The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion was considered a masterpiece in its time. Even today, many gamers are still willing to revisit it even after all these years. Nevertheless, there's no denying that as far as visually, Oblivion has seen better days. The graphics are just downright ugly by today's standards.

Interesting Oblivion Mods Cover
The Elder Scrolls: 10 Mods That Will Make You Reinstall Oblivion

The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion is a much-beloved albeit older title. These awesome mods will have you reinstalling the game in no time.

As with most Bethesda games, however, mods have picked up the slack. Some of the finest mods on the Oblivion Nexus page deal with graphics. The fourth entry of The Elder Scrolls will always be a classic, so why not upgrade it with the best visuals possible? These mods will help get the ball rolling in that department.

Updated on October 12, 2024 by Rhenn Taguiam: With Elder Scrolls: Castles giving a fantasy spin to the Fallout Shelter simulation experience, fans of Tamriel can manage their own kingdom – on top of unique combat mechanics, a more dynamic building feature, and multiple-choice events that spice up a player’s reign. However, fans who want to experience royalty from up close may do good in protecting Emperor Uriel Septim VII’s last heir in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, this time featuring the lush lands of Cyrodiil. Players who want to make their Oblivion experience close to Skyrim may be interested in installing graphics mods to improve the overall look of the classic title. Among must-try mods for Oblivion, players include more dynamic actions with plants and grass, more beautiful night skies, and retexturing the game for better overall graphics.

27 Harvest Flora

Downloads: 399,876

Harvest Flora

Interactions remain the strongest part of Oblivion gameplay, specifically when some aspects of the game just add immersion when affected by parts of the environment. Even items disappearing from the game when players pick them up add to the immersive quality of the Oblivion experience. In the case of Harvest Flora, the game adds a much-needed effect whenever players try to harvest plants - the ground changes.

Harvest Flora gives players a better visual cue when retrieving ingredients from plant life around them. For instance, flowers disappear from plants when players retrieve them, while mushrooms disappear entirely when taken. The mod also accommodates flora added by official mods, making this a must-have for players who appreciate the extra realism of disappearing flowers when players actively gather them.

26 Oblivion NightSkies Overhaul

Downloads: 50,362

Oblivion NightSkies Overhaul

With Cyrodiil being so vibrant to look at when the bloom finally triggers upon getting hit by the sun, it can be such a letdown to see none of that at night. This was GGrimReaper’s motivation to create Oblivion NightSkies Overhaul, wherein he took it upon himself to create a nighttime-focused mod specifically designed to combine effects for a more appealing nighttime experience.

According to its page, the mod tries to add new HD textures from scratch with some taken from mods that inspired him. The mod also comes with the ability for players to toggle their version of Night Skies, allowing them to mix and match different nebulas, moons, and auroras. Most images used for the textures were said to be converted into 2K resolution for the best results. While Cyrodiil becomes a stunning nighttime paradise with these enhancements at night, encounters with enemies will become even more terrifying with these improved graphics.

25 Far Cry Inspired Grass

Downloads: 187,506

Far Cry Inspired Glass

One of the most majestic views players can get in Oblivion is stepping out of the prison and looking at the amazing landscape of Cyrodiil for the first time. Just the sheer scope of the world around players is enough to make them invested in the region’s affairs, and Far Cry Inspired Grass will add to this mesmerizing detail with improved grasslands.

Despite its simple premise, this mod improves upon the most recognizable detail in Oblivion - the presence of grass wherever players go. As the name implies, the grass in the mod is inspired by the greeneries in the Far Cry franchise. Thanks to revamped grasses that replaced half the assets used in the game, Far Cry Inspired Grass can create pleasant meadows that vastly add to the game’s visual appeal. The mod is best used with Let There Be Flowers, another mod created by Laulajatar that focuses on revamping the game’s selection of flowers.

24 Oblivion 2020 Retexture Project

Downloads: 886,850

Oblivion 2020 Retexture Project

Players looking for a more comprehensive graphical mod to improve their Oblivion gameplay experience should consider the Oblivion 2020 Retexture Project. Unlike other mods for the game, this one is rather grand in scale as it encompasses a selection of both large-scale and small-scale changes that can allow players to make graphical changes to their worlds that improve almost anything with a graphical asset: textures, trees, grasses, and even mere shrubbery.

