Rumors continue to swirl regarding a supposed remake ofThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionthat’s currently in development. The latest word is that the game’s Unreal Engine 5 face-lift is close to release, even though it hasn’t been revealed in any official capacity – the best we’ve got are documents alluding to the remake from the Federal Trade Commission case surroundingMicrosoft’s Activision Blizzard deal.TheOblivionremake isn’t rumored to be a perfect one-to-one translation, though, and one purported change has me worried, even if it’s ultimately a minor alteration.
This new version of 2006’sOblivionis said to be the work of Virtuos, a third-party support studio and remaster specialist, which is also currently assisting Konami on theupcomingMetal Gear Solid ∆: Snake Eater, another Unreal Engine 5 remake. The latest rumors are frankly a bit hard to believe: theOblivionremake is reportedly coming soon, potentially releasing before June, withreworked systems supposedly including sneaking, blocking, stamina, archery, and the game’s HUD, and it’s oddly this last change that has me the most concerned.
Changing Oblivion’s HUD Could Tarnish Its Whole Vibe
Its Parchment Menus Are Important
According toMP1st(viaVGC),Oblivion’s “HUD was changed to make it easier to understand and more aesthetically appealing to young players.” No further details have surfaced, butI find it hard to believe this means anything other than adopting a less stylized HUD, which likely means the game’s menus will be reworked as well to maintain a consistent design.
While this isn’t necessarily as impactful of a change as reworkingOblivion’s blocking mechanics – where “ideas to improve it were taken from Souls-like and [action] games” –I think this will have a tremendously negative effect on the game’s atmosphere.Oblivionwas a sharp turn from its predecessor,The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, in terms of overall world design. Cyrodiil, the province whichObliviontakes place in, is meant to be an idyllic, archetypal high fantasy province.
I’m More Excited About The Oblivion Remake Than TES 6 For One Specific Reason
The rumored Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remake has a lot of potential to be something truly great, and even has me more excited than TES 6 does.
Morrowind is a far more idiosyncratic fantasy setting, andOblivionwas arguably a turning point for the series, withThe Elder Scrolls 5:Skyrimlater following in its footsteps with a comparably unimaginative game world. Although the HUD and menus aren’t diegetic features,they contribute greatly to the feel of exploring Cyrodiil, with gilded and stylized icons, and parchment-like menus reinforcing the medieval high fantasy aesthetic.
Morrowind is known for volcanic landscapes and towering fungal growths. It also has bizarre fauna, like Silt Striders, bugs that can grow dozens of feet tall and are used for transport (i.e. part ofMorrowind’s fast-travel system).
With Cyrodiil otherwise being rather plain as a setting (emerging Oblivion Gates aside),its HUD keeps it from feeling homogenized, especially sinceSkyrimabandoned practically all stylized aspects for its plain black menus. There’s a great tactile feeling that comes with switching menu tabs, and scrolling through lists of items. Making it more easily readable is probably a smart move, but changing it aesthetically risks getting rid ofOblivion’s charm.
The HUD Is Ultimately Minor, & Trying To Appeal To A New Audience Is Admirable
Oblivion Deserves Another Round In The Spotlight
Without more details on the HUD changes or the exact goals, it’s hard to completely pass judgment, but the idea of appealing to a new audience is at least understandable, if slightly troubling in the way it’s been reported. Making the HUD “more aesthetically appealing to young players” is an odd bit of marketing speak, suggesting the younger generations unilaterally don’t want stylized non-diegetic elements.My worry is that theOblivionremake will just mimicSkyrim’s HUD and menus setup, since it has been perennially popular for more than a decade.
But the sentiment overall is sound.Oblivionis certainly dated, andmoving to Unreal Engine 5 is likely to make it more approachable, even if it loses some of the endearing quirks of Bethesda’s Gamebryo engine.Oblivionnever enjoyed the massive popularity of its successor, but I tend to look back on it more fondly, and a more modern version, even bereft of the original, charming HUD, may help its legacy by getting a swath of new players interested.
The Oblivion Remake’s Other Rumored Changes Make More Sense
The Elder Scrolls' Combat Needs Work
It’s a bit concerning to me personally to have a developer other than Bethesda altering gameplay features inOblivion, but the rumored changes at least target areas I agree need improvement. Much of the supposed overhaul seems to surround the melee combat, which is notoriously clunky in primarily first-person RPGs – even theotherwise excellentAvowedis let down by its first-person hacking and slashing.
There is no information on what ideas were borrowed from soulslikes, but theOblivionremake has conceivably adopted some form of parrying and guard counters. These would give the normal back-and-forth ofOblivion’s melee combat slightly more depth, rewarding players with good timing and diligent blocks. Similarly, making it more difficult to be knocked down when your stamina depletes will make combat less frustrating, especially for tankier characters in the early portions of the game.
Rumored Oblivion Remake Is Already A Mistake - There’s A Much Better Option I Couldn’t Be More Excited For
Bethesda is rumored to be making an official remake of Oblivion, but fans have beaten the developer to it and could even eclipse it.
Rumored changes to archery and the sneak icons (also technically a HUD element) also seem to generally align with the idea that theOblivionremake is an attempt to bring the game to a wider audience. Stealth archer is an immensely popular character build inSkyrim, so sneaking becoming more navigable and archery being made “more playable and modern in both [third-] and first-person viewpoints” is a smart reevaluation in order to cater toSkyrimfans who have not playedOblivion.
I personally would have been satisfied with a more direct remake, ported over wholesale to UE5 to get better visuals and iron out some technical kinks, but I think a more robust remake makes sense consideringOblivion’s age. It feels odd to fret over a changing HUD, butOblivionwas a foundational RPG for my experience in the genre, andSkyrim’s lack of stylization in that department contributes greatly to it not feeling as whimsical. I’m hoping for the best ifThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionremake is actually real, but I’m concerned that an important part of its visual and tactile spirit will be lost with a HUD overhaul.
