Returning to Cyrodiil after all these years walking the cobbled roads while listening to Harvest Dawn has been a sweet trip down memory lane. But it’s clear some of the original charm is gone like the brighter colors and the cozy personal feel of the old UI that was like flipping through a handmade journal.
Experience the Classic Main Menu Remade in Stunning 5K
The best place to start is the main menu where every Oblivion game begins. In the remaster it’s now a simple design with new animated cover art which is much more obvious than the original's high fantasy background which featured a paper map and leather border. Bethesda modder Cerebii has recreated the classic menu from scratch for the remaster in amazing 5k.
Reintroducing the Classic HUD
Speaking of UI WinterElfeas Simple Classic HUD mod changes the health bar compass and dialogue to look more like the 2006 version of the game instead of the Skyrim-style layout. It's a small change but it helps make Oblivion feel more like Oblivion.
Why Oblivion's Painterly Loading Screens Are Essential
Another mod that makes the remaster feel more authentic is slowpard's OG Loadscreen Replacer. It brings back framed paintings of famous places in Cyrodiil like the burning ruins of Kvatch.
The new loading screens have their own charm keeping the original style with hand-drawn artwork on parchment. I prefer them because the restored ones use old Oblivion models which feels a bit off. However if you want the remaster to look more like the original this is a must-have.
Handwritten Letters: A Powerful Tool for Immersion
Slowpard released a mod that changes the in-game font for journals and letters to one that looks more handwritten matching the original style. This makes the game feel more like its high fantasy roots but the new font is harder to read than the bold one in the remaster. I personally prefer the new style but if you like the original, this mod is worth getting.
Restoring the Original Vibrancy Fixing the Washed-Out Color Palette of the Oblivion Remaster
Changing the UI is important to make the remaster feel more authentic. but the environment is key. In the remaster the environment looks a bit dull. Some fixes are tried but none are as good as Logriff's Ayleid Reshade. It removes the brown filter letting the blue sky and vibrant green grass make Cyrodiil’s forests and fields look alive.
Speaking of Color What Happens to the Dark Brotherhood?
The Dark Brotherhood might seem like they don't care about color because of their secretive murder-focused nature but the original Oblivion armor was actually quite colorful with leather dyed purple and red. Prohagon has brought this color back for the remaster while keeping the updated look of the new set.
New Voices Are Great But You Can Still Experience Oblivion as It Was
The Oblivion remaster improves the visuals and some gameplay mechanics and adds new voice lines for each race. If you prefer the original version with the original voice cast there are mods that remove the new dialogue. Noobatron22 brought back the original Aldos Othran keeping the new voice variety while Anduric312 has a mod that replaces all the new lines with the original ones.
The game just came out game is new. So the modding scene is still growing. However fans have already made Oblivion Remastered feel more like the 2006 classic. If you want a more nostalgic experience try these mods.
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