Every once in a while, a game comes along that is so powerful and immersive that it makes you rethink and redefine what you’re expecting from a particular genre. For FPS games, it’s Halo. For action games, it’s Grand Theft Auto III. For RPGs, look no further than The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for the game that redefines RPGs and sets a new bar for the genre.

The Gate Opens
Oblivion opens in Cyrodil’s Imperial City prison, where Emperor Uriel Septim VII is trying to escape an assassination at the hands of the forces of darkness. You’re in the cell where the emperor’s escape route is and you follow the Emperor out of the caverns and sewers. The Emperor falls, but not before giving you the Amulet of Kings—he trusts you enough to find the man who knows the location of Tamriel’s only remaining heir to the throne. You embark on a mission to restore the kingdom of Tamriel and place the prince on the throne…or you don’t.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is unlike many of the RPGs out there on the market and proves that America can have a fair share in participating a very Japan-dominated genre of games. First of all, Oblivion is primarily in first person view and in real-time, which makes for some compelling and visceral combat - melee combat, stealth kills, spell casting - you do all of it from the first person perspective. Not only that, but the combat is so well-balanced and the controls are so responsive that Oblivion’s best battles rival even the most intense FPSes on the market. Enemies are tough but fair and highly contrasting combat styles makes it all the more immersive and fun. If Oblivion had an online battle mode, it would somehow become even better than it already is.

Free Form Gameplay
Second, Oblivion does not require you in any way, shape, or form to participate in the main story except for the introduction; it is perhaps the most non-linear game in the history of the industry. Players can take an absurd amount of side quests, enroll in guilds, participate in the arena, or just wander aimlessly. The main story is wonderfully epic and intriguing and can be picked up after any amount of exploring/side quests/wondering is completed, which is another huge plus. In Final Fantasy and other JRPGs, the player is usually “locked” into the main narrative—but not in Oblivion, which can make the main narrative that much more interesting.

Third, the diversity in Oblivion gives the game an unreal and unbelievable amount of replay value. All of the different races, classes, and signs create a different gameplay experience each time around. No two classifications of any kind play exactly alike. Gamers are always asking for more customization and power over their gameplay experiences. Look no further than Oblivion for that. The other empowering part of Oblivion is that most of the time, players can attain any skill they want. Want to change from a melee fighter to a stealth combatant? You can do it; it’ll just take some time. In Oblivion, classes are not as restricting as they are in JRPGs; they just add to what skills you’ll be focusing on, not dominating your experiences.