The Elder Scrolls is a series that has become renowned for big, open ended role-playing experiences. In these games, the story is almost a secondary prospect to character development. This is where the games shine through exceedingly well and with Oblivion, The Elder Scrolls return in massive role-playing glory.
The game starts out with your character in the Imperial prison of Cyrodiil, the seat of Imperial rule in the Tamriel Empire. Emperor Uriel Septim, accompanied by a small entourage of bodyguards, must pass through your cell to a secret passageway in an attempt to escape assassins who have already killed two heirs to the Imperial throne. You soon learn that your character is to play some role in the fate of Cyrodiil.
The portion of the game after you are released from the prison cell plays a bit like a tutorial. Suggestions for gameplay are presented as you progress. You are never bound to these suggestions, but they do present you with sort of a guideline as to how you might want to start off your main build. If you want to pick up a bow and arrow, for instance, go right ahead. Not to your liking? Perhaps you'd be better off with a long sword. You'll also be able to dabble in magic disciplines such as Restoration and Destruction. Whichever way you choose to go, you're building a skill set tailored to your personal preferences.
Once having left the Imperial prison, you are left to set out on your own and embark on the main quest of restoring an heir to the Imperial throne or to go off and sample the many side quests Cyrodiil has to offer. You will find quests for various items and to gain standing within various factions. The factions quests are all very well done with a few standout moments in each of them. The most consistently entertaining of the faction quests reside in the Dark Brotherhood which allows you to follow the path of a ritualistic assassin with the possibility of becoming a vampire for the Brotherhood.
Should you choose to follow the main quest, you will find yourself being introduced to Martin Septim, heir to the Imperial throne, and the Blades, semi-secret order charged with the protection of the Septim bloodline. In your travels, and as you progress through the main quest, gates to a plane of Oblivion open throughout Cyrodiil's landscape. It is up to you to close these gates and thwart attempts of invasion from the Daedric Lord, Mehrunes Dagon. Your journey to discover who is behind the Emperor's assassination will lead you many times to Mehrunes' plane of Oblivion until a final battle in which the Daedric Lord is defeated and a great sacrifice is made.
In terms of graphics and sound, Oblivion is a beautiful experience to behold on the 360. But even if it were to possess less wondrous elements in that regard, the gameplay and story elements are what really make this game the RPG masterpiece it truly is. We have featured voice acting in top notch form with actors such as Sean Bean (The Fellowship of the Ring, Silent Hill), Patrick Stewart (Star Trek, X-Men) and Terrence Stamp (Superman II, Star Wars Episode I) lending their talents to main characters. Although their roles are relatively short in the scope of the overall game, their contributions are magnificent. Apart from the faction and side quests, we are presented in the main quest line an engrossing story that brings to mind not only elements of faith and humility, but of honor and glory.
It all comes full circle in the end. The greatest thing about the Elder Scrolls series is that it's all about the player. Your character development is never dependent upon the story and it's up to you how you want to shape your character's destiny. The scapes of Cyrodiil are expansive, beautiful and provide the perfect escape into a fantasy realm and it's up to you how you want to explore it.
In the words of a man whom I've come to know as a friend: When the next Elder Scroll is written, you shall be its scribe.
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