When Bethesda unveiled Oblivion Remastered earlier this week, it was a revelation. The 2006 classic, once known for its quirky potato-faced characters and blurry low-res landscapes, has been transformed into what might be the most visually stunning entry in the Elder Scrolls series to date. Leveraging the power of Unreal Engine 5 and ray tracing, the Imperial City I explored nearly two decades ago now boasts a breathtaking level of detail. Beyond the visuals, the game has seen enhancements in combat, RPG mechanics, and numerous other aspects, leading me to question whether it should be called a Remake rather than a remaster.

It turns out, I wasn't the only one with this thought. Many fans, including Bruce Nesmith, a senior designer on the original project, have suggested that the term "remaster" might not fully capture the extent of the overhaul. After spending several hours with the game, however, it's clear that Oblivion Remastered looks like a remake but fundamentally plays like a remaster.

The upgrades extend beyond visuals. Combat has been significantly improved; swinging a longsword no longer feels like wielding a balloon. A functional third-person camera with a reticule has been added, and all menus, including the quest journal, dialogue, lockpicking, and persuasion minigames, have been refreshed. The original, often criticized leveling system has been replaced with a more logical hybrid of Oblivion and Skyrim's approaches, and players can now sprint. With such extensive visual and gameplay enhancements, it's tempting to think we're in remake territory.

However, the distinction between remakes and remasters can be murky. There are no strict industry guidelines, and terms are often used loosely. For example, Rockstar's "Definitive Edition" remasters of the Grand Theft Auto trilogy still show their PlayStation 2 origins despite upscaled textures and modern lighting. Conversely, the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, also labeled a remaster, features entirely new assets and looks contemporary. Remakes like Bluepoint's Shadow of the Colossus and Demon's Souls are rebuilt from the ground up yet remain faithful to the originals, while Resident Evil 2 redesigns interaction but maintains the original structure. Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth go further, overhauling design, script, and story.

Traditionally, games rebuilt in a new engine were considered remakes, while remasters were upgrades within the original technology. But these definitions are evolving. A more current understanding might define a remaster as a graphical overhaul that preserves the original game's design with some quality-of-life improvements, while a remake fundamentally redesigns the game from scratch. This would categorize Demon's Souls and Metal Gear Solid: Delta as remasters, reserving "remake" for games that feel like new interpretations of old ideas.

New lighting, fur, and metallic effects are just the tip of the iceberg in Oblivion Remastered's changes. Image credit: Bethesda / Virtuos

Applying these definitions, Oblivion Remastered is aptly named. Despite its new assets and stunning Unreal Engine 5 visuals, it retains the core mechanics and feel of the original game. Bethesda emphasized that they upgraded every part but kept the core intact, preserving the essence of a game from a previous era. The hallmarks of that era are evident: loading screens behind every door, the perplexing persuasion minigame, simplistic city designs, awkward NPC interactions, and combat that, despite improvements, still feels somewhat detached. Even the bugs and glitches, part of the game's quirky charm, remain.

Recent games like Obsidian's Avowed highlight how far game design has come, making Oblivion Remastered's systems feel dated. Yet, the magic of Oblivion's world remains compelling, with its open fields full of mysteries and its ambitious features like dynamic goblin wars and engaging quest structures. The game's focus on player freedom feels refreshing in today's more guided gaming landscape. However, the granular details and lack of modern finesse in dialogue and system interconnectivity underscore its age. A true remake would update these elements, but Oblivion Remastered is about reliving the past.

In the film industry, remakes are new productions with new casts and crews, while remasters enhance existing films to modern standards. Oblivion Remastered is akin to a 4K restoration of a classic film—it pushes visual quality to the limit but remains a product of its time. Alex Murphy, executive producer at Virtuos, aptly described it during the reveal: "We think of 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 underestimated. Rather than arguing it's a remake, we should see it as the benchmark for remasters from major AAA studios. This is the level of care and passion that should have gone into Mass Effect Legendary Edition and Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy. Oblivion Remastered is a labor of love that looks like a remake but plays like a remaster, perfectly balancing reverence for the original with modern enhancements.