When Oblivion was released on the Xbox 360 and PC five years ago, it was one of the best games ever released. However it fell short in the presentation department due to its poor loading times and frame rate. Today, Bethesda showed Skyrim to us behind close doors and, let me tell you, it plays a lot better than Oblivion in many ways.
Replaying Skyrim after 13 years is a reminder of the progress made in western RPGs over the last decade, but also what's been lost.
RPGs are often huge, sprawling endeavours. With limited playtime, we have to choose wisely, so here's the best western RPGs available today.
"I started playing games yesterday" the List... Meh!
How about a few RPGs that deserve some love instead?
1 - Alpha Protocol - Now on GOG
2 - else Heart.Break()
3 - Shadowrun Trilogy
4 - Wasteland 2
5 - UnderRail
6 - Tyranny
7 - Torment: Tides of Numenera
And for a bonus game that flew under the radar:
8 - Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
Not only glorious jank, but the idea that the story can completely change depending on what you do, or say, or side with, makes it one of the most forward thinking games ever. The amount of story permutation is the equivalent of a Hitman level but in Story Form. And it wasn't just that the story changed, no, it was that you met completely new characters, or missed them, depending on your choices. Made Mass Effect feel static in comparison.
Alpha Protocol was absolutely glorious, indeed. And it was, and still is, more Next Gen than most anything out there these days. In this regard at least.
Pity.
A new Partner Spotlight Sale is now live on the Switch eShop, including Skyrim, lowest price ever for Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, and more.
Looking forward to Skyrim a lot. The whole dynamic dragon thing is sweet too.
... a sequel playing better than the last game? Unheard of.
Also I didn't think Oblivion's gameplay was all that. I always wanted a better melee system.
I certainly hope so.
But the combat is still very same-ie. There's no weight to anything, mobs jump at the screen to be wacked aside like they're rag dolls filled with air.
When blows do connect, the enemy on screen doesn't response to them. There isn't enough of a visceral feel to it, and melee combat still feels like your disembodied hand is hacking away at a hit points box until it drops dead.
Skyrim should be judged against Morrowind, not Oblivion.
I put a lot of hours in to Oblivion, but it was a shadow compared to Morrowind.
Skyrim Plays Better than Oblivion.. DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH