Your Guide to Oblivion Content – Article

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was released a couple of months back and has garnered rave reviews from more than just a few websites and print publications. With gameplay that extends well beyond 50+ hours, the last thing you’d imagine as a gaming consumer is to be hit with the release of extra content. But, lo and behold the people at Bethesda have been busy creating extra dungeons, weapons, and adventures for download via PC and Xbox 360.

The content itself sounds fantastic, but there is a catch: said content costs money. The content released so far is: Horse Armour, The Orrery, The Wizard Tower, The Thieves’ Den and Mehrune’s Razor.

Hopefully this article will give you an insight into what each Oblivion download entails and if indeed they are worth your hard-earned cash.

Horse Armour: 200 Microsoft points
The horse armor arrives more or less exactly as described. Upon booting the game after downloading is complete you’ll receive a note telling you that one of the stables is offering free armor for horses. Your first set of armor is free, and any other sets bought afterwards cost 500 in gold. The armor does offer great benefits for protecting the less-than-sturdy steeds that inhabit Tamriel, although it is mainly superficial. Admittedly, though, most horses do look considerably more formidable adorned with steel or Elven armor. Yet, even with a horse that looks the bee’s knees, you will still likely wonder whether it was this worth expending 200 Microsoft points for the privilege? The answer is no. Okay, the content is worth something, but perhaps more in the region of 100 points seeing as horse armor is one of the less substantial downloads.
Verdict: 5/10 – For Oblivion nuts only

The Orrery: 200 Microsoft points
The Orrery is perhaps one of the things that inspired player anger during Oblivion. The Orrery is mentioned during the game, and there’s even a door that supposedly leads there at the Arcane University—though it’s permanently locked. The Orrery should have been one of the benefits granted for becoming the Arch-Mage of the Mages’ Guild. Nonetheless, the Orrery has finally made its way into the game via download. The Orrery starts with you being guided to a bandit camp in search of some hijacked Dwarf parts (machine, not body—Ed). The quest leads through a total of five bandit camps before you assemble all the missing parts. Upon returning to the university, the grateful Bothiel will need a day to fix the Dwarf machine before you gain access to it.

The Orrery itself is a massive machine that calculates the movements of the moons, and it is spectacular to watch it in action. Dependant on times of year and time of day, you are awarded a different power for each Orrery visit. Again, the Orrery isn’t worth the 200 points required to attain it, but it is still a worthy Oblivion addition—even though it really should have been in the game when it went gold.
Verdict: 7/10 – A spectacle to watch, but a little overpriced

The Wizard Tower: 150 Microsoft points
The Wizard Tower supposedly belonged to a long-dead relative and it is in need of some desperate repair. The download adds a new merchant within the Imperial city’s Mystic Emporium and she alone has the items needed to renovate the decrepit tower. Refitting the tower is exactly the same as filling a house with furniture—and costs around the same too.

Once the tower is refurbished, it truly is a must for any magic-based character, boasting portals to the Arcane University and any Mages’ Guild building—even Kvatch (although it doesn’t let you step through it). The tower also has its own enchantment and spell-making stands, alchemy garden, an alchemy stand that increases your alchemy skill by 15 when you stand at it, a vault to keep all your items in, bedroom, library, and the curious altar of the Atronach, which allows you to conjure up an Atronach permanently by placing three of the same elemental salts on the altar. The tower itself is a wonder to behold thanks to the combination of blue ice and stone work that veritably oozes magical atmosphere.
Verdict: 8/10 – Sounds mundane but is actually well worth the points

The Thieves’ Den: 150 Microsoft points
The Thieves’ Den is the remains of a pirate vessel trapped underground, and it’s certainly interesting to see. Initially, the den is in a general state of disrepair and also full of the undead, but after dispatching the bony blighters and restoring the hearty vessel, you’re able to finally get round to hiring a trusty crew of pirate mates. Your pirates can then either teach you skills or can be commanded to plunder local villages, after which they will return with tales of daring and plenty of loot.

Overall, The Thieves’ Den is great for anyone fond of pirates; the captain’s journal also makes for quite interesting and harrowing reading—and, let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to be the leader of a gang of pirates?
Verdict: 8/10 – Worth downloading just to say you’re a pirate

Mehrune’s Razor: 200 Microsoft points
Tales of a lost Ayelid city draw your adventure towards the ruins of an Imperial watchtower, and, once inside, you find far more than you bargained for—don’t worry, no spoilers. This quest is a total monster, with an absolute wealth of variety. You can travel from ruins into an underground village and then experience the most epic Ayelid ruins, and all with pleasingly smooth transitions. The dungeon itself is quite a challenge and lower level players/characters will find it a haven for loot and experience. The ultimate reward is a weapon of great power (again, no spoilers). The Mehrune’s Razor download is the most spectacular download issued thus far, and you won’t miss your points once you’ve indulged.
Verdict: 10/10 – Download it now!

The Future….
With the latest download being so spectacular, it’s doubtful that it will prove the last from Bethesda, especially when there’s scope for so much more content—such as the rebuilding of Kvatch. Although it would be an exceedingly big project to handle as Kvatch is left largely lifeless once the game’s main story is completed. Other than rebuilding Kvatch, Bethesda could perhaps continue indefinitely with the creation of great extra content while extending the longevity of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion’s already impressive shelf life.

Article by Nige

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