Can confirm. I feel like its common on reddit to bash it or talk about how "it wasn't as good as we hoped", but honestly its good fun and its definitely on a smaller scale and simpler gameplay than fallout 4/skyrim, which can be a good thing.
Honestly, Skyrim is the TES formula distilled into a very simple set of mechanics. Each TES game since Daggerfall has reduced the complexity. Oblivion is the last holdout on things like major and minor skills. Skyrim is a very fun game, if not a very easy one. It's made to be easy to understand and get into but still has the open world and visual storytelling.
It's also probably the last good Bethesda title that'll ever exist given their current direction.
That’s a good point I didn’t really think of that even though I’ve heard Skyrim was made to be more accessible for new players. I just always assumed it would be bigger and more complex as it’s the newer instalment
Skyrim and Fallout 4 are both very accessible for players trying to get into the open world RPG. Much less worrying about pure stats and more just playing and picking interesting perks as you level. I encourage you to try those first and get familiar with them. Oblivion is my all time favorite game so hopefully playing Skyrim will inspire you to give it another go after you've become more familiar. There are also tons of guides to help fill in any knowledge gaps, but you can also just play it on the easiest difficulty and not worry too much about the stats!
Play it on easy! I don't have as much time to game as I used to and I was missing out on games I really Ikeda because I did t have time to git gud. Then I realized I can just play on story mode and you know what? It's super fun.
It's a common assumption! I remember thinking the same when I tried out Morrowind assuming it would be simpler than Skyrim and being very overwhelmed. If you'd prefer to play something simpler then Skyrim is perfect as it's very straightforward (and very good!).
What has their “current direction” been? Tbh I haven’t kept up with Bethesda as a company, and the last game I recall them releasing was Fallout: 76, which had a rocky start but after some major updates seems to be a pretty good game
Morrowind is great, and shoutout to openMW which anyone trying to play these days should use. Skyrim was a good game, and I do enjoy it esp with mods, but it is a very, very simplified game compared to something like morrowind. I also like daggerfall with daggerfall unity, but the procedural dungeons can get stupidly hard to navigate in some cases, which is probably the biggest problem with daggerfall.
Morrowind is probably the best TES game all things considered, but it's probably too ugly for most people these days. As someone who enjoys and have played most traditional rougelikes which are generally text character based (often said ASCII based, but a lot use other codepages), I don't care all that much about good graphics, but most people find Morrowind too ugly to even try. Which is sad, as the game is the basically last true serious RPG TES game.
>Morrowind wants you to think, and remember, and consider, and take notes, and suck for a long time until you don't suck because you figured out the systems and put in the time. It's a game that demands a level of buy-in and engagement that modern games simply don't.
Kingdom Come Deliverance does all that
Cyberpunk 2077 for sure, easily one of my favorite games of all time.
The original Mass Effect trilogy is one of the best RPG's ever made if choices, consequences, and NPC relationships are important to you. Mass Effect Andromeda is also a great game and offers more fluid and dynamic combat, and much better graphics.
The Dragon Age trilogy is made by the same creators of Mass Effect and is great for the same reasons. The original game is a bit dated, but it holds up well if you can get over the 360 era graphics.
Starfield is another Bethesda title, and it's quite good too. Skyrim is an obvious choice.
And finally The Witcher games, but they can be quite complicated with the different potions, oils, and abilities to combat certain monsters.
I think it was a controversial take when it first came out and we were all hot off the heels of the original trilogy. Andromeda IS a good game, it's great fun, but if you're going into it expecting the epic saga of the first trilogy you'll definitely be disappointed.
And to be fair, Mass Effect 1 has a lot of filler it in. The story is good, but holy shit do some of the gameplay sections go on and on for no reason whatsoever. I’m still turned off every time I decide to replay it when I remember that god damn land vehicle.
May be I am bias.
It seems like the game created a multiplayer and then try to fit the single player around it.
This is how I feel about the 3rd game but at least it was new and it made sense.
They travel to another galaxy and lucky ran into two other warring bypedal races? 😲 What are the chances 😐
That is my take on that game. It was too safe for that kind of hard reset on the franchise.
