Iconic Oblivion Meme Revives in Oblivion Remastered After 7 Years

Bethesda’s 2006 release, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, quickly captured hearts with its sprawling open world, intriguing quests, and the myriad of ways players could develop their characters through magic, melee, and archery. It truly stood out among its contemporaries. Yet, another feature that made Oblivion legendary was the delightful chaos of its “janky” elements—awkward NPC dialogues, bizarre character behaviors, over-the-top voice acting, and physics-defying glitches never failed to amuse.

Over the years, fans have looked back at this now nearly two-decade-old title with great affection. It’s sparked countless memes, with audio-visual compilations of its quirks becoming staples on YouTube channels like Bacon_. So, when Bethesda surprise-dropped Oblivion Remastered this past week, I couldn’t help but feel a slight trepidation. My fear was that Bethesda and their partner, Virtuos Games, might have attempted to “fix” the accidental comedy that was integral to the original’s charm.

However, just hours after its release, it was clear as day: Oblivion Remastered not only rejuvenates the classic with improved visuals and mechanics but also lovingly retains all its laughable quirks. If you’re browsing through the trending posts on the Oblivion subreddit now, you’d see this sentiment echoed. One of my personal highlights is a nostalgia-laden meme recreated by Bacon_, originally crafted seven years ago, and now remastered.

Speaking of funny moments, an original video, viewed a mind-boggling 18 million times since its early 2018 upload, perfectly encapsulates Oblivion’s signature absurdity. In it, a thief demands 100 Gold from the player, only to dismissively disregard the stolen goods when the player swipes it back, hilariously shrugging it off as “worthless to him anyway.”

The comedic exchange not only highlights the glorious silliness of the game but also exemplifies why I was thrilled to see Bacon_ reproduce this interaction in the remaster, right in the same location. Oblivion Remastered has introduced stunning visuals with Unreal Engine 5 and smoother combat, yet it’s unmistakably retained the original’s whimsical essence.

Another classic meme from Bacon_ has been given new life as well: there’s a fresh take on the Rena Bruiant clip. Her quick switch from adoring dogs to watching her husband comically attack one brings a smile. The “YEEHAUGH!” battle cry from the initial video might have been toned down to a mere “Hough!” but the essence remains.

The charm and authenticity Oblivion Remastered holds true to its predecessor is a big reason for its soaring success. For newer players, this remaster feels like a brand-new Elder Scrolls adventure. The game is currently a hit on Steam, and available on Xbox and PC, courtesy of Xbox Game Pass, albeit not on PS5. Priced at $49.99, you can score the Steam edition at a sweet discount of $41.49 through Fanatical.