Review Oblivion review at AG.ru - 79%

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Bethesda Softworks; Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

<a href=http://www.ag.ru>Absolute Games</a> has posted a <a href=http://www.ag.ru/reviews/elder_scrolls_4_oblivion>review</a> of everyone's favourite game, <a href=http://www.elderscrolls.com/home/home.htm>Oblivion</a>. If you don't speak Russian, <a href=http://www.rpgcodex.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=12194>click here</a> to see Metallix's translation:
<br>
<br>
<blockquote>First off, we'd like to... apologize. Many of our readers expected the part 2 of our Oblivion preview. Every single week we received inquiries about the preview. Time and again, the editorship of AG.ru sought permission of Bethesda Softworks, but its PR department, in the person of vice-president Pete Hines, was impervious to our requests, completely forgetting about the promise made back in the autumn 2005, even after the flood of the first previews on english-speaking game sites. </blockquote>What a dick!
<br>
<br>
<blockquote>The better stealth system is introduced for all those thieves and assassins that prefer a 6x damage modifier to a fair battle. But don't be fooled by the loading screen info-bits: the system is primitive, and pales in comparison to those of Thief: Deadly Shadows or Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. The game does take boot weight and illumination into account, but the only indicator that player sees is the eye icon, which has only two states: "visible" and "hidden", making it impossible to tell why the guard spotted the player hidden in the darkness. How much noise did he make? How reflective was the mithril helm? Can an NPC that stands near the waterfall hear the footsteps? Take a guess.
<br>
<br>
But even if the abovementioned problems were solved, you still wouldn't be able to play the roles of Garret or Fisher in Oblivion, because Bethesda has dumbed down thieving as well. For one thing, every single item, be it a loaf of bread, dagger or a horse is equipped with a RFID-chip, instantly informing the law-abiding merchants (yes, they all are) if the item is stolen. If it is, then you are left with only one option: find a shady fellow from some thief guild, because nobody else would ever buy it, no sirre. Second, the breaking news of someone's murder will reach almost every soul in the country, right at the moment it's commited. Third, you can't escape the piercing gaze of the law enforcers - they'll spot the dubious content of your backpack in an instant. "Look what we got here - a stolen teacup! What would you like: lemon tea, green tea, pay a fine, go to prison, resist arrest?" </blockquote>Well, how else can you role-play a thief? Duh!
<br>
<br>

 

[Tintin]

Isn't there a submit news part to this site? Seems like everytime it goes, someone posts something in general discussion, then an admin reposts it here.

I read their review, sounds like they're a bit angry over the treatment of their preview by Bethesda (not that it's not justified....)

 

[HardCode]

I'm stupid.

Fixed.

 

[Tintin]

fuck shit oblivion fuck shit shit fuck oblivion fuck im having a heart attack fuck shit fuck oblivion.

p.s. i fuck don't fuck have fuck any fuck real fuck argument fuck so shit i will shit try shit to shit sound shit cool

Fixed.

 

[kingcomrade]

.

Fixed

edit- I was tempted to do a tubgirl, you can thank me later

 

[Vault Dweller]

Isn't there a submit news part to this site? Seems like everytime it goes, someone posts something in general discussion, then an admin reposts it here.

It's called a PM.

I read their review, sounds like they're a bit angry over the treatment of their preview by Bethesda (not that it's not justified....)

At the same time, I can't say that their complaints about the game are unjustified either.

 

[Tintin]

Another quality addition to kingcomrade's post count. He should get the respect he "desarvs".

It's called a PM.

So why not make people use it instead of having doubles everywhere? Or at least merge the threads after making a news post?

At the same time, I can't say that their complaints about the game are unjustified either.

I wouldn't know...so I'll take your word on that....It seems to me though that this is just the same as the gushing review sites, but the other way around.

 

[Atrokkus]

So why not make people use it instead of having doubles everywhere? Or at least merge the threads after making a news post?

Seconded. VD, I actually asked you to do that, but I guess you thought that I just wanted a link to my thread. Sometimes my thoughts are in chaos. WHat I meant was that you post your own news item on the main page without creating a corresponding thread, but use my instead.

Anyways, discuss it in my thread ^_^ ^)

 

[Vault Dweller]

So why not make people use it instead of having doubles everywhere? Or at least merge the threads after making a news post?

Freedom of speech and all that. Metallix did PM me though, after he posted that thread.

I wouldn't know...so I'll take your word on that....It seems to me though that this is just the same as the gushing review sites, but the other way around.

Not really. The problem with the gushing review sites is that they don't review games, they just tell you how awesome they are. Example: "Oblivion's combat system is awesome. The dice rolls are gone which is awesome! The combat is very dynamic and a huge improvement! Kudos to Bethesda!" How much does that *really* tell you?

Coincidentally, any review that actually explains Oblivion's game mechanics tends to be more critical, rating the game no more than 80%, which is a fair score, if you ask me. Oblivion is a decent *game* that lacks depth to be anything other than a decent game. It's a poor RPG, a poor Thief-type game, a poor Far Cry-type shooter, a poor Jedi Academy-type melee combat with magic game, etc. Speaking of which, Force Powers like Push, Pull, Jump, nicely integrated into combat, made it way, way more dynamic than what Oblivion has to offer with its vanilla spell repertoire.

In unrelated news, my 12-year old daughter is enjoying the game greatly, which hardly comes as a surprise considering who the target audience is.

