Oblivion Remastered’s 2006 Simplicity Is Still A Big Reason Why It Works So Well

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An exciting fantasy journey wouldn’t be complete without some mysterious dungeons to discover, whether they are just a common roadside cave or a gateway to another realm. Oblivion, including its remastered version, offers exactly that, with countless underground expeditions to undertake as you roam the vast forests and mountains of Cyrodiil.

Nevertheless, crafting such a multitude of distinct locations would certainly be an arduous task, but it might become less challenging as sophisticated environmental design tools evolve and procedural generation techniques improve. These advancements could offer robust templates, reducing monotony while still delivering the unique characteristics we seek.

In the past, back in 2006, game development was quite distinct, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion’s scale was considered vast. Remarkably, even with all the changes that have taken place since then, the design of its dungeons has managed to keep the game engaging up until today, in 2025.

“It’s A Lot Like A Lego Set In A Way, Except Far More Complex And Detailed.”

Todd Broadwater’s quote, a dungeon designer for The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, beautifully encapsulates the exhilaration we felt about this project nearly two decades back.

In order to build the dungeons in Oblivion as effectively as possible, the environments were divided into modules. These modules could then be easily connected using a grid-like arrangement.

The dungeons in Oblivion are often seen as straightforward and repetitive compared to modern standards, yet they maintain an authentic feel. If you were to explore 17 caves in real life, you might find them similar, and after a while, you’d become familiar with the architectural patterns of Ayleid ruins. However, this repetition is not detrimental; it provides predictability that doesn’t require more complexity. Despite knowing what to expect, I can easily lose myself in each labyrinthine layout as I explore them thoroughly.

In contrast to Skyrim, where the caves and dungeons often have a predefined route or clear markers, Oblivion’s dungeons are designed more for the pleasure of combat and looting. Unlike in Skyrim, there is typically no distinct path to follow within most Oblivion dungeons.

As you reach a crossroads deep within the cave’s labyrinthine passages, venturing left or right will lead you through a web of additional adversaries and riches – what matters most is the adventure. It’s rare to escape from a dungeon after entering, and I find that exhilarating. Kudos to Clairvoyance for being my guide.

And Then We Have The Realm Of Oblivion Itself

In every gaming adventure through Oblivion, I can’t skip over the mention of the Daedric realms we traverse. There are a whopping 60 Oblivion gates to dive into, each offering unique experiences as you aim to seal them all. While ten of these gates play significant roles in the storyline, the remaining 50 pop up randomly across the game world, shifting their positions from one place to another, and they don’t have pre-defined layouts inside.

On a familiar path, you may stumble upon a destroyed part of the forest, where an Oblivion gate has been opened. As you approach, the game randomly selects one from a collection of pre-made Oblivion landscapes. Since there’s only a limited number of maps, you might encounter repeats if you manage to close all 50 gates. Yet, the game continues to delight us by offering new adventures through these unpredictable dungeons.

In 2025, as I sit down to game, nothing stirs my spirit quite like stepping into the world of Oblivion. Its vast landscapes and hidden secrets still ignite a sense of adventure within me, unmatched by any other game. Even after all these years, I find myself in awe of its dungeon design. They’re labyrinthine, they seem insignificant, and they’re not overly complex – yet it’s this very simplicity that makes them brilliant.

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2025-05-02 19:36