Skyrim vs Oblivion

[Darylem]

So last night my computer crashed, unrepairable. I have a backup computer, but Skyrim is unplayable on my backup. So, I decided to spend some time revisiting Oblivion. After about 80 hours of playing Skyrim, I was amazed at how primitive Oblivion seemed. Much more variety in Skyrim, though I liked the guild system in Oblivion, not so much in Skyrim. I like the Skyrim leveling system in Skyrim better and the weapon and armor system as well. Traveling cross country is more difficult in Skyrim and more interesting random encounters. I can't wait until I get my computer working next week so I can go back to Skyrim.

[vertex23]

Omg someone who realizes that the leveling system in Skyrim is a massive improvement. Pinch me.

[OnlyOneWing]

Skyrim is undoubtedly better executed that Oblivion. But the depth of play in Oblivion is better. I played Oblivion for the first time right before I purchased Skyrim.

 

While the graphics and animations look way better in Skyrim. The world of Oblivion had larger/more interesting towns than in Skyrim.

 

Skyrim has better executed plots for each guild. Oblivion had way more guild content and actually made you feel as though you earned your place in the guild.

 

Skyrim's main story is way better than Oblivion's hands down. However all of the side stories in Oblivion, and all of the people's journals and letters to one another were really interesting.

 

It's a shame that both games could not just take the best from eachother.

 

In some ways I like Skyrim's lvling system but in other ways I liked Obivion's... I mainly miss "Acrobatics".

 

Skyrim is a more technologically advanced game, like five years newer... So it's almost unfair to compare the two graphics and AI wise.

 

In my opinion fighting in Oblivion was more strategy based. Blocking was actually useful and played an important strategic roll.

[Elsarian]

Skyrim is undoubtedly better executed that Oblivion. But the depth of play in Oblivion is better. I played Oblivion for the first time right before I purchased Skyrim.

 

While the graphics and animations look way better in Skyrim. The world of Oblivion had larger/more interesting towns than in Skyrim.

 

Skyrim has better executed plots for each guild. Oblivion had way more guild content and actually made you feel as though you earned your place in the guild.

 

Skyrim's main story is way better than Oblivion's hands down. However all of the side stories in Oblivion, and all of the people's journals and letters to one another were really interesting.

 

It's a shame that both games could not just take the best from eachother.

 

In some ways I like Skyrim's lvling system but in other ways I liked Obivion's... I mainly miss "Acrobatics".

 

Skyrim is a more technologically advanced game, like five years newer... So it's almost unfair to compare the two graphics and AI wise.

 

In my opinion fighting in Oblivion was more strategy based. Blocking was actually useful and played an important strategic roll.

 

I fail to understand how blocking in oblivion is more strategic? There is no bashing. There is no reason to time your blocking. There is none of that. Whereas in Skyrim you must time your block if you want to make the block more effective and you want to bash at the right time. I really do not understand how you think that. Plus you can wield spell, weapon, and shield at the same time. In skyrim, dual wielding called for a completely different approach to combat. So yeah. That is just what I think though.

 

Even though Is aid there was no bashing in Oblivion, that isn't entirely true. It is random though. Just like the blocking in Morrowind was random. Never liked that at all.

[Karasuman]

Both these games do some things better than one another, and it's largely a matter of taste which one someone will prefer. With both games in vanilla form, I think Skyrim is better overall, but not by a wide margin. The two games are actually pretty similar in many respects.

 

I also don't get why some people think Skyrim looks "good". Yes it has some decent eye-candy in some areas, but Oblivion was ahead of its time in the graphics department and had more ways to tweak the visuals. Many of Oblivion's stock textures (excluding LOD) look nearly as good (or as good) to me as Skyrim's do. Supporting that opinion is the fact that both were made for the same console hardware. The 360 is not cutting edge tech anymore. Skyrim's graphics do not impress me the same way Oblivion's did when that game was first released.

[sarnz]

I really do miss the journal from oblivion, I thought that was a really well done feature...

 

I wish they had made more items in skyrim for sure, given the expectation that they should advance. I also hate how they name potions different names even though they have the same effects. Should have a sub category based on the largest effects of it. So a poison section, resist section, health / mana / stam section, etc. So annoying scrolling through 40,000 different potions.

