Sidequests are not known for being amazingly written, or even that enjoyable. Most times they’re thrown in the game to pad out length, or to give the player the idea that the game world is larger than it is. Some games don’t even have them at all. Every once in a while, however, you get to experience an amazing diversion from the main quest. Every once in a while, you get to see what happens when game developers and writers really flex their creative muscles.

Whodunit, a sidequest in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is one of these rare pieces of magic. It’s fun; it’s witty; and it might be the most memorable part of Oblivion.

Oblivion is the 4th major game in The Elder Scrolls franchise. It takes place in the Imperial province of Cyrodiil. — *Oblivion* is the 4th major game in *The Elder Scrolls* franchise. It takes place in the Imperial province of Cyrodiil.

Whodunit is a sort of Clue the movie inspired quest for the Dark Brotherhood, the guild of assassins in The Elder Scrolls universe. The Brotherhood sends you a number of assassination missions prior to this one, but most are fairly simple besides the sneaking and evasion. A mysterious third party assembles a group of people in a large mansion, luring them with the promise of of hidden treasure. You, the assassin, join them as the 6th guest. In reality, your mission is to dispose of all the people inside.

The Dark Brotherhood will only contact you after you commit a murder in cold blood. Oblivion is the first game  that gave you the opportunity to join them, but you've met them in Morrowind as well. — The Dark Brotherhood will only contact you after you commit a murder in cold blood. *Oblivion* is the first game that gave you the opportunity to join them, but you've met them in *Morrowind* as well.

You can kill all of them outright, but you get a bonus if you can kill each member without being seen. Yes, you can just wait until all the partygoers are alone, then take them out, and get your money. However, you can also get to know all of them, slowly plant seeds of mistrust, and watch the treasure hunters tear each other apart. Each of the characters in the house have their own backstories, ideals, hates, and prejudices. The only thing they share is that they’ve wronged your client in some way.

Summitmist Manor, where it all goes down. If this house could talk, it would tell a really messed up story about you.

I think everybody has a little bit of Machiavelli in them, and situations like this really bring out the inner manipulator in people. The more you learn about the guests, the more you can figure out how to play them against each other. Maybe you convince the sweet old disgraced noble that the Dark Elf girl is really a seductress after the older soldier she fancies. Maybe you convince the fatherly old Nord who thinks the Dark Elf girl looks just like his departed daughter that the old soldier might harm her. You get to watch the house slowly fall into madness and before you know it, it’s just you and some poor soul you’ve turned into a murderer. It’s rare that a game hands you reins and says, “Go, have fun. I’ll wait,” but that’s exactly what happens here. It’s also a great quest because you can tell that a bunch of people decided to put their heart into something, rather than just crank out the usual “the world is ending you’re our prophesized savior go kill the evil demon/dragon/wizard”.

So it begins. Playing this quest slow and steady is definitely the best way to experience it.

I see my love of games as an extension of my love of reading. I loved books because they could take me anywhere. I love games because they handed me an interactive book, as I could change the story as I went. There’s honestly only about three or four ways to play the Whodunit quest, but it’s one of the few quests that really makes you feel like you’re writing your own story. You know how it’s going to end, and you know how it starts, but all the in-between is up to you and you alone. Not to mention there’s something awesome about exercising your inner Petyr Baelish a little.

Whodunit is so much fun that it’s worth installing Oblivion again just to give it another go, and it’s my favorite side quest in my 18 years of video game playing.