When we were kids, we were all told stories about heroes of pure and undoubted spirit who braved dangerous evils to do good deeds. We watched movies or television shows that depicted the same. Most of all, we imagined ourselves in similar situations. Since then many of us have turned to video games, a medium which beyond any others really allows us to experience that adventure ourselves. Some games do so better than others.



Today's entry at rank 5: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The game opened with your character in a prison; certainly not the most adventurous of locales, but quickly made up for it by introducing the player to the King. King Septim provided a backdrop for the tutorial of the game, as well as instilled a sense of one of the most important facets of a great adventure: destiny. Soon after this you exited the dank underground and entered into the wide open world of Cyrodil, and the adventure began.

From the moment I first saw the light clear the mountains in the distance and the light and the exploratory music filled the background, I was pulled into the world. There was a goal, certainly. Find the King's son! Save the kingdom! Stop the invasion of hell! All very traditional, important points in the adventure. But beyond that there was sense of freedom. I, armed with sword, bow or spell, could do anything.

It was the world, however, that set this game apart. While many games in the modern day tout an open world, Oblivion's masterfully crafted province filled with lush forests and mountains of content have not been emulated in the two years since its release. In every corner of the world there was something to be discovered:

The People



In the middle of your adventure, at any time, you could come across a small village. The people there might have quests for you or they might not. Their simple presence lent an air of adventure and immersion to the world of Cyrodil. It wasn't just a world of dungeons and temples; people lived there too and it was your job to save them.

Side-quests



Certainly Oblivion had a massive amount of content in the form of structured quest lines. Between the main quests and the guilds a player could easily have sunk a hundred hours into the world of Cyrodil. But fantastically hidden were the Daedric statues, places where the player could obtain a quest from one of the Daedric lords and in return receive an artifact of great power. Every time the player comes across one of these it's an exciting moment.

The Secrets



This may seem a little cliche, but in a game as steeped in high fantasy as Oblivion it is forgivable. Coming across this hidden unicorn was yet another small addition to the player's great adventure. Where the unicorn lived was never explicitly told; much like the rest of the game, it was a matter of exploring, wandering, and accidentely finding something utterly fantastic.

These were just a few of the things I delighted in on my adventure. From the frozen north to the swampy south Cyrodil begged to be explored. Who could say no? Oblivion is one of the greatest adventures available to gamers, and completely worthy of this list

Honorable Mention: Morrowind
I would technically argue that Morrowind is a better game than Oblivion. It has a better plot, better customization, more quests and a more believable world. What it doesn't have is the high fantasy and epic feel of Oblivion. Certainly Morrowind is a great quest and journey, if not a true adventure.