 simplified and restricted certain aspects, and Starfield made progress but didn’t reach the heights of their old RPG systems, most of BGS’ post-Oblivion releases have struggled to surpass the player progression mechanics of the 2006 game. At the very least, this shows that Oblivion’s design has stood the test of time.

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2025-05-03 07:41