The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Changes Applauded by Former Dev

World-Scale Leveling Remains in Oblivion Remastered

In a revealing interview with VideoGamer, Bruce Nesmith, an original designer of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, candidly admitted that the inclusion of the world-scale leveling system in the game was a misstep. Despite this, the feature has been retained in the remastered version of Oblivion. Nesmith, who has also contributed to the development of Fallout 3, Skyrim, and Starfield, praised the tweaks made to the leveling system in the remaster, noting that they make the game more accessible to today's players.

In the original Oblivion, players had to level up their major skills multiple times and then rest to increase their attributes. The remastered version adopts a more modern approach similar to Skyrim, where players earn XP across all skill lines. Nesmith commended Bethesda for this "brave" decision, which he believes enhances the gameplay experience.

However, Nesmith expressed regret over the decision to keep the world-scale leveling system, which adjusts enemy levels to match the player's progression. He remarked, "I think the world leveling with you was a mistake and that’s proven out by the fact it did not happen the same way in Skyrim." This system has been a point of contention since Oblivion's initial release in 2006, prompting fans to create mods to address the issue. With the remaster inheriting this feature, the community has once again stepped in to modify the world-scale leveling system.

Oblivion Remastered is More Than Just a Remaster

The remaster of Oblivion has surprised many with the extensive effort put into recreating this Elder Scrolls classic. Nesmith, who initially expected only minor texture updates akin to Skyrim: Special Edition, was astounded by the level of detail in the remaster. In another VideoGamer interview, he described the work as "a staggering amount of remastering," suggesting that the term "remaster" might not fully capture the scale of the project.

Bethesda's decision to rebuild Tamriel using Unreal Engine 5 has allowed the developers to overcome the limitations of the original game, resulting in a high-quality remaster that has been widely praised by the gaming community. At Game8, we awarded Oblivion Remastered a score of 90 out of 100, celebrating it as a heartfelt tribute to Cyrodiil, meticulously reforged with contemporary technology. For a deeper dive into our review, feel free to explore our detailed article below!