From what I’ve played, though, I think the similarities outweigh the little differences. We’ll just have to wait and see if that applies to the rest of the game too.

Having said all that, I played about 2 hours of Oblivion last night and I had fun. I just blanked my mind, picked a quest from my journal at random and went to do it. A few of them turned out to be dead ends, like the early ones where I went to inspect an inherited property and then couldn’t afford to renovate it. Or the Mystic Emporium in the Imperial City being closed all the time. The quests that I were able to finish, such as closing the first gate to Oblivion, were pretty decent though. I’ve rolled a Battlemage, seeing as magic was a quite attractive option to me but I also wanted a bit of melee skill to rely upon.

That said, I’d really need to say I think you’re getting caught up in trying to make things “important” – you’re actually expected to set your own goals, in the way the Elder Scrolls. Part of what’s confusing about their formula is how they deliver directives and quests, etc – Morrowind actually averted this problem by telling you what you were meant to do at the start even less.

The detail and “immersion” of the games is all there – you can handle, steal most objects. Every NPC has an individual relationship to you and can hold a grudge, etc. There is not one right way to play the games, and it’s a shame that other games over the years have tried to impress that simplicity on you.

But one of the first things you’re going to have to reconsider if you’re to enjoy TES or Fallout is what’s important in the game – both of these series are very heavy on NPC interaction. Meeting and talking to new people is the most important thing you could do in the game, and so few folks emphasize that in their reviews because they’ve also been busy fighting the undead which SEEMS more important.

2 things might help you get through Oblivion and relax: get a good friend (pref one who hasn’t played it) to hang out with you and play the game together. That’s what the wife and I do, and it’s always a better experience.

And trust me here, man, you’re not alone in having gotten the wrong first impression – the games are designed to be overwhelming. Use it to empower yourself by saving often before making the decisions you fear you’ll regret making. Oh, and as a rule of thumb? Mages are hard to play, thieves are fun but it becomes a stealth game. Stick with a barbarian fighter type – Nord in TES – and upgrade your stats related to melee. You’ll do fine.

Lastly – use the wiki if you’re lost or worried:
http://www.uesp.net/

Of course, another reason I’m not getting Skyrim is down to the other two games coming out on that day; LA Noire and Arkham City. I’ll probably put about 40 hours into those games cumulatively, so my Oblivion playthrough may also have to be delayed slightly.

Still, it probably wouldn’t have been more than a few days difference. I can wait a few days. It’s just weird that I have to.