This edition includes:
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine (expansion)
The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles (expansion)
The North American Windows release also contains:
Glossy, poster-size world map
A 47 page printed manual
A lowly prisoner has been cast into the depths of the dungeon in the Imperial capital of the province Cyrodiil. The fate of this prisoner suddenly changed when the Emperor Uriel Septim descended into the prison with his guards, fleeing from unknown assassins who have already slaughtered his children. But even an emperor cannot escape his destiny. Before the last assassin delivered the lethal strike, the old emperor entrusted the prisoner with the Amulet of Kings and asked him to find his illegitimate son, the last of the Septim bloodline. The Septims and the Amulet are the last barrier between the continent Tamriel and the dark dimension of Oblivion, and the delicate balance is threatened by the Daedra Prince of Destruction, Mehrunes Dagon, the prisoner being Tamriel’s only hope.
Oblivion is the fourth title in Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls series. The game sticks to the style of its predecessors featuring action-based combat, first-person and third-person views, and vast free-roaming environments. The player’s chosen race and class determine the abilities the protagonist has in the beginning. The game allows the player to develop multiple types of characters without being limited to a specific role.
The advancement system, as was the case in previous games, is based on skill usage. When the player repeatedly use one of the skills, it improves. NPCs offer training (for a price) to help in advancing to the next stage. In time the protagonist can become an Apprentice, Journeyman, Expert and Master and gain certain bonuses for the skill. The skills of the foes are “levelled” to be approximately equal to or slightly above those of the main character.
There are numerous side quests which help the hero advance his or her abilities as well as gain fame. The player is free to roam the world without a particular goal, exploring towns, forts, caves, mines, and old temple ruins. Visiting shrines scattered around Tamriel grants the protagonist specialized skills, some permanent and some temporary.
Weapons and armor wear out with use and need to be repaired either with the help of special non-playable characters or by using an appropriately trained Armorer skill. Enhanced items (weapons, armor, clothing, rings, amulets) abound in the game for protection, resistance, reflection and special activities like walking on water, exploring underwater, becoming invisible or lightening the load. It is possible to open the gates to the Oblivion realm to grab their sigil stones, which can be used to make enhanced items. Higher-level mages can create their own spells, and enchant weapons, armor and clothing using filled soul gems in addition to sigil stones.
As opposed to Morrowind, mana points gradually regenerate over time, without the need to rest to replenish them. Active blocking has been added to melee combat. The game features full voice acting for all the NPCs. Dialogues typically contain less topics than in Morrowind, but more responses unique to different characters. In addition, the so-called “radiant AI” system makes characters follow their own schedules, engage in various activities or talk to each other regardless of the player’s input. The game features fast traveling, allowing the player to instantly visit Cyrodiil’s major cities or previously explored areas.
Knights of the Nine is the name of a new faction for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, introduced in this expansion pack. The primary goal of these holy knights is to hunt special gear known as “Crusaders’ Relics”. Becoming a member is not an easy task. You have to go on a pilgrimage across Cyrodiil to visit the shrines dedicated to the Nine Divines. Membership also comes with a restriction: if you stray away from the good path and commit a crime, you have to do the pilgrimage again.
This faction brings along new locations, characters, enemies and items. The base of this new faction is in decline, and by becoming a member you have to gain fame to make other people join the faction. This culminates into the restoration of the base.
The retail Windows version also adds all previously released bonus content:
Horse Armor Pack: adds two kinds of armor you can buy for your horse.
The Orrery: adds a short quest line in which you need to find new parts for a damaged Orrery in the Mage Academy.
The Wizard’s Tower: adds Frostcrag Spire which is a big tower which has many useful things for mages in it.
The Thieves’ Den: a big dungeon with an old pirate ship in it which functions as a base of operations for thief-characters once cleansed from the undead.
Mehrunes’ Razor: adds a huge dungeon in which you can find the powerful weapon called Mehrunes’ Razor.
The Vile Lair: a dungeon in which a more evil character can heal himself from diseases, drink blood or collect herbs.
Spell Tomes: adds books to the world which increase your stats once you find one and read it.
Shivering Isles is an expansion pack for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
In a new story arc, a portal opens in Niben Bay, Cyrodiil, leading to the torn realm of Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of madness. In that realm exists an island that represents the madness of Sheogorath himself with its two sides Mania and Dementia. Each side is the exact duplicate of the other but with the difference that one side is pure depression and the other pure (but don’t expect it being less deadlier) happiness – which also changes the look and behavior of the NPCs and monsters. But something is happening to the island and Sheogorath is looking for a champion to take care of it: you.
On the Shivering Isles you will find new many new dungeons, items, ingredients and spells which you can of course take back to Cyrodiil as well. Many new quests and questlines await the adventurer of which many rely on the different sides of the Shivering Isles. For instance, one quest requires you to kill an NPC but it is up to you if you kill the one on the Evil side or his exact counter-part on the Good side.
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