Zero Punctuation: Oblivion

[Russian_Assassin]

I kinda always knew he would review TES IV... I disagree however with that rag about the landscapes. There aren't just meadows, there are snowy mountains, forests, swamps and... that coast near Anvil. Then again I've played too much Oblivion and maybe I just grew accustomed to it...

 

[androidodnetnin]

I never really cared for Oblivion for virtually the same reason that Yahtzee said; the fact that everything looks so samey. I know that I'm the kinda guy that plays the endless worlds of Dynasty Warriors, but at least all of the characters (not the enemies) have a different personality and what's more, each map is completely different.

I've watched friends of mine playing Oblivion, and I also remember waking up 2 hours later thinking he was in the same place only he had actually been playing for the 2 hours I had been asleep, and that he had completed no quests because he was still traveling on the same roads over and over looking what whatnot.

 

[Artinam]

Totally recognised the flaws mentioned, it really is HUGE but lacks "that feeling", the feeling your really involved in saving the world or destroying it.

 

[fullbleed]

Another great review, though I would have preffered one of STALKER. STALKER actaully seems to be a good example of the better, right way to make an FPS RPG when compared to Oblivion. A billion times more immersive and a lot more creative, playing it maybe me want to buy a gas mask and learn the guitar.

 

[GirlFlash]

totally agree about the quick travel, I opted to do none of it, until I lost my horse that is >.<

 

[BillBarilko]

I've tried playing Oblivion twice, got very bored and gave up both times. It felt more like work than playing. Also, about half the mods I installed for it didn't function - probably because I wasn't willing to invest the time into fiddling with this that and the other file to get them going.

As always, very entertaining review.

 

[Reibus]

Aww I really hoped he would have had ago at my personal gripe, the pointless level system

 

[artstsym]

I get on and decide to check ZP, and what do I find? Oblivion! That was definetly a WTF!!! moment, as I had been hoping that he'd do this for months but assumed it was too old to even care about.

It was a pleasant surprize as he made completely valid points. Yes, the landscape was very pretty, but if I wanted a bunch of the SAME very pretty landscape I'd just go for a walk in the woods. However, one thing I liked about Oblivion is how everyone didn't hate your guts, especially after you'd saved them from a thousand evils (hint hint Bethesda, Morrowind is the most unfriendly continent I've ever visited). I loved a number of the open ended questions that never got resolved (ex: why the hell you're in jail to begin with), but it seemed quite a few of them were just the same old thing we did in morrowind. And screw the lockpicking system. That got on my nerves after 30 seconds. The persuation was actually fun, once you go used to it.

 

[Landslide]

Reminds me of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxUch9kLlaI

 

[sad_nerd]

sigh... i took one look at this and pretty much guessed everything you were going to say...

you confuse me. i thought this game would get the same treatment at the witcher because it's long and complex. i wouldn't say you like games that are "instantly gratifying". like me you appricate a game that feels innovative and like it's had a lot of work put into it.

a game that immersed me recently was your game, Trilby's Notes. so that proves your point that it doesn't have to look good. every time i walked down the corridor i kept expecting to see the tall man behind me.

but still i'm disappointed. Oblivion is an amazing game for the most part. it's true some story-lines are a bit dumb. and yes... lots of the characters are cut directly from "generic fantasy monthly". but next to no fantasy games have good characterisation anyway. i'm a writer and i hate to write sword-and-spell-fantasy things cause i think they always feel fake. same reason i despise animé characters.

i won't ramble on anyway. just made me a bit sad.

 

[ShwStppnActr]

I'm not a PC gamer myself, so I really don't know anything about the game except that it's a western RPG.
I'm just glad he said something nice about the Zelda series, lol (even if it was immediately followed up with something hateful).

 

[PitrDeVries]

He really hit why I didn't like the game so well.

In Morrowind, you would really feel like an outlander, especially with all the unique creatures and customs. Weird dogs attacking me? Sweet. Wizards grow their towers? Awesome. Varying architecture, TONS of in game literature and lore, et cetera.

In Oblivion, they cut the books down to about two piddling paragraphs and it basically looks like every other fantasy setting I've seen: castles, wolves, et cetera.

But maybe some people like the fancier combat and physics. Meh.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I agree with Anarchemitis, I like the review but I have nothing to add. I must be ill.

 

[Kaos Incarnate]

There is only one part I enjoy in Oblivion, the murdering the five people in the house without the others finding out, that was so much fun, it's a save before entering and loading it up again moment.

 

[jebussaves88]

A good review. I suppose the anaylisis is fair considering he reviewed it on the PC. However, being mainly a console wanker, the version I played was the 360, in which the interface seems a lot more accessible than the pc with simple shoulder button controls making easy browsing

And yes it is true that the fast travel option will ultimatly always win out, but the thing with Oblivion is that whilst it is catered for a more casual RPG player such as myself, it can gradually get immersive the more you played the game, owing to the factions. Owing to how little was said of the factions, particularly the rather awesome Dark Brotherhood, I'm guessing Yahtzee probably didn't bother with all the side quests, which is where the game really gets good. It's best to think of Oblivion like five rather short GTA games which happen to be set in the meadowy version of the GTA3 incarcaration of Liberty City. If you haven't played the Thieves guild, mage guild, main story or Dark brotherhood, then you haven't really played Oblivion (although I found the Fighters Guild relatively dull)

 

[thenumberthirteen]

I like Oblivion, but i do have to agree with what YZ said about the voice acting. It is a huge world with a lot of people in it, but only about 4 voice actors for the regular NPCs, and a handful of phrases. On the other hand when you consider the ammount of dialogue in the game all together that's a lot of work for those 4 people. The one thing i like about this RPG compared to others is that if you randomly walk into someone's house then they chase you out rather than let you walk around the place and rifle through their cupboards, on the other hand if you try to talk to someone when they are chasing you they go from shouting "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU THEIF!!!" to "Hello, i hear that there is some hidden treasure buried somewhare in these hills". Still it's a great game.

 

[Vidiot]

The worst/best immersion breaking moment anyone?

Mine was when I was in a shop, dropping a watermelon I'd found, and suddenly the room was full of watermelons. turns out I'd done the "dupe cheat" by accident.

 

[Meneguzzi]

That is why boys and girls I am very very very afraid for Fallout being made by the same people who made Oblivion.

Now, let the fanboys bash me.