G-pinions

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, is one of the most captivating games I have ever played. When I first played the game almost a year ago, I was completely floored by what Bethesda accomplished. They somehow crafted an entire world where every action you take, from firing an arrow to simply walking down a tree-lined road, affects the physical attributes of your character. The amount of things you can do are simply staggering. There are eight cities in the game, each complete with scores of stores and mobs of people who need items retrieved or trolls removed. There are guilds to join, houses to buy and even skeletons to summon and command. And yet, the last time I wrote about Oblivion, I ripped it. Now that I am back in the world, spending almost twenty hours developing my new character in the last five days, do I stand by my criticisms of this game? Or do I forgive its petty sins and accept it as the greatest time sink of all time?

Or is it somewhere in between?

When you consider how long I have spent playing Oblivion, it seems silly and hypocritical to insult its slight problems. Of course, after playing so many hours of it, I will come across the occasional flaw. Very few games are perfect. Video games may be an art form, but they are a commodity first and foremost. Games are rarely shipped when everyone is completely satisfied. They are done when publishers tell them they are done. When the developer's hand is forcibly removed from the computer and they are told they cannot add one more item or pixel to this already jam packed experience. Reviewing a game is like trying to critique a painting that may not fully represent the artist's true intent. My problems with Oblivion come from the fact that time does exist, money is finite, and Bethesda may have simply not had enough time to add everything I expect from an RPG.

Basically, as fun as Oblivion is, and I don't believe a single game released last year provided more fun than Oblivion, it does feel severely stunted at times. Though every action you take affects your character's physical attributes, you have very little influence on the actual world around you. There is no way to form relationships or even create an identity in which people react to you strongly based on what deeds you have accomplished. I want my actions to have an effect not only on me but the people I meet and the world I inhabit. Though that concept may have been too advanced for Bethesda to fully explore in this edition of the Elder Scrolls series, it does hurt my overall enjoyment of the game.

While Oblivion does not offer real choices or sizable consequences, what it does right has never been mirrored in another title. Many games offer side quests to spend your time in when the main quest seems too arduous, but few really embrace this idea. Oblivion gives you the option to completely ignore the plight of this nation if you prefer. Though I was supposed to avenge the death of the emperor as the game began, I decided to try my hand at the Mage's Guild instead. After 15 long hours of killing Necromancers and retrieving lost books, I was finally promoted to the head of the guild. I have my own fancy quarters, complete with a chest that duplicates items placed in it, as well as an eager barrage of mage understudies willing to help me on whatever quest I next choose. The fact that Oblivion allowed me to study magic instead of forcing me to save the province is a testimony to the sheer freedom Bethesda offered. Not only am I allowed to partake in activities that interest me more than returning precious amulets, the game offers a ridiculous number of side quests to waste your time doing.

Also, though you cannot develop the mental state of your character, I love being able to choose my physical presence. When Nick and I started our quest last year, we choose your standard well-rounded adventurer. Good with a sword, good with magic, but great at nothing. He was fun and powerful, but did not exactly represent the character I'd want to be. Now, with my own game (Nick's borrowed copy) and my own character, I can do something completely different. Now, my only physical weapon is a bow imbued with frost magic. I have a staff that shoots powerful lightning spells as well. I have forgone traditional armor entirely, choosing instead a magic cloak that does not protect me from physical attacks but makes me stronger in magic. Magic, you say? I am exceedingly powerful in that area. I was able to take down the head of the Necromancers, a fellow who doesn't compare to Voldemort but is still a pretty crummy dude, in just a few strikes from my magic hand. I love being this powerful. I don't have a sword, axe or lance in my arsenal.

I love that I can create a character exactly how I see fit.

I think my problems with the game are completely reasonable, but it's easy to overlook them with all the things Oblivion does right. I only hope we see a true RPG in the future that still caries the freedom of this game. A game that may not offer a limitless number of quests, but one that offers real consequences for your actions. One in which, when I ask the head Necromancer if I can join him, he accepts rather than try to kill me. One in which my presence in this world strongly impacts the lives of all around me. I can choose my physical powers but can't do anything about my mental state. I would like a game that includes both options. I don't think that is too much to ask. While I count down the seconds for Mass Effect to come out, I will continue to play Oblivion.