The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered is one of the greatest works from Bethesda, but so is Skyrim. Before the release of Oblivion Remastered, Skyrim was easily the best title that Bethesda ever created. But is that still the case, or has Skyrim's superiority finally met its match?
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Posts By Andrew ScariatiOblivion Remastered is the prequel to Skyrim, and while the original game might not have been able to hold a candle against it, the remastered version of the game shows a lot of promise and might even be better than its sequel.
10 Graphics
Winner: Tie
While Oblivion Remastered has significantly improved the graphics from the original game, the world of Skyrim still looks a lot better in some ways, despite being a much older game. Skyrim's environment and the character designs really feel like you're in their world.
On the other hand, Oblivion Remastered still retains the feel of the original game with all the character designs and the environment, and while it may be great in its own right, it still pales in comparison to the beautiful world of Skyrim.
9 Story
Winner: Oblivion Remastered
Oblivion Remastered's premise and story are miles ahead of Skyrim in every way. The story of the Hero of Kvatch features a lot of substance. The hero is simply a mere mortal at the start of the game, who is then chosen by the divines for a spectacular fate, and saves the entire world.
The Dragonborn may be a strong character who is facing the World Eater Alduin, but his journey's end may be ambitious, but it can't compare to what the Hero of Kvatch achieved by becoming immortal.
8 Animation
Winner: Skyrim
Putting aside the casting of magic, most of the animations in Skyrim are significantly better than Oblivion Remastered. Riding a horse, sprinting, and even simply walking in Oblivion Remastered feels a little odd.
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PostsSkyrim pulls off most of the animations smoothly, and while some of them may seem unnatural, Oblivion Remastered also has no shortage of such unnatural animations. However, the magic casting and the jumping animations of Oblivion Remastered look significantly better than its sequel.
7 Combat
Winner: Oblivion Remastered
Overall, combat feels much smoother and a lot better in Oblivion Remastered compared to any other Elder Scrolls game. It doesn't matter if you're playing a mage or a warrior, you'll be able to fight against the most challenging enemies with ease, unlike Skyrim, where magic was significantly weaker.
Alongside having more options in combat, Oblivion Remastered also features a variety of improvements from the original version of the game, making it a much more fun experience for even the veterans who've played the original game.
6 Puzzles And Dungeons
Winner: Oblivion Remastered
Puzzles and dungeons in Skyrim have always been a little dull. Most of these puzzles are significantly easy, and the only gimmick with the dungeons is that they are too large to explore completely. You may spend hours and days exploring certain dungeons in Skyrim, and it might not even yield one percent of satisfaction.
It's completely normal to want to avoid going to explore a new dungeon in Skyrim just because you think it will either take hours or lead you to Blackreach. But Oblivion Remastered features fairly tricky puzzles, and the dungeons are a lot smaller. It makes you want to explore these dungeons just to see what secrets they may hold.
5 Open World Exploration
Winner: Skyrim
Skyrim may feature a large map, but it isn't as packed as what Oblivion Remastered offers. Everywhere you go, you're bound to find something in the Imperial Province. Skyrim's map looks highly appealing, and there are gorgeous places to explore. The amazing soundtrack further improves that experience.
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PostsWhile the Imperial Province of Oblivion Remastered may not be as beautiful as Skyrim, the attention to detail here in every location makes it worth exploring on foot instead of using Fast Travel every time.
4 Quests
Winner: Oblivion Remastered
The quests in Oblivion Remastered are really something else. These quests require you to put in some effort instead of holding your hand through the entire process or simply requiring you to save someone from a place or recover an item from a specific location.
Each and every quest in Oblivion Remastered offers a unique depth and experience that adds life to the game, and keeps it from getting boring, even after a few playthroughs.
3 Sound
Winner: Skyrim
Oblivion Remastered's soundtrack is great, but it doesn't come close to what Skyrim offers. Skyrim's soundtrack is nothing short of iconic, and there's rarely anything that could surpass that.
The moment you boot up the main menu in Skyrim, you immediately figure out that the game is going to have an amazing soundtrack, and it's completely true. The soundtrack of Skyrim makes doing everything a lot better, be it fighting a dragon or casual exploration.
2 Customization
Winner: Oblivion Remastered
If you thought Skyrim's character creation was detailed, you're in for a surprise. Oblivion Remastered features a much more detailed character creator, which can allow you to create either an abomination or a handsome face with ease. But it doesn't stop there.
There are multiple options, from classes to birthsigns and origins. It has everything that you'd want from a character creator and a lot more, making it one of the best in the Elder Scrolls series.
1 Verdict
Winner: Oblivion Remastered
Oblivion Remastered claims a significant win over its prequel, Skyrim. Bethesda has outdone itself with their work on the remaster by improving certain flaws from the game, while maintaining the feel of the original title.
There are only a few things that Oblivion Remastered doesn't do better than Skyrim, but that doesn't make Skyrim any less of an iconic title, which it is, considering that it came out over a decade ago. However, if you're looking to make your pick between the two as your first Elder Scrolls game, Oblivion Remastered is more than qualified for that privilege.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Like Follow Followed Action RPG Open-World Adventure Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 82/100 Critics Rec: 87% Released April 22, 2025 ESRB Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Violence Developer(s) Virtuos, Bethesda Publisher(s) Bethesda 6 Images CloseWHERE TO PLAY
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