Not only that, but the Retexture Project also encompasses other larger-scale forms that can be found in Oblivion gameplay. These include all types of rocks and landscapes they form, as well as Rune Stones, Doom Stones, caves, and even farmhouses. When players plug in the Oblivion 2020 Retexture Project, they’ll likely encounter a playthrough of Oblivion almost close to the quality of modern-day Skyrim sessions.

23 Really Textured Normal Maps

Downloads: 280,794

Really Textured Normal Maps mod for Oblivion

Many players don't want to mess around with Oblivion's visual design too much, given that the look is what the developers originally intended. In such an instance, it makes more sense for players to download vanilla-friendly graphics mods. This is easier said than done. Thankfully, there's a simple mod that lets players enjoy these regular visuals without changing them too much.

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Really Textured Normal Maps retains the visual design of the textures in Oblivion, striving only to improve their resolution and the amount of detail that can be discerned from up close. It's a simple yet much-needed mod that does a great job of letting players enjoy Oblivion's original goodness with a wealth of high-resolution textures to keep things fresh and interesting.

22 Atmos4096

Downloads: 135,855

Atmos4096 mod for Oblivion

There's no denying that fog does a great job of making things more atmospheric, and this is something that Oblivion excels at. However, it doesn't take long for keen-eyed players to notice that the quality of this fog doesn't really hold up. Its low-res textures don't do a great job of making this fog immersive.

With a simple mod, players can enhance fog textures in the game to 4K resolutions. This may seem like a simple change, but it does a great job of making each dungeon more atmospheric than ever before. It's a must-have mod that players should use to enhance their immersion in Oblivion.

21 Oblivion Reloaded

Downloads: 41,347

Oblivion Reloaded mod

Gamebyro may be legendary in its own right, but there's no denying that any game made with this engine ends up being quite unstable and stuck together with band-aids. As a result, the engine limits Oblivion's graphics in many ways so that the game doesn't end up breaking if certain visual effects end up being too overbearing.

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However, in 2023, there's no need for the Gamebyro engine to limit Oblivion's graphical potential to such a great extent. This is where the Oblivion Reloaded mod comes into the picture. It's an extended patch of the game that removes the limits on Oblivion's visuals, allowing players to witness the land of Cyrodiil and its amazing beauty with a fresh coat of paint.

20 Unique Liches

Downloads: 2,424

Unique Liches mod for Oblivion

There are many liches present in the world of Oblivion that are pretty powerful and will give any player a run for their money when they choose to engage this foe in combat. Their magic hits like a truck and their nightmarish visage scares players to their very core while batting these foes. However, while there are both regular liches and uniquely named ones, their appearances don't really change all that much.

Thankfully, there's a mod that gives the named liches a unique look to make them seem even more intimidating in combat. It may be a small mod, but players who love battling against special enemies who look the part will love what Unique Liches brings to the table. After all, who would say no to a mod that adds such much-needed visual variety in a game that's almost 20 years old?

19 Denser Vanilla Grasses - Grass Density Booster

Downloads: 2,546

Denser Vanilla Grasses mod for Oblivion

Cyrodiil is vast and beautiful, and players will have a blast exploring this map even now. The varied scenery of this game world may seem disconnected at times, but players who prefer visual variety over cohesion will love what this title brings to the table in terms of exploration. However, there are times when landscapes may look a bit flat and uninteresting due to the dated nature of this game, and this is a major issue for areas where grass should be abundant yet is nowhere to be found.

This mod is perhaps the simplest one that players can download to augment the visuals of Oblivion, with its functionality being pretty obvious from the name itself. It increases the volume of grass shown in the overworld, making the landscapes of the game more scenic and detailed.

18 Natural & Atmospheric Oblivion

Downloads: 187,673

Natural & Atmospheric Oblivion Mod

Although it may be easy to overlook sometimes, a game's weather effects can have a significant impact on the overall presentation. The same is true for lighting as well. The lackluster nature of these effects goes a long way toward making Oblivion look as antiquated as it does.

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When looking to refresh the weather and lighting, a great place to start is with Natural & Atmospheric Oblivion. Seven new weather types are added, greatly contributing to the diversity of Oblivion's weather patterns. Sun glare, fog, and even the clouds themselves are also given a fresh coat of paint.