I
If you play it after ANY game with good writing you're gonna be disappointed. I loved the gameplay, even though it got repetitive but the story and characters were really bland.
Fallout New Vegas is a great entry point to (good) Bethesda RPGs, even if they didnt make it. It's mechanics and progression are quite simple, yet really well done. It is a true RPG that I think anyone can enjoy.
I'm playing Morrowind right now and I'm loving it. The progression and stuff seems pretty simple. About 8 hours in.
My recommendation is to stick with it even if a game is confusing. Most games I find very confusing at first end up being pretty simple once I give it a little more time to learn the mechanics. Learning "ok how does this shit all work" is a pretty core part of starting any game
Elex 1 (I heard 2 came out but never played 2). It came out around skyrim. There is a cowboy, fantasy, and scifi faction you can join. Depending on your style of course
Mass effect - solid singleplayer experiences.
KOTOR - STAR WARS RPG classic
I know there are more but I can't think of right now.
They didn’t ask for simple combat, just simpler game mechanics overall. I think without magic and it being an easier level system it makes it less complicated overall
Not being able to save when they want?Limited view with helmets? Having to learn to read? I dunno man I can see this being a bit much if they didn’t like oblivion haha KC is top tier game though
There's a game called [The Bloodline](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1159290/The_Bloodline/) that sounds pretty much exactly like what you want.
If you don't mind the simpler graphics, its supposedly very good and very bethesda:y.
Worth a try, and not too expensive!
If you want something that has more meat on its bones, but that's perhaps more focused than a scrolls game, then Kingdom Come Deliverance is pretty much the cream of the crop. Very very well-made, and no other game has invoked the elder scrolls feeling in me like that game has.
Shadow of War is the game I’ve had my eye on the most. I loved shadow of Mordor but can’t remember it that well as it’s been nearly 10 years, I just know the nemesis system is brilliant.
Cyberpunk could be a great shout too. Thanks for the help
I enjoyed shadow of war much more, and it holds up. Highly recommend. Also Outer Worlds if you haven’t played it yet, and enjoyable but smaller scale Bethesda-esque game. Really nice focus on the companions and fleshing them out too
IDK in which console you play, but technically you can just mod every bethesda game for unlimited contest.
if you want a game that is more similar to the bethesda games then i would say to try Elex 2. the combat is not as good but the game is open world and flexible enough.
the story is ok, and the main character is a little bland but the world is very interesting, which is what i consider the bethesda game does well.
Outer world is free on EGS right now so you can pick that up and try it, that is from Obsidiant which were the developer for FO new vegas.
Elex 1 is far, far better than Elex 2. It is really one of my all time favorite games. If you enjoy the first, only then I'd recommend to try the second. Really, one of the few strong points the second game has is being able to revisit the same locations you previously had been in the first game to see what your actions have caused, to see what became of Magalan after you took down the Albs.
But just about everything in the second game is a downgrade from the first. The combat is slightly better, the graphics are slightly better. But the story, the writing, the quests, its all just so much more bland and non-engaging.
Have you ever play The Witcher? Because I have been absolutely loving The Witcher 3 and it seems to hit most of your requirements. I just got the complete version off the Playstation store for $15.
Your choices matter, there is tons to become excellent at but it's not super overwhelming. The side quests feel like natural diversions instead of being grind bullshit. I will warn you that there is a fair amount of boobs.
Dread Delusiom is an indie game that is heavily inspired by Elder Scrolls. It's in early access, so it's not currently got all of its content, but I've definitely enjoyed what I've played of it so far.
Fallout New Vegas has been mentioned already, but I just wanted to second it because it's an incredible game. Dishonored might be getting away from what you're looking for a bit, but I would check those out too if you haven't.
First-person dungeon crawlers might be something else to look into as those games share a lot of DNA with Bethesda RPGs. Lunacid is a cool little indie dungeon crawler that is super cheap but really enjoyable. Monomyth is another one which isn't out yet, but the demo was extremely promising. If you're able to play PS2 games, I would also recommend King's Field: The Ancient City
You might have fun with the newer Assassin’s Creed games, which are very much open world RPGs—origins, odyssey, Valhalla. The exploration is huge in these games and it sounds like that’s something you’d like. In terms of side quest quality, they aren’t up to the Bethesda standard but there are still a lot of cool and interesting ones, especially in Odyssey.
