The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion review

You can just wander the towns, talking to people and accepting a huge range of quests from them. Or fight your way to the top of the Arena. Heck, maybe just get all Daniel Boone and wander the continent, hacking and fireballing your way through dozens of loot-and-monster-filled ruins, caves, and tombs that just happen to be tucked away here or there. You can even get bitten by the wrong creature and become a vampire, complete with superhuman strength, the need to drink blood and a potentially fatal aversion to sunlight. There is a cure, but you might not want it.

Or, you can just pick ingredients for potions, chat up the ladies, and steal every fork from every house in the game and lay them all down so it says, "I am the King of forks!" on the ground (at least one guy actually did this. We saw pictures) when you look out the balcony of your mansion. You know - that place you got cheap because it was haunted by the spirit of the dude whose ghost tried to shred you when you found the secret evil altar in the basement and reattached his corpse's hand, but you summoned a wight, pulled out your ice-blasting sword, and tore him apart.

Whatever you want to do is cool with Oblivion - so is whatever you want to look like, whatever you want to buy/sell/steal or even make, wherever in its giant world you want to go and whomever you want to talk to/help/rob/cut into pieces once you're there. And whichever skills you use as you execute your shenanigans will get stronger with use, just as they would in the real world. Assuming your real world talents include setting man-crabs on fire with your touch, sneaking poison apples into rich dudes' pockets, and capturing the souls of enemies to recharge the magical poison mace you made.