4/5 ★ – jackohdee's review of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

Oh, it's YOU. Ah, Oblivion. Probably my first true love in the world of RPGs. I've lived many lives in Cyrodil - Hans Hard-Hands, Peryval Virane, Almoner Acilius. Lives well-lived. I've seen just about all there is to see in this world. Perhaps I've seen too much of it, because it's just not hitting like it used to. It might just be that the magic of the best quest lines like the Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild can really only be experienced your first time through. There is still some nostalgic charm in going through these motions, but the game just doesn't thrill me like it once did. A big reason for that is that the game itself kind of sucks. The janky levelling system, repetitive combat, and monotonous world map do little to keep you engaged between the more interesting dialogue moments. There are some wonderfully written quests, but few offer the kind of storytelling-through-gameplay that would really let them sing. Some high points for this time through were the Ultimate Heist for the Grey Fox, and infiltrating the Dagon Shrine - but they are unfortunately few and far between. I still love this game, and I'm keeping it on my All-Timers list for the role it's played in my life. It taught me how to build and inhabit characters, and showed me the joy of exploring a world on this scale. It's still great - but after my first run through Morrowind last year, this entry in the Elder Scrolls is feeling a little lacking.