<s>
The	B-Application
Elder	I-Application
Scrolls	I-Application
IV	I-Application
:	I-Application
Knights	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
is	O
an	O
expansion	O
pack	O
for	O
the	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
The	B-Application
Elder	I-Application
Scrolls	I-Application
IV	I-Application
:	I-Application
Oblivion	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
version	O
is	O
available	O
either	O
as	O
a	O
downloadable	O
plug-in	O
from	O
the	O
company	O
website	O
or	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
retail-released	O
Oblivion	B-Application
Downloadable	O
Content	O
Collection	O
CD	O
—	O
a	O
release	O
that	O
also	O
includes	O
all	O
previously	O
released	O
official	O
downloadable	O
content	O
available	O
for	O
Oblivion	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
is	O
available	O
via	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
Live	O
Marketplace	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
Oblivion	B-Application
includes	O
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
in	O
its	O
packaged	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
centers	O
on	O
a	O
faction	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
name	O
,	O
devoted	O
to	O
locating	O
and	O
preserving	O
a	O
set	O
of	O
"	O
Crusaders	O
 '	O
Relics	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Once	O
found	O
,	O
these	O
relics	O
must	O
be	O
used	O
to	O
defeat	O
the	O
sorcerer-king	O
Umaril	O
,	O
who	O
seeks	O
revenge	O
on	O
the	B-Application
Nine	I-Application
Divines	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
was	O
generally	O
well	O
received	O
in	O
the	O
gaming	O
press	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
it	O
made	O
little	O
change	O
to	O
the	O
basic	O
mechanics	O
of	O
Oblivion	B-Application
,	O
it	O
was	O
judged	O
by	O
reviewers	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
brief	O
but	O
polished	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
main	O
plot	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
is	O
identical	O
to	O
the	O
gameplay	O
of	O
Oblivion	B-Application
;	O
the	O
basic	O
design	O
,	O
maneuvers	O
,	O
and	O
interfaces	O
remain	O
unchanged	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
begin	O
Oblivion	B-Application
by	O
defining	O
their	O
character	O
;	O
deciding	O
on	O
its	O
skill	O
set	O
,	O
specialization	O
,	O
physical	O
features	O
,	O
and	O
race	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
is	O
an	O
example	O
of	O
open-ended-style	O
gameplay	O
:	O
the	O
main	O
quest	O
may	O
be	O
delayed	O
or	O
completely	O
ignored	O
as	O
the	O
player	O
explores	O
the	O
game	O
world	O
,	O
follows	O
side	O
quests	O
,	O
interacts	O
with	O
NPCs	O
,	O
and	O
develops	O
a	O
character	O
according	O
to	O
their	O
taste	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Furthering	O
the	O
goal	O
of	O
open-ended	O
gameplay	O
,	O
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
,	O
unlike	O
Bethesda	O
's	O
prior	O
content	O
packs	O
for	O
Oblivion	B-Application
,	O
begins	O
with	O
no	O
explicit	O
prodding	O
towards	O
the	O
newly	O
introduced	O
content	O
;	O
players	O
must	O
seek	O
out	O
and	O
find	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
quest	O
without	O
external	O
aid	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
's	O
quest	O
begins	O
as	O
the	O
player	O
approaches	O
the	O
Chapel	O
of	O
Dibella	O
in	O
Anvil	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
quest	O
proceeds	O
as	O
the	O
player	O
consults	O
a	O
prophet	O
near	O
the	O
scene	O
of	O
the	O
attack	O
who	O
indicates	O
that	O
the	O
one	O
responsible	O
for	O
the	O
destruction	O
is	O
Umaril	O
,	O
an	O
ancient	O
Ayleid	O
sorcerer-king	O
,	O
who	O
escaped	O
from	O
his	O
prison	O
in	O
the	O
realm	O
of	O
Oblivion	B-Application
in	O
order	O
to	O
destroy	O
Cyrodiil	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
prophet	O
reveals	O
that	O
Umaril	O
can	O
only	O
be	O
defeated	O
by	O
a	O
"	O
Crusader	O
"	O
favoured	O
by	O
the	O
gods	O
and	O
bearing	O
the	O
relics	O
of	O
Pelinal	O
Whitestrake	O
,	O
the	O
knight	O