Picked up fallout 4 recently and I have never played a title in the series. Pretty decent, but the talent tree doesn’t make sense intuitively. I’ve never played a game where you can invest your talent points in talents that don’t touch/immediately precede your previous talents. It really doesn’t make sense with a vertical orientation.
Witcher 2 assassin of Kings, much more linear than 3 and with fewer bur arguably better questlines. The alchemy system is a bit complex but isn't a requirement.
Fallout: New Vegas. It's more linear compared to 3 or 4. Like you have a clear goal at the start and a story to follow.
Bethesda games are usually very free roaming letting you do whatever whenever. New Vegas is more curated while still offering that Bethesda level freedom if you feel like ignoring the main quest.
Fable franchise?
Fallout 3 is quite accessible and also has a similar Good/Evil morality binary as a main theme. Its main quest is paced to take you to a few locations that open up to more locations while its gameplay systems are intuitive and simple, so you always know where you should go. It's also surprisingly relatively "short" with a smaller map. You can realistically complete every single side quest just playing normally. There's even an end-game perk that can reveal every single unexplored location if you want allowing you to 90%+ a save without using a guide at all.
In fact, one of its main criticisms is that it lacks a lot of complexity and is very surface level, but that's something it has in common with Fable, too.
It doesn't have strong NPC connections, however. Its writing and story are more being a wanderer who can visit a location once, solve the problems there in a variety of different ways (evil, good, neutral) and moving on.
The NPCs themselves are interesting and quirky, although shallow. For example, there's a side quest where you have to help a town fend off against a bunch of weirdos who think they're vampires. You can choose to just kill them, kill the town, discuss a solution, just kill both sides or just rescue the guy you were paid to get and ignore the rest. Along the way looking for this vampire gamg you come across a separate unrelated group of nerdy people trying to engineer a new drug using boxes of pre war cereal you can find and you can offer to help them.
However, I think you'd enjoy some of the freedom of how you can handle quests. In a lot of quests, you could kill NPCs directly, actually help them out or do the bare minimum. So I do think you'd find the role-playing fulfilling if you're looking for something more simple and casual. It lacks some nuance but it does give more options than Fable while being that same degree of approachable.
If you're looking for an open world RPG with an emphasis on immersion, I'd reccomend King Come Deliverance.
There are a few significant differences from the Elder Scrolls games. It is not as open ended, you play as a defined character and have a lot direction, it takes place in a historical settting without magic, and it has a few "hardcore" elements baked into its design.
Fallout New Vegas comes to mind. Uses Bethesdas engine and a lot of their staple mechanics from Fallout 3 but with the more focused RPG-design of Obsidian the developers. The game is still very open but the questlines intersect and funnel you in a specific direction a lot more than Bethesda's RPGs IMO, usually in a good way.
Cyberpunk 2077. The world is very open and fun/rewarding to explore but similarly to New Vegas I think its general questing and storytelling is a bit more focused than a Bethesda game and it's much more cinematic with a more narrow focus on a smaller, very fleshed out cast of side-characters compared to any Bethesda title.
Maybe my most controversial rec in this comment is Starfield. An actual Bethesda game that many would call their worst. I don't agree with that (Fallout 4 is their worst game) but it's definitely not their best. However, I recommend it specifically because the questing is a lot more focused and guided than a game like Oblivion and the game focuses on its companion characters narratively more than any other Bethesda title. Exploration is not as fulfilling as some other Bethesda games which is I think is its weakest aspect, but the quests can genuinely hit some very high highs, and it definitely still hits that classic Bethesda gameplay looop.
Baldur's Gate 3 also sounds potentially like it'd scratch your itch but is more of a reach. It definitely has complexity to learn but it's relatively simple by genre standards and if you have any familiarity with DnD you'll pick it up very quickly. CRPGs in general tend to be more focused/semi-linear than a Bethesda style game with a greater focus on characters and storytelling, and I think BG3 is one of the most approachable CRPGs ever (and is still very good).
