The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is the fourth game in the Elder Scrolls series and is set in the province of Cyrodiil, the seat of power for the Empire. Emperor Uriel Septim VII is assassinated as he attempts to flee from the Imperial City; however, before his death, he hands the Amulet of Kings over to you, with instructions to 'close shut the jaws of Oblivion'. Your adventure begins with a quest to find a man named Jauffre - and then the lost, illegitimate son of Uriel, the last surviving heir to the Septim throne. Ultimately, you must stop the invasion of darkness and take up the role of standing between the future of Tamriel and the Gates of Oblivion.


 * Live Another Life in Another World. Create and play any character you can imagine, from the noble warrior to the sinister assassin to the wizened sorcerer.


 * Next Generation Graphics. Pixel-shader effects and high definition televisions are fully supported to create unprecedented visuals, including lifelike towns, dungeons, and the most realistic forests ever created in a game.


 * First Person Melee and Magic. An all-new combat and magic system brings first person role-playing to a new level of intensity where you feel every blow.


 * Radiant AI. This groundbreaking AI system gives Oblivion's characters full 24/7 schedules and the ability to make their own choices based on the world around them. Non-player characters eat, sleep, and complete goals all on their own.


 * Realistic Characters. Oblivion's features over 1,000 non-player characters who come to life like never before with facial animations, lip-syncing, and full speech. They even engage in unscripted conversations with each other and you.


 * Open-Ended Game Play; Short Challenges. The enormous world of Oblivion is open for you to explore at your own pace, and shorter challenges such as fighting bandits, mixing potions, creating magic items and persuading friends keep the challenges coming.

PC System Specifications

 * OS - Windows 2000/XP
 * Processor - Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent 3.0 GHz
 * Memory - 1024MB RAM
 * 8 x DVD-ROM
 * ATI X800 series, NVIDIA GeForce 6800 series, or higher video card with 128MB+
 * Sound Card - DirectX 9.0c compatible
 * 4.6 GB free hard disk space
 * Input - Keyboard, mouse

Features

 * Open-ended gameplay in the 16 square-mile land of Cyrodiil, homeland of the Imperial race
 * At least 200 hand-crafted dungeons to adventure through
 * Nine major cities and many smaller towns and settlements
 * Over 190 quests, along with the Main Quest, attempt to help the Blades unravel the main storyline
 * Over 1000 unscripted NPCs with full facial animation, lip-syncing, and completely voiced dialogue (50-plus hours)
 * Ten races to choose from
 * 21 different skills in three categories: combat, magic, and stealth
 * Cutting-edge graphics to take advantage of the latest video hardware, including high-definition televisions, to create the most realistic environments
 * An original soundtrack composed by Jeremy Soule
 * Havok physics which allow the player to manipulate the game world, and offers more realistic interaction with objects.
 * SpeedTree rendering of trees and grassy areas, allowing for whole forests and vast grasslands.
 * Everything from the grahpics, sound, gameplay and storyline in Oblivion has improved massively from the Elder Scrolls predecessor Morrowind.

Collector's Edition
A Collector's Edition was also released for ten U.S. dollars more than the standard retail game. The game packaging itself is unique and the box contains:


 * A 112-page Pocket Guide to the Empire,
 * A bonus DVD featuring concept art and behind-the-scenes 'making of' documentaries, and
 * An authentic replica of a gold septim coin.



Game of The Year Edition
A "Game of The Year Edition" was released that included the original game, as well as a bonus disc including Knights of the Nine and the Shivering Isles expansions. Additionally, a 380-page full-color paper Official Game Guide published by Prima Games was also released to stores alongside the game.



5th Anniversary Edition
A 5th Anniversary Edition was released on July 12th, 2011 for USA $29.99, September 23rd for UK £19.99 as a "complete collection of the original award-winning game" and more. Content of this edition includes:


 * The original Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion game, as well as the Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles expansions.
 * Collector's Steelbook: A beautiful collectible metal case masterfully embossed with Daedric symbols. (Just a normal case for UK, themed around the steelbook)
 * Making of Oblivion: A behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of Oblivion.
 * Oblivion Game Map: A full-color map of Cyrodiil and the Shivering Isles.
 * A $10 mail-in rebate offer for the purchase of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, as well as a Skyrim strategy guide. (UK Does not receive said voucher)

Gameplay Information
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion takes place in Cyrodiil, a province of Tamriel. The player is able to choose from 10 races at the beginning of the game. The player can customize them in many ways, including age, complexion, and even eye color (for certain races). The player also picks a birthsign and a class, with 7 major skills, and 14 minor skills, totaling to 21 skills. In order to level up, the player must increase major skills a total of 10 times, in any order. The player can level up his or her minor skills through repeated use. The player has complete control over how they want to play the game. They can ignore the main quest completely, and simply do side quests and kill many creatures in the 100+ dungeons in the game. The player can be a warrior, mage, or thief (stealth), or any combination of them.

Cyrodiil has many wild animals, fabulous beasts and lawless bandits for the player to the fight. There are wolves and bears, but also goblins and minotaurs, and many other creatures throughout the world. The player is able to participate in combat with these enemies by wielding slash or blunt weapons (hand to hand is also available), using magic, or a bow and arrow. The player can also equip many types of armor which increase the players defense. When given access to the Arcane University the player can also enchant his or her armor and weapons, which, depending on the strength of the soul given, gives a certain strength enchantment. The player can also make his or her own spells in a similar fashion.

The player can also speed up the process by buying a horse by any stable, or stealing one.

There are several different factions to join: the Arena, the Fighters Guild, the Mages Guild, the Thieves Guild, and the Dark Brotherhood, each with own unique quests.

World Information
Oblivion is set in Cyrodiil on the continent of Tamriel. Cyrodiil, due to its proximity to all of the other provinces of Tamriel is a varying land with a third of the geography being swampy marsh-lands, another third being snowy mountains and the last being mountainous forests and green fields.