 

[Thrawn05]

In unrelated news, my 12-year old daughter is enjoying the game greatly, which hardly comes as a surprise considering who the target audience is.

My 12 year old nephew got bored with it as soon as Patrick Stewart opened his mouth. Went outside and fished for 4 hours since the lake in the backyard uses Pixel Shader version 10.05b!!! Best quality I have seen yet.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Nothing beats fishing in a lake.

 

[Rhombus]

Did you apply the latest good-looking-water-mod to that lake?..

 

[FrancoTAU]

Did you apply the latest good-looking-water-mod to that lake?..

He couldn't because allowance day is Saturday

 

[Thrawn05]

Did you apply the latest good-looking-water-mod to that lake?..

I tried that one, but my backyard crashed to the desktop.

 

[match000]

Coincidentally, any review that actually explains Oblivion's game mechanics tends to be more critical, rating the game no more than 80%, which is a fair score, if you ask me. Oblivion is a decent *game* that lacks depth to be anything other than a decent game. It's a poor RPG, a poor Thief-type game, a poor Far Cry-type shooter, a poor Jedi Academy-type melee combat with magic game, etc. Speaking of which, Force Powers like Push, Pull, Jump, nicely integrated into combat, made it way, way more dynamic than what Oblivion has to offer with its vanilla spell repertoire.
is.

When the game was under development, I remember posting in the Official Forums a suggestion to have something like Force Powers. Bethesda never listens.

I also rambled on and on in the Official Forums about how great Ultima 7 was. Oblivion's scheduling and AI doesn't even seem as remotely good as Ultima 7's...

 

[FrancoTAU]

It's more ambitious than U7 for sure, but the execution doesn't seem nearly as good.

 

[Naked_Lunch]

While it is definitely much more advanced than U7's (Just going by what Bethesda said it's capable of. U7 was plain ol' scripting) there are several issues with it that bring it down.

The biggest issue for me is the loading between interior and exterior cells is annoying, and consequently, doesn't allow you to do anything fun with doors (Smashing them down to knock back NPCs trying to get at you, for one thing). Same with windows. In U7, if a window was openable, you could go through it or open it to distract the NPC inside. Can't do that in Oblivion.

Of course, U7's system wasn't perfect either. U7 had "omniscient" guards in some places (If you committed a murder in Britannia in the presence of another NPC, guards would automatically appear and rape you) but it certainly was more convincing. I never really noticed the NPC scheduling in Oblivion because really, it was either walk around and talk a bit, or go to a bar and sit and do nothing. In U7, NPC's would go to work, then maybe leave early to get a drink, and then go to the Brothel, or go to a Fellowship meeting and so on and so forth.

 

[bryce777]

Same with windows. In U7, if a window was openable, you could go through it or open it to distract the NPC inside. Can't do that in Oblivion.

This was actually really hilarious. I loved all the ways you could fuck with npcs and steal their loot.

I also remember killing hundreds of guards and selling their plate armor, or casting that steal spell to get their plate armor.

 

[Naked_Lunch]

I always liked putting stuff in people's beds when they slept. I remember Batlin did curled up with whatever you put in his bed, and I'd try doing it with all sorts of stuff (clocks, trophies, dead bodies et cetera)

 

[bryce777]

Oh,a nd the scripting in U7 seemed really realistic. Also, it had GOOD pathfinding. Probably the last fucking game I can remember that did.

 

[Naked_Lunch]

I found pathfinding to be a bit tricky at times, especially in tight areas like caves and such (maneurvering around caltrops was such a bitch with a big party) but otherwsie was pretty good, yeah.

 

[match000]

While it is definitely much more advanced than U7's (Just going by what Bethesda said it's capable of. U7 was plain ol' scripting) there are several issues with it that bring it down.

Of course, U7's system wasn't perfect either. U7 had "omniscient" guards in some places (If you committed a murder in Britannia in the presence of another NPC, guards would automatically appear and rape you) but it certainly was more convincing. I never really noticed the NPC scheduling in Oblivion because really, it was either walk around and talk a bit, or go to a bar and sit and do nothing. In U7, NPC's would go to work, then maybe leave early to get a drink, and then go to the Brothel, or go to a Fellowship meeting and so on and so forth.

Yeah, but at least in U7 when guards ARENT around in the room you can murder an NPC and not have anyone know...

For example, I really wanted to raid the Mint, so I followed the Mint manager home to her house, closed all the windows, then killed her to get the key. Then I raided the Mint at night. Then to be good I dragged her to Lord British to ressurect...

Ah the good ol' days, when gameplay was MUCH BETTER than just graphics.

Bethesda sucks balls. They couldn't even make scheduling and AI better than U7. How sad...

 

[FrancoTAU]

I always felt guilty about killing anyone in U7 and would bring them back to life too. Even the racist fuckers that attacked me in Vesper. I have no problem being a sociopath in other games though.

The only scripting (or AI if you're Beth) thing that bothered me was when your party members would flip out on when they thought you were stealing stuff when you were just moving something in reality. Especially Iolo, Shamino and Dupre. Et tu Iolo, et tu?

 

[Naked_Lunch]

Better safe than sorry, I guess.

 

[bryce777]

"The only scripting (or AI if you're Beth) thing that bothered me was when your party members would flip out on when they thought you were stealing stuff when you were just moving something in reality. Especially Iolo, Shamino and Dupre. Et tu Iolo, et tu?" The funny thing was that you could give it to iolo or just take it while they weren't looking,a nd not a word.