Skyblivion, the huge modding venture that’s remaking The Elder Scrolls IV in Skyrim’s engine, has simply proven off some recent quest gameplay at C3 (Neighborhood Creations Con) forward of its 2025 launch.
What was supposed to be about half an hour of quest gameplay was about 40 minutes, however hey, generally you simply stroll right into a constructing and an NPC you are used to being in a single place has determined to cheekily sit out of the best way.
As you’d count on given the Skyblivion group hit the foremost milestone of ending up landscaping work on the ultimate area of Cyrodiil they needed to end that key stage for – the Niben Basin and Valley – earlier this week, the gameplay proven off this time primarily centered on the realm in and across the metropolis of Cheydinhal.
We received fast runthroughs of two quests – the Fighters Guild one which duties you with resolving Biene Amelion’s debt and a real basic within the type of ‘A Brush with Demise’. If the latter’s title does not ring a bell, it is the one which sees you stroll into darkish elf Rythe Lythandas’ painted world with a purpose to free the poor artist with the magic brush.
In each instances, the factor that actually caught out was simply how detailed and polished Skyblivion’s worldspaces and the stuff contained inside them appears to be like at this level in improvement. At one level, venture lead Kyle ‘Rebelzize’ Insurgent simply did the stroll into Cheydinhal I’ve performed one million instances in each vanilla and modded Oblivion, and it introduced a smile to my face to see how properly it appears the group has maintained the nostalgic soul of the factor, whereas submitting away a few of its rougher, extra 2006 edges.
The painted world itself was an awesome instance of this – enjoying vanilla Oblivion in 2025, it seems like just a little room which may not be too particular if it wasn’t in a position to lean into the sport’s already very oil paintingy aesthetic to type one thing visually particular. In Skyblivion, it is a longer, extra totally fleshed-out dungeon that packs an identical visible punch regardless of Skyrim’s extra reasonable artwork model, and ends in an setting intentionally textured to look identical to unpainted canvas.
One other element price choosing out right here was the mod’s new interplay menu UI, which has been overhauled into one thing distinctive that brings much more Oblivion vibes to assist offset the extra Skyrim-style stock, compass, and map the mod has – as you’d count on, given it is working in TES V. Additionally, whereas battling skeleton enemies, chances are you’ll abruptly realise you’ve got simply killed one with a tail. Why? Effectively, as a result of the modders have put collectively distinctive skeletons for elves and greatest races, which is a step past even Skyrim.
There’s nonetheless no concrete launch date for the mod to slim down the overall 2025 window it is had for a short while, however the modders did reiterate on this showcase: “We’re assured we will get it out this 12 months”.
What did you consider this newest take a look at Skyblivion? Tell us beneath and ensure to take a look at the interview we have actually simply performed with Skyblivion venture lead Insurgent, particularly if you wish to know the way the modders really feel about these official Oblivion remake rumours.
