Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

If what you’re looking for is a deep, immersive, non-linear and incredibly expansive experience, look no further than The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Released on PC and Xbox 360 in 2006 and a year later on the PlayStation 3, Oblivion brought gamers to the fictional province of Cyrodiil, tasking them to complete a meaty main quest while complimenting that quest with incredible freedom to explore the territory at will. As long as you could deal with increasingly-difficult enemies, you could complete myriad side missions, encounter any number of characters, and enjoy a free and wide-open “sandbox” that few games – before or since – have provided.