The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, a recent graphical update of the 2006 classic game, has been both widely complimented and roasted by its user base. Where the new graphics, sponsored by Unreal Engine 5, have been universally complemented, some oldtimers are mourning the loss of a very handy feature of the original game: item menu subcategories.
In the original Oblivion, players were able to categorize their inventory items into subgroups, for example, separating equipment from alchemy from potions and ingredients. The remastered version lacks this organization feature, and the result is a more disorganized and frustrating item management process. A tweet about this sentiment was well received, as everyone felt the same way.
Aside from the lost feature, Oblivion Remastered also had some technical problems. One of such glitches happens with the “The Battle for Castle Kvatch” quest, as a critical non-player character fails to notice the player’s achievement. Others, especially on Xbox Series X/S and PC, also experienced their save data lost, i.e., losing several hours of progress in the game.
The publisher, Bethesda, knows about these problems and has released an update to solve them. Unfortunately, the hotfix it released while doing so accidentally created a new issue, and some PC users can no longer toggle the DLSS upscaling on, a graphics performance boost feature.
In spite of all these disappointments, the remastered game has been a colossal success with more than four million players. The game still keeps the majority of the original core systems, although with minor changes to the user interface and leveling mechanisms. While Bethesda keeps working in an attempt to rectify the reported problems, the hope is that gamers will be able to enjoy Oblivion Remastered in its optimal state soon.
Despite the initial setbacks, the ongoing efforts to address these issues suggest a promising future for Oblivion Remastered, with the potential for an even more immersive and enjoyable experience for players in the near future.
Another thing that the remaster changed that i was saddened to see was that some clothing is now gender neutral. What i mean is that certain clothing that used to have a unique appearance for either gender is now the same for both. Most notably the Huntsman’s vest, where males would wear the vest and an armband & females would wear a bra type top and an armband. Then there’s the scruffy boots from the shivering isles. For males they were long boots that end below the knee, and for females it was a pair of anklets and barefeet. It woulda been nice to see these two clothing items make a return in their true form instead of looking the same for both genders. I was looking forward to being a barefoot sorcerer but still being able to have an enchantment on my feet. I’m sure there’s more clothing thats affected in this way that i haven’t seen yet.
One really bothersome feature/bug is when you progress to stage 3 vampirism, your character becomes bald when you load a new cell. And you stay bald until your next dream. But then after you have your dream and load a new cell, your hair disappears again. So, likely a bug, at least i hope so.