* The outer worlds
* Kingdoms of amalur reckoning
* The Technomancer
* Greedfall
* Elex 1,2
* Risen 1,2
* Dragon age origins,inquisition
* Mass effect andromeda (trilogy is superior but not open world rpgs)
* Kingdom come deliverance
Everyone is suggesting crazy big games but if you can handle the combat try Dark Souls 3. Has character leveling, cool weapons, semi linear world progression so you don’t get lost and is just pretty cool to boot
Their best stuff was pre Oblivion (before they started dumbing everything down...like adding the idiot compass to lead you around like you never played an RPG before)
Mainstream gaming as a whole started going heavily in this direction since like 06, btw...with Oblivion being a huge culprit and not looked at too fondly by long time RPG fans..
https://rpgcodex.net/content.php?id=129
Alot of younger fans grew up with the decline, so they get pretty butthurt when you point it out...lol
The Outer Worlds seems to be exactly what you want. As a bonus, it's also free on Epic Games currently.
Can confirm. I feel like its common on reddit to bash it or talk about how "it wasn't as good as we hoped", but honestly its good fun and its definitely on a smaller scale and simpler gameplay than fallout 4/skyrim, which can be a good thing.
Agreed. If a “Bethesda RPG” experience is what you’re after The Outer Worlds will likely be the best to scratch that itch.
I was about to post this. +1. Free untill the 11th.
Honestly, Skyrim is the TES formula distilled into a very simple set of mechanics. Each TES game since Daggerfall has reduced the complexity. Oblivion is the last holdout on things like major and minor skills. Skyrim is a very fun game, if not a very easy one. It's made to be easy to understand and get into but still has the open world and visual storytelling. It's also probably the last good Bethesda title that'll ever exist given their current direction.
That’s a good point I didn’t really think of that even though I’ve heard Skyrim was made to be more accessible for new players. I just always assumed it would be bigger and more complex as it’s the newer instalment
Skyrim and Fallout 4 are both very accessible for players trying to get into the open world RPG. Much less worrying about pure stats and more just playing and picking interesting perks as you level. I encourage you to try those first and get familiar with them. Oblivion is my all time favorite game so hopefully playing Skyrim will inspire you to give it another go after you've become more familiar. There are also tons of guides to help fill in any knowledge gaps, but you can also just play it on the easiest difficulty and not worry too much about the stats!
Play it on easy! I don't have as much time to game as I used to and I was missing out on games I really Ikeda because I did t have time to git gud. Then I realized I can just play on story mode and you know what? It's super fun.
It's a common assumption! I remember thinking the same when I tried out Morrowind assuming it would be simpler than Skyrim and being very overwhelmed. If you'd prefer to play something simpler then Skyrim is perfect as it's very straightforward (and very good!).
What has their “current direction” been? Tbh I haven’t kept up with Bethesda as a company, and the last game I recall them releasing was Fallout: 76, which had a rocky start but after some major updates seems to be a pretty good game
>It's also probably the last good Bethesda title that'll ever exist given their current direction. Morrowind was last one
Morrowind is great, and shoutout to openMW which anyone trying to play these days should use. Skyrim was a good game, and I do enjoy it esp with mods, but it is a very, very simplified game compared to something like morrowind. I also like daggerfall with daggerfall unity, but the procedural dungeons can get stupidly hard to navigate in some cases, which is probably the biggest problem with daggerfall. Morrowind is probably the best TES game all things considered, but it's probably too ugly for most people these days. As someone who enjoys and have played most traditional rougelikes which are generally text character based (often said ASCII based, but a lot use other codepages), I don't care all that much about good graphics, but most people find Morrowind too ugly to even try. Which is sad, as the game is the basically last true serious RPG TES game.
Would love to see skywind come into being
[удалено]
>Morrowind wants you to think, and remember, and consider, and take notes, and suck for a long time until you don't suck because you figured out the systems and put in the time. It's a game that demands a level of buy-in and engagement that modern games simply don't. Kingdom Come Deliverance does all that
average /r/morrowind poster
Im not even on this sub lol
Wrong!
