Shacknews Best Remake of 2025 – The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

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Video games don’t stay fresh forever. Over time, their technology feels old-fashioned, the graphics lose their appeal, and even fond memories can’t completely mask the flaws. Sometimes, it’s best to remember a game fondly, letting nostalgia fill in the gaps. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered revisits the world of Cyrodiil, aiming to recapture how we remember the game – with its stunning scenery, engaging quests, and without the issues that held back the original release.

For years, fans have been hoping for an updated version of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. While there wasn’t any official news, whispers of a remaster circulated, especially among those who loved playing it when it first came out in 2006 on PC and Xbox 360. Oblivion was groundbreaking for its time, offering a huge, detailed open world in high definition, along with engaging real-time battles, memorable quests, and a truly immersive experience within the beloved Elder Scrolls setting.

Games from that time period often don’t hold up well over the years. Luckily, the teams at Virtuos and Bethesda Game Studios were hard at work. In April 2025, they surprised everyone by releasing The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered – announcing and launching it all at once! Now, both longtime fans and new players can enjoy the beautiful world of Cyrodiil.

This remaster successfully recreates the feeling of playing Oblivion as it was originally experienced 20 years ago. What makes it special isn’t a perfect visual update, but rather how players remember the game – the way it felt and looked in their memories, not necessarily how it actually was. The developers achieved this by subtly updating the game to be more modern while carefully preserving its unique charm.

We’ve made several improvements to the game! The leveling system has been completely reworked to prevent players from getting stuck. You can now carry as much as you like without being slowed down, and your health will automatically recover when you’re not in battle. We’ve also fixed many bugs and made the user interface more helpful – for example, containers now show when they’re empty, the dialogue system uses color cues, and items you’re targeting are now outlined.

These improvements make the game feel much smoother and more up-to-date, but the biggest change is definitely the visuals. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered looks fantastic – it’s lost the strange glow from the original Xbox 360 version and now features sharp textures, bright colors, realistic lighting, and much-improved character models.

If you have fond memories of playing Oblivion, revisiting it is a unique experience. Those first moments – stepping out of the sewers, discovering your favorite town, and completing quests like those in the Dark Brotherhood – are powerfully nostalgic. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered lets us relive those moments with updated graphics and gameplay. Plus, it introduces a whole new generation to just how great Oblivion is, and how satisfying its lockpicking system truly is.

With so many great remakes and remasters released this year, one stood out above the rest. Shacknews has awarded The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered the title of Best Remake/Remaster of 2025.

Check out more of the Shacknews Awards in our Year of the Games: 2025 article.

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2025-12-26 20:28