Editorial - 5 Reasons Oblivion Was Better

[Aubrielle]

Today is Skyrim's fifth birthday, and PC Gamer columnist Christopher Livingston shares five reasons he believes Oblivion is still the superior RPG, including better guild quests and a spell-crafting system.

As always, please keep it civil, everyone.

Skyrim turns five years old today, and what better way to celebrate its anniversary than by talking about its predecessor, the ten-year-old Oblivion, and why it’s a better game. This isn’t meant as some big diss on Skyrim, which is a great RPG I’ve spent over 200 hours playing. But Oblivion is still better, and here’s why...

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[rjshae]

I did enjoy playing Oblivion much more than Skyrim, even though Skyrim is more beautiful graphically.

 

[TomRon]

…ok, I'll give him a point on the dark brotherhood questline, that one was pretty awesome. But he considered the level scaling a plus? (And obviously didn't even notice the same thing is present in Skyrim although not quite as much in your face). I try to avoid calling people bad things on the Internet but this guy's an idiot in my opinion.

Edit: Aubrielle, I'm pretty sure the discussion will be civil. Most people here prefer Morrowindex or Skyrim. Someone praising Oblivion above both of them is pretty sure to get unanimously bashed on this forum I think.

 

[Deleted User]

I love Oblivion, actually. I really love the 3 TES games but for different reasons.

All I have to say is that screenshot looks *very* familiar, as in, I think I am the one that took it! I'm not 100% sure, though, and finding it on my mess of a PC may be difficult.

 

[Kobu]

Oblivion was my least favorite, and that was largely due to the game systems. It was so completely broken out of the box.

 

[JDR13]

This isn't the first time I heard the Dark Brotherhood questline was pretty cool, but I could never bring myself to do it since I wasn't playing an evil character.

 

[TomRon]

This isn't the first time I heard the Dark Brotherhood questline was pretty cool, but I could never bring myself to do it since I wasn't playing an evil character.

Yeah, I only did it after I read about it somewhere. Killing innocent people? I would never had done that otherwise, the thought never even occurred to me...

 

[CelticFrost]

Oblivion was my least favorite, and that was largely due to the game systems. It was so completely broken out of the box.

Well I made put down a lot of things about Skyrim I did play it for over 150 but I couldn't get much past 20 hours in Oblivion

 

[TomRon]

I love Oblivion, actually. I really love the 3 TES games but for different reasons.

Yeah, but you love all games Fluent. Although I have to say it feels like you've gained a lot of insights this last year, I remember thinking you sounded sriously naive when I first read your posts. You might still be more forgiving than the rest of us, but now you do moderate your unabashed optimism somewhat.

 

[JDR13]

Fluent is still an RPG Youngling compared to many of us here.

Well I made put down a lot of things about Skyrim I did play it for over 150 but I couldn't get much past 20 hours in Oblivion

A mod that adjusts the level-scaling is mandatory imo. There was one that did a pretty good job, but the name escapes me at the moment.

 

[Morbus]

Level scaling, min-maxing, beating the game on level 2 and bandits in daedric armor. Oblivion.

 

[TomRon]

A mod that adjusts the level-scaling is mandatory imo. There was one that did a pretty good job, but the name escapes me at the moment.

OOO wasn't it? Osomethings Oblivion Overhaul?

EDIT: Yeah, Fluent is something like the Rookie in loads of movies, and we are the grumpy senior officers that have to admit we kind of like him in the end. I won't let him date my daughter though.

 

[JDR13]

OOO wasn't it? Osomethings Oblivion Overhaul?

Yeah, I think it was Obscuro's or something like that. There was also Fransesco's overhaul mod. I remember I liked one a lot better than the other because it concentrated on just the level-scaling, while the other one (I think OOO) also added a bunch of fan-made items and monsters which I didn't like.

 

[Deleted User]

Yeah, but you love all games Fluent. Although I have to say it feels like you've gained a lot of insights this last year, I remember thinking you sounded sriously naive when I first read your posts. You might still be more forgiving than the rest of us, but now you do moderate your unabashed optimism somewhat.

I don't love all games. I love most RPGs as long as they have a lot of good RPG elements in them.

In Oblivion's particular case, the leveling system is definitely jacked up (and OOO does a lot to make it more interesting in a non-level scaled way, such as making dungeon and enemies harder the farther away from the main road you traveled) but I still played several hundreds of hours and had a lot of fun with it.

Fluent is still an RPG Youngling compared to many of us here.

You guys must be ancient then because I've been an RPG gamer for 25+ years. Only a PC RPG gamer on and off during that time (and much more heavily since 2012/2013).

EDIT: Yeah, Fluent is something like the Rookie in loads of movies, and we are the grumpy senior officers that have to admit we kind of like him in the end. I won't let him date my daughter though.

Far from a rookie my brother, but I understand what you're saying.

As for dating people's daughters, I'll just quote Viktor Vaughn:

Spoiler: Warning: Rap Lyrics ahead

Train a sane brain to an insane train of thought
On a campaign trail he came to gain your support
Charge cash for a autograph
Say some shit to make your daughter laugh then slaughter the ass

A little crude but it's all in good fun.

 

[TomRon]

I remember trying OOO for some hours, but found it did a bit too much as well.

 

[TomRon]

I don't love all games. I love most RPGs as long as they have a lot of good RPG elements in them.
.

What do you mean, are there other games BESIDES RPG's?

And I was referring to PC RPG's. I'm perfectly aware you've been a gamer for as long as I have, but you made me quite jealous when you still had all those greats to play. Luckily you seem to have waded through a score of them this last year or so, so I reckon by now you've probably played more of them than I have.

 

[wolfgrimdark]

Oblivion was the only main TES game I never finished and didn't really like. It was okay but I didn't mod back when the game came out and I hated the way level scaling was done. I prefer either Morrowind or Skyrim.

 

[Lucky Day]

Yeah, but the one reason Skyrim is better than both Oblivion and Morrowind, it was fun and not boring, trumps them all.

 

[SonOfCapiz]

Well there were a few descaling mods but Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul was the most popular. Can't forget the mod that actually made OB playable for me. Guy was actually hired by Bethesda afterwards iirc

 

[sakichop]

Oblivion was the worst of the 3 for me as well. I didn't know much about modding when I played it though. Maybe if I went back now and modded the crap out of it I'd find it enjoyable. Unfortunately I have too big of a backlog to find out.