johng Blog

Sometimes a game comes along and you wonder why everyone else isn’t doing the same thing. This past week I have finally been able to clock in some hours on the masterpiece that is Oblivion on my brand spanking new computer and boy was it worth the upgrade.

It has been out for many months now so I am treading on well known ground but it really is a leap beyond the competition. It has that kind of emergent gameplay that has been much talked about but never been truely delivered until now. I can think of numerous tales of my adventures in Oblivion and the manner in which I undertook and achieved them will be different from anyone else who has played the game.

I think it’s clear a number of different technologies and ideas have been brought together and have really blown open the flood gates of gameplay possibilities.

Radiant AI has given every character and creature in the world a purpose in life which they carry out in the best way they can. They have jobs, they have homes (or not if your a beggar). They have wants and needs whether that be eating, sleeping or social interaction. It takes the sandbox level AI seen in The Sims and puts it to good use in a genre that didn’t have it before.

Graphically Outstanding as everyone knows. As my bank balance knows.

When I think about all the RPGs coming soon I realise they will all pale in comparison as this is what RPG is all about. Morrowind was part way there but they really nailed it this time in the post GTA era. Long live the king.