The debate between which is better, Skyrim or Oblivion, has been going on for a long time within the Elder Scrolls fandom, with many newer players avoiding the series’ fourth entry due to its dated graphics. However, with the release of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, a whole new set of players will get to experience this epic RPG for the first time. This is fantastic, but for those who have only played Skyrim, diving into Oblivion might be a little jarring.

Originally released in 2006, Oblivion was a phenomenon that is hard to explain to those who didn’t experience it the first time around. Bethesda built on this success wonderfully with Skyrim, but also changed elements of gameplay from one installment to the next to take advantage of advances in technology available to them. While plenty of Oblivion Remastered will feel familiar to Skyrim players, there are a few things that are still a step backward.

There Is No Romance Or Marriage

Sorry, You Have To Stay Single

While it doesn’t play a huge role in Skyrim, there is the option to ‘romance’ an NPC and get married. This is done by simply completing a quest for the chosen character and wearing an Amulet of Mara around them. After the wedding in Riften, you will be able to collect gold and a home-cooked meal from your spouse on a regular basis, but romance itself is very surface-level.

However, Oblivion doesn’t even have this basic system, with no marriage options. Alas, despite being the eventual savior of all of Tamriel, the Hero of Kvatch doesn’t get to find love. There is still hope, as the game’s dedicated modding scene may yet find a way around Oblivion Remastered‘s lack of mod support to add in some romance. This is a very small thing, but given the number of marriage options in Skyrim, it is one worth remembering.

Oblivion’s NPCs Are Ugly

Even With New Character Models, They Don’t Look Right

One of the biggest differences between Oblivion Remastered and the original is the graphics overhaul. There is no doubt that Cyrodiil has never looked so beautiful, and I’ve found myself stopping to take screenshots of the world around me, just as I’ve done in Skyrim in the past. However, one area where the graphics are still a little odd are the characters who inhabit the world.

While they are definitely still an upgrade from the potato-faced NPCs of the original, Oblivion Remastered‘s characters are still really ugly. This is most noticeable with elven characters, the dunmer, bosmer, and altmer, who look very different from their Skyrim or Elder Scrolls Online counterparts. While I’m not saying that Skyrim was filled with supermodels, compared to Oblivion Remastered’s NPCs, those Nords are starting to look pretty good.

Oblivion’s Voice Acting Is Still Bad

Not Even An Extended Cast Can Save Some Of Those Lines

One of the charming things about the original Oblivion was its amusingly small number of voice actors, which has been somewhat expanded in the remaster. However, even with a few more voice actors adding some much-needed variety to Cyrodiil, some of the acting is still subpar. With flubbed lines, odd deliveries, and ridiculously over-the-top takes on random lines, Oblivion‘s voicework is legendary in some ways but not necessarily in a good way.

The original Oblivion had only 14 voice actors in the base game, including Todd Howard.

Skyrim, by comparison, had more voice actors from the start, with better consistency in line delivery, which improved immersion. While Oblivion had Patrick Stewart and Sean Bean, Skyrim featured an impressive cast that included Christopher Plummer, Michael Hogan, and Claudia Christian. Thankfully, the amazing Wes Johnson is still present in both games, chewing the scenery as Sheogorath and Lucien Lachance.

Far Fewer Followers To Recruit

Oblivion Is Mainly A Solo Experience Without Mods

Whether you love to use them or hate them, Skyrim has a wider range of followers available to back up the Dragonborn in a fight. With over 70 to choose from, there are many ways to gain them, with some of the easiest being mercenaries who just want to be paid up front. In contrast, Oblivion has only nine permanent followers on offer, with most of those linked to long questlines.

Perhaps the most famous Oblivion follower is the Adoring Fan, who will follow the Hero around after their final fight in the Arena. On top of being extremely irritating, the enthusiastic bosmer doesn’t fight and will flee during battle. Other Oblivion followers include Dark Brotherhood Murderers, available after finishing the Dark Brotherhood questline, and Mage Apprentices who can be recruited after finishing the Mages Guild quests.

No Dual Wielding In Oblivion

Your Hero Can Only Use One Weapon At A Time

One of my favorite builds for Skyrim is dual-wielding. Although you have to trade the ability to block well for extra damage, once you’ve mastered the particulars, I’ve always found it to be a really fun way to fight. Unfortunately, there is no dual-wielding in Oblivion Remastered, with the Hero of Kvatch limited in how they can use their weapons.

