With Oblivion Remastered breathing new life into Cyrodiil’s sprawling valleys, ancient ruins and eccentric guilds, it’s the perfect time to revisit other RPGs that scratch a similar itch. Whether it’sopen-world freedom, deep character customization or the joy of stumbling across a completely unmarked quest in a dark forest, these games deliver in spades.
8 Best Bethesda Games, Ranked
Time to take a look at the library of games developed by Bethesda Softworks.
They don’t just share mechanical similarities with Oblivion – some helped shape its legacy while others push the genre in directions Bethesda’s classic never dared to.
7Arx Fatalis
It’s Not Just About Magic – It’s About Drawing It
Arx Fatalis
Developed by Arkane before Dishonored and Deathloop, Arx Fatalis plays like a spiritual predecessor to early Elder Scrolls titles. Set entirely underground in a sunless world where humans, goblins and trolls fight for survival, the game leans heavily into dark fantasy and dungeon-crawling.
What really sets it apart is its magic system. Spells aren’t selected from a menu – players trace runes mid-combat with the mouse, forcing them to memorize symbols under pressure. This mechanic, while clunky by today’s standards, brings an unmatched sense of immersion.
Like Oblivion, the game features open-ended exploration, multiple ways to approach quests and a ton of secrets hidden behind crumbling walls. The UI and visuals are dated, but the atmosphere and depth more than make up for it.
6Kingdom Come: Deliverance
No Magic, No Monsters – Just Mud, Metal and Realism
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
While most RPGs chase the fantastical, Kingdom Come: Deliverance strips the genre down to cold, brutal history. Set in 15th-century Bohemia, it’s a grounded experience with no spells or dragons, only bloodied swords, unwashed peasants and politics.
What it shares with Oblivion is a commitment to realism in its world design. From learning skills by doing to navigating without quest markers, the game challenges players to live as Henry – a blacksmith’s son turned soldier – not just roleplay him. Its dialogue trees and reputation systems often feel like a more grounded extension of Oblivion’s Radiant AI.
It also isn’t afraid to let players fail. A badly timed duel, a theft gone wrong or an important NPC dying mid-quest can shift the story in ways few games dare to.
5Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Pawns, Portcrystals and the World that Ends with a Dragon
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Released in 2012 and later expanded through Dark Arisen, Dragon’s Dogma is Capcom’s cult classic RPG that blends Western open-world design with Japanese combat sensibilities. The game drops players into the role of the Arisen – a customizable hero marked by a dragon who stole their heart. Literally.
The standout mechanic is the Pawn system, where players create AI-controlled companions who can be shared with others online. These Pawns learn from your gameplay, making them smarter over time. It’s not unlike Oblivion’s AI experiments, but far more useful in battle.
The world of Gransys is filled with monsters that actually feel dangerous, especially at night. Giant griffins, ogres and chimeras don’t scale to your level – they remain terrifying until you’re strong enough to face them. It’s janky in places, similar to how the original Oblivion, or even the Remastered one is, but unforgettable in others, particularly its endings which completely subvert RPG expectations.
4Fable Anniversary
When Every Moral Choice Comes with a Terrible Haircut
Fable Anniversary
Fable Anniversary is the remastered version of the original Fable, updated with HD visuals and interface improvements while retaining its quirky, fairytale aesthetic. Like Oblivion, it was one of the earliest RPGs on consoles to offer a blend of narrative choice, open-world freedom and strange side content.
Set in the kingdom of Albion, the game lets players grow from childhood to adulthood while shaping their character’s appearance and morality through actions. Unlike Oblivion’s more subtle reputation system, Fable takes everything to extremes – grow horns for evil deeds, shine like an angel if good and attract fans or foes based on your fame.
It’s lighter than Oblivion in tone, with chicken-kicking minigames and sarcastic NPCs, but offers the same joy of wandering off the main quest and finding something truly odd. Despite its age, theremaster keeps the charm intact.
3Baldur’s Gate 3
Roll for Initiative – And Then Kiss a Vampire
Baldur’s Gate 3
Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3 blends the dice-rolling roots of Dungeons & Dragons with a level of narrative reactivity few games attempt. It trades real-time combat for turn-based strategy, but the spirit of Oblivion lives in its freedom – not just in where to go, but in how to shape every conversation, encounter and relationship.
Every party member has a deep personal questline that evolves based on choices, and the game’s sheer scope makes multiple playthroughs wildly different. It also isn’t afraid to lean into weirdness, whether that’s mind flayer parasites, talking brains or polymorphing frogs.
Like Oblivion, it offers animmersive worldwhere morality is rarely black and white. Larian even brought back obscure mechanics like dice-based persuasion and true line-of-sight stealth. It’s the rare modern RPG that respects player agency as much as Bethesda’s 2006 classic did.
2The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Not All Monsters Wear Fangs – Some Sit on Thrones
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
There’s no open-world RPG more acclaimed than The Witcher 3, and for good reason. From its branching questlines and morally complex world to its richly detailed environments, the game set a new gold standard when it released in 2015.
Though The Witcher 3 tells the story of a set protagonist – Geralt of Rivia – players still shape key events and relationships, often in subtle but impactful ways. It mirrors Oblivion’s freedom not in who you are, but in how the world responds to your actions.
10 Best Games To Play If You Loved The Witcher 3
There are very few games that come close to the excellence of Witcher 3, but these ten games try their best.
Itsside questsare where it most resembles Oblivion – well-written, surprising and often more engaging than the main story. The infamous Bloody Baron questline, for instance, dives deep into themes of abuse, regret and parenthood, with multiple tragic outcomes depending on player choices.
Even the post-game expansions like Blood and Wine rival full games in quality.
1The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind
The Game that Walked So Oblivion Could Run
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
If Oblivion Remastered is where players rekindle their love for the series, then Morrowind is where that love truly begins. Released in 2002, the game was bold enough to throw players into a complex alien world with little guidance, no quest markers and a map that required actual navigation skills.
Set on the island of Vvardenfell, Morrowind offers a world that feels handcrafted in every sense. Giant mushrooms, floating jellyfish and insect-powered transport systems make the setting unlike anything else in fantasy RPGs. Dialogue is entirely text-based, and every major quest has multiple outcomes depending on player choices.
What it lacks in polish, it more than makes up for in atmosphere and depth. The game rewards players who read, explore and pay attention. It’s a world that feels genuinely foreign – one where the player has to earn their place, rather than be handed a prophecy.
