MINI-REVIEW: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Blargh!!!! SUCK!!!
I think that sums it up eloquently...But here's the deal...The game may be a colossal letdown overall, but most everything about it rocks your socks off. There are several smaller annoyances, but the real issue comes down to two things that you've probably heard about already:
1. Scaled leveling
2. Leveled treasure drops
I want to go to Bethesda headquarters and shake their design team by their neck-bearded throats, "Have you lost your minds?!?? This is MIND-BENDINGLY STUPID!!!"
I'm not even going to explain further than that. Everyone knows the reasons why this system, as it exists in this game, is so lame. To any people who disagree here...Sorry and no offense, but you're an idiot and you're wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong.
I could give a perfectly logical and sensible explanation why this setup is so flawed, but why should I go through the trouble when this truth is self-evident to anyone who picks the game up for any amount of time? I could scientifically prove that the sky is blue also, but why bother when it should be totally obvious to anyone capable of sticking their heads out the fucking window?
This makes me think about Morrowind. I played MW for more than six months and never lost interest. I haven't been able to sustain interest in Oblivion consistently in just the few weeks since its release. I'm still going to play through it and I'm sure I'll enjoy it a great deal, but in the shape it's in, this game doesn't even close to live up to its potential. MW may have been too easy after awhile, but at least it stayed fun and gave you some incentive (beyond lame fetch-quests) to keep exploring the world.
Game Scores:
GRAPHICS = Real purty
FIGHTIN' = No longer the lamest thing ever
CLINKS, CLANKS AND JABBER-JAWIN' = Inoffensive at worst
INTERFACE = Clumsy and generally annoying
STORY = Passable, if mostly uninspired
GAME WORLD = Overflowing with interesting things to see and do
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OVERALL RATING: 1.83 stars out of 2.459
