No, Oblivion Remastered Is Not a Remake—And Here’s Why That Matters

No, Oblivion Remastered Is Not a Remake—And Here’s Why That Matters

From The Outerhaven Productions (Written by Keith Mitchell) on | OpenCritic

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered has been a hit among gaming fans, both longtime players and newcomers like myself. But recently, I’ve noticed some people calling it a remake simply because it looks so good. That’s where I start scratching my head. The logic is flawed, and honestly, it gets under my skin. I’ve had more debates about this topic than I care to admit, and they usually end with me saying, “Just because a game looks modern thanks to graphical upgrades doesn’t make it a remake”—followed by me tossing my hands in the air and walking away.

Why? Because a remake is more than just a visual upgrade. A true remake is a fundamental rebuild of the game. It often involves reworking gameplay systems, rewriting or expanding story content, redesigning environments, and sometimes even introducing new mechanics altogether. Take the Resident Evil 2 and Dead Space remakes as prime examples. Those games didn’t just receive visual overhauls—they were significantly reimagined in how they played, how their worlds were navigated, and how their stories unfolded. They were practically new games built in the image of the originals. The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion Remastered screnshot-03

A remaster, on the other hand, is often just a fresh coat...

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