The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion -- Page 3

The Daedra's In the Details
As you might have guessed from the screenshots, Oblivion's graphics are one-of-a-kind. The environments sparkle with detail, from tiny hovering fireflies to the way iron armor gleams in the sunlight. There's absolutely no doubt about it: when it comes to graphics, Oblivion will make even jaded cynics whistle in admiration. But to truly experience the game's beauty, you'll need to play at a fairly high resolution on your PC. Playing at 640 x 480 still looks good, but you'll miss out on fine visual details. You'll also notice a bit of draw-in here and there, but you can fiddle with these settings in the options menu.

Much like the graphics, Oblivion's sound design adds depth and dimension to every play experience. The sonic palette is at times startlingly realistic. As you wander through the wilderness you'll hear chirping birds, rustling leaves, gurgling streams, and the sound of wind blowing past your ears. Combat scenes, too, brings their own subtle audio cues that add immeasurable to the sensory feedback. Hacking a sword against a heavily armored opponent, for instance, produces hearty "clangs" and "clanks" letting you know that your target is highly resistant to physical attacks and may require a different strategy to defeat.

Oblivion's lush, flowing symphonic score borders on perfection. In fact, the rousing title theme would feel at home in the The Lord of the Rings films. The in-game soundtrack is subdued and atmospheric, kicking into high gear during battle scenes. Unfortunately, the quality is not matched by variety: the score becomes a bit repetitious at times, and you'll hear the same music pop up in dungeon after dungeon. The voice acting suffers from a similar problem, with lively performances but the same handful of actors supplying the roles.

"Onward and Upward! Huzzah!"
There's no way to sum up all of Oblivion in one key passage or phrase. The game is, after all, incredibly deep, and there are an almost infinite number of activities to try and master. Not every activity is equally satisfying (or polished), but the sheer variety of them ensures you'll always have something new and interesting to do. Already beaten the main quest? Then join the local Fighter's Guild and rise through those ranks. Or clear out every dungeon on the map, searching for the ultimate sword. Or just wander the countryside, picking wildflowers and mushrooms. It's all good.

Oblivion's more than just a game -- it's an entire world for the taking, the only single-player RPG that could possibly give a game like World of Warcraft a real run for its money.

If you've got a choice (and a great PC), though, spring for the PC version. You won't regret it.

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