When you first step out into the open after having been imprisoned in a dank, dark cell, it takes your eyes a few seconds to adjust to the wide open space that is the world of Tamriel. This is the feeling you’ll get at the beginning of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, a PC (and Xbox 360) role-playing game that introduced a massive world and enough quests to keep you playing for thousands of hours. Of course, even if you have seen all there is to see in the world of Tamriel, Bethesda Softworks brought us a number of downloads that adds even more quests to tackle and enjoy (oh, and shiny horse armor). The latest download is called Knights of the Nine and trust me when I say that this is but another great excuse to jump right back into this great game.

First of all, I should mention that Knights of the Nine is available as a download like a few of the downloads already available for this game as well as retail package that also includes all the mentioned downloads already available like the Wizard’s Tower (and the neat Thieves Den and Vile Lair) quest as well as the unnecessary horse armor (that was the first download introduced for the game). The download is a cool $10 while the retail content pack is a nicely priced $20. Either way, the extra content just adds more things to do in a game that has plenty to do in the first place and that’s good news to any gamer who wants to get the most out of their stay in Tamriel.
 
While past downloads point out the new content, the Knights quest line is inserted into the game’s universe so gamers can take up the quest at any point they wish. The quest is centered in the township of Anvil where you will discover that the Chapel of Dibella has been desecrated and many of the priests have been murdered. Just outside, a man raves that the end is near and once you start talking to him he reveals to you that a wicked servant of evil who was banished to Oblivion has somehow been resurrected and if nobody stops him he could very well threaten the entire realm. So it is up to you to stop this immoral named Umaril and to do so you must journey onward just beyond Cyrodill in order to locate the armor and weapons of the Divine Crusader and thus reclaim the glory of the famed Knights of the Nine.

Like most quest lines (like, say, the Thieves Guild quest), Knights will take you through a series of sub quests that are related to the main quest. Your quest will take you to Cyrodill where you will have to prove yourself worthy to the Nine (the Gods that banished Umaril to Oblivion) who will then grant you a favor. And so you will be off on a series of quests that will have you returning to the Wayshrines to receive the blessings of the Nine. From there you will come across many characters that are aware of your task and will even join you. At one point you even meet knights who will see you as their leader as a crusader who fights the good fight their loyal brothers, the long-gone Knights of the Nine, have fought and died for when they went up against the threat in the first place.
 
The main mission, of course, is to locate the artifacts of the Divine Crusader since it is the only way to kill the evil immortal. This, of course, isn’t going to be an easy feat. It’s best to tackle on this quest line with a higher skill level and some decent weapons and spells. There are a number of new enemies you’ll encounter but the final battle against Umaril is obviously the most challenging battle you’ll face on this quest and the outcome is well worth the trouble you’ll go through. But there’s another side to this shiny coin and that is the fact that the quest is also rather short. The Fighters Guild quest is longer and you spend that quest stuck in a gladiator ring for most of the time. Still, considering the rewards, you’ll forgive the fact that you can quickly burn through this quest.

If you love Oblivion or want to add another interesting component to this already rich gaming experience, Knights of the Nine for the PC will definitely not disappoint in the very least. Sure, it’s not as compelling as some of the other side quests available from the get go but to miss this juicy yet short quest would be a real shame. Trust me when I say that this is a download well worth investing if you’re a fan of this game.

Gameplay: 8.2
Like the thieves guild sub-mission, Knights has a compelling tale attached to it and the battles are actually pretty challenging so it’s best if you reached a high level before attempting it. The quest will take you across a great deal of Cyrodill to restore the Knights of the Nine to glory. The rewards are great as well.
 
Graphics: 9.0
The new quest simply uses the main game’s existing graphics so much of what you’ll see in the game is just as gorgeous. We’re talking some great effects, sweet visual details and cool character models.
 
Sound: 9.0
The great soundtrack is also integrated into the new content, which is a major plus and the sound effects are still just as good as ever.
 
Difficulty: Medium
Like most of the quest lines, there’s some difficult battles, some backtracking (thank God you can instantly zip right back to your starting point) and a major battle that ties up the events at the very end. Your confrontation with the major baddie is not going to be easy so come prepared.
 
Concept: 7.5
Knights doesn’t force you to take on the quest immediately so you can wait until your character has a high level, better magic spells and good equipment. If you buy the retail version you’ll also get past download quests and that shiny horse armor that was the first download available. The background story is also pretty good … too bad it’s over before you know it.
 
Overall: 8.5
As far as downloadable content goes, Knights of the Nine is a nice little package that adds a worthwhile quest and more action to this already remarkable game. Yes, it’s a bit on the short side but it’s a compelling quest with all the things we love about the many sub-quests found in the game. Trust me … this one is well worth the money to download.