When a game is more than a game.
Have you ever played a video game that just really sucked you in? I'm talking about a game that you really just fell in love with. A game that you don't feel bad about spending hours playing. There have been several games like this in my lifetime of gaming. One particular game I want to talk about is Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. This game has been out since March of 2006 and I still find myself playing it. That is one way you know a game is great. Oblivion is strictly a single player rpg game. Sure the graphics aren't up to some of the newer Xbox 360 or PS3 titles, but that happens all the time as gaming technology advances. However, as nice graphics are, it's the story and game play that really pulls you in and keeps you coming back for more. This is something that Oblivion has in spades.
For anyone who has never played Oblivion I will very briefly explain the story. Your character quickly finds out how the world of Cyrodiil is doomed because of the Oblivion Gates that are opening up. You must travel across a vast land to help close the gates and save the world. The beautiful thing about this game is that even though the main quest is great, there are tons of side quests and places to explore. I'm talking hundreds and hundreds of hours of play time here. I know that many other rpg games offer this feature, but there is just something about Oblivion that I found to be so awesome.
The world of Cyrodiil is just so much fun to explore. There are lush forests, fields, snow capped mountains, caves, dungeons, lakes, marshes, etc. I love medieval type environments with old towns and castles, which this game provides plenty. A lot of the time while I played this game I found myself just wondering off into the wilderness just to see what was there. I would see wild animals running around and run into enemies lurking in the shadows. I would ride my horse along a hillside and gaze out into a valley with the sun setting and stare at trees and grass swaying in the breeze. I love nature in real life so being in this setting in a game is great (real nature is much better though of course).
This was one of those games where I actually enjoyed getting lost in the world. The characters you meet in the villages all have there own personalities and bring life to all of the different locations. As stupid or corny as this sounds, some of the choices I had to make in quests made me feel a little guilty or saddened at the outcomes because you get somewhat attached to the characters you meet. Each place has it's own architecture and style. It was so easy to actually forget about the main story and spend so much time doing side quests for other characters. When I actually got to the end of the main story it gave me the feeling of accomplishment. I spent so much time in this game that when it finally came to an end I felt like I earned it. Then to top it off, there are several dlc expansions that just add more adventures and time to the game.
There have been other games that I have really enjoyed and spent a lot of time on. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion just happens to be one that sticks in my memory. The environments, characters, and music all come together beautifully and the developers really should be proud of what they created. Bethesda has been working hard on Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim which is suppose to be released in November 2011. I think that it will be just as great and probably even better than Oblivion. If you overlooked this game or just never got around to playing it I highly recommend it. This game sits very high on my "all time favorite games" list and you really need to experience it.
Written by: Alter Ego 83
For anyone who has never played Oblivion I will very briefly explain the story. Your character quickly finds out how the world of Cyrodiil is doomed because of the Oblivion Gates that are opening up. You must travel across a vast land to help close the gates and save the world. The beautiful thing about this game is that even though the main quest is great, there are tons of side quests and places to explore. I'm talking hundreds and hundreds of hours of play time here. I know that many other rpg games offer this feature, but there is just something about Oblivion that I found to be so awesome.
The world of Cyrodiil is just so much fun to explore. There are lush forests, fields, snow capped mountains, caves, dungeons, lakes, marshes, etc. I love medieval type environments with old towns and castles, which this game provides plenty. A lot of the time while I played this game I found myself just wondering off into the wilderness just to see what was there. I would see wild animals running around and run into enemies lurking in the shadows. I would ride my horse along a hillside and gaze out into a valley with the sun setting and stare at trees and grass swaying in the breeze. I love nature in real life so being in this setting in a game is great (real nature is much better though of course).
This was one of those games where I actually enjoyed getting lost in the world. The characters you meet in the villages all have there own personalities and bring life to all of the different locations. As stupid or corny as this sounds, some of the choices I had to make in quests made me feel a little guilty or saddened at the outcomes because you get somewhat attached to the characters you meet. Each place has it's own architecture and style. It was so easy to actually forget about the main story and spend so much time doing side quests for other characters. When I actually got to the end of the main story it gave me the feeling of accomplishment. I spent so much time in this game that when it finally came to an end I felt like I earned it. Then to top it off, there are several dlc expansions that just add more adventures and time to the game.
There have been other games that I have really enjoyed and spent a lot of time on. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion just happens to be one that sticks in my memory. The environments, characters, and music all come together beautifully and the developers really should be proud of what they created. Bethesda has been working hard on Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim which is suppose to be released in November 2011. I think that it will be just as great and probably even better than Oblivion. If you overlooked this game or just never got around to playing it I highly recommend it. This game sits very high on my "all time favorite games" list and you really need to experience it.
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