When Bethesda and Virtuos shadow-dropped Oblivion Remastered out of nowhere, it felt like someone opened a portal straight to my early twenties. For Elder Scrolls veterans like me, the original 2006 release of Oblivion was a landmark RPG — wildly ambitious, brimming with memorable characters, and just janky enough to feel personal. Skyrim has hogged the spotlight for years. But now, Oblivion Remastered is here to give us a chance to relive those days back in Cyrodiil.
Old Heart, new engine
Oblivion Remastered delivers a faithful restoration of Cyrodiil — warts and all — rebuilt with modern technology that breathes new life into every corner of its world. Powered by Unreal Engine 5 and backed by a full graphical overhaul, from ray-traced lighting and redesigned textures to updated animations and more immersive ambient audio. Alongside the core game, both of the original’s expansions — Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles — are included, offering an enormous amount of content right out of the gate. Menus have been reworked for current-gen sensibilities. But don’t mistake this for a reinvention. Underneath the shine, Oblivion Remastered is still very much the same game that launched nearly two decades ago — sometimes awkward, sometimes clunky, but ultimately unforgettable. It’s not a reinvention; it’s a resurrection.
Welcome back to Cyrodiil
Booting up Oblivion Remastered is like stepping out of the Imperial Sewers for the first time all over again — only this time, the world looks like it finally belongs in the current decade. The graphical overhaul is stunning. Every city — from the snowy charm of Bruma to the glimmering spires of the Imperial City — feels lovingly reimagined without ever losing its sense of identity. I could still find my way around by memory, but I often caught myself pausing just to admire how much care went into modernising the environments.
Character models have also received a noticeable glow-up. The major NPCs like Martin Septim and Jauffre have never looked better, while others still carry the same oddball charm — yes, the slightly misplaced eyes and peculiar head shapes make a return. But it’s all part of the charm, like a faithful portrait with updated brushstrokes.
So much playability
To test how flexible the remaster is, I ran two separate playthroughs. One was a Dark Elf steeped in magic; the other, a cutthroat Khajiit tailored for the Dark Brotherhood. Both experiences felt distinct, proving Oblivion Remastered still has incredible replay value. Whether you’re stalking prey from the shadows or flinging spells with abandon, the game adapts beautifully to different builds. Bethesda and Virtuos clearly aimed to preserve what worked in the original. With a main story clocking in at around 30 hours and side quests stretching that to 60+ additional hours, there’s more than enough meat here for new players and veterans alike.
Same quirks and sadly some new ones
Unfortunately, the faithful nature of this remaster also means that some long-standing issues remain. For better and worse, many of the original quirks and exploits are still deliberately kept intact. In one example, after rising to the rank of Grand Champion in the Arena quest line with my Khajiit, I was rewarded with the Light Raiment of Valor, giving me a few very good buffs, but sadly, the piece of armor breaks almost comically fast, just like in 2006. It’s baffling this wasn’t rebalanced, especially since the modding community had a fix back then, and already has one now for the remaster. Console players, however, are out of luck.
Even worse are the crashes. During my time with the game, I encountered consistent hard crashes, particularly after fast travelling or crafting potions. I understand the desire to preserve the vintage feel, but this falls under Quality of Life, and I genuinely don’t believe the game should be launching in 2025 with crash issues that would’ve been considered excessive in 2010. I know to quicksave like a reflex, but that’s not a habit every new player brings with them.
A love letter to a new flame
Oblivion Remastered is, without a doubt, a love letter to longtime fans. If you adored the original, there’s so much to love here — the sweeping soundtrack, the freedom of choice, the weird NPC dialogue, the joy of discovering Daedric artefacts or joining shady guilds. But for newcomers expecting something polished to today’s standards, there’s a real risk of frustration.
For me, playing this remaster was a lot like reconnecting with an ex. You remember the good times, the moments that made you laugh or stare in awe. Sure, you also remember why it didn’t work out the first time — the flaws, the baggage — but somehow, it all feels a little more tolerable now. Maybe even endearing. But all this is based on what you once had. I’m not sure new players will be so tolerant.
Conclusion
Oblivion Remastered is a heartfelt revival of a classic, bursting with charm, ambition, and a few too many of its original rough edges. It’s visually stunning, narratively rich, and impressively faithful to its source material. But it also carries over dated mechanics and a few too many technical hiccups for a 2025 release.
