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.
A Persistant World means that the actions you take are permanent and have consequences even if you reload the level. You kill a character and they are gone for good, along with the consequences of their existance in the world.
Fast Travel is key. One of the biggest complaints of Morrowind was the travelling time, something which I agree with - why retread a well worn, well documented path over and over. Fast travel allows you to revisit areas already discovered on your map. This may not seem revolutionary but with large areas of the map undocumented and the addition of horse travel it makes those times when you need to explore all the more special rather than tedious.
Graphically Outstanding as everyone knows. As my bank balance knows.
Freeform Gameplay is king. A side quest here, a side quest there, an underground secret cult here, a love triangle there. 30 hours in and who needs the “main” quest when there is so much more interesting stuff to discover if you travel off the beaten path.
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.