who	O
had	O
originally	O
slew	O
Umaril	O
and	O
banished	O
his	O
spirit	O
to	O
Oblivion	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
collecting	O
all	O
eight	O
Crusader	O
relics	O
,	O
representing	O
each	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
eight	O
gods	O
,	O
the	O
prophet	O
gives	O
the	O
player	O
the	O
blessing	O
of	O
Talos	O
,	O
the	O
ninth	O
god	O
,	O
indicating	O
that	O
the	O
blessing	O
will	O
allow	O
him	O
to	O
completely	O
destroy	O
Umaril	O
rather	O
than	O
simply	O
re-banish	O
him	O
to	O
Oblivion	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
,	O
joined	O
by	O
new	O
NPCs	O
who	O
have	O
offered	O
their	O
assistance	O
and	O
now	O
make	O
up	O
the	O
new	O
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
,	O
attack	O
Umaril	O
's	O
stronghold	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
then	O
wakes	O
up	O
in	O
the	O
priory	O
among	O
the	O
new	O
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
,	O
who	O
reveal	O
that	O
they	O
had	O
found	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
corpse	O
in	O
Umaril	O
's	O
stronghold	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prior	O
to	O
any	O
announcement	O
regarding	O
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
,	O
Bethesda	O
had	O
pursued	O
a	O
somewhat	O
novel	O
plan	O
to	O
distribute	O
downloadable	O
content	O
through	O
micropayments	O
,	O
priced	O
from	O
US	O
$0.99	O
to	O
US	O
$2.99	O
,	O
instead	O
of	O
the	O
more	O
common	O
practice	O
of	O
releasing	O
expansion	O
packs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
August	O
2006	O
,	O
one	O
Bethesda	O
employee	O
wrote	O
in	O
a	O
post	O
to	O
Bethesda	O
's	O
The	B-Application
Elder	I-Application
Scrolls	I-Application
forums	O
that	O
the	O
company	O
had	O
"	O
no	O
plans	O
to	O
make	O
an	O
expansion	O
for	O
Oblivion	B-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Further	O
questions	O
were	O
raised	O
by	O
a	O
product	O
listing	O
found	O
on	O
game	O
retailer	O
GameStop	O
's	O
website	O
September	O
11	O
,	O
2006	O
,	O
listing	O
a	O
Knights	O
of	O
the	O
White	O
Stallion	O
Expansion	O
Pack	O
for	O
Oblivion	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
began	O
its	O
life	O
as	O
a	O
supposedly	O
"	O
exclusive	O
"	O
quest	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
release	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Elder	I-Application
Scrolls	I-Application
IV	I-Application
:	I-Application
Oblivion	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Along	O
with	O
the	O
confirmation	O
of	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
release	O
on	O
October	O
9	O
,	O
2006	O
,	O
some	O
gaming	O
news	O
websites	O
reported	O
that	O
the	O
release	O
would	O
contain	O
"	O
a	O
huge	O
,	O
exclusive	O
quest	O
"	O
focusing	O
on	O
"	O
a	O
new	O
faction	O
,	O
The	O
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Suggestions	O
of	O
exclusivity	O
,	O
in	O
any	O
case	O
,	O
did	O
not	O
last	O
long	O
:	O
an	O
October	O
17	O
,	O
2006	O
Bethesda	O
press	O
release	O
announced	O
that	O
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
content	O
was	O
also	O
scheduled	O
for	O
PC	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
releases	O
,	O
eliciting	O
commentary	O
from	O
Joystiq	O
remarking	O
on	O
"	O
how	O
finicky	O
"	O
the	O
word	O
'	O
exclusive	O
 '	O
had	O
come	O
to	O
be	O
,	O
and	O
Kotaku	O
remarking	O
on	O
how	O
"	O
Oblivions	B-Application
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
content	O
did	O
n't	O
stay	O
exclusive	O
for	O
long	O
...	O
or	O
at	O
all	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
sites	O
saw	O
no	O
incongruence	O
in	O
the	O
announcement	O
:	O
GameSpot	O
assumed	O
that	O
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
was	O
simply	O
the	O
earlier	O
Knights	O
of	O
the	O
White	O
Stallion	O
by	O
a	O
different	O
name	O
,	O
and	O
1UP.com	O
had	O
anticipated	O
the	O
move	O
ever	O
since	O
an	O
IGN	O
interview	O
with	O
Oblivions	B-Application
executive	O
producer	O
Todd	O
Howard	O
,	O
where	O
Howard	O
had	O
described	O
Bethesda	O
's	O
general	O
aim	O
"	O
to	O
have	O
all	O
