"Oblivion Designer Praises Bethesda's Remaster as 'Oblivion 2.0'"

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion senior game designer Bruce Nesmith expressed his amazement at the recently announced and released Oblivion Remastered, stating that simply labeling it a remaster might not fully capture its essence. During a recent interview with VideoGamer, Nesmith discussed the immense effort poured into recreating every detail of Cyrodiil, making the remaster's transformation even more surprising.

Nesmith initially anticipated a simple texture upgrade but was taken aback by the extensive changes. "I would not have batted an eye at that," he admitted. However, the remaster goes beyond visuals, touching every aspect of the game, including animations, the animation system, the switch to the Unreal Engine, and alterations to the leveling and user interfaces.

Bethesda, surprisingly, did not preannounce the remaster before its release. Despite this, fans have been largely impressed by the range of updates, from minor graphical improvements to significant gameplay modifications. Features like the new sprint mechanic and revamped leveling system have led many to suggest that Oblivion Remastered feels more like a remake than a traditional remaster, a sentiment Nesmith shares.

He described the project as "Oblivion 2.0," emphasizing the sheer scale of the remaster. "That’s a staggering amount of remastering," he remarked. "It almost needs its own word, quite frankly."

In a statement posted on social media, Bethesda clarified their approach to the remaster, aiming to preserve the original experience while updating it for new players. They expressed excitement for both returning fans and newcomers to explore Cyrodiil afresh.

For those curious about which other Bethesda RPG deserves similar treatment, options include The Elder Scrolls: Arena, The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Fallout 3, and Fallout 4.

Oblivion Remastered is now available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can enjoy it at no additional cost. Comprehensive guides covering everything from interactive maps to character builds and walkthroughs are available for those eager to dive into the enhanced world of Cyrodiil.