When Bethesda unveiled Oblivion Remastered earlier this week, I was taken aback. The 2006 journey through Tamriel, once known for its quirky, potato-faced characters and smudged, low-resolution grasslands, has now transformed into the most visually stunning Elder Scrolls game to date. Over the years, I've grown accustomed to remasters that underwhelm, like Mass Effect Legendary Edition and Dark Souls Remastered, which hardly differ from their Xbox 360 counterparts. So, seeing the Imperial City I explored nearly two decades ago, now rendered in Unreal Engine 5 with ray tracing, was a shock. The game also boasts enhancements in combat, RPG systems, and numerous other details. This led me to question if Bethesda and developer Virtuos had mislabeled it. Shouldn't it be called Oblivion Remake instead of remastered?
It turns out, I wasn't the only one with this thought. Many fans and even Bruce Nesmith, a senior game designer on the original Oblivion project, suggested that "remaster" might not fully encapsulate the scope of the changes. Initially skeptical, I dove into several hours of gameplay, and it became clear: Oblivion Remastered looks like a remake but plays like a remaster.
Virtuos has indeed put in monumental effort, redesigning "every single asset from scratch." Visually, everything you see on screen is brand new—every tree, sword, and crumbling castle. This overhaul meets modern graphical standards with beautifully textured environments, stunning lighting, and a new physics system that adds realism to every arrow and weapon strike. Even though the characters you meet are the same as those from 2006, every NPC model is a fresh creation. It's an impressive transformation that aims not just to meet nostalgia but to exceed current graphical expectations. If I had seen this before the remaster rumors started, I might have mistaken it for The Elder Scrolls 6.
Beyond visuals, combat has been revamped, making swordplay feel more impactful than before. The third-person camera now includes a functional reticule, and all menus—from quest journals to dialogue and minigames like lockpicking and persuasion—have been given a modern facelift. The original, often-criticized leveling system has been replaced with a more intuitive hybrid of Oblivion and Skyrim's approaches. Plus, players can now sprint. With such extensive visual and gameplay upgrades, it's tempting to categorize it as a remake.
However, the semantics of remakes versus remasters remain murky. There are no clear industry standards, and terms are often used interchangeably. For instance, Rockstar's "Definitive Edition" remasters of the Grand Theft Auto trilogy are still recognizable as PlayStation 2-era games with upscaled textures and modern lighting. In contrast, the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, also labeled a remaster, features entirely new graphics that make it look like a contemporary game. The term "remake" is even more ambiguous, with games like Shadow of the Colossus and Demon's Souls being rebuilt from the ground up yet remaining faithful to their originals, while Resident Evil 2 redesigns gameplay significantly but follows the original's structure. Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth go further, overhauling design, script, and story.
Traditionally, if a game was rebuilt in a modern engine, it was considered a remake, while remasters were more limited upgrades within the original technology. However, this definition is increasingly outdated. A more fitting modern distinction might be that remasters are graphical overhauls preserving the original game's design with minor gameplay enhancements, while remakes redesign games from scratch. This would classify Demon's Souls and Metal Gear Solid: Delta as remasters, reserving "remake" for games that offer new interpretations of old ideas.
New lighting, fur, and metallic effects are just the tip of the iceberg of Oblivion Remastered's changes. Image credit: Bethesda / Virtuos
So, is Oblivion Remastered a remake or a remaster? After playing, it's evident that it's aptly named. While the new assets and Unreal Engine 5 ray tracing make it look brand new, the underlying game mechanics and structure remain rooted in the 2000s. As Bethesda stated, "We looked at every part and carefully upgraded it. But most of all, we never wanted to change the core. It’s still a game from a previous era and should feel like one."
The hallmarks of that era are unmistakable. Loading screens still appear behind every door, the persuasion minigame remains baffling despite its new interface, and the city designs retain their simplistic, stage-like feel. NPCs still move awkwardly and speak clumsily, and combat, even after significant upgrades, feels detached. The game retains its quirks, including numerous bugs and glitches, preserving the original's charm.
Just months ago, Obsidian’s Avowed showcased the future of Elder Scrolls mechanics, with its advanced combat and exploration systems making Oblivion Remastered feel dated by comparison. Yet, Oblivion Remastered retains the magic of its world, with its expansive fields filled with mysteries and oddities. Its ambition, seen in dynamic goblin wars and engaging quest structures, remains compelling. Its old-school approach to player freedom feels refreshing in today's gaming landscape. However, the granular details reveal its age—dialogue lacks finesse, systems lack elegance, and level design feels ancient. A true remake would update these elements, but Oblivion Remastered is about reliving the past.
In film, remakes are entirely new productions, while remasters enhance existing films to meet modern standards. Oblivion Remastered mirrors this, pushing visual quality to its limits within the original game's framework. Alex Murphy, executive producer at Virtuos, likened it to "the Oblivion game engine as the brain and Unreal 5 as the body. The brain drives all the world logic and gameplay and the body brings to life the experience that players have loved for almost 20 years."
Oblivion Remastered is precisely what it claims to be, and its achievements should not be diminished. It should serve as the benchmark for remasters by other major AAA studios. This is what Mass Effect Legendary Edition and Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy should have aspired to be. Oblivion Remastered looks like a remake crafted with passion but plays like a remaster preserved by devoted fans, and that is its true strength.
