Best RPG I have ever played
I should preface my review by saying that I had FCOM installed, an amalgamation of many top mods available for Oblivion. That's one of the things that makes this game so terrific. Fans have produced "fan"tastic mods that do everything from changing core gameplay to overlaying better textures and lighting. It's a challenge to install everything you need to really get the most out of your modded Oblivion, so let me list some of the really good mods I've found.
First off, get Wrye Bash. Find out how to use the installer so that you're not permanently changing your game files. It will save you many reinstalls and many hours of trying to figure out what's crashing your game. Here are my top five mods: AWLS, Advanced Window Lighting System; Immersive Interiors; all the RAEVWD mods; Quirl's Texture Pack 3; and of course, FCOM. These mods add so much to the game and the fact that Bethesda allowed the game to be modded adds to the great score that I've given it. Every game should have this potential.
The really addictive part of Oblivion is that you're constantly upgrading skills as you use them. This has been done before, but it's done very well here, and it's part of the reason I kept trying to pick plenty of plant specimens in order to improve my Alchemy skills, or take tremendous leaps off of high rocks to improve my acrobatic and athletic skills. The scenery is gorgeous, and the world of Tamriel feels very much alive.
The only areas of the game I would like to see improved are the enemies that level along with you (although FCOM eliminated this for me), the rather odd looking faces (thought there is a patch that can alter this too), and the very unrealistic jumping animation (also changed by several patches).
I loved exploring and finding new places, seeing them added to my map and being able to fast travel back to them when I wanted to. The combat was interesting, as I switched between various spells and my greatword, or switched up to a shield and one handed blade. It might have been nice to use a hammer, but the bash skill was not one that I cultivated. Every town has its own feel and by the end of the game, you have quite a few memories associated with each location.
Bethesda has created a masterpiece and even gone beyond that by allowing players to mod the game so that the experience is really moldable to your own likes and dislikes. A definite experience that should not be missed by any lover of fantasy adventure and role playing.