The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Game review by Marc Saltzman, Common Sense Media
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 17+

A must-play RPG for mature fantasy fanatics.

Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows 2006
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Parents say

age 11+

Based on 52 reviews

Kids say

age 11+

Based on 184 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this game.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this role-playing game isn't appropriate for younger players because of violence and gore, strong language, use of alcohol, and sexual references. For instance, any enemy you slash with a sword will bleed, and you see corpses. When it comes to alcohol, gamers' characters can consume wine or ale and experience its effect, such as increased fatigue or decreased intelligence. Sexual references are mostly in books or in dialogue, but most players' characters in this world can be stripped down to their underwear.

Community Reviews

Chris T.
Chris T. Adult
January 1, 2018
age 10+

Amazing, only game better is ESV.

Oblivion still holds up well 12 years later, and holds a really important place in my heart. It is a brilliant RPG and is OK for any tween who's into RPGs and hours of exploration. It has a smart main story and hundreds of side quests and is still a very graphically beautiful game. There is mild violence with a tiny bit of blood and characters and animals can be killed. Also, as every elder scrolls fans know there is alcohol/drugs like mead and skooma. This should definitely be a game that your child plays before Skyrim, because the content is much milder.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
SlyAardvark
SlyAardvark Adult
December 27, 2015
age 11+

I good

This game was originally rated T, but some pervert made a mod on the PC and so this game's rating changed to M... The sexual themes are not even bad, some people might even giggle a little bit because you can take people's armor then you can see there under wear. The only language that I saw through out the hole game was d*mn, b*sterd, and h*ll. Blood and Gore: there is some blood on your sword after you fight somebody or something. If you drink alcohol theme there is bad things that happen to you.

This title has:

Easy to play/use
See all 52 parent reviews

What’s It About?

ELDER SCROLLS IV: OBLIVION is an ambitious single-player RPG epic that lets you create a hero from scratch and explore open-ended cities, dank dungeons, and heavily forested areas. The story begins as you escort the emperor of Tamriel (voiced by Patrick Stewart of Star Trek: The Next Generation and X-Men fame) through a labyrinth of underground caverns, but evil goblins kill him. Before he dies, however, he asks that you find the lost heir to the throne and help protect the land from the demons released from a hell-like plane called Oblivion. The game can be played from either a first- or third-person perspective: The former lets you see these worlds through the eyes of the main character; the latter view, while less immersive, allows you to see your character at all times, as well as what may be lurking behind you.

Is It Any Good?

Graphically speaking, Oblivion is a treat for the eyes on both the PC and Microsoft Xbox 360 versions. From the lifelike towns and rural areas to the creepy enemies and special magic effects, the game easily outshines its predecessors. Another visual delight is the game's real-life physics, such as seeing a store sign sway back and forth after you shoot an arrow into it, and then being able to remove the arrow to reuse it later. The only unimpressive effect is the character lip-synching that doesn't seem to match their words, but it hardly dampens the otherwise awe-inspiring experience.

Oblivion successfully straddles quantity and quality; this groundbreaking fantasy RPG not only offers a huge game world in which to live in for months on end, but it also proves to be one of the finest role-playing games ever crafted.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why fantasy role-playing games are so appealing. Is it because the game presents a world so different than ours? Is it because you can become someone completely different? What about your special powers? Families might also discuss how kids feel about playing in such a huge world with so many characters and missions.

Game Details

  • Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows
  • Available online?: Not available online
  • Publisher: Take Two
  • Release date: March 21, 2006
  • Genre: Role-Playing
  • ESRB rating: M for language, sexual themes, use of alcohol, violence, blood and gore
  • Last updated: November 4, 2015

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