It was a mission playing The Elder Scrolls Online Beta this weekend for a variety of reasons. In the end, I managed to log a bunch of hours with my awesome Red Guard character, but is this the next big thing or will the hype train pass us by on this one?
To begin, there were a load of technical issues with the beta. Granted, this is sort of what a beta is for – find the problems and fix them before the game officially launches. That said, the expectations for our patience and willingness to test broken code was rather frustrating. I was actually unable to download the 22GB client – my downloads kept crashing or breaking and the speeds were abysmal. Others managed to download 21GB before a file became corrupted, forcing players to download the whole thing again. So, this preview is only possible because of our amazing community member, BacchusZA, who left the comfort of his home to meet me for food and drink and file transfers.
Elder Scrolls games in general have a standard starting formula – throw a ton of lore at the character, put them in a prison as a tutorial phase, and then release them into a large, open world with more quests than they know what to do with. The MMO mostly follows this. You begin as a prisoner of Molag Bal with the standard “talk to this person, then this one, and then kill this guy to escape” routine, heavily padded with Elder Scrolls lore. Once free, you begin in your faction start area – an open world environment that is more reminiscent of the cloistered start areas from World of Warcraft than the expansive and intimidating open world of Skyrim.
The large download was certainly focused on all the assets in the game – there is no denying that it’s a very pretty MMO. You simply can’t compare it to the older games like WoW or Warhammer Online – the textures, environments and character models are worlds ahead. I particularly appreciated the ability to change perspective; a simply scroll of the mouse wheel had me moving from first-person to third-person perspective, making the game much more playable for me. However, my motion sickness from first-person did highlight the fact that the animations and uneven frame rates are not what they should be – I have mostly cured my first person-induced nausea but it returned with a vengeance until I zoomed out to third person.
While the game is pretty, it is lacking in environment and NPC animations. Sure, the game is still in beta and maybe that will be turned on when the polishing is done. However, it made the pretty textures seem redundant when the world was so stiff – it would have been nice to see more environmental effects and maybe even some better NPC interactions. Additionally, some clipping issues combined with the clear lack of substance of enemies (yes, even clipping issues with enemies that proved they were immaterial) undermined the overall visual quality of the game.
My favorite part of TESO was the leveling up system. The game allows you to fully customize your character; despite playing as a Red Guard, I chose to still follow a Damage per Second, rogue character build despite playing as a Tank race. The skills I used leveled up accordingly, allowing my character to grow in the direction I wanted her to. You can allocate attribute points to generally improve health, damage or magic, while skill points can be used for passive or active skills in a variety of trees. Should you choose, you could spend all your skill points in crafting as opposed to fighting skills – it depends entirely on your unique play style. Skills can also level up as you play and use them – adding to the feeling that you are actually improving at specific tasks rather than a generic leveling up “ding”.
While The Elder Scrolls Online was a fair amount of fun, it falls victim to the usual MMO traps. I spent most of my time looking for quest markers and then running through the laundry list of activities instead of paying real attention to what was going on. There were some story/plot quests, but for the most part they were just activities to help players level up without it feeling like pure grinding. At least the quests avoided the usual “kill x number of enemies” formula – I rescued some NPCs while disguised as a pirate, went into dungeons while searching for items and cured one man of insanity. However, in the grand scheme of gaming, it ended up feeling like an inconsequential series of tasks – I can only hope that these activities pay off or have some impact later on in the game.
Sure, The Elder Scrolls Online is massive, and there is some impressive voice acting and vision in the game. However, most fans of The Elder Scrolls games love it because of the expansive, single player experience. While running around in Tamriel this weekend, I didn’t see anything that truly differentiated this game from an experience possible in Skyrim, Morrowind or Oblivion. Yes, it is pretty and fresh and new – but it seems to lose out on the joy of a single player game without adding in anything special in multiplayer. Considering that the game will require a monthly subscription, I just don’t see the added value in paying for this MMORPG.
It’s important to realize that this was just a beta – I won’t even complain about server issues or login queues; they are doing the beta so that these issues can be resolved in time for launch. However, I’m curious about what The Elder Scrolls Online can bring to the table to make me want to pay to play it every month. Sure, I’ve already become attached to my character, but I can replicate that experience in any good single player RPG.
