Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

[SwissMercenary]

8 Years? More like 3. Or are you referencing some game 8 years ago? What do you want to see in Swordfighting simulations? For weapons to tangle? Bounce off the other guy? Get caught in bones? What are your expectations?

Anything that'd be at least on the level of weapons having their own collision boxes, so to speak. You'd probably have an idea of what I'm talking about, if you played Thief 1/2. And pardon about the '8' years, it's closer to what, 7 since the release of Thief?

For an example of how the system worked (As primitive as it was, swordfighting was a good enough challenge):

You had your sword. Clicking attacks. If your 'target' (The guy that the game thinks you are trying to attack) is to the left of you, you slash him right to left. If he's to the right of you, you slash him left to right. Depending on how long you hold the button before making the attack, you have differing levels of damage. The most damaging attack comes hits from above, and is somewhat more difficult to land, for a few reasons.

Your sword actually has a collision box. Your enemy's weapon does, too. If your sword slashes hit the enemy's weapon, they tend to be deflected. Sometimes the sword slips right off the weapon, sometimes your arm is 'pinned' by the weapon, and you have to disengage before making another attack.

You can use the built-in block function to get into a blocking stance (With, of course, reduced movement speed), in which case, the sword is raised to cover a diagonal in front of you. However, this far from guarantees immunity to enemy attacks. They can still slash under the sword, or over it. Also, (Especially those blasted hammerites) their hits often knock the sword out of the blocking position (Which they follow with a nice follow-up 'going to brain ye' hit, as it takes a bit of time to leave the blocking stance, and return to it).

Alternatively, you could block without entering the blocking stance - just by holding the sword in your hand. If you can put the blade in the path of the enemy swing, then you'll be allright (But at that point, the enemies like to close in on you, and slash you from inside your 'block' range - you can still block those hits, but it is much more difficult by far).

Of course, everything I've mentioned about blocking from the player's PoV, is used to some effect by the AI.

When facing multiple enemies, you really have little chance, unless you try isolate them - doorways, gates, and objects work nicely. As does a slashing retreat.

And to think that combat wasn't even the main point of the game...

You can do it that way.  If you hold down the left mouse button while attacking you get a power move.  You can also be moving left/right/forwards/backwards for different power moves.  There is also dodging, rather than blocking the blow with a shield you side step and swing.  Almost like real sword fighting huh?

And the special results of those power attacks are based on... Dice rolls. In a game played from a first-person perspective? Meh.

Does a left-right PA let you avoid the enemy's block stance, if he holds the weapon in like this: \

Not really, no. I think I've mentioned above the system that Thief had, 6, 7 years ago. As far as I can say, Oblivion hasn't done better.