"Oblivion Remastered: Dev Admits World-Scale Leveling Mistake"

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

World-Scale Leveling Remains in Oblivion Remastered

In a candid reflection on the development of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, original designer Bruce Nesmith has openly admitted that the inclusion of the world-scale leveling system was a mistake. Despite this admission, the feature remains intact in the highly anticipated Oblivion Remastered. During an insightful interview with VideoGamer, Nesmith, who has also contributed to games like Fallout 3, Skyrim, and Starfield, discussed how the remaster's adjustments to the leveling system enhance its appeal to modern gamers.

In the original Oblivion, players had to level up their major skills multiple times and then rest to increase their attributes. This cumbersome process has been streamlined in the remaster, adopting a more user-friendly approach akin to Skyrim, where players earn XP across all skill lines. Nesmith praised Bethesda for this bold move, calling it a "brave" decision.

However, Nesmith expressed a different sentiment regarding the world-scale leveling feature. This system, which adjusts enemy levels to match the player's progression, led to a sense of futility among players, as Nesmith pointed out: "Oh, it doesn’t matter that I went up in levels, the dungeon went up in levels with me." He believes this was a misstep, evidenced by its absence in Skyrim. Since the game's initial release in 2006, fans have voiced their concerns, leading to the creation of mods to alter this system. With Oblivion Remastered retaining this feature, the community has once again stepped up to address it through modding.

Oblivion Remastered is More Than Just a Remaster

The announcement of Oblivion being remastered took many by surprise, especially considering the extensive work put into reviving this Elder Scrolls classic. Nesmith himself anticipated only minor texture updates akin to Skyrim: Special Edition, but the actual scope of the remaster far exceeded these expectations. In another interview with VideoGamer, he commended the development team, stating, "[It’s] a staggering amount of remastering. It almost needs its own word, quite frankly. I’m not sure remaster actually does it justice."

Bethesda has indeed gone above and beyond, rebuilding the world of Tamriel using Unreal Engine 5. This technological leap allowed the developers to overcome the limitations of the original game, resulting in a product that has garnered widespread acclaim for its quality. At Game8, we awarded Oblivion Remastered a score of 90 out of 100, celebrating its heartfelt tribute to Cyrodiil, meticulously reforged with modern-day technology. For a deeper dive into our thoughts on the game, be sure to read our detailed article below.