My latest foray into the world of Cyrodiil comes hot on the heels of finishing one of the best games I've ever played: Horizon Zero Dawn. Yes, I recently purchased a PS4 and HZD just came as part of the bundle. I was not prepared for how engrossing and well thought out the world and the gameplay would be. If you haven't played it, I suggest you rethink your life choices.
Unfortunately, Fallout 4, Uncharted 4, and The Witcher 3 all left me underwhelmed and a bit depressed (especially Fallout 4 - stop phoning it in Bethesda!). I considered purchasing Skyrim Special Edition, but the more I thought about it the more I remembered how lifeless and empty Skyrim felt in comparison to Oblivion. I then remembered I was part way through the Dark Brotherhood quest-line with Woodley, so I fired up the old PS3 and dived back into Oblivion.
I spent a good hour or so reacquainting myself with my spells and equipment. I wandered around for a bit and made my way into a cave, where I promptly got my arse handed to me by some powerful undead creatures. It's a testament to the breadth and depth of the game that I took stock afterwards and it all started to come back to me. I'd need to remember what spells I had crafted and in what order to best cast them, I remembered old bits of equipment I had picked up and what they did. I am only just scratching the surface of the gear available in the game, having basically just picked up odds and sods, and I was eager to explore and increase my power. I felt once more like a minnow in the ocean, an underdog eking out an existence in a vast world. This after 55 hours already! What an amazing game.
I think part of it is to do with how the map feature works. In Skyrim, you can view a lot more of the map at once (you might even be able to view all of it? I can't remember) and the shape of the 'world' is more rectangular. In Oblivion, I only have a 'sense' of where I am; I'm north of Anvil, or Cheydinha is to the West, or I'm near the Imperial City. I know the lay of the land and the relative locations of the cities, but I never seem to revisit places other than cities over and over again like I often did in Skyrim.
During my travels I kill a Spriggan, which I think might be my first. Then again it might not, I can't remember. They're pretty cool looking things which can summon bears to fight for them.
After mucking around for a while longer, I complete the quest to assassinate an imperial captain. As I approach it him it turns out he was bathing in the buff so proves an easy target for my poisoned arrow (which I had been given by the Dark Brotherhood).
Unfortunately I am somehow seen committing the murder, and am chased around town by the guards. I accidentally go into the Castle and the guards start brawling with an orc called Mazoga, whom they slay!
I escape and make it back to the Imperial City, whereupon I pay off my bounty to the Thieves Guild.
My next quest from the Dark Brotherhood comes from Lucien Lachance himself, and he tells me I must kill all of the Dark Brotherhood members as part of a Purification! I am genuinely shocked at this twist and more than a little saddened, as I liked talking to some of the guild members. Nevertheless, I carry out the task, and they prove to be fairly easy pickings for me as I get to grips with my spells again.
No comments:
Post a Comment