Last Updated: February 10, 2014
ToshZA
February 10, 2014 at 15:36
The more I hear of people’s thoughts on this, the more I want to stick to Skyrim, and look in the direction of Wildstar. Its rather disappointing.
Hammersteyn
February 10, 2014 at 16:02
Agrred
Tarisma
February 11, 2014 at 07:35
Also agree, I’ll stick with GW2 until Wildstar launches
Luchra
March 5, 2014 at 21:03
If ur a GW2 player, don’t come on ESO, your dont understand RvR.
Wow Really?
June 12, 2014 at 20:25
Have you yet to learn your lesson about backing new MMOs before release 🙂
Jinxie
February 11, 2014 at 07:57
Agreed 100% . It has it’s fun moments, but overall feels like work trying to play. Feels too restrictive. GW2 feels fun and enjoyable. This actually feels more stressful than fun.
Corrupt30
February 12, 2014 at 20:33
u understand that GW2 doesnt offer any new content whatsoever and more and more players are really bored and leaving the game including me…oh i forgot skins….riiiight
IggyK
February 13, 2014 at 00:53
GW2 has a world that’s constantly changing with new events all of the time. It offers new content on a constant basis, the only people who are getting bored and leaving the game are cave dwellers who play MMO’s non stop with no life.
corrupt30
February 18, 2014 at 22:09
GW2 has a world that’s constantly changing with new events all of the time, but adds nothing seriously new to the table like some new classes,new abilities,new explorable maps whatsoever.Also due to the fact the the world is constantly changing with new events all of the time (i think that u are propably referring to living story) its a problem to ppl that are NOT cave dwellers who play MMO’s non stop with no life,CAUSE the world is changing and u DONT have access to the previous living stories.So if u take a break for some time cause of rl issues because u are NOT a cave dweller who play MMO’s non stop with no life,u find urself confused,missed things and contents,hell even achievements that u wont be able to access again unless that has changed when i wasnt looking.Last but not least even the cave dwellers should be able to enjoy an MMO and not only casual players.An MMO should and must be able to adapt to the its community as a whole including all kind of audiance hardcore or not.Thas mho anyway.Its a totally different thing if u play GW2 because u enjoy it or because u cant or wont pay the monthly sub for another MMO.
Comradski
February 28, 2014 at 00:01
GW2 is brainless sh1te, nothing personal.
Comradski
February 28, 2014 at 00:03
You mean it involves using your brain a bit more, don’t go near The Secret World then.
Brian HungryMonster Galvez
February 12, 2014 at 18:28
How about rather then being a follower you play this game for yourself.All the Reviews from ESO are from level 1-10 which is still the training and tutorial phase in the game.
DBCreeper
February 27, 2014 at 04:17
Me too I was exited for it but then seeing all the mmo features in it and started questioning my sanity I even said what the hell when I saw that crouching uses up stamina.
Bob the Zealot
February 10, 2014 at 15:39
Good preview. I was also lucky enough to play the beta this past weekend. I found the game entertaining and overall I’d say its a good game. I just can’t see myself spending $15 a month on it.
IggyK
February 11, 2014 at 07:17
That’s how I felt, it was like Skyrim with a little less of a gritty look, and a crapload of interactivity taken away. Not worth the price, I’ll wait till it’s only subscription or free to play. I’m not wiling to pay the cost of 4 games just to play this.
Nolan Helms
February 11, 2014 at 18:19
yea don’t expect for that to happen for a couple of years buddy.
IggyK
February 12, 2014 at 03:32
I bet it’ll be sooner than that, look at SWTOR. The only thing that’ll make it take longer is uninformed, or just people with a lot of cash to throw away buying into it from the get go.
Brian HungryMonster Galvez
February 12, 2014 at 18:30
So what thats one example. If you are going to try and tell me why this game is going to be f2p then back it up.
IggyK
February 13, 2014 at 00:36
I just think with all the outcry I’ve seen so far on most forums, people aren’t satisfied with the game enough to be willing to pay the prices they’ve laid out. If the model fails they’ll have to change it out or take a loss in furthering it.
