After closing shut the jaws of Oblivion
When I began Oblivion for the first time I remember being intimidated by its sheer size and non-linear game play. Never before has a game allowed players to take the virtual world into their own hands like Oblivion does. Oblivion achieves this by allowing you to manipulate and change the environment for the better or for the worse. A player can dabble in the art of thievery, become a hired mercenary in the Dark Brotherhood, or work to weed out corruption and maintain the status quo in the Fighter’s and Mage’s Guilds. There is a seemingly endless amount of work to be done and it is up to you to listen to other’s problems and seek out new solutions. The game play in Oblivion is intensely fun, although the simplicity of fighting can often make combat lackluster. Nevertheless, enemies are formidable and almost always set at the right difficulty. Winning a battle will make you feel triumphant, while dying will bring you close to throwing your controller at your television screen. The developers at Bethesda have captured the beauty and essence of fantasy and adventure, things that every role-playing game should be.
Of course, with a game this beautiful it is that much easier to see flaws – things that could and should be fixed in the next Elder Scrolls installment. Oblivion was and is the only game to date that I have ever written in suggestions to the developers. It would be nice to see some more weaponry and items in general. Looting in dungeons can be a little tedious when you don’t find anything new for an entire quest. Moreover, with all the power and prestige you gain in Oblivion I would expect a little more control over my NPC friends. Why not give me a small army to command? While the story is amazing and a wonder to finish, you’re almost left with the feeling, “Well what now?” Shouldn’t I have more at my disposal in Cyrodil after winning every battle and solving every side quest and achieving top rank status at every guild??? Give me more Bethesda!!!!