The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles is Bethesda's official expansion pack for Oblivion, the 2006 game of the year. Unlike the other major expansion release - The Knights of the Nine - Shivering Isles comes with a strange new land to explore and a whole host of twisted monsters to battle. Parents, tuck your kids into bed for this one, because it's gonna get weird!

If you're familiar with Cyrodiil then it'll mean something when I tell you that your quest begins at Niben Bay. Close to the city of Bravil, a gateway has appeared on a small island - a gateway to a torn realm. Enter this gateway and you are whisked off to the weird and slightly twisted world of Sheogorath, a character who Elder Scrolls followers would associate as an "all round bad guy" - after all he is the Daedric Prince of Madness! You might assume that Bethesda were going for a twisted experience in this expansion - and boy they do not disappoint! On first impressions, this really is unlike anything you have ever experienced previously in Oblivion, making it a totally unique addition to an already amazing game.

Entering the realm, you find yourself in a small, dark room with only a man at a desk and a chair to sit on. After some relevant conversation, the room suddenly dissipates into strange butterflies and the world is revealed. This initial area, a place known as 'The Fringe' is a small taster of what is to come. To enter the realm proper you must kill the gatekeeper, a great hulking beast that cannot be killed by conventional weapons. This really sets the mood for the game and the type of enemies you are going to be battling; from strange eight-eyed walking tree beasts to annoying humanoid lizard gummites, you're in for completely new encounters here.

After the Gatekeeper is slain and you have ripped the Dementia and Mania Keys from him, you can enter one of the two strange sides to the world of Shivering Isles, Dementia and Mania. These are both aptly named, as Dementia is dark, eerie and hollow while Mania is bright, weird and wondrous. After travelling down the path leading to your destination and some random encounters with Grummite Bandits, you come upon New Sheoth, the main city on the Shivering Isles. Sheogorath, the eccentric and bizarre 'Madgod' awaits you. Will you bow to his will, or make your own choices?

New Sheoth is not the only populated town, as there are several small towns and camps, with the starting area being a settlement too. NPCs in towns have some sidequests to offer, but unfortunately not too many to divert you from the main storyline for long. New Sheoth is split into two quarters - Crucible and Bliss - which are reflected by Dementia and Mania respectively. Your choices in the main storyline ahead have a dramatic effect on the outcome of certain NPCs and the items you may receive. Not many other titles immerse you completely in the choices you make, giving a very unique experience here. At the end of the main storyline you are given different armour sets and magic depending on the choices you have made throughout your time on the Shivering Isles, and these items do well to make the overall experience very rewarding, as they keep you engaged for longer.

As always, the visuals are astounding. The engine looks as wonderful as ever, and the strange beauty of the Shivering Isles is impressive to say the least. Each half of the Shivering Isles has its own characteristics, from the bright toadstool-like trees found in Mania to the dark, dank swamps of Dementia. Sound wise not much has changed, apart from some hisses and growls from the array of new monsters, some of which really startle you at times! My only real main hang-up is the music, which is exactly the same. The Shivering Isles would have really benefited with a new sweeping score, maybe some gloomy orchestral music to enhance the new atmosphere. I also experienced some minor frustrating PC related crashes, but nothing that a quick reload couldn't remedy. As expected, the engine is the same, so you don't have to fork out any money for a possible upgrade if you can run Oblivion.

As you might expect, this is a new world so there are new items, weapons, armour sets and even plants to discover. For the familiar Oblivion player, the dungeons and caves are back for you to plunder, and there are portals (don't worry, there aren't many this time around) called Obelisks of Order, which you will find scattered around and are storyline related. Much like the Ayelid Artifacts you pilfered from the many Elven Ruins in Cyrodiil, some of the rare items you plunder from dungeons and caves can be traded at New Sheoth for currency.

This all adds to the game's longevity and the fact that you get a map as before implies that you may need it to try and find your way around! The Shivering Isles themselves will keep any would be adventurer exploring its dark and twisted regions for a good 30+ hours, making this expansion pack great value. As with all the expansions, Shivering Isles integrates with your current game, so you carry over your character level, weapons, armour, magic and pilfered goods. If you have some user created mods, you may want to double check the compatibility, but generally you should be okay. Alternatively, you can always you can pick up and play Shivering Isles if you are just starting out.

Aside from the lack of new music and some minor crashes, if you have played through Oblivion and are looking for a fresh new experience then you can't go wrong with The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles. You can tell that Bethesda really put some thought into this; the storyline is involving and you feel more important than you ever did in Oblivion, while the NPCs and dialog are fresh and the enemies are varied and new. This is a worthy expansion pack, so go and get lost on the Shivering Isles.

Reviewed by Rob Wilson for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).