“I used to think you were a hero. A holy knight and all that. I guess I should have known better.” How many times have you heard that line in Oblivion Remastered and wondered what the hell that random NPC was talking about? Especially after you saved Kvatch, became the Champion of the Nine, and closed several Oblivion gates.

It turns out having even a bit of infamy – even negligible compared to your fame – will make NPCs diss you like this when you approach them. You’d think they’d look the other way for stealing a few coins after everything you’ve done for Cyrodiil, but it seems its residents are unforgiving. This has led players to feel that the entire fame and infamy system is unbalanced.

Infamy Outweighs Fame In Oblivion Remastered

It seems that recency plays a big part in this system, as if you commit even a small crime after gaining fame, NPCs will start looking down on you. “I literally have 2 infamy and over 150 fame and people are STILL saying they used to admire me?” noted one player on Reddit. It seems they too have faced the harsh judgement of the denizens of Cyrodiil.

One comment made a rather insightful but blunt point. “Well if you build 100 bridges but f*** one pig I’ll assure you, you won’t be called John the bridge builder.” While that might be true, Oblivion grants you infamy for much smaller transgressions. Even if you don’t care about opinions, you still lose the ability to wear the Champion of the Nine’s armour.

via Bethesda

“In spite of everything you’ve done for them, eventually they will hate you,” said another comment, followed by “The one thing they love more than a hero is to see a hero fail, fall, die trying.” After everything you’ve done, it seems that the rabble merely wants to watch you falter.

Others think it’s a sinister plot to destroy your reputation. “I understand I gain infamy automatically for completing Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood quests, but that doesn’t make sense,” said their comment.

“Who is out there besmirching my good name — I am very publicly the Arena Grand Champion, and at least known for being the Guild Master of the Fighters Guild, Arch Mage, and a Knight-Errant of Leyawiin. So crimes are committed, no one really knows by whom, and everyone just accepts a rumor it was me? How does that work?”

One player even quoted the iconic line from The Dark Knight Rises – “You either die a hero…” or live long enough to join the Dark Brotherhood and become a murderhobo.