Oblivion still allows a spell to be used alongside a melee weapon, but the option to use two daggers, axes, or swords at the same time is sadly not there. I understand why this is missing, as it wasn’t available in the original Oblivion either, and Bethesda and Virtuos have been very firm in their dedication to remaining as faithful as possible to the original. However, players coming from Skyrim may have to tweak their favorite character builds before venturing into Cyrodiil.

Oblivion Has A Reputation System

Gain Fame Or Infamy Based On Your Actions

One area where Oblivion is an upgrade to Skyrim is the fame/infamy system. The mechanic is fairly simple; As the Hero goes about their quests in Cyrodiil, they will gain either fame or infamy based on whether the deeds were deemed good or bad. This, in turn, influenced the disposition of NPCs, depending on their own alignment. Lawful NPCs preferred characters with high fame, while criminals favored those with high infamy.

Skyrim lacked this system, which at times could make the world feel less immersive. In Oblivion, the more quests you complete, the more it feels as though the character will react, such as earning a fame point each time you win an Arena match or close an Oblivion gate. This will make playing Oblivion feel very different from Skyrim, but in a positive way.

Magic Is Much More Powerful In Oblivion

Better Options & Create Custom Spells

Magic in Skyrim is sort of fun, although playing as a mage can have some drawbacks early in the game. However, magic in Oblivion is like a completely different animal, and is much more powerful, with many more options. The more a mage levels up in Oblivion, the more powerful they become, and it is very easy to create incredibly OP characters, with some of the best classes in Oblivion being a mixture of melee and magic.

Custom spells can only use known spell effects, so make sure to buy new spells whenever you can to expand your repertoire.

One of the best aspects of Oblivion‘s magic system is the ability to create custom spells. This is unlocked by joining the Mages Guild and getting access to the Arcane University to use the Altar of Spellmaking. Even without custom spells, Oblivion has a great range of spells on offer, such as Open to unlock locks, and has a great number of available creatures to summon.

The Locking Mini-Game

A More Complex Game To Master

Speaking of opening locks, the lock-picking mini-game in Oblivion is very different from the one Skyrim players will be used to. Anyone who has played Fallout 4, New Vegas, or Skyrim will be familiar with the rotating lock mechanic; however, Oblivion‘s is significantly harder. Rather than rotating a lockpick, you must slide it along the various tumbler, lifting them and attempting to fix them into place.

This gets easier as the Security skill is increased, with each rank making it so fewer tumblers reset when a lockpick breaks. I find this a refreshing change from Skyrim‘s Lockpicking skill, which is virtually useless to level up. There is also an Auto-Attempt option in Oblivion; however, it more often than not results in wasted lockpicks, and my recommendation is to buy the Open spell from the Mages Guild.

No Equipment Crafting In Oblivion

Weapons & Armor Can Be Repaired

One thing that I know I’m going to miss as I play Oblivion Remastered is the crafting that Skyrim offered. In Skyrim, weapons and armor could be crafted and improved right from the start of the game. As more perk points were put into Smithing, better quality equipment could be made, and I’ve always enjoyed crafting full sets for all my Dragonborn rather than looting or buying equipment.

Unfortunately, there is no crafting for equipment in Oblivion. However, weapons and armor can be repaired using repair hammers found throughout the world. Using these will improve the Armorer skill, which will eventually allow even magical items to be repaired. I don’t find it as good as Skyrim’s Smithing, and I know I’m not the only one who will eagerly be awaiting a mod for this particular feature.

Enemy Scaling Works Differently

The Biggest Difference Between Skyrim & Oblivion

Finally, the biggest difference for those playing Oblivion for the first time after playing Skyrim is enemy levels/scaling. In Skyrim, most enemies leveled with the player, although some had static levels, such as giants, and most types of enemies had level caps. This means that each group of enemies would only level so far, such as a draugr can’t go above level 45 or dragons above level 75. This meant that after a certain level, the Dragonborn was basically an unstoppable god.

Oblivion Remastered has stuck to the original’s level scaling, meaning that loot and enemies scale with the player. Low-level Heroes will face low-level foes like bandits, while level 30 characters will face tougher opponents, like Minotaur Lords. Unlike Skyrim though, there is no cap and enemies will continue to match the Hero level for level, with leveled equipment and after a certain point they essentially become damage sponges which can suck some of the fun out of the game.