Arena combat just tickles me, and it makes perfect sense that it'd be embraced in a culture like the Imperials. It's likely the place I've spent most of my time in the game. Pushing through as much as I possibly could from the get-go until I hit a wall where I'd say, "Hm, maybe I should wait until I have custom magic and better gear," is where most of my Oblivion memories lie. Sure, even Skyrim has pretty basic fighting mechanics - press left click till they die, it's not exactly Sekiro - but it does the job, and there's still something electric about the far-reaching leaps into the sky to get out of the way of incoming slashes or the immediate serotonin dump that comes with a strong attack one-shotting an unsuspecting challenger. However, there was one commonality between all my runs, and that was my first pitstop - the arena.Įvery single time I started a new character and went back into the story or decided to play Oblivion just to meander around its open fields for the melodic and sweet-toned music, I'd first pay a visit to the arena for some quick cash, experience, and a bit of mindless fun where I'd get to enjoy Oblivion's combat. Because of this, I dove back a step into the more cartoonish and cheesy predecessor, finding adoration for many of its nooks and crannies - be it the siege of Kvatch with its devilish invaders or the eerie and unsettling village of Hackdirt nestled between Chorrol and Skingrad that felt right out of a Creepypasta.
ELDER SCROLLS OBLIVION MODS XBOX 360 PC
However, I wanted mods, but my PC wasn't yet up to scratch for the latest RPG hit.
My introduction to The Elder Scrolls was Skyrim on the Xbox 360. There are a few reasons that I adore Oblivion's arena, but chiefly, the memories.
ELDER SCROLLS OBLIVION MODS XBOX 360 FULL
Push further and you'll discover an arena full of gambling, macho men trying to one-up the other and cheering crowds egging on the hacking-and-slashing, magic hurling, arrow-spewing combat to the death. Quickly 180 and you can get right back into the capital city of Cyrodiil, a sprawling circular metropolis rich with corruption, inept politicians, and peculiar personalities twining their own selfish thread. One of the first locales you dip your toes into is the Imperial City, because when the Emperor is fell by bloodthirsty assassins, you crawl out of its dank, desolate, rat-infested, zombie-infested dungeon. This shines through more than anywhere else with Oblivion's arena. RELATED: This Elder Scrolls Oblivion Easter Egg Lets You Witness Todd Howard’s Voice Acting Skills Bethesda knew when to go for a heavy story rich with emotion, twists, and turns, and they knew when to go for simple mindless fun, striking a wonderful balance. It really is interesting - Oblivion's factions by and large are some of the best side-quests in any RPG I've played, from the plot of intrigue and sabotage within the Dark Brotherhood to the unveiling of a mysterious urban legend with the Thieves' Guild, right through to the band of mercenaries that slaughter skeevers for a quick penny or two. This should be interesting!" The gate slides down, creaking until the metallic clash against stone leaves a faint trail: the fight to the death ensues. "Good people of the Imperial City!" bellows the announcer, the gravel in his throat rising as he addresses the cardboard cutout crowd, "Welcome to the Arena! It looks like the Yellow Team has pulled a fast one by replacing their combatant with three Argonian prisoners.