 

I think skyrim's way of movement is much better. Acrobatics and athletics were retarded skills in oblivion. All it amounted to was you hitting the spacebar as you jump around the landscape. It got to the point where I would enter oblivion gates and not fight a single monster. I would run through, scale mountains when I could, jump over rivers of lava... I do miss the hand to hand skill... imagine a hand to hand stealth attack where you snap the guys neck. That would be so badass.

Edited December 14, 2011 by sarnz

[Astaril]

I really do miss the journal from oblivion, I thought that was a really well done feature...

 

I wish they had made more items in skyrim for sure, given the expectation that they should advance. I also hate how they name potions different names even though they have the same effects. Should have a sub category based on the largest effects of it. So a poison section, resist section, health / mana / stam section, etc. So annoying scrolling through 40,000 different potions.

 

I think skyrim's way of movement is much better. Acrobatics and athletics were retarded skills in oblivion. All it amounted to was you hitting the spacebar as you jump around the landscape. It got to the point where I would enter oblivion gates and not fight a single monster. I would run through, scale mountains when I could, jump over rivers of lava... I do miss the hand to hand skill... imagine a hand to hand stealth attack where you snap the guys neck. That would be so badass.

Amen! I sooo agree with you here, loved the journal from Oblivion it felt more personal like my character had written in it, hate the simplistic quest log I never know who I am doing the quests for and what the point is. hope they bring it back for next game and the constant scrolling of potions is driving me bonkers! I really hated all the scrolling in Oblivion like if you needed a torch or hammer in the Misc I had to scroll through 10,0000000 keys I had high hopes they would sort this out in Skyrim but I am still scolling for thing especially in wardrobes and chests in my home as they don't have the sub categories now.

[Einarth]

Much more variety in Skyrim

 

Variety! In Skyrim! :facepalm:

 

Skyrim is undoubtedly better executed that Oblivion. But the depth of play in Oblivion is better. I played Oblivion for the first time right before I purchased Skyrim.

 

While the graphics and animations look way better in Skyrim. The world of Oblivion had larger/more interesting towns than in Skyrim.

 

Skyrim has better executed plots for each guild. Oblivion had way more guild content and actually made you feel as though you earned your place in the guild.

 

Skyrim's main story is way better than Oblivion's hands down. However all of the side stories in Oblivion, and all of the people's journals and letters to one another were really interesting.

 

It's a shame that both games could not just take the best from eachother.

 

A million times this.

[LordWushin]

I like the fact how people used to say, "Skyrim is Oblivion 2.0," but in reality it is Morrowind 2.0 seasoned with a little Oblivion. If you go back and play MW then play Oblivion, then Skyrim, you will see what I mean. Others can say the same - I went to Markarth and was immediately hit in the face with Morrowind as it would be today.

 

Oblivion has it good point, be it few; yet Skyrim, as a Beth tradition, has new stuff that expanded on Oblivion. Dual wield and magic! This is why I love Beth and the Elder Scrolls series, every game is improved upon the other.

[Aegrus]

I like the fact how people used to say, "Skyrim is Oblivion 2.0," but in reality it is Morrowind 2.0 seasoned with a little Oblivion. If you go back and play MW then play Oblivion, then Skyrim, you will see what I mean. Others can say the same - I went to Markarth and was immediately hit in the face with Morrowind as it would be today.

 

Oblivion has it good point, be it few; yet Skyrim, as a Beth tradition, has new stuff that expanded on Oblivion. Dual wield and magic! This is why I love Beth and the Elder Scrolls series, every game is improved upon the other.

 

Actually, Daggerfall had all of these features, plus climbing, plus advanced fast travel. It seems like Oblivion and Morrowind both cut features from Daggerfall, and now Skyrim has gone back and reclaimed some of them. (Not all.)

Of course, Skyrim isn't as deep in customization, and dungeons are way smaller.

 

On the other hand, Daggerfall has very poor graphics, and the execution of its mechanics were very sloppy by today's standards. So really, I prefer Skyrim over any other E.S game. Then again, if I'd known about Daggerfall when it was new and fancy, maybe I'd think differently.