The First Few Hours

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is set to be the first landmark roleplaying game (RPG) for Xbox 360™ when it releases. Its combination of stunning life-like graphics, outstanding artistic vision, depth of story, and exceptional game mechanics have made its imminent release high profile indeed.

Let us now give you a peek at just what you can expect out of your first few hours in the game.

Practice goblins. How cute.

In Manacles Again
You begin, as is tradition in the Elder Scrolls series, in jail. Why? You do not yet know, but as you peer at the dank walls and bits of bone that litter your cell, a fellow prisoner across the way begins to taunt you, but not before you decide just what you look like.

New Appearance
This process is radically improved over its predecessors. No longer do you need to pick a race (there are ten) and then choose between a few pre-generated faces. Now your appearance is wholly customizable. You can change the tint of your sin, the depth of your brow, the slant of your eyes, the width of your chin, and much more. In short, you can "sculpt" your appearance to such a degree of detail that hours can slip by while you perfect your look.

Emperor's Escape
After finally settling on an appearance and accepting the insulting barbs from your neighbor, a high-profile visitor appears. Emperor Uriel Septim, escorted by his personal guards, is being whisked away from imminent danger of assassination. As luck—or, more accurately, destiny, according to the Emperor—would have it, you've been placed in the cell that holds the secret passageway out of the dungeon.

Without giving too much away, the Emperor (voiced by the superb Patrick Stewart) reveals that he has seen you in a dream, and he believes your fate is tied to him, as well as the fate of Tamriel (his empire and your home). With his trust in you obvious, his guards give way and let you follow them through the passage.

Different Paths—Mechanics Discovered
Shortly after heading through the secret tunnel, you're separated from Emperor Septim and his guards. It's here—while groping through the dim and dangerous caves—that you begin to get a handle on the game mechanics.

You receive your first weapon, practice stealth tactics by sneaking up on enemies, shoot a bow to get a handle on not only the ranged attack system but also the game's physics (you see just how your arrows affect whatever they shoot into), use the magic system (you have by default basic healing and damage spells), and get a quick look at some of the traps you need to be aware of in later dungeons.

Don't worry. He's not 'til later.

Back on Route
Once you've traversed the caverns solo and grasped the mechanics, you're reunited with the Emperor and his guards. Danger surrounds your progress as mysterious assassins attack from the dark corners of the tunnels. It's up to you and the guards to hold off multiple waves of attacks.

It's here that you get a good look at the friendly A.I. routines. The guards fight with tactics, and, if you pay attention to their movements, you'll find you can fight better as a team rather than simply going your own way during combat.

Class Decision
I won't spoil the plot-point, but at some point you need to go off on your own adventures. Once you finally separate permanently from the Emperor, you're given a grave task to carry out that propels the story forward, but you're also finally given the opportunity to decide just what sort of character you are.

In game terms, this means selecting your class. You can choose from all sorts of pre-arranged classes or, better yet, custom create one to fit exactly the sort of character you want to play. The options here are significant as you choose a Birthsign that gives you specific abilities or skill boosts, as well as primary attributes and skills that help define how your character plays.

The outside world. Yes!

The Last Run
After finally deciding the basic tenets of your character, you're let loose to fight your way through the last section of underground sewers to reach the outer world and freedom at last. This final section puts to the test all the mechanics you have learned as well as gives you a good feel for the type of character you're playing.

If you've chosen a roguish type, you have plenty of opportunities to play with your sneaking, lock-picking, and ranged attack abilities. If you're the brawnier melee type, you get to test out the up-close melee combat system. If magic is the path you've chosen, again, you have ample time to get a feel for those mechanics. Best of all, once the game has given you the chance to feel out your character class, you're given one last opportunity before heading into the outside world to change your look, your Birthsign, and your pre-selected or custom class.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is expanding on an already critically acclaimed series, and it's set to do what few thought possible: blow the doors off its predecessor The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. What's more, the first few hours in the game give you a really solid idea of just what to expect going forward. While you've only glimpsed the surface of the role-playing depths that await, you have been given an authentic view of what the game offers.

Article by Alex McLain

• Official game site.
• Bethesda 's Website.