Oblivion Remastered: Bethesda’s Best-Looking Game with Improved Third-Person Camera

by

As a gamer, I recently dived into the breathtaking world of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, and let me tell you, it’s like stepping into a polished gem from yesteryears. This remastered version has taken an almost prophetic approach to refining the 20-year-old RPG, making it look so stunning that it might just be Bethesda’s most visually appealing game yet—something I never thought would be possible for the 2006 release.

Not only have the game’s textures, visual effects, and resolution been improved with this remaster, but animations have been updated, user-friendly features have been incorporated, and subtle improvements have been made behind the scenes to make Oblivion Remastered run, look, and feel smoother than ever. The combination of these minor adjustments has resulted in a gaming experience that more closely aligns with what contemporary players expect from a AAA title. Some might argue that these enhancements make the original’s strengths shine even brighter. Essentially, this facelift makes it easier to appreciate Oblivion‘s strongest features. For instance, the third-person camera mode in the game, which is arguably the best of any Bethesda RPG, has greatly benefited from Virtuos’ refinements.

Out of Nowhere, Oblivion Remastered Has Emerged as the Best Third-Person Bethesda Game

Oblivion Remastered’s Third-Person Improvements

In the same vein as other enhancements in Oblivion Remastered, the third-person camera perspective has been significantly upgraded by the refined graphics: it’s now more pleasing to observe a broader view of the game, given that it’s predominantly visually appealing due to the Unreal Engine 5. However, the enhancements to third-person gameplay aren’t just cosmetic; they also provide practical benefits. For example, incorporating a crosshair into the third-person mode greatly streamlines combat, particularly for ranged techniques such as magic and archery.

It is essential to acknowledge the significant upgrade in character animations found in Oblivion Remastered. The third-person gameplay experience has been significantly elevated due to Virtuos’ lifelike walking, running, sprinting, and crouching animations. Although these animations might not reach the level of something like those in Red Dead Redemption 2, they are arguably the finest character animations ever seen in a Bethesda game. When comparing the third-person mode of Oblivion Remastered to their latest RPG, Starfield, the difference is striking. This praise for Oblivion Remastered is high, but it may raise concerns about the quality of Bethesda’s current works.

What Future Bethesda RPGs Ought To Learn from Oblivion Remastered’s Third-Person Improvements

In most Bethesda RPGs, players usually play from a first-person viewpoint. However, the ability to switch to a third-person perspective has consistently been a key element in their game design. This feature is often appreciated by gamers because it offers them a more comprehensive look at their personalized character, a fresh vantage point of the game world, and even strategic benefits in specific gaming situations. For instance, stealth games are significantly easier when playing in third-person, as it enlarges the player’s visual field and enables them to see beyond their character’s in-game vision.

In simpler terms, having a third-person perspective is crucial to the enjoyment of Bethesda games, but it often feels neglected in terms of development. Changing to third-person view in games like Starfield or Fallout 4 can make the game look and feel outdated due to rough character animations and an overall clunky feeling when moving around the digital world as a character. Although the third-person mode in Oblivion Remastered isn’t flawless, it’s a significant improvement over Bethesda’s other games, and it should mark the beginning of a journey toward enhancing this perspective, rather than settling for the basics.

Read More

2025-04-26 19:04