The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Preview (Xbox 360)

"In the post Xbox 360 launch world that we live in, questions about the future inevitably begin to arise. For some, it may be, “When will I actually get my new system?”, while those who have managed to land a sleek new console may be saying, “When are some new games going to be coming out?” While gamers continue to be split on the quality of the 18 titles available at day one of the Xbox 360’s life, fans of most genres were definitely not left in the cold. But, what about the newest crop of games? When are they coming out, and what will they have in store? It may be a few months before a steady stream of titles hits the market, as March seems to be the time when games will be flowing out on a regular basis. That being said, there are certainly some promising titles to look forward to. Around these TeamXbox.com parts, Dead or Alive 4, The Outfit, and Full Auto are all at the top of most anticipated lists. One of the biggest titles on the minds of everyone, especially since it is in a genre absent at launch, is that of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. We thought it was due time to take another peek at this title, and catch gamers (both familiar and not) up to what is happening in the world of Oblivion.

A sequel of sorts to The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind on the Xbox and PC, the events of Oblivion aren’t directly tied to what happened in the first three titles, but rather each game acts as a separate entry into the entire Elder Scrolls mythology. In development since 2002, Oblivion will share many of the same characteristics players experienced in Morrowind, but the key word appears to be more. As in - more world to explore (hard to imagine), more characters to interact with, more weapons, and simply more of everything. But, before getting into the new goodies we’ll tinker with, there is a story acting as backdrop to all of this action.

The overall scope of Oblivion is an experience that is boasting a 200+ hour play time (get some sleep now!), but the main story mode will clock in at a bit shorter, somewhere around 20-25 hours (which is without any additional quests, exploration, or anything that makes this series great). Players will take on the role of whichever character they piece together, (picking from a pre-set list of species) as he/she/it sets out to find the heir that must fill an open throne in Cyrodill, the capital of Tamriel. Without an heir on the throne, the gates to Oblivion (a place similar to hell), are open, and unholy creatures are escaping and attacking local villagers. What lies ahead appears to be an experience unlike anything currently available on the Xbox 360. " [more]