The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion E3 Preview

Console Gold has whipped up a preview of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, after seeing Bethesda's RPG firsthand during this year's E3. A snippet to follow:
As much fun as exploring is, eventually you'll have to get your hands dirty in one of the over 200 hand-built dungeons in the game. This means we need to look at the new combat engine. The new combat system looks to combine blocking, melee, and magic into one system. The first major change is the ability to play in 1st or 3rd person perspective. The attack systems for magic and swordplay have been separated. As before you can perform a quick attack with a short click, you can power attack by holding down the attack button. You can modify the style of attack and directionality by moving the stick on the Xbox 360 version and key presses on the PC version. The magic has been moved to a second button so you are able to cast while carrying a weapon. No more cumbersome switching between magic and melee.