"New Oblivion: Remake Looks, Remaster Feels"

When Bethesda unveiled the long-awaited Oblivion Remastered earlier this week, my initial reaction was one of disbelief. The 2006 classic, once infamous for its potato-faced characters and blurry low-res landscapes, has been transformed into the most visually stunning Elder Scrolls game to date. Having been conditioned by a string of underwhelming HD remasters, such as the Mass Effect Legendary Edition and Dark Souls Remastered, which barely diverged from their Xbox 360 origins, seeing the Imperial City rendered in Unreal Engine 5 with ray tracing was a revelation. Not only that, but the game has been enhanced with significant upgrades to combat, RPG systems, and a myriad of other details. This led me to question whether Bethesda and the developer, Virtuos, had misnamed their project. Should it not be called Oblivion Remake?

It turns out, I was not alone in this sentiment. Many fans have hailed it as a remake, and even Bruce Nesmith, a senior designer on the original Oblivion, stated, "I’m not sure the word 'remaster' actually does it justice." However, after spending several hours with the game, it became evident that while Oblivion Remastered looks like a remake, it fundamentally plays like a remaster.

The reasons **Oblivion Remastered** looks so revolutionary are clear: Virtuos has meticulously redesigned every asset from the ground up. Every tree, sword, and crumbling castle you encounter is brand new, meeting and exceeding modern graphical standards. The game boasts stunning textures, breathtaking lighting, and a completely revamped physics system that ensures realistic interactions with the environment. While the characters you meet are familiar from 2006, each NPC model is a fresh creation, aiming not for nostalgia but for excellence in 2025's gaming landscape. If I had seen this before the remaster rumors, I might have mistaken it for **The Elder Scrolls 6**.

But the enhancements go beyond visuals. Combat has been overhauled to feel more responsive and engaging. The third-person camera now includes a functional reticule, and all menus, from the quest journal to the lockpicking and persuasion minigames, have been refreshed. The original leveling system, often criticized, has been replaced with a more logical hybrid of Oblivion and Skyrim's approaches. And yes, you can finally sprint. With such extensive visual and gameplay upgrades, it's tempting to label this as a remake.

However, the crux of the matter lies in terminology. The gaming industry lacks clear definitions for "remake" and "remaster," leading to confusion. For instance, Rockstar's "Definitive Edition" remasters of the Grand Theft Auto trilogy are essentially upscaled versions of their PS2 counterparts, whereas the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, also labeled a remaster, features all-new assets and looks modern. Meanwhile, remakes like Shadow of the Colossus and Demon's Souls rebuild games from scratch but remain faithful to the originals, while Resident Evil 2 redesigns gameplay within the original structure. Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth go even further, altering design, script, and story. These varied approaches highlight the blurred lines between remakes and remasters.

New lighting, fur, and metallic effects are just the tip of the iceberg of Oblivion Remastered's changes. Image credit: Bethesda / VirtuosIf we consider a remaster to be a graphical overhaul that preserves the original design with some quality-of-life upgrades, and a remake to be a complete redesign from scratch, then Oblivion Remastered is aptly named. The game's new assets and Unreal Engine 5 effects make it look brand new, but the core mechanics and structure remain rooted in the original 2006 experience. As Bethesda explained, "We looked at every part and carefully upgraded it. But most of all, we never wanted to change the core. It’s still a game from a previous era and should feel like one."

This sentiment is evident throughout the game. The loading screens, the quirky persuasion minigame, the simplistic city designs, the NPC behavior, and the combat all retain the essence of the original Oblivion. Even the bugs and glitches, preserved in the name of maintaining the game's charm, remind players of its origins. While Obsidian's Avowed showcases modern advancements in combat and exploration, Oblivion Remastered remains a testament to the magic of its world and the ambition of its design, despite its dated systems.

What do you think the new Oblivion is? --------------------------------------

It's a remake. It's a remaster. It's a different thing and we need a new word for it.

AnswerSee ResultsIn the film industry, remakes are new productions with new casts and scripts, while remasters enhance existing films to meet modern standards. **Oblivion Remastered** is akin to a 4K restoration of a classic film; it pushes visual quality to the limits using the malleable medium of video games, but remains a product of its time. Alex Murphy, executive producer at Virtuos, encapsulated this during the reveal stream: "We think of the Oblivion game engine as the brain and Unreal 5 as the body. The brain drives all the world logic and gameplay and the body brings to life the experience that players have loved for almost 20 years."

Oblivion Remastered is precisely what it claims to be, and its achievements should not be underestimated. It sets a new standard for remasters in the AAA gaming industry, demonstrating what can be achieved with passion and dedication. This is the benchmark that other remasters, like Mass Effect Legendary Edition and Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy, should aspire to reach. Oblivion Remastered looks like a remake crafted by passionate hands but plays like a remaster preserved by loving fans, and that's exactly how it should be.