After months of rumors and speculation,The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredfinally launched on April 22, and most would agree that it has exceeded expectations. While many studios and publishers attempt to cash in on nostalgia by pushing out low-effort, low-performing remasters or ports of classic titles,Oblivion Remasteredproves that ambitious and risky remasters, even those released with little fanfare, can enjoy success.
At the time of writing,Oblivion Remastered’s 2-day concurrent player counton Steam is a whopping 190,119. Of course, this isn’t counting console players or those playing the game through Game Pass, where it launched day-one.
Ambitious seems like a particularly good word to describeOblivion Remastered, which blowsBethesda’s manySkyrimre-releasesout of the water. Indeed,Oblivion Remasteredis no mere texture update or resolution boost, but a complete reconstruction of the original game’s visuals in Unreal Engine 5, making for a stunning, almost breathtaking gaming experience. The fields, forests, mountains, and hills of Cyrodiil have never looked better than in this remaster, which is why the omission of a near-ubiquitous game design trend is especially puzzling.
Oblivion Remastered Deserves a Photo Mode
Cyrodiil’s Glow-Up Ought To Be Documented by Oblivion Remastered’s Community
While they were once rarities reserved for only the most cutting-edge titles, photo modes have now become commonplace in the gaming world. They can vary in terms of detail and feature richness, but even a fairly barebones photo mode can be a great way to celebrate a game’s visual artistry. Having more control over the in-game camera, various VFX, and other miscellaneous visual variables is something that a lot of gamers appreciate, and some have developed a particular talent for stunning in-game photography. One only needs tobrowse screenshots of games likeMarvel’s Spider-Man 2,God of War Ragnarok, andGhost of Tsushimafor evidence of this.
Given how popular photo modes are, it’s a bit of a letdown thatOblivion Remasteredis lacking one. The game’s newfound beauty, which leverages so many of the advanced tools of Unreal Engine 5, would be perfect fodder for virtual photographers, especially considering the vast openness of Cyrodiil’s natural landscapes, which are rife with diverse plant and animal life. Bethesda hasn’t shied away from photo modes in other recent titles, likeStarfieldandFallout 76, and withOblivion Remasteredarguably looking betterthan both of these titles, it’s a shame that there aren’t dedicated tools for capturing its impressive graphics.
A Photo Mode Could Have Further Bolstered Oblivion Remastered’s Word-of-Mouth Marketing
IfOblivion Remastered’s concurrent player count on Steam is anything to go by, it’s not like the game exactly needs a boost in popularity at the moment. But nevertheless, its identity as a visually enhanced remake/remaster means that the number-one question on prospective buyers' minds is how good it looks compared to the original. And while there areplenty of screenshots of the game floating aroundonline, there would have been far more if it included a decent photo mode. Moreover, such screenshots would likely be spread with abandon, as players would have been more enthusiastic about pictures that they worked hard to get right.
This boost in visibility, courtesy of more professional-looking, varied in-game photos, could have helpedOblivion Remasteredgrow into an even bigger phenomenon than it already is. After all, though Virtuos did make minor tweaks toOblivion’s core mechanics, its major visual overhaul is the most prominent and important change of them all; they could be further highlighted via a photo mode. Here’s hoping that a futureupdate forOblivion Remasteredcomes packaged with this much-deserved modern staple.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
WHERE TO PLAY
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion™ Remastered modernizes the 2006 Game of the Year with all new stunning visuals and refined gameplay. Explore the vast landscape of Cyrodiil like never before and stop the forces of Oblivion from overtaking the land in one of the greatest RPGs ever from the award-winning Bethesda Game Studios.Rediscover CyrodiilJourney through the rich world of Tamriel and battle across the planes of Oblivion where handcrafted details have been meticulously recreated to ensure each moment of exploration is awe-inspiring.Navigate Your Own StoryFrom the noble warrior to the sinister assassin, wizened sorcerer, or scrappy blacksmith, forge your path and play the way you want.Experience an Epic AdventureStep inside a universe bursting with captivating stories and encounter an unforgettable cast of characters. Master swordcraft and wield powerful magic as you fight to save Tamriel from the Daedric invasion.The Complete StoryExperience everything Oblivion has to offer with previously released story expansions Shivering Isles, Knights of the Nine, and additional downloadable content included in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