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 08:45
People that are dissatisfied with something are always the most vocal. Nothing new about that.
Jacob Richardson
February 12, 2014 at 22:18
SWTOR failed due to an absolute lack of end-game content. Players got to the end, had 2 maps of PvP to play in and a few “master” dungeons to play in (read: faceroll) and that was it.
SWTOR’s devs seriously underestimated how quickly players would reach the end and overestimated how much “re-playability” SWTOR has. MMO players don’t want to make new characters, they want new content for their “main” character and that is what subs provide.
IggyK
February 13, 2014 at 00:47
I think doing buy to play would work just as well, they could pump out expansions and people would probably be happy. GW2 does fine on this system and they could probably do it better if they tried. Paying the cost of the title and the subscription is a ripoff though. It’s the same model as FFXIV and that game is failing twice over even with the relaunch.
Brian
March 13, 2014 at 09:46
I don’t know about you guys but the fact that it has the formula of WoW makes me even more excited. If they successfully capture what wow did and put it on a console I’m all in. I played that game for 6 years and quit a bit after wotlk. I’m Pumped for this game and I hope it turns me into a hermit again
Falcon D. Stormvoice
February 15, 2014 at 03:44
I have mixed thoughts about that. On the one hand, F2P = death knell in my mind. I certainly won’t play F2P games and either grind eternally to get the content or pay ten times the price of a regular game just to get the whole enchilada.
On the other hand, some part of me actually wants TESO to fail and put this whole episode behind us. The Elder Scrolls is single-player, the end. There are no “modes”, there is no “campaign”, there is no PVP… The whole point of it is to pretend that it’s not a game at all. Zenimax was foolish to take all the comments from 12 year old Cawadoody players that “omg i just want to play this with friendzzz” at face value.
The entire point of the series is that there aren’t other people. Making TES multiplayer is like taking the footballs out of a Madden game, or the sneaking out of a Thief game. That’s why every time Bethesda has tried to fool around with it, such as Battlespire, it has failed miserably. That’s why they haven’t tried it again. Let’s just move on.
Maybe Zenimax will go bankrupt and Bethesda will buy them up.
IggyK
February 15, 2014 at 23:36
They should have done some baby steps first like co op or up to 4 player multiplayer. Honestly it’d be fun to have like a small posse of people and not have to run into 30 other people in the same area killing all the enemies as you enter lairs and such.
Don’t think there’ll be any buying of Zenimax from Bethesda, because if Zenimax goes under it’s likely Bethesda and all the other companies that Zenimax owns will go under till they get bought out by other companies. Lets be honest do you want EA making the next Elder Scrolls game?
Falcon D. Stormvoice
February 21, 2014 at 02:07
Bethesda could stand alone. It is also a publisher.
And all multiplayer is antithetical to the whole concept of TES.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 10, 2014 at 15:41
Did you get to form any kind of party with other people while you were playing Zoe? Or do you still just wander around by yourself like in SP Skyrim? Because otherwise what’s the point of it being an MMO.
Dean
February 10, 2014 at 15:43
We were in a party together. But it was funny when we joined up as we were on different shards, so I had to ‘warp’ to her position.
Bob the Zealot
February 10, 2014 at 15:46
I’m not sure about you guys but I found that the game didn’t recognize the quest progression for party members. The party I was in did the same quest at the same time yet each one of us had to hit each location. Seemed a bit backward for a party dynamic. Maybe it was a beta thing. Did you experience the same thing?
Dean
February 10, 2014 at 15:48
Pretty much. It seemed the only thing that was shared was the ability to loot. Even then a bit hit and miss as the probability of enemies dropping loot still comes to play on an individual level.
Brian HungryMonster Galvez
February 12, 2014 at 18:31
This is because Team mates can choose different actions in quests…. Simple.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 10, 2014 at 15:48
Okay cool, I just wondered.
Captain GUZ
February 10, 2014 at 16:00
Rather start up my Guildwars 2 , no subs required!
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 10, 2014 at 16:02
I’ll play Loadout instead. I’m having crazy fun with it.
