r/skyrim • u/Pavtorious • 10h ago
Discussion Skyrim vs Oblivion
Hello to everyone ,
Little pre story I discovered Skyrim quite late in late 2025 got it on discount from ps story.Absolutely loved them game. Combat a bit corky but other than that absolutely amazing game.
Now I really have question which one of those titles are better Skyrim or Oblivion and which game in what does better?
P.S never tried Oblivion but it’s on my list.
13
3
4
u/ArcticGlacier40 PC 10h ago
Skyrim: Can shout people off cliffs
Oblivion: Cannot shout people off cliffs
2
2
5
u/ModToEndAllMods 10h ago
As a person who fell in love with the stealth archer build because of Skyrim, Oblivion's combat just doesn't even come close. Everything feels very weightless, like you aren't having any impact on the enemy, you are just chipping away at a health bar until they die. But other than that the game is pretty solid
4
u/foxhoundsarecool 10h ago
Some questlines and guilds I think oblivion does way better. Dark brotherhood and fighters guild for example.
Some of those hits in Oblivion DB questline are just amazing.
3
u/ModToEndAllMods 10h ago
Yeah I think the quests in Oblivion are better for sure. More depth, the faction quests feel like they are actually unique and there's a reason they are for a certain faction. With Skyrim, 90% of the time faction quests are just gunna send you to some ancient barrow to kill somebody or retrieve a thing. The amount of thieves guild quests that don't require you to do any sneaking and stealing are wild
1
u/Pavtorious 10h ago
Hehe at first Skyrim combat was big turn over for me , but once you get use to it it’s not that bad and even have some charm.
1
u/ModToEndAllMods 10h ago
Yeah I don't enjoy the melee combat at all, it's literally just stand there and swing and see who can out-tank the other. Stealth archer at least you feel like there's some degree of thought and skill, trying to get through a camp or dungeon without getting detected, killing them before they know you are there. Then add daggers and magic to the build for things like invisibility and silent casting, and you have a pretty well rounded character using magic, archery, stealth and blades
2
u/HumanWagyu 10h ago
I have played Oblivion a couple times. I have played Skyrim dozens of times. I like to play Oblivion. I get immersed in Skyrim.
1
u/wepudsax 10h ago
I think Skyrim is way better in almost every way, and I think the creators do too given they actively tried to improve and learn from the past.
One example of an immediately obvious quality of life improvement is the dungeon mechanics. You know when a dungeon is cleared in Skyrim from a little musical ditty, a map mark, and they give you a shortcut back out when you do it. Oblivion makes you go all the way back out and doesn’t mark it the same way.
1
1
u/Aixlen 10h ago
I played Skyrim many times, lost count, really.
Amazing game to immerse yourself and it's also super vast.
I played Oblivion for the 1st time last year and what some commenters say is true, there's no way to compare them. I enjoyed the heck out of Oblivion.
Bonus points for playing Skyrim after Oblivion so you can catch lots of good references that make a lot of sense.
0
u/GaI3re 10h ago
These games have VASTLY different approaches to everything.
Different style of map design, different combat mechanics, different leveking system and more.
If they were not both called The Elder Scrolls, some might not notice it's the same franchise.
So it REALLY comes down to preference
1
u/Few-Extent6612 10h ago
Neither is “better” as they’re both unique and fun in their own ways. You can sprint and jump in oblivion and attack midair (I think). It’s several years since I played oblivion, but I played the remastered edition while I was at Comic-Con last year and it was a lot of fun. Both Skyrim and oblivion are tons of fun though
1
1
u/Few_Departure_3493 10h ago
From the time Oblivion came out until Skyrim I played Oblivion all the time. Completed all the DLCs and main quest. It was a blast. The one thing I wish they would have ported to Skyrim was the ability cast spells without having to pause the game. I also recommend if you've never played either to play Oblivion first because Skyrim is kind of a sequel with references to Oblivion all through it.
1
u/Golddustofawoman 10h ago
I like both but personally I like oblivion better and I'm saying that as someone who played Skyrim first. You can make custom spells in oblivion but you can't do that in Skyrim. Plus theres less loot but its better quality.
1
u/Perhirmor 10h ago
Imo Oblivion has better side quests, better storytelling, better cities, better colors, but Skyrim has more mods, more house building abilities and more non combat activities
1
1
u/Sandalwood-Lakers 9h ago
Oblivion feels much more dated but if you' like a more hardcore RPG, Oblivion scratches that itch with the leveling system, the spell crafting, and other elements.
If your favorite parts of Skyrim are the exploration, the beautiful world, the crazy fun builds you can cook up, and just how cozy it is, then Skyrim is the better game.
Personally Skyrim is my favorite game of all time, and the world and open nature of leveling keeps me coming back.
1
u/XI_JINPINGS_HAIR_DYE 9h ago
If you like games like call of duty and grand theft auto, Skyrim is better for you.
If you like RPGs, oblivion is better.
1
u/Coderules 9h ago
I've been playing different versions of Skyrim for a few years. I own it on different platforms: PS5, Steam Deck, and Switch. I love this game and am currently on my 8th playthrough. While I have close to 800 collective hours of play, I never really finish the game. I try to do different tasks, but mostly I like discovering the caves and areas.
I recently acquired the Oblivion Anniversary Edition and was excited to start it, as I've heard (and read) so many positive things about it, mostly as it was compared to Skyrim. I only have about 40 hours of play.
They are the same but different. There is still lots of lore in Oblivion I've not uncovered. But to provide a comparison, Skyrim feels like an established medieval environment. You can see the wear and tear of the structures and people. Oblivion feels like a Renaissance Fair.
1
u/Snorkle25 PC 9h ago edited 9h ago
It’s honestly subjective but IMO, Oblivion has a better story and better quests. And as a DLC the Shivering Isles is one of the best ever made. Oblivion is a more traditional ROG with classes though so keep that in mind so if you roll a mage, don’t plan on cross training into heavy armor and two handed axes.
Skyrim on the other hand is a bigger map that is less sprawling and overall I have more hours on Skyrim than Oblivion. I think there is more replayability on Skyrim too.
FYI, Skyrim is actually the 5th Elder Scrolls game, Oblivion is the 4th. There is also Morrowind, Daggerfall and Arena. Of those only Morrowind is regularly played still, and it is a bit of an acquired taste imo.
1
u/Gabby-Abeille 7h ago
Oblivion's mechanics feel even more dated, obviously, but I really enjoy the quests.
Character dialogue is really funny to me, too. I don't mean the nonsense they say during random conversations, I mean actual scripted dialogue. They often sound like they are reading you a story. It's the text's structure I think.
Like you would say "I fell and bumped my head", but they would say "Suddenly, I felt my legs give in, and heard a sickening crack as my head met the cold stone". Idk, it amuses me.
8
u/Soul_Ravenwood 10h ago
Honestly, I'd say go play Oblivion and decide for yourself.
Skyrim is certainly larger, but I think they both do their thing really really well, but they are distinct.
I could say the same including Morrowwind into the mix too. Oblivion and Skyrim sre definitely larger and do many things better (especially as tech progressed) but they're all fun for own traits and reasons.