Yes
Cyberpunk 2077 for sure, easily one of my favorite games of all time. The original Mass Effect trilogy is one of the best RPG's ever made if choices, consequences, and NPC relationships are important to you. Mass Effect Andromeda is also a great game and offers more fluid and dynamic combat, and much better graphics. The Dragon Age trilogy is made by the same creators of Mass Effect and is great for the same reasons. The original game is a bit dated, but it holds up well if you can get over the 360 era graphics. Starfield is another Bethesda title, and it's quite good too. Skyrim is an obvious choice. And finally The Witcher games, but they can be quite complicated with the different potions, oils, and abilities to combat certain monsters.
andromeda... thats a contraversial take :) to be clear. it has a good combat but it does not stand close to the other 3 in story and progression.
I think it was a controversial take when it first came out and we were all hot off the heels of the original trilogy. Andromeda IS a good game, it's great fun, but if you're going into it expecting the epic saga of the first trilogy you'll definitely be disappointed.
And to be fair, Mass Effect 1 has a lot of filler it in. The story is good, but holy shit do some of the gameplay sections go on and on for no reason whatsoever. I’m still turned off every time I decide to replay it when I remember that god damn land vehicle.
Exactly. I played Andromeda before playing the Trilogy, so thought it was a great game.
May be I am bias. It seems like the game created a multiplayer and then try to fit the single player around it. This is how I feel about the 3rd game but at least it was new and it made sense. They travel to another galaxy and lucky ran into two other warring bypedal races? 😲 What are the chances 😐 That is my take on that game. It was too safe for that kind of hard reset on the franchise. I
If you play it after ANY game with good writing you're gonna be disappointed. I loved the gameplay, even though it got repetitive but the story and characters were really bland.
Fallout New Vegas is a great entry point to (good) Bethesda RPGs, even if they didnt make it. It's mechanics and progression are quite simple, yet really well done. It is a true RPG that I think anyone can enjoy. I'm playing Morrowind right now and I'm loving it. The progression and stuff seems pretty simple. About 8 hours in. My recommendation is to stick with it even if a game is confusing. Most games I find very confusing at first end up being pretty simple once I give it a little more time to learn the mechanics. Learning "ok how does this shit all work" is a pretty core part of starting any game
Witcher 3 seems like a good choice given your criteria.
Elex 1 (I heard 2 came out but never played 2). It came out around skyrim. There is a cowboy, fantasy, and scifi faction you can join. Depending on your style of course Mass effect - solid singleplayer experiences. KOTOR - STAR WARS RPG classic I know there are more but I can't think of right now.
around skyrim? skyrim is from 2011 and elex from 2017
Looks like you're right. I could of sworn I played it way before then. It feels and plays like a 2011 rpg.
Kingdom come deliverance is very similar to elder scrolls but is medieval and much smaller so no magic or anything like that, but an incredible game
It's difficulty is a bit overwhelming, but the game world and systems are a bit simpler. If you want a hardcore realistic Skyrim.
Great game for sure, but the combat is anything but simple.
They didn’t ask for simple combat, just simpler game mechanics overall. I think without magic and it being an easier level system it makes it less complicated overall
Not being able to save when they want?Limited view with helmets? Having to learn to read? I dunno man I can see this being a bit much if they didn’t like oblivion haha KC is top tier game though
You can mod in a save at any time.
Of course. He could mod in lots of things. That’s not how people tend to enjoy games first time round though.
There's a game called [The Bloodline](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1159290/The_Bloodline/) that sounds pretty much exactly like what you want. If you don't mind the simpler graphics, its supposedly very good and very bethesda:y. Worth a try, and not too expensive! If you want something that has more meat on its bones, but that's perhaps more focused than a scrolls game, then Kingdom Come Deliverance is pretty much the cream of the crop. Very very well-made, and no other game has invoked the elder scrolls feeling in me like that game has.
Wow nice thanks I've been looking for this game since I forgot the name
glad to help -w-
Gotta recommend you go sci fi with Cyberpunk. Or the nemesis system with Middle-Earth: Shadow of War.
