Poll is so ridiculously biased.

Oblivion had almost 0 RPG elements when it came to actually interacting with the world (the only meaningful element of an RPG). Fallout 3 is still extremely bare-bones and barely an RPG (still not sure about that). Go play some CRPGs from the late 90's and early 2000's like Balder's Gate 2, Planescape: Torment, etc... You will find TES games to woefully inadequate as RPG's... probably even Morrowind. They are great playground games that allow you to... wander around sight-seeing, but that is about it.

For those people who have not played the games you mentioned, do you care to provide any comparative examples of how TES is "woefully inadequate"?

Well.... I would recommend forking over the $7 they cost and playing them to see for yourself.

EDIT: They almost universally have slow combat that will be hard to keep your attention if you are not used to the style. Some of them, like Planescape: Torment focus almost entirely on the RP aspect with combat hastily tacked on. That is the opposite of Oblivion.

Part of the roleplaying experience of Morrowind was feeling like a part of the world. However, Oblivion's world building (mostly procedurally generated), as well as that god-awful level scaling mechanic turned the game into a formulaic experience. In Morrowind, there were [many] times where I actually felt like I was part of the world. I could exit Rethan manor and cruise the streets of Balmora as Hlaalu grandmaster, and actually picture to myself "These are my people", because how the game so effectively wove many detailed aspects of every day life into their game. Though the world was actually static, the details brought out a sense of life and believability that, by contrast, was totally missing in Oblivion. Oblivion felt, from the moment Uriel Septim VII spoke, to the last day I played it, a game through and through. Thoroughly entertaining, but I could never have that deep connection, because they sold the world short of the details that bind it together as an 'actual' place.

Fallout 3 recaptured that. Even though a lot of the details are sketchy at best (For example, there's no way the entirety of Megaon subsides off scavenged food or a single trader) it still effectively captured a sense of unity. The game set itself up so well too. Being a Vault-dweller, you grew up and knew pretty much what we as real humans know, and stepping out into the wasteland for the first time, you learn with your character. That creates an amazing and immersive connection. Learning the mundane little details of life in this stranger world was not unique to Fallout, but also part of the experience in Morrowind. Just like you learn the Caravan trade routes, and where to find clean(ish) water in Fallout, you learn about the Egg Mining operations, the oppressive imperial laws regarding trade, and all sorts of other details that help suspend disbelief. Even their Fast Travel system is explained as an every-day norm for the inhabitants, unlike Oblivion, where it's just a menu and "Poof".

Anyway, I'm starting to ramble. My main point is, you need to look at RPG mechanics, particularly character development, beyond your own character. As Todd Howard says, the actual main character of all their games, is the world itself, and Oblivion[Cyrodiil] as a character, was poorly realized.

Let's say at the very left of the spectrum are reserved for fans who love RPG elements of TES. At the very right are those more concerned with action elements of TES.

bring back the skills

Where is the option for RPG elements like having actual freedom in how to approach quests (I mean how it turns out and not how I killed the objective), and the ability to interact with NPCs in a meaningful way instead of black & white cliches.

Wait Skrim doesn't have skills????

I have to agree, even though Morrowind was my favorite of the three, save for the tremendously rewarding exploration, the gameplay itself doesn't engage you the same way as even Oblivion. Had the world not been one of the greatest realizations of fantasy lore in history, I don't think Morrowind would have been nearly as memorable. Unfortunately, Oblivion traded one for the other at a 1:1 ratio, so while the game was entertaining to actually play, I found myself wanting for lack of the rich world Morrowind had given. Fallout 3 gave us at least a portion of both worlds, and I feel it's Bethesda's second strongest title because of that.


Skyrim is looking to further both the action and the RPG. I don't understand a lot of the arguments against Skyrim's development system from a position citing any game but Daggerfall as a better example, Both Morrowind and Oblivion had nearly meaningless character development, each character may have taken different paths, but they all ended up the same place at the end, and that's just assuming you didn't try to cheat the system, which virtually everybody did. At least with the Skillperk Trees, a Warrior will be tangibly different than a Mage or Assassin.