Quote Originally Posted by frogbeastegg
The Witcher is still on my shelf waiting for some attention (thought I may as well wait for the new content), but I can tell you that it and Oblivion are two very different animals.

Oblivion is all about freedom. Be what you like, do what you like, go where you like. There's great breadth, and rather little depth, at least when it comes to the quests and characters. Few of the people in Cryodil have much personality, few of the quests go beyond 'go here, kill these things, fetch that, return to me'.

The Witcher is about experiencing a story. It forces you to follow the plot path whether you like it or not. You can't scamper off to spend 6 hours brewing potions, or take up pearl diving on the coast. The people you meet along the way should have more to them than a bunch of canned lines you hear from every other NPC of that type, and the plot itself should be more detailed than Oblivion's scanty affair. There are optional side quests you can take or leave as you wish. You have some freedom in how you build up your character; you can choose skills which fit your playing preferences each time you level up. However you must play as Geralt, large parts of your dialogue will be pre-set, and his overall character class is pre-set.

I do like Oblivion. I'm on the last stages of the main quest now, having completed all of the guild lines first. The limitations of its plot and character building are keenly felt; I don't care about anyone or anything in this world, and I don't care about what I'm doing. I just want to find an elven helmet so I can complete my armour set, and get my skills mastered so my character is a god instead of a mere near-invincible uber hero. My preference has always been for a stronger plot than greater freedom.

Try it. Oblivion's type of RPG is rare. Most are of a similar pattern to The Witcher, so if you like it then there's stacks of great RPGs waiting for you.
That sums up the game perfectly. It, ironically, is more free and expansive than most in the sense of its semi-open gaming experience, but is also restrictive in the manner that you are stuck with one person to play as with no customization at all