"New Oblivion: Remake Look, Remaster Feel"

When Bethesda unveiled Oblivion Remastered earlier this week, it felt like a dream come true. The 2006 journey to Tamriel, once marred by its quirky, potato-faced characters and smudged, low-resolution landscapes, has now been transformed into the most visually stunning Elder Scrolls game to date. After years of HD remasters that often left much to be desired—like the barely distinguishable upgrades in Mass Effect Legendary Edition and Dark Souls Remastered—seeing the Imperial City from nearly two decades ago reborn in Unreal Engine 5 with ray tracing was nothing short of a revelation. Beyond the visual overhaul, the game boasts enhancements in combat, RPG mechanics, and countless other details. It made me wonder if Bethesda and developer Virtuos had misnamed it—shouldn't it be Oblivion Remake instead?

It turns out, I wasn't the only one with that thought. Many fans, along with Bruce Nesmith, a senior game designer on the original Oblivion, have labeled it a remake. Yet, after diving into the game for several hours, it became clear that Oblivion Remastered might look like a remake but fundamentally, it plays like a remaster.

The reasons Oblivion looks like a remake are clear: Virtuos has meticulously redesigned every single asset from scratch. Every tree, sword, and crumbling castle is brand new, meeting today's graphical standards with exquisite textures, stunning lighting, and a revamped physics system that adds realism to every arrow and weapon strike. Even though the NPCs are the same characters from 2006, each model is a fresh creation. This overhaul aims not just to meet but exceed modern expectations, making it the best-looking Bethesda Game Studios RPG to date. If I had seen it without the remaster rumors, I might have mistaken it for The Elder Scrolls 6.

But it's not just about visuals. Combat has been refined, making longsword swings feel more impactful than ever. The third-person camera now includes a functional reticule, and all menus—from the quest journal to dialogue and minigames—have been refreshed. The original, clunky leveling system has been replaced with a more intuitive hybrid of Oblivion and Skyrim's mechanics. Sprinting is finally an option. With such extensive upgrades, one might argue we're in remake territory.

If I had seen Oblivion Remastered before the rumors, I might have believed it was The Elder Scrolls 6. The crux of the matter lies not in technology or changes but in semantics. The gaming industry lacks clear definitions for remakes and remasters, and terms are often used loosely. For example, Rockstar's "Definitive Edition" remasters of the Grand Theft Auto trilogy barely move beyond their PlayStation 2 roots, while the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, also called a remaster, features entirely new assets and looks contemporary. Remakes like Bluepoint's Shadow of the Colossus and Demon's Souls are faithful recreations rebuilt from the ground up, whereas Resident Evil 2 redesigns interaction while keeping the original structure. Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth radically alter design, script, and story. These examples illustrate the blurred lines between remakes and remasters.

Historically, a game rebuilt from scratch in a modern engine was considered a remake, while remasters were limited upgrades within the original technology. This distinction is increasingly outdated. A more fitting definition today might be that remasters preserve the original design with graphical overhauls and minor gameplay enhancements, while remakes completely redesign the game. Under this definition, Demon's Souls and Metal Gear Solid: Delta would be remasters, and the term "remake" would be reserved for games that offer new interpretations of old ideas.

New lighting, fur, and metallic effects are just the tip of the iceberg of Oblivion Remastered's changes. Image credit: Bethesda / Virtuos. So, if we accept these proposed definitions, is this new version of Oblivion a remake or a remaster? After playing just an hour, it's evident that Oblivion Remastered is aptly named. Yes, the new assets and Unreal Engine 5's ray tracing make it appear brand new, but underneath, it's the same 20-year-old game, with its core mechanics and quirks lovingly preserved in the classic Bethesda style. As Bethesda stated, "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."

The signs of that era are unmistakable. From the loading screens behind every door to the baffling persuasion minigame, the simplistic city designs, the awkwardly moving NPCs, and the still-clunky combat—all hallmarks of the original remain. Even the bugs and glitches, preserved to retain the game's unique charm, are present.

Recent games like Obsidian's Avowed showcase modern advancements in combat and exploration, highlighting how Oblivion Remastered feels dated in comparison. Yet, this remastered classic still holds immense value in 2025. The magic of its world, with its Rohan-like open fields and myriad mysteries, remains enchanting. Its ambitious features, such as dynamic goblin wars and engaging quest structures, continue to stand out. In an era where games often guide players too much, Oblivion's old-school approach to player freedom feels refreshingly liberating. However, the finer details—like dialogue, system interconnectivity, and level design—reveal its age. A remake would modernize these aspects, but Oblivion Remastered is about reliving the original experience.

Video games often borrow terminology from other media. In film, remakes are new productions with new casts, crews, and sets, while remasters enhance existing films to meet modern standards. Even the best 4K restorations of classics like Jaws and The Godfather remain products of their time, evident in their direction, effects, and film grain. Oblivion is akin to these restorations, pushing visual quality to its limits within the more flexible medium of video games. Alex Murphy, executive producer at Virtuos, aptly described it during the reveal: "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 lives up to its name and should not be seen as diminishing its achievements. Rather than insisting it's a remake, we should view it as the benchmark for remasters by other AAA companies. This is what Mass Effect Legendary Edition should have aimed for, not just a cleaned-up re-release. This is what Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy should have been, instead of a cynical cash grab. Oblivion Remastered is a labor of love, crafted by passionate hands yet preserved by devoted fans, and that's exactly how it should be.