our	O
content	O
available	O
across	O
all	O
platforms	O
"	O
;	O
the	O
final	O
announcement	O
served	O
only	O
to	O
confirm	O
their	O
suspicions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
October	O
17	O
press	O
release	O
set	O
November	O
21	O
,	O
2006	O
as	O
the	O
North	O
American	O
distribution	O
date	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
and	O
PC	O
versions	O
of	O
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
European	O
release	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
and	O
PC	O
was	O
set	O
two	O
days	O
later	O
,	O
on	O
November	O
23	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
November	O
9	O
,	O
2006	O
,	O
Bethesda	O
clarified	O
earlier	O
statements	O
regarding	O
PC	O
releases	O
,	O
declaring	O
that	O
,	O
although	O
the	O
boxed	O
retail	O
PC	O
edition	O
of	O
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
was	O
set	O
for	O
release	O
on	O
November	O
21	O
,	O
the	O
PC	O
release	O
downloadable	O
from	O
the	O
company	O
website	O
would	O
n't	O
be	O
available	O
until	O
December	O
4	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
caused	O
some	O
consumer	O
complaints	O
,	O
for	O
although	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
release	O
was	O
available	O
on	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
Live	O
Marketplace	O
for	O
800	O
Microsoft	B-Device
Points	I-Device
(	O
the	O
equivalent	O
of	O
US	O
$10.00	O
,	O
or	O
GB	O
£6.80	O
)	O
,	O
for	O
the	O
time	O
being	O
,	O
PC	O
owners	O
had	O
only	O
the	O
US	O
$19.99	O
boxed	O
retail	O
edition	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
increased	O
price	O
of	O
the	O
PC	O
's	O
boxed	O
retail	O
release	O
(	O
The	B-Application
Elder	I-Application
Scrolls	I-Application
IV	I-Application
:	O
Knights	O
of	O
Nine	O
Oblivion	B-Application
Downloadable	O
Content	O
Collection	O
)	O
resulted	O
from	O
its	O
inclusion	O
of	O
Oblivions	B-Application
other	O
previously	O
released	O
downloadable	O
content	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Such	O
content	O
was	O
not	O
included	O
in	O
either	O
the	O
downloadable	O
PC	O
release	O
,	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
Marketplace	O
download	O
,	O
or	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
edition	O
of	O
Oblivion	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
IGN	O
Entertainment	O
's	O
GamerMetrics	O
,	O
a	O
service	O
based	O
on	O
compiled	O
visitor	O
activity	O
information	O
on	O
IGN	O
's	O
website	O
,	O
the	O
pack	O
was	O
the	O
fourth	O
most	O
anticipated	O
release	O
of	O
its	O
release	O
week	O
,	O
following	O
Tom	B-Application
Clancy	I-Application
's	I-Application
Rainbow	I-Application
Six	I-Application
:	I-Application
Vegas	I-Application
,	O
Superman	B-Application
Returns	I-Application
and	O
College	B-Application
Hoops	I-Application
2K7	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
was	O
generally	O
well	O
received	O
in	O
the	O
gaming	O
press	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metacritic	O
,	O
an	O
aggregate	O
review	O
site	O
,	O
scored	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
an	O
81	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
,	O
and	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
an	O
86	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
recommended	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
its	O
value	O
;	O
although	O
it	O
made	O
few	O
improvements	O
over	O
the	O
basic	O
Oblivion	B-Application
experience	O
,	O
Knights	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Nine	I-Application
provides	O
"	O
a	O
good	O
day	O
or	O
two	O
's	O
worth	O
of	O
questing	O
for	O
a	O
low	O
price	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Similar	O
comments	O
followed	O
from	O
GamePro	O
,	O
who	O
found	O
that	O
the	O
"	O
polish	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
affordable	O
price	O
"	O
of	O
the	O
pack	O
excused	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
the	O
pack	O
's	O
content	O
"	O
does	O
n't	O
really	O
change	O
 [ Oblivions ] 	O
gameplay	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
