While Bethesda's reputation might not be all that great right now — given the disaster show that was Fallout 76 and the scummy practices that the company was adopting in general — there's no denying the fact that the mettle of this studio as a developer is still second to none, with the open-world games that they've crafted being excellent in their own right... barring the usual onslaught of bugs that have plagued these games since time immemorial.
One such title that has gone down in history as one of the greatest video games ever made is The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Roaming through the land of Cyrodil is incredibly mesmerizing and addictive, with gamers not getting enough of this brilliant title when it was released all the way back in 2006.
During their adventures, fans stumbled upon the following ten locations present across the game that has widely been considered to be some of the best areas in Oblivion by a country mile.
10 Mania
Given how beautiful the Shivering Isles really is, it would be hard to choose just one area out of so many highlights in this expansion. However, the clear skies, bright flora, and amazing vistas of Mania place it a cut above the rest.
To be perfectly honest, any player who decides to explore the Shivering Isles in Oblivion will be more than pleased with the incredible beauty present in this area, regardless of where they might be exploring.
9 Anvil
A large port city that is quite easily one of the most populated regions to explore in Oblivion, Anvil is definitely the place to be for anyone who wishes to get a taste of what the game has to offer.
The beautiful architecture of this area coupled with a whole host of unique locations to explore and encounters to discover make Anvil a must-visit in any person's playthrough of Oblivion.
8 West Weald
An area rich in color and beauty, roaming through the areas of West Weald can be hypnotically beautiful in its own right. The design of this particular area is strikingly beautiful, compared to some of the other areas present across Cyrodil.
From endless meadows of purple flowers to the red maple trees that are present all across the area — roaming around the area of West Weald can prove to be quite a mellow and calming experience... until that is, a minotaur ends up bursting through the area to disturb the peace.
7 Gold Coast
After crossing the West Weald over to the westernmost part of the map, players will be able to bear witness to another beautiful area in Cyrodil as well — the Gold Coast.
This region features hilly expanses that flat out over time as the player approaches the coastal regions, with the area being full to the brim with some truly stunning locales that will make the player's jaw drop... especially during the sunset and sunrise (if the player is lucky enough to catch these instances).
6 Great Forest
The Imperial City might be a massive highlight of the game in itself, but what makes this location even better is the fact that the Great Forest that surrounds it is also incredibly beautiful in its own right.
Of course, players who wind up getting lost in this beautiful should be extra careful while exploring this area, unless they happen to be caught by some overzealous foes who end up causing a premature Game Over.
5 Imperial City Waterfront
Speaking of the Imperial City, one absolutely can't mention Oblivion's breathtaking places without talking about this amazing capital, which is easily one of the most notable areas in the entire game.
However, even in a city as incredibly as this one, there's one particular area that stands out due to how deceptively beautiful it really is — the Imperial City Waterfront. The area itself might be full of the worst scum in the Imperial City, but the location itself can be quite scenic at times.
4 Bruma
Speaking of cities in the world of Oblivion, it would be hard to not mention the northernmost settlement present in the game — the city of Bruma.
Unlike most of the other cities in Cyrodil, the climate in Bruma is colder than most other areas, forcing people to adopt different lifestyles to survive in such a chilly town. However, for the player, this shouldn't really be a major issue at all — in fact, the snow-capped areas in and around Bruma can actually allow for some picturesque sights that are pretty unique as well, given the rarity of snow in the game as is.
3 Frostcrag Spire
While there were some DLCs and add-ons released by Bethesda that ended up being quite underwhelming — with the cosmetic Horse Armor being a great example of this — the Wizard's Tower add-on was worth it simply due to the quality and beauty of the area that's added in the game.
Frostcrag Spire is a tower located to the east of Bruma, with the tower offering endless opportunities for players to experience some of the most scenic views present in Oblivion. The fact that this tower can serve as the home of the Hero of Kvatch is the icing on the cake!
2 Colovian Highlands
West Weald and the Imperial Forest are two areas that have been discussed extensively on this list, but there's an area higher up in Cyrodil that overlooks both these areas... and look downright beautiful to boot as well.
The Colovian Highlands might seem rather lacking at first glance — especially compared to some of the more packed areas in the game — but there's no denying that there's a charm of its own in this area. People who want to experience the beauty of this area to the fullest should definitely look at this area from the top of Battlehorn Castle — another add-on like Frostcrag Spire.
1 Gaiar Alata
It's a shame that players are only able to explore Gaiar Alata once in Oblivion at the end of the main questline. This area — fittingly labeled as Paradise — is easily one of the most visually striking areas in the game, and its rarity makes the act of exploring this area all the more worthwhile.
Players who finally reach this area after completing the main questline should definitely savor this area to the fullest. After all, it'll fade away to obscurity after the player completes this area — and the game, in general.