The long-awaited Oblivion Remastered is finally upon us, and its aesthetics are a bit of a head-scratcher. The term ‘modern’ certainly comes to mind, but it’s paired with an overwhelming amount of brown. Everything from the mud to the water, even the grass, seems to share this sepia tone. As someone who vividly remembers the vibrant fantasy realm Bethesda crafted nearly two decades ago, I find myself torn.
When you line up screenshots of the original Oblivion alongside its remastered version, the difference is stark. A heavy fog seems to shroud the landscape, muting what was once a luminous world. It’s as if the scenery is part of a bonus level in PowerWash Simulator, just waiting to be scrubbed to its former brilliance.
On the detail front, the improvements are evident. Torchlights dance against shadows, sunlight glimmers on water surfaces, and the docks resemble true wooden structures rather than moss-covered stones. Curiously, those once vibrant stones have turned a shade of charcoal. Back in the original, the grassy knolls and towering trees basked in brightness, but Unreal Engine 5 appears to have set the remaster to a more singed palette.
Stepping indoors, Oblivion Remastered fares a bit better. The iconic opening sequence, featuring a gripping escape thanks to Patrick Stewart’s narration, retains its air of claustrophobic stone passages with sporadic sunlight piercing through. This part closely mirrors the chilling essence of the original, perhaps showing the strengths of enhanced lighting when not hampered by overly dark textures.
The uncanny valley of pale character faces from the original hasn’t made it through the remaster, which, to be honest, feels like an upgrade. In an ideal world, those lovingly smudged NPC features would get a glorious 4K makeover, but the detailed wrinkles and pores are a decent trade-off if it means improved facial animations. Rest assured, their quirky voices remain delightfully intact.
Still, I find myself unable to shake off how murky the revamped game feels. Then again, I’m someone who still begrudges Virtuos for altering the artistic bonfires to a realistic blaze in Dark Souls: Remastered. There’s a chance that as you delve deeper into Oblivion Remastered, the visuals might grow on you or surprise you with vivid locales. Regardless, the beloved original Oblivion remains a comfort, ready to whisk us back whenever nostalgia calls.
