Better than Morrowind? Wrong, just an update. Oblivion is not better than Morrowind, the true best RPG ever made.
Oblivion is a great game, i'm going to spend hundred of hours discovering it, but i don't have the same feeling as i had with Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. That was a true shock: an entire world to do whatever i want, go anyplace, learn what i really need, buy and sell an entire collection of weapons and "stupid" stuff like candles or brushes, also with great graphics... and we're on 2002, when rpg king was diablo 2 where you can spend as many hours as you wish clicking on the same monsters, in the same way, doing always the same to level up... meanwhile Morrowind players gained levels taking jobs, investigating tombs, learning while traveling in an almost infinite world.
4 years later appears the IV game of the saga, the basics is the same, the game concept is intact but with new additions, graphics and others.
So, please, can anyone answer that question:
WHY has been sold 1,7 million games of Oblivion and now people discover that the love this"new" RPG concept when they have had FOUR YEARS to do the same with Morrowind?
Response is always in the same place: Industry. People love to play the same game with different name if it's full of new tech and have a famous name. Real innovating games use to be a humble release and they forge their legend based on their value, not on TV publicty.
Anyway i'm really happy that with that release people can play new game concepts, enjoy sensations that real-life simulations can bring, and i hope Game Studios now work in new directions, making games more real but not with graphics... Just keep in mind that the greatest RPG ever made was named Morrowind, because with it the concept "you're free in a real world" was born; developed also by Bethesda, a work that begun on 1994 with the first Elder Scrolls, and until the culmination with Oblivion 12 years of work has been used.
Now a quick review:
The main history is better, more important than ever, and it's fascinating. In Morrowind the temptation of make yourself was greater than completing the main quest. Oblivion push you to save the empire in a smart way.
Now many new things can be done, you can buy a house (finally!!!), buy a horse... people talk (that really helps to avoid reading thousands of lines) and everything is more real, the AI is better and finally the combat is strategic and not just win by using a bigger sword.
I MUST say that some old concepts was great and i don't think it need to be redesigned. If it worked fine on the past, must be keeped.
Trading: now you must go item by item, selling or buying in different steps, and you cannot set the amount, just move a %. That makes really slow some transactions and you cannot offer stuff for other, must be gold. Not good... no
Inventory: yump--- what i **** You must go thru like 12 menus to check yourself. Older one was able to check ALL in just one screen. And the items appeared as they are, now you have a poor and incomplete picture of them instead the real graphic. A step behind.
Map: Now you cannot use the map while playing, always must stop the game to check it. It was better when was in a small window on real-time.
Travelling: Well, you can set a destination and clicking you'll appear there. I agree, is easier and you gain many many time. But this is not reallistic. In older times you must go walking or using boats or others to reach your destination, like in the real life. I would suggest that you be able to go just by clicking only in the places you've been, rest of them should be discovered.
But the rest, is INCREDIBLE BETTER, bigger cities, smart npcs, amazing places... an experience that nobody should miss... The real pitty is they miss Morrowind, and absolute 10-perfect game.