The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Preview

Chris: Twelve hours in and loving it

Despite owning Morrowind twice, firstly on PC (though it proved that my then owned PC really did need to be replaced) and secondly on the Xbox in the guise of the 'Game of the Year Edition' I can't really say that I ever felt encouraged to progress. Everything was a touch too badly structured and freeform in my opinion, and I never really got the feeling that I was truly a part of a new world - something the very best RPGs manage all too well. Perhaps it was the way you were thrown right into the deep end and presented with a vast open world, despite not really knowing how the game works.

Nevertheless, Oblivion still stood as one of the early Xbox 360 tiles that particularly excited me. The promise of a huge world going about its business behind my back, and those absolutely stunning graphics were just too big a draw to pass up on. And my oh my, I've not been disappointed.

Despite the early sections of the game taking place solely in dank underground caverns, you're still wowed by the glorious looks Oblivion has to offer. The first time a character speaks directly to you, you'll be shocked by the incredible amount of detail on their face, then be blown away yet again when you discover that the same kind of detail is present on every single character out there.

One of the many strange areas you'll find while travelling across the huge map

Once you get outside, you'll witness trees swaying in the breeze, and gaze on in wonder at those distant rolling hills many miles away. Speaking of those far off mounds of earth, for most games they're merely a mildly attractive backdrop - something you happen to glance at every now and again once your focus drifts away from your immediate surroundings. But for Oblivion, things are very much different. After bursting out into the open after an hour or so of rat and goblin slaughtering, I decided to forgo the main quests for a moment and wander off towards those far-off mountains. Three hours later, after visiting lonely farms, hunting deer, and venturing into unknown underground dungeons along the way, I'm standing atop said mountain and looking down upon the Imperial city in what will surely become one of those iconic images for anyone who even has the slightest interest in role-playing games.

At time of writing, I've spent around twelve hours with Oblivion, and it's to its credit that a mere hour or so has been spent progressing through the main quest. There's just so much out there to do and see that I can't help but hop on my horse and gallop off into the distance looking for fame and fortune. I've joined guilds, helped solve a lion problem, stolen equipment from shops in the dark of night and sold it all on to a member of the Thieves' guild for a tidy profit, and even spent time in jail. I've done so much that it's easy to see just why I've spent so many waking hours with Oblivion so far. And unless the quality radically drops as soon as I hit the twenty-hour mark, then I can't see myself losing interest in performing these little side quests, or picking the pockets of tradesmen I follow home at night for an obscene amount of time. At last, a 360 game that'll last more than a week.