When it was first announced, ESO had all of the series fans on the edge of their seats cheering, mainly because it was announced for a 2015 release and would be the first Elder Scrolls game to release for the current generation. During the months before its release though, many were disgruntled by the announcement from Bethesda that there would be a monthly subscription fee, which left many fans confused and skeptical towards the title.
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Ever wondered what the Alik’r Desert looked like?
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Just weeks before release the news came that the “subscription” fee was no more, which left many unsure as to what to expect, did this change mean a change to the content? On launch though it all seemed great: choose an alliance, quest around Tamriel and soak in the air of adventure. It all sounded promising, and for the most part, it was. But soon after 20 hours or more of playing, the game showed it’s true colours: leveled areas increasing in difficulty made it hard for a low level character to travel around, to the point where in higher level areas even getting killed by a wolf was a possibility. The hardest hit though, probably came from the “Alliance system” which prevented players from traveling to other areas, disappointingly meaning the only way to travel to the other game areas was to beat the alliance quests, after which you could choose to start over in another area, which made it all a bit too time consuming for the casual players who didn’t feel like investing so much time into Elder Scrolls Online.
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Why not read some lorebooks while sitting by the shores of Auridon?
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I was intrigued when, recently, I started reading about the “ one Tamriel update” so, I dusted off my copy, started a new character and tried the seemingly all new ESO and I must admit, I was (and still am) very thrilled by the changes the game has received. The most outstanding, for myself at least, was the introduction of levelled enemies, meaning all quests are now suitable for any level character (even though group delves still require a 4 character party). The optional monthly subscription is just that, optional. In fact the game is playable even without the crown items, it doesn’t make any difference, which is always nice for players who don’t feel like committing to the game more than necessary.
Best of all it now feels closer to a true Elder Scrolls chapter, even though the gameplay system is completely different you still sense the traits that made Elder Scrolls one of my favourite franchises, giving you the freedom to explore new lands we’d only read about until now. All made better by the possibility of doing so with fellow adventurers. If there was every a time to get involved with Elder Scrolls Online or to return from a long absence then now is certainly it!
Get Elder Scrolls Online now for Xbox One and PS4
Richard Di Stefano | @richup5