When to Dive into Shivering Isles in Oblivion Remastered

Among the highly acclaimed expansions for The Elder Scrolls series, Shivering Isles stands out as one of the favorites. Interestingly, it’s included for free in Oblivion Remastered along with its counterpart, Knights of the Nine. In Oblivion Remastered, these expansion packs can be initiated at any point during gameplay, from when you escape the sewers right up until there’s no more base game content left. Additionally, both expansions can be started and paused whenever desired, allowing players to complete them at their own leisurely pace.

While it’s possible to begin the game “Shivering Isles” at any time, certain stages offer a more advantageous experience in terms of both narrative flow and mechanics. These ideal stages come with their own set of benefits and drawbacks, and the choice ultimately depends on the kind of storyline preferred by the player’s Hero of Kvatch.

Starting Shivering Isles Late in Oblivion

Levels 15-25

In the game “Shivering Isles,” loot increases in scale. Players who desire the distinctive loot it offers might prefer to postpone playing it until they reach levels 15 to 25. This range provides loot that remains beneficial, but is early enough to allow for continued exploration within the base game of “Oblivion.” Consequently, “Shivering Isles” doesn’t feel like an afterthought; instead, it becomes a significant part of the adventure. It also grants players the opportunity to utilize any fresh spells, features, or equipment during “Oblivion’s” main storyline or during any of the numerous side quests available in the game.

After the Main Questline

This story serves as an engaging introduction to the land of the Shivering Isles. Upon completing the primary mission, the protagonist receives Sheogorath’s invitation to his realm of chaos freely. The protagonist might be driven by sorrow, hopelessness, a surge of madness, or numerous other factors due to their experiences in Oblivion. This narrative arc mirrors Martin’s storyline, allowing players to interpret that their character has succumbed to madness as a result of the futility they’ve encountered. However, one drawback of this path is that players may not fully utilize the power bestowed by the Shivering Isles if Oblivion’s main questline is completed without engaging in any side missions.

Starting Shivering Isles Early in Oblivion

After Oblivion’s Prologue

Beginning the game early on could establish the Hero’s backstory. Although Oblivion Remastered provides histories for all races, The Elder Scrolls mostly allows the player character’s past to remain a creative exercise for the player. By starting Shivering Isles straight away, players have an opportunity to mold its events into their character’s origin and experience their backstory firsthand. Although the loot might seem repetitive due to early acquisition, there is still ample loot within Oblivion’s main game to compensate for it. One potential obstacle that players may face is that Shivering Isles offers more challenging combat, which could prove difficult at lower levels.

Entering and Leaving the Shivering Isles

An alternative approach could be to tackle the “Shivering Isles” intermittently. The protagonist is free to depart from the Shivering Isles whenever they wish and carry on their journey in Cyrodiil, only to revisit the Shivering Isles when desired. This can be done as often as the player chooses. Noteworthy is that Sheogorath’s questline in “Oblivion” features humorous dialogue updates that change based on the protagonist’s progress in the “Shivering Isles” storyline. However, this method may cause the narrative of the “Shivering Isles” to feel more disjointed, potentially lessening the impact of the story due to the significant shifts in tone between the Shivering Isles and Cyrodiil.

2025-04-27 19:42