Breathtaking in every sense of the word, except for the fact that it might just take over your life…
Gameplay: - Where do I start? How 'bout the sewers?! From the point of your immediate arrival, you are thrown into the deep story of Oblivion. You start out by creating and customizing your personal hero. You can select from a diverse number of options, from race to nose shape, it's got it all. I won't be going into the story with much detail, but what I will say is that you can almost totally avoid the campaign for hours on end, joining guilds, getting gold, equipping armor, and killing 'lots of goblins. The game is very open-ended and is yours to explore. The perspective in which you play is up to you, 3rd or 1st person, and either way it looks fantastic. Your weapons are varied, you have your typical bows and swords, but you also have some very powerful axes and staffs, and an assortment of other majestic items to bash your foes to their death. You can also take the mage's approach and use spells to conquer your enemies, if you so choose. Overall the gameplay is the some of the finest around, and although the seemingly endless traveling might get tiresome after a while, the beautiful landscapes will keep you coming back for more.
Graphics/Sound: - Speaking of beautiful landscapes, Oblivion is chalk-full of lush and wondrous environments, ranging from tall forests to the midsts of a dark and gloomy tomb. You and your enemies may not be equal from a combat stand-point, but both are one and the same when it comes to visuals, and the animations and graphics might just have you dropping your jaw from time-to-time. The original theme, combined with an equally impressive score and gameplay sounds make up to be one major achievement of the game, but might get a little repetitive after a while.
Value/Tilt: - While on the topic of achievements, 'The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion' has tons of them, and can raise your gamer-score by a hefty sum. This game has great value, for it will keep you going for hours on end, long after you complete the campaign. There are a few glitches, but they are very minor and don't hamper your gaming experience. Throughout the game you will need to make decisions that can ultimitly lead you in a different path than you thought you were going, especially in side-quests. Oblivion is a truly remarkable game, and much credit should be given to Bethesda. 9.6/10... Superb indeed.
~Netraam