For fans of all things The Elder Scrolls, 2025 really has been a great year so far. First, the official Oblivion Remake by Bethesda has shadow-dropped to fans’ surprise, and now the unofficial Skyrim total conversion Skyblivion release date is edging closer.
The modding team recently dropped a brand-new gameplay video, flexing its muscles with the well-known first 15 minutes of Oblivion’s tutorial dungeon.
For those Elder Scrolls fans of a certain age who experienced Oblivion back in 2006, that tutorial will bring back cozy memories. You escape the imperial prison after none other than Emperor Uriel Septim knocks on your cell door, upon finding out that you’re not a mere prisoner, but a hero in the making.
While the intro level might be iconic, it surely hasn’t aged gracefully. Oblivion’s trademark, uncanny valley facial animations, dated textures and the clunky combat mechanics just don’t hold up in the year 2025 – this is where Skyblivion kicks in.
The Skyrim fan mod that remasters Oblivion is the result of nearly a decade of production, and while the project has been a long time in the making, the footage below shows very few details have been spared.
Oblivion Tutorial Level Reworked
Of course Skyrim’s engine has its limits, but we were surprised, even a bit in awe, as to the graphical fidelity and attention to detail shown in this showcase.
The lighting feels more natural, water reflections ripple quite convincingly and the gray walls of the original The Elder Scrolls V – Oblivion were replaced with oppressive, claustrophobic corridors fitting the vibe of a dungeon beneath a prison.
And don’t get us started on the character models. While being gloriously fun, it definitely didn’t add to the immersion and Skyblivion tackled that issue too. One of the biggest takeaway is this however; the starting level doesn’t feel like a slog anymore, it feels like a prologue to something much greater to come and thus seems to have a little more impact on the overall gameplay.
More Nostalgia, anyone?
We’ve seen a lot of remakes and remasters in recent times and Skyblivion seems to fit right in the middle of these two categories.
Yes, it remakes aspects of the game the devs deemed outdated or even unfinished by Bethesda back in the day, but it also remasters the soul of the original game.
At the same time, dungeons have been updated and combat encounters are amended to feel a bit more dangerous. Goblins hit harder, the enemy AI has gotten a facelift and the weapon impact is where it’s supposed to be, as opposed to the swishy feel of the OG Oblivion.
It’s a delicate balancing act – too much change and fans will be upset, too little and the project feels redundant, especially in the face of the official remaster released earlier this year. But you can take comfort in the fact that so far, Skyblivion seems to be threading the needle.
Watching Uriel Septim guide you through those tunnels feels both familiar and fresh, like meeting an old friend in a new outfit. Let’s hope that translates to the whole game – and not just the tutorial level.
Community Reception
We’re happy to report, the response online has been more than enthusiastic. Fears that the official remaster might render this love letter to Oblivion quite redundant appear to be for naught.
Fans flooded comment sections with praise for the improved atmosphere, noting how Skyblivion manages to evoke the feeling of 2006 while actually looking like a 2025 game.
Nostalgia is no doubt doing a lot of heavy lifting here, but even newcomers who never touched Oblivion were impressed by the dungeon’s moody design and cinematic presentation.
Of course, skepticism lingers. Big fan projects often get delayed or struggle to reach completion. But Skyblivion’s steady drip of updates and polished footage suggest this team might actually pull it off – their dedication to this seems quite evident after this trailer.
Skyblivion Release Date
Skyblivion’s project lead Kyle Rebe revealed that the release date is finally moving “closer” with the Oblivion remake mod still slated for a 2025 launch.
