Oblivion Remastered guide: Everything you need to return to Cyrodiil
Stepping back into Oblivion Remastered can feel a bit overwhelming, even for those of us who played the original way back *checks watch* 19 years ago. For those Skyrim fans who stepped into the game expecting something similar, I'm sorry to tell you that Oblivion is a different beast entirely.
Whether it's trying to overcome the game's inscrutable persuasion or lockpick minigames, or working out how the hell you became a vampire and what you're supposed to do about it, Oblivion is a lot less streamlined than Skyrim, but that's part of its charm. It's an RPG that rewards you for going with the flow and experimenting a little as you explore Cyrodiil.
If you're looking for tips as you step back into the RPG, or play it for the first time, I've included a selection of our Oblivion guides down below. There's a section for character creation, notable changes in the remaster, getting started with unfamiliar mechanics, and even some details about starting the game's beloved DLC. Happy trails in Tamriel!
Creating a character
These are some handy tips and info tidbits for creating your new character in Oblivion Remastered, whether it's choosing a race, a class, or which birthsign to be born under:
Oblivion best classes: Which to pick
Oblivion best races: Strong start
Oblivion best birthsigns: Early bonuses
What's new?
A lot has changed in 19 years and the Oblivion Remaster is likely a little different to how you remember it. Here we'll explain the new levelling system, give a rundown of everything that's changed, plus a walkthrough of the new quests you need to complete to acquire the special Deluxe Edition DLC if you splashed out:
Oblivion Remastered leveling: How it works
Oblivion Remastered changes list: Everything that's new
Oblivion Remastered Deluxe edition quests: Claim your DLC
Getting started
Oblivion Remastered retains many of the RPG's more confusing mechanics, whether you're trying to persuade someone, pick a lock, buy a house, cure vampirism, or sell stolen items. Hell, you might simply want to ignore it all and start using cheats straight away:
Oblivion persuasion minigame: How to make friends
Oblivion lockpicks: How to get them and pick locks
Oblivion console commands: All the cheats
Oblivion houses: Every house and how to get each
Oblivion stolen items: How to sell ill-gotten gains
Oblivion vampirism: How to cure it and whether you should
Joining a guild
The best bit of Oblivion was always the guild questlines. Here, you'll find info on how to join the Mages Guild, the Thieves Guild, or even the Dark Brotherhood if you're feeling a little more murderous:
Oblivion Mages Guild: Making magic
Oblivion Thieves Guild: Making money
Oblivion Dark Brotherhood: Making murder
Odds and ends
These guides cover an additional tricky-to-find item, a hard-to-beat enemy, a walkthrough for the confusing Paranoia quest, and how to find the Skeleton Key so you can avoid lockpicking:
Oblivion Paranoia quest: Should you help Glarthir?
Oblivion black soul gems: Where to find them
Oblivion Will o the Wisps: How to defeat them
Oblivion Skeleton Key: Unlock all doors
Additional adventures
Lastly, if you've enjoyed exploring the base game, you might want to hop into the remastered DLC content. Here you'll find details on how to start both Knights of the Nine and the Shivering Isles expansions:
Oblivion Knights of the Nine: Start your pilgrimage
Oblivion Shivering Isles: Embrace the madness