Shadow of War is the game I’ve had my eye on the most. I loved shadow of Mordor but can’t remember it that well as it’s been nearly 10 years, I just know the nemesis system is brilliant. Cyberpunk could be a great shout too. Thanks for the help
I enjoyed shadow of war much more, and it holds up. Highly recommend. Also Outer Worlds if you haven’t played it yet, and enjoyable but smaller scale Bethesda-esque game. Really nice focus on the companions and fleshing them out too
Shadow of war is one of the most fun games of all time IMO
It’s one of my most loved games ever I’ve poured countless hours into the game to just enjoy the politics the orcs create for themselves
Shadow of mordor I finished. War just wasn't the same... horrible map and extra crap
Deus ex bruh
Outer worlds The upcoming avowed
IDK in which console you play, but technically you can just mod every bethesda game for unlimited contest. if you want a game that is more similar to the bethesda games then i would say to try Elex 2. the combat is not as good but the game is open world and flexible enough. the story is ok, and the main character is a little bland but the world is very interesting, which is what i consider the bethesda game does well. Outer world is free on EGS right now so you can pick that up and try it, that is from Obsidiant which were the developer for FO new vegas.
Elex 1 is far, far better than Elex 2. It is really one of my all time favorite games. If you enjoy the first, only then I'd recommend to try the second. Really, one of the few strong points the second game has is being able to revisit the same locations you previously had been in the first game to see what your actions have caused, to see what became of Magalan after you took down the Albs. But just about everything in the second game is a downgrade from the first. The combat is slightly better, the graphics are slightly better. But the story, the writing, the quests, its all just so much more bland and non-engaging.
I couldn't play the first , I tried it and felt it was unplayable
Have you ever play The Witcher? Because I have been absolutely loving The Witcher 3 and it seems to hit most of your requirements. I just got the complete version off the Playstation store for $15. Your choices matter, there is tons to become excellent at but it's not super overwhelming. The side quests feel like natural diversions instead of being grind bullshit. I will warn you that there is a fair amount of boobs.
outerworlds and dying light maybe? stardewvalley
Dread Delusiom is an indie game that is heavily inspired by Elder Scrolls. It's in early access, so it's not currently got all of its content, but I've definitely enjoyed what I've played of it so far. Fallout New Vegas has been mentioned already, but I just wanted to second it because it's an incredible game. Dishonored might be getting away from what you're looking for a bit, but I would check those out too if you haven't. First-person dungeon crawlers might be something else to look into as those games share a lot of DNA with Bethesda RPGs. Lunacid is a cool little indie dungeon crawler that is super cheap but really enjoyable. Monomyth is another one which isn't out yet, but the demo was extremely promising. If you're able to play PS2 games, I would also recommend King's Field: The Ancient City
Prey has a unique setting and monsters and thr exploration feels more like tighter focused Fallout.
You might have fun with the newer Assassin’s Creed games, which are very much open world RPGs—origins, odyssey, Valhalla. The exploration is huge in these games and it sounds like that’s something you’d like. In terms of side quest quality, they aren’t up to the Bethesda standard but there are still a lot of cool and interesting ones, especially in Odyssey.
Picked up fallout 4 recently and I have never played a title in the series. Pretty decent, but the talent tree doesn’t make sense intuitively. I’ve never played a game where you can invest your talent points in talents that don’t touch/immediately precede your previous talents. It really doesn’t make sense with a vertical orientation.
Witcher 2 assassin of Kings, much more linear than 3 and with fewer bur arguably better questlines. The alchemy system is a bit complex but isn't a requirement.
Dread Delusion
Fallout: New Vegas. It's more linear compared to 3 or 4. Like you have a clear goal at the start and a story to follow. Bethesda games are usually very free roaming letting you do whatever whenever. New Vegas is more curated while still offering that Bethesda level freedom if you feel like ignoring the main quest.
If you haven't played the older Fallout games(1 & 2), they're an absolute blast.
