The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered vs Original Head to Head Graphics Comparison

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After numerous weeks and months filled with whispers and anticipation, it’s not just confirmed but also available now: “The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered” is out for Xbox Series X/S, PC, and PlayStation 5. Contrary to its name, this isn’t your typical remaster. As speculated earlier, the 2006 original has undergone extensive revamping and enhancement, with both substantial and minor improvements applied to offer a significantly upgraded and modernized experience that is unprecedented for remasters. To call it a full-scale remake wouldn’t be much of an overstatement, and in fact, would only be technically inaccurate.

Without a doubt, there’s plenty to discuss regarding the numerous visual and technical upgrades in the remastered version of Oblivion compared to the original game. That’s exactly what we’re going to delve into today! Let’s explore various aspects where this fresh RPG release showcases significant technical and visual improvements over its predecessor.

LIGHTING

Without a doubt, one of the most striking transformations that Oblivion Remastered has brought about in terms of visuals is evident from the start, particularly when you exit the tutorial dungeon and venture into the expansive world. Compared to the original Oblivion, this game had an overly vibrant, almost exaggerated appearance, largely due to its lighting effects and excessive application of bloom.

It’s fortunate that the situation has changed in Oblivion Remastered. The lighting is now more grounded and realistic, which significantly enhances the game’s world. With improved, dynamic lighting, shadows, and reflections, everything appears sharper and more beautiful. The remastered version seems to prioritize atmosphere and immersion, two crucial aspects for any Elder Scrolls game, and it does so quite successfully due to these changes.

ENVIRONMENTS

In this part, Oblivion Remastered truly shines with its significant improvements, to the point that it can be considered a complete and authentic remake. Almost all assets and models have either been completely redesigned or greatly enhanced, making the game’s environments visually stunning, particularly when compared to the original version.

In Oblivion’s Cyrodiil, there’s an abundance of greenery to appreciate, yet enhanced lighting, shadows, detail, textures, water effects, and other visual elements have made the environments appear more vivid and diverse. Although you’re still exploring the same map and locations, the visual style remains similar to the original game. Nevertheless, the updated environments seem more lively, which is fitting for a re-release of a nearly two-decade-old game.

DRAW DISTANCE AND WORLD DENSITY

In its 2006 release, the original Oblivion’s draw distances were quite modest. However, this is an aspect that sees significant enhancements in the remake (or remaster). The extended draw distances in Oblivion Remastered allow your surroundings to extend far and wide, revealing breathtaking landscapes. For example, when you step out into the world for the first time, you can’t help but be awestruck by the distant skyline of Imperial City or the majestic mountains silhouetted against the sky in the backdrop.

In Oblivion Remastered, the environments are significantly more detailed compared to the original version. The sparse vegetation that was noticeable in the original game’s world has been replaced with lush greenery, forests, and various environmental elements, making the locations appear more vibrant and lifelike.

CHARACTERS

In the original release of Oblivion, character models, faces, and animations were quite rough and outdated even by the standards of that time. However, with Oblivion Remastered, these issues have been significantly addressed, resulting in characters with sharper features, greater detail, and more authentic-looking races. Additionally, the human characters no longer resemble nightmares as they often did in the original game. The animations, lip syncing, and facial expressions have also been improved, along with some re-recorded dialogue, making the characters and NPCs less static and glitchy than they were in 2006’s release.

CLOTHING AND ARMOUR

It’s effortless to overlook the significant improvement in the attire and armor worn by characters across Cyrodiil when playing Oblivion Remastered, but if you compare them side-by-side, these enhancements become much more evident. Although the basic designs have stayed mostly consistent (for the most part), the added level of detail and subtle embellishments now present give many of these assets a fresh appearance. More intricate stitching, authentic folds and creases, as well as improved animations that sync with movement are some of the ways Oblivion Remastered refines the clothing and armor seen throughout the game.

LOADING

Similar to the original game, Oblivion Remastered doesn’t offer a completely integrated open world, a feature that Bethesda enthusiasts have grown accustomed to experiencing by now. This implies that specific areas of the map (such as most indoor locations) are segmented and separate from the larger environment through loading screens. However, these load times are relatively short, with instances where they can extend up to 6-8 seconds, while generally being quicker than that.

CAMERA

In Oblivion Remastered, there are immediate, recognizable adjustments, regardless if you’re playing in first or third person. During gameplay, animations appear more substantial and smooth, while changes in storytelling aspects like conversations and cutscenes are less pronounced. The exaggerated zoom effect and the camera locking onto characters during dialogue remain, but they now seem less comical due to enhanced visuals and significantly improved character and facial animations.

WHERE DOES IT STILL NEEDS IMPROVEMENTS?

The enhanced version of “The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered” is undoubtedly a massive overhaul of the original game, and it’s worthy of much praise for both the scope and finesse of its improvements. However, it’s not without its flaws. Occasionally, you may encounter clipped assets or unloaded textures, and performance can be somewhat uneven at times, although this will likely vary depending on your hardware. There are moments when you can see the foundations of the much older game beneath the polished veneer of this remaster, suggesting that it still feels a bit outdated in certain areas. Despite these minor shortcomings, “Oblivion Remastered” is an incredibly impressive work by Virtuos and Bethesda.

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2025-04-24 19:16