Few open-world fantasy games have had the impact thatOblivionhas had on the genre.The Elder Scrollsseries as a whole is an important milestone for balancing action, exploration, and customization into what the fantasy RPG video game is today.Oblivionis the fourth game in the series, notable for its lush graphics, gripping questlines, and incredibly fun gameplay mechanics, many of which were carried over to the subsequentSkyrim.
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Without a doubt, the biggest draw is the game’s world, which is as expansive as it is exciting. Throughout the world, the developers hid Easter eggs and pop culture references that can be easily missed if players aren’t looking hard enough. For those looking to revisit this classic, here are a few clever details to look out for.
9References To Dune
TheDunefranchiseis a significant influence on sci-fi and fantasy worlds, and it is not uncommon for references to the literary series to make their way into other books, video games, movies, and music.Oblivionis no exception to this.
Sci-fi fans playing through the game may have noticed thatDuneis briefly referenced during Azura’s questline. The player can find a note written by Ghola gro-Muzgol that makes allusions to the Freman religion fromDume. The ghola are reanimated dead in theDuneseries, a reference to the character’s vampire status.
8The Boots Of Springheel Jak
These boots play an important part in the Thieves' Guild questline and offer up incredible acrobatic abilities to the wearer. While most players have encountered these boots, not all may be aware of the Easter egg.
The namesake of the boots is a reference to Springheeled Jack, an urban legend in Victorian era Britain that stemmed from sensationalized reports of a jumping demon. The name fits, as the boots allow forplayers to jump around like a grasshopper.
7Lord Of The Rings
Another important fantasy series that has its branch of influence in almost every piece of high fantasy media,The Lord of the Ringsis as critical as they come. Needless to say,The Elder Scrollstook some serious notes from the book series, and as such, there are some nods and winks to the franchise inOblivion.
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The reward for completing the Unfriendly Competition quest is a ring called the Weatherward Circlet, a gold ring with an inscription that looks oddly familiar. What’s more, some players may have caught a referencea character named Oford Gabings, as detailed in the image above. This name itself is an anagram of Frodo Baggins, and the items he was carrying are exactly like Frodo’s.
6Blue Suede Shoes
A clever song reference, these shoes are named exactly for the Carl Perkins tune that Elvis Presley made famous in the 1950s.
Unlike many of these Easter eggs, this one is not an isolated occurance.The shoes can be found at multiple locations in the gameand are as dashing as their name conveys.
5Religious And Historical Undertones
There are a few subtle religious references that the game incorporates into their own religions. The Ten Commands of the Nine Divines is something of a nod to the Ten Commandments of the Christian tradition. Additionally, the Order of the Mythic Dawn is close in name with the real-life occult group, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. In Chorrol, players can find a statue that closely resembles a famous Michaelangelo sculpture of Mary holding a dying Jesus.
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The game has a few historical nods as well as religious ones. For example, Marie Antoinette, the famous French queen, also gets a shoutout in the form of a Dark Brotherhood character, Antoinetta Marie.
4Arena
The Arena in Imperial City is the place where the toughest characters go to duke it out for fame and fortune. A fantastic poster advertises the Arena and features some different fighters striking a cool pose.
Both the poster and its namesake areboth references to the very firstElder Scrollsgame, titledArena. The poster is similar in style to the original box art of the game.
3Mutiny On The Bounty
The quest “The Forlorn Watchman” has players assist a wandering ghost in his journey for peace. The ghost was a sailor aboard a crashed ship who was killed alongside the captain by mutineers. The Captain is named Laughton, and the main traitor is named Gable.
These characters' names are in fact clever references to the classic film,Mutiny on the Bounty, in which Clark Gable’s character leads a mutiny against the captain of his ship, played by actor Charles Laughton.
2The Horror, The Horror
The Elder Scrollsgames love to throw in film and TV pop culture references as Easter eggs when they can. One such reference occurs during Vaerimina’s quest, in which players must infiltrate thetower of Arkved.
Notes can be found in his room in which he quotes the bookHeart of Darknessand its central character Mr. Kurtz’s last line, “the horror, the horror.” The story was infamously adapted into the Vietnam War film,Apocalypse Now, in which the famous line is also spoken.
1The Black Hand
The Black Hand is the shadowy leadership behind the Dark Brotherhood, the league of assassinswho terrorize theElder Scrollsgames. However, not all fans may know the real-world inspiration behind the name of this inner circle.
The Black Hand derives their name from the real Black Hand, the organization that was responsible for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914. This act of aggression was the tipping point that started World War I.
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