Morrowind was a work of genuine innovation, its freeform, dynamic - though at times intimidating - gaming world providing a fresh new approach to the fantasy RPG genre. So when we recently heard that Oblivion would be less freeform than its illustrious predecessor, we were naturally a tad nervous. Was Bethesda about to sell out on us or were there other, subtler, more refined reasons for making Oblivion less sprawling?
...
The combat system has also received a complete overhaul. How often in RPGs have you been left feeling like you've had little to do with victory, or had little chance to avert a crushing defeat, due to behind-the-scenes dice deciding your fate rather than personal skill? It's an age-old RPG problem, but it's one that Howard and his team appear to be tackling with vigour and determination. The fact that two previous iterations of the new combat system are now lining Bethesda's bins is testament to that fact. "It took us a long time to get there, to find something that felt right and worked within an RPG," explains Howard.
...
Bethesda is also attempting to reinvent how you'll level up, by dispensing with experience points and replacing them with a revamped system​