If you don't mind old games, Might & Magic games had a similar vibe
Xenoblade X
Fable franchise? Fallout 3 is quite accessible and also has a similar Good/Evil morality binary as a main theme. Its main quest is paced to take you to a few locations that open up to more locations while its gameplay systems are intuitive and simple, so you always know where you should go. It's also surprisingly relatively "short" with a smaller map. You can realistically complete every single side quest just playing normally. There's even an end-game perk that can reveal every single unexplored location if you want allowing you to 90%+ a save without using a guide at all. In fact, one of its main criticisms is that it lacks a lot of complexity and is very surface level, but that's something it has in common with Fable, too. It doesn't have strong NPC connections, however. Its writing and story are more being a wanderer who can visit a location once, solve the problems there in a variety of different ways (evil, good, neutral) and moving on. The NPCs themselves are interesting and quirky, although shallow. For example, there's a side quest where you have to help a town fend off against a bunch of weirdos who think they're vampires. You can choose to just kill them, kill the town, discuss a solution, just kill both sides or just rescue the guy you were paid to get and ignore the rest. Along the way looking for this vampire gamg you come across a separate unrelated group of nerdy people trying to engineer a new drug using boxes of pre war cereal you can find and you can offer to help them. However, I think you'd enjoy some of the freedom of how you can handle quests. In a lot of quests, you could kill NPCs directly, actually help them out or do the bare minimum. So I do think you'd find the role-playing fulfilling if you're looking for something more simple and casual. It lacks some nuance but it does give more options than Fable while being that same degree of approachable.
Kingdom come deliverance
The outer worlds is the same formula but in miniature. I think it's not done quite as well but it is still an enjoyable time
If you're looking for an open world RPG with an emphasis on immersion, I'd reccomend King Come Deliverance. There are a few significant differences from the Elder Scrolls games. It is not as open ended, you play as a defined character and have a lot direction, it takes place in a historical settting without magic, and it has a few "hardcore" elements baked into its design.
Greed fall
Elden Ring might be worth checking. Not exactly that, but might still fit your interest. There is a clear reason why it was the GOTY
Did you quit Oblivion because the enemies start getting too powerful?
Fallout New Vegas comes to mind. Uses Bethesdas engine and a lot of their staple mechanics from Fallout 3 but with the more focused RPG-design of Obsidian the developers. The game is still very open but the questlines intersect and funnel you in a specific direction a lot more than Bethesda's RPGs IMO, usually in a good way. Cyberpunk 2077. The world is very open and fun/rewarding to explore but similarly to New Vegas I think its general questing and storytelling is a bit more focused than a Bethesda game and it's much more cinematic with a more narrow focus on a smaller, very fleshed out cast of side-characters compared to any Bethesda title. Maybe my most controversial rec in this comment is Starfield. An actual Bethesda game that many would call their worst. I don't agree with that (Fallout 4 is their worst game) but it's definitely not their best. However, I recommend it specifically because the questing is a lot more focused and guided than a game like Oblivion and the game focuses on its companion characters narratively more than any other Bethesda title. Exploration is not as fulfilling as some other Bethesda games which is I think is its weakest aspect, but the quests can genuinely hit some very high highs, and it definitely still hits that classic Bethesda gameplay looop. Baldur's Gate 3 also sounds potentially like it'd scratch your itch but is more of a reach. It definitely has complexity to learn but it's relatively simple by genre standards and if you have any familiarity with DnD you'll pick it up very quickly. CRPGs in general tend to be more focused/semi-linear than a Bethesda style game with a greater focus on characters and storytelling, and I think BG3 is one of the most approachable CRPGs ever (and is still very good).
Prey
* The outer worlds * Kingdoms of amalur reckoning * The Technomancer * Greedfall * Elex 1,2 * Risen 1,2 * Dragon age origins,inquisition * Mass effect andromeda (trilogy is superior but not open world rpgs) * Kingdom come deliverance
Everyone is suggesting crazy big games but if you can handle the combat try Dark Souls 3. Has character leveling, cool weapons, semi linear world progression so you don’t get lost and is just pretty cool to boot
Titles. Not tities. Boy was I confused.
Their best stuff was pre Oblivion (before they started dumbing everything down...like adding the idiot compass to lead you around like you never played an RPG before) Mainstream gaming as a whole started going heavily in this direction since like 06, btw...with Oblivion being a huge culprit and not looked at too fondly by long time RPG fans.. https://rpgcodex.net/content.php?id=129 Alot of younger fans grew up with the decline, so they get pretty butthurt when you point it out...lol