  Whatever this is, it looks dangerous and deadly. |
Just so we're clear, this isn't a review of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Not exactly.
To be a serious video game journalist (whoever shouted "oxymoron!" in the back, you shush), one would have to complete this epic before scratching one's beard and expounding on whether it's the best role-playing game EVAH.
The problem here is that like its predecessor, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, there's well over 100 hours of gameplay in Oblivion, if you choose to tackle every side quest, rise to the top of every guild and slay every critter in the land of Cyrodiil.
Yet the game is out this week, and since it's possibly the most anticipated Xbox 360 title outside of Halo 3, people want to know if it's any good. Your thirst for knowledge must be slaked! What a great word, "slaked." We should all try to work that into our daily conversations.
So instead, this is my impression of the first dozen or so hours of Oblivion, during which I created a character, fought alongside a king, explored a handful of dungeons, dealt harsh justice to a grave robber, liberated a town and rose to Level 6. Man, there's just no way to make that sound cool, is there?
The greatest strength of Oblivion, other than its dazzling visuals, is that no two players will have the same experience. There's a main story quest in the game, which involves finding the heir to the throne of Cyrodiil after the assassination of the emperor (suitably voiced by Patrick Stewart) and battling the forces of evil that are entering the peaceful land via gates from the Dante's inferno-like realm of Oblivion.
But as with the other games in the series, you can do what you want. Pursue the main quest exclusively and ignore everything else, if you like. Or put the main story on the backburner while you seek out side quests, do missions for the four guilds and explore the dozens of towns and dungeons.
My Oblivion experience began by using the almost ridiculously customizable character-generation system to create a dark elf with a blend of thieving, fighting and magic skills.
I set off at the behest of the now-deceased emperor to find his illegitimate son, but after exiting the Imperial City's sewer system (long story), I spied the ruins of a cathedral across the river, with a door leading deep underground. Hmm!
An hour and change later I was selling my pillaged dungeon treasures in the Imperial City's market district, when a shopkeeper asked me to investigate a rival merchant who was offering his wares at impossibly cheap prices.
One pickpocketed key, rifled apartment and battle to the death later, and that single inconsequential side quest had been completed. With another hour off the clock.
Back on track with the main quest, I was dispatched from a small priory to a town many miles away. The game allows you to travel from point to point more or less instantly, as long as the destination appears on your map.
But instead, I chose to walk across the lush wilderness, stumbling across no fewer than five dungeons, mines or ruins. Two of them I explored top to bottom, doing my part to control Cyrodiil's bandit, skeleton and giant rat population, while the rest I made note of for later adventuring.
Picking up the main story thread, I ventured through a magic gate to the hellish realm of Oblivion, battling fireball-hurling demons, exploring menacing towers and finally closing the gate so that a ravaged town back in Cyrodiil could be liberated and the Emperor's heir found.
And that is just barely dipping a toe into Oblivion's almost daunting depth. Can I book off work for a month? I need to slake my thirst to finish this game.
BOTTOM LINE
Everything that was great about Morrowind is here in spades, but with smoother gameplay mechanics, snazzier visuals and a faster-moving storyline. Oblivion could eat up a significant portion of your free time in 2006.
WHAM! Rating: |
9 out of 10 |
ESRB Rating: |
T (Teen) |
Official Web Site: |
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