Over the weekend, the folks at Digital Foundry have been been going over Oblivion Remastered with a fine comb, including the most-recent Xbox version with that post-release patch applied. Generally speaking, the team is rather impressed by the tech powering this Bethesda & Vitruos release - but just like our early hands-on discussed, performance issues are present on Xbox.
On Xbox Series X, the game contains two modes - one running at 30FPS and one running at 60FPS, at least in theory. While both of these modes do hit their intended targets at times, they both have issues - including uneven frame pacing and noticeable performance dips. However, the latest patch does improve things on the high-end console, particularly in performance mode:
"Virtuos' new patch improves all stress test areas on Series X and while clearly imperfect in its current state, it makes this mode more viable for VRR displays - with Series X offering a workable range of 40-60Hz. Whether it's galloping across the landscape, or battling through the volcanic Planes of Oblivion, the new patch is more adept at keeping it above 40fps."
However, with Xbox Series S containing just the one 30FPS mode, it still suffers a little bit even after the patch. DF says the all-digital console contains some major cutbacks even in that lower frame rate mode - and uneven frame pacing still occurs after the latest update.
"The reality for anyone playing on Series S is that they will have to make do with a similar 30fps experience to the Series X quality mode. There is no 60fps performance option, and so it's only possible to play with uneven frame-pacing at 30 in this case.
All round, Series S sadly takes a hit in most aspects, and the result certainly removes some of the lustre of the remaster. The hit to texture quality in particular is a sore point but par for the course with Series S."
We're hoping, and expecting, to see further updates in order to improve the overall performance for Oblivion Remastered - but the new tech is no-doubt impressive either way, giving the 2006 classic a lovely new lick of paint in 2025. The Digital Foundry analysis seems to agree with this sentiment, concluding by saying that "it's a true current-gen release that showcases Unreal Engine 5's latest tech" but "profound issues need to be addressed".