RPG fans and PS3 owners everywhere have been anxiously awaiting the release of the award-winning The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for the PS3. Available for the Xbox 360 and PC in 2006, the wide open and engrossing title landed plenty of critical acclaim, and we're all hoping the PS3 version is just as good (if not better).
Well, if you check out IGN's hands-on testing with the latest next-gen Oblivion version, it appears our hopes are realized. They say load times are better (reduced from 7-10 seconds on the 360 to about 3-5 seconds on the PS3), and those annoying frame rate drops that typically went along with entrances to detailed areas have disappeared. In addition, the visuals are apparently superior, featuring "higher resolution textures, improved shading, and an increased draw distance."
As for the bonus content, it's a mixed bag…literally and figuratively. Although that recently released "Knights of the Nine" sidequest will be included with the PS3 version, the other downloadable content available for the 360 and PC versions won't be. However, many reliable sources are reporting that all three versions can expect to see all the same bonus content eventually. It's all a matter of time, it seems.
In the meantime, we're happy to see this particular next-gen port is shaping up so nicely.
Related Game(s): The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion