Summary

  • Oblivion fans are once again taking aim at the game's auto-scaling, claiming it makes the world feel "flat and sterile".
  • One player criticizes how weaker enemies disappear as you level up, as Cyrodiil's wolf population seemingly dwindle, as well as how ridiculous it is to see bandits in high-level gear.
  • Some prefer a more structured world like Fallout's, where certain areas are extremely dangerous if you're a low level.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion is a little different from open world games these days, in that you really can go anywhere you like without negative consequences. Once you leave the sewers and set out on your quest, you can pick a direction and run into enemies, dungeons, and quests that are perfectly suited to your level.

That's mainly down to the game's leveling system, as everything in the game scales to your level, growing in power alongside you when you do decide to level up. It's an interesting idea, though it does have its flaws when compared to a more structured open world. Now that we're all going back and experiencing an auto-scaled world for the first time in a while, many Oblivion players are realizing why we don't really see it anymore.

Oblivion Remastered Players Aren't Fond Of "Terrible" Auto-Scaling

A Reddit user called TehProfessor96 approached the topic earlier today, claiming that they "still can't stand the auto-scaling" in Oblivion. They go on to explain their problems with the system, saying that it physically stopped Bethesda from being able to make challenging dungeons and makes the entire world feel "more flat and sterile" as a result.

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It's a fairly uncontroversial opinion too, as you'll see that the thread is full of people sharing their complaints about auto-scaling too. For example, a lot of people talk about how baffling the Battle Of Kvatch is if you power level certain abilities, making it extremely difficult at high level, while a walk in the park at lower levels.

A user called Fit_Tradition8007 points out how silly it can get at higher levels, as weaker enemies such as wolves and scamps stop spawning entirely, and that "every bandit [is] wearing daedric/glass armor while city guards are still wearing chainmail." They explain that Oblivion should have left the weaker enemies alone, so that the enemy types could still exist.

Another user called Jhuseby wishes that Oblivion's world was more like Fallout's, which also has auto-scaling, but there are also areas in which you're definitely not supposed to venture into at low levels. Anyone who has ignored all the warnings in Fallout: New Vegas and wandered into Quarry Junction will know that pain first-hand.

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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

Action RPG Open-World Adventure Systems 20 8.6/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 81/100 Critics Rec: 85% Released April 22, 2025 ESRB Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Violence Developer(s) Virtuos, Bethesda Publisher(s) Bethesda Engine Unreal Engine 5
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