KazikluBey
Sentinel
Being a role player, means more of a desire to be transported to a magical land as a more than capable adventurer and forging your own destiny. Oblvion clearly provides that world in aces. I believe some of it's detractors simply can't handle 'white space' in a game and need that ring in the nose constantly leading them with new dancing ponies to entertain them at every new turn in the road, and I frankly have to say, if you're that type of player, you're not a role player, you're just a computer gamer.
In what way are you allowed to forge your own destiny? The game consists of only hand-holding linear quest lines! The only choices you get to make are things like, "Do I want to become the head of this guild, that one, or maybe all of them?". There aren't even any alternative ways to finish any quest. I must say I agree with hiciacit about the nose ring.
I've finished the main story-line, DB, the Fighters Guild, and what I estimate to be around half of the Thieves Guild and Mages Guild lines. The Dark Brotherhood is indeed excellent, until you start to work directly for Lucien about half/two thirds into the quest line, after which it goes turns mediocre. The ending was annoying, since the game didn't let me do as my character would have done. Instant "immersion" breaker.I also don't think it's main detractors even finished 20% of the game. Just the Dark Brotherhood series of quests alone was a mini-masterpiece.
Most of the quests in Oblivion are good, but I would have enjoyed them a lot more if it wasn't for the pop-ups telling me what to do, and the quest markers telling me exactly where to go. And, as mentioned, the lack of alternative ways to resolve quests, which severely hampers the role playing experience for me.
Many Oblivion defenders accuse its detractors of not having played the game that they say they dislike. I actually felt like I had more freedom in NWN2, despite its rather railroaded approach to world exploration.I haven't purchased NWN2 or Gothic 3 , although I loved their predecessors greatly, due to their unfinished and nearly unplayable state in the case of Gothic 3, that is just not acceptable. I also see them both as more of a 'lead you around by the nose and show you dancing ponies at each turn' type of games and not true role playing worlds.. which is my personal preference.
I can't say I've played any RPG released this year that I find worthy of being remembered as a "Best CRPG of the Year" however, but I haven't played Gothic 3 yet, even though it's sitting on my shelf. Partly because I'm awaiting patches, but I also have around 15 games (mainly older ones) on my "waiting to be played list", so I've been rather busy anyway.