This game will suck you in so much, you'll have flashbacks of it.
Gameplay: Amazing! The best gameplay I have seen in a medieval game. You can create your own character to your liking, ranging from the noble warrior, to the deadly assassin(6 races in total) You can then pick a class, and there are ALOT, so you could even make a totally deadly Argonian (reptile dudes) to even a magical Khajit(tiger dudes) if you wish, you can alter anything of the character you make. Stepping aside from the character creation; You can do anything in this game, do the Main Questline, Guild Quests, People Quests, harvest, live like a normal person, anything, just think of it as a medieval GTA, but as you can do anything, things have their consequences, any law you break, the guards will be behind you to give you 3 options: Go to jail, Resist Arrest, or Pay your Charges. Don't think you can run-off easily, commit a murder in front of someone and you'll have the guards chasing you in bunches. The game is 200 hours long, so it's pretty long if you ask me. From the battles, to the stealing, to the playing around, everything is very realistic. Customization in the game is essential, and so is your reputation, being a good person will get you good things, as being a bad person will get you bad things. You can customize almost anything, potions, spells, weapons/armor, your house, yourself, anything. So as summing it up, the gameplay is perfect unless you hate medieval games to death.
Visuals: Outstanding. Everything you see, you believe. There has been some criticism on the facial expressions of the characters, but I think that's no problem, and that it's actually very well made. The towns, the chapels, the nature, the beasts, everything looks too real, you'll be remembering these visuals for a long time. Sound: Perfect. The voice acting really is amazing. Though you may figure out some glitches that the character may be talking, and their mouth will be close, this barely happens, if it does, it'll be with the Arena Coordinator. The sound of the clashes, the explosions, all the sound effects! They are really well made. The music is also perfect for each scene there is, so it wont be a problem.
Controls: Easy, basic, no button combinations. And if you don't like them, you could always customize them to your liking.
Overral: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a game you can't miss. It's a masterpiece. It's 200 hours long, it's fully interactive and beautiful, and it will suck you in like no other game has done. You will always want to keep doing more stuff in the world of Cyrodiil.
What are you waiting for? It's only for $30 the regular edition and $60 The Game of the Year Edition which comes with the Shivering Isles expansion! Go to the nearest video game store and buy it now!