VampyricSquirrel Monk
February 10, 2014 at 16:35
That’s such a fun game
Jay
February 11, 2014 at 07:55
No sub required, play unlimited amounts of a terrible game forever, yay.
Falcon D. Stormvoice
February 15, 2014 at 03:46
Ick… Free to play.
Jinxie
February 11, 2014 at 07:44
We had a group and it was a bad experience. Whenever we got near an event or quest, group members would turn invisible so nobody could help each other. Totally defeats the purpose of being an MMO. Otherwise we could run around together IF we were the same faction.
Brian HungryMonster Galvez
February 12, 2014 at 18:33
OH NO god forbid there are bugs during a BETA. Your job is to report bugs and break the game as much as possible not cry because youre not having fun. Grow up or stop playing Betas.
Jacob Richardson
February 12, 2014 at 22:20
Story quests are supposed to be done solo for immersion. Group content is dungeons, pvp, adventure zones and certain open-world pve areas.
FFS you people act like you’ve never solo’d in an MMO before.
Umar Reborn
February 10, 2014 at 15:44
FF XIV or TESO?
ToshZA
February 10, 2014 at 15:55
GW2
Captain GUZ
February 10, 2014 at 16:00
Yip no subs
ToshZA
February 10, 2014 at 16:03
And its fun.
Tarisma
February 11, 2014 at 07:37
And there is always new stuff to do!
Jess
February 11, 2014 at 22:37
out of the two, having sampled TESO, I was way more impressed with TESO then FFXIV. FFXIV felt like a constant grind and at least TESO could distract my mind from the fact I was leveling up. Plus, even in beta, it was evident it has a lot more content then FFXIV did when it was RELEASED. I didn’t get a chance to test out TESO pvp though. I can’t wait to try that before I decide whether to buy the game.
Decias
February 12, 2014 at 02:16
Cyrodiil was a lot of fun. It was laggy as all hell but they were stressing the server. It’s what convinced me to pre-order the game. I enjoyed the other aspects of the game, but the PvP won me over.
Umar Reborn
February 12, 2014 at 08:04
FF XIV: RR had some decent content on release, but I do get where you’re coming from, I’ve yet to try TESO though. I can’t however say I’m keen. The combat just seems wonky at best but being an ES game , it will hook you on everything else.
Kunami
February 12, 2014 at 11:16
TESO no contest! Its really up to you but you won’t find much distinction between your characters in FF XIV and I found the quests to be way more repetitive. To be honest, it would be hard to find any MMO with the same amount of character distinction as ESO.
poe
February 13, 2014 at 05:17
TESO is bad, but FFXIV is worse. The only logical decision to make is to play something else.
Martin du preez
February 10, 2014 at 15:45
PASS
Wyzak
February 10, 2014 at 15:47
a subscription model for an MMO is so 2010. It will fail and go free to play in six months, so I’ll just wait it out.
Evie_L
February 11, 2014 at 07:33
Free to play games suck. Why do you want more sucky games?
A Gawd Dang Mongolian
February 11, 2014 at 07:43
Well that’s an awfully narrow way of thinking.
Wyzak
February 11, 2014 at 08:38
And how many subscription based MMOs are successful?
There are a few great F2P games.
Decias
February 12, 2014 at 02:32
GW2, Rift, SWTOR are three examples which disprove your theory. Personally I’d rather pay a sub, but one shouldn’t discredit quality where it exists.
Diemondl
February 12, 2014 at 14:10
You are aware both Rift and Swtor were P2P right? and GW2 is BUY to play, not Free to play. Why the hell do people think those are the same all the time?
Also, NO, ESO is not a bad game at all, but it doesn’t do anything special, so unless youre bored with the MMO youre playing, then you probably don’t have any reason to start playing it. (also people fanboying over GW2, it isn’t that great either, so your opinions are a little biased there).
Decias
February 12, 2014 at 20:22
My definition if ftp is no monthly sub requirement. I play all 3 currently, mostly Rift. I know Rift and SWTOR were once sub only. I was simply making a statement to Evie_L that ftp games do not suck. I think all that we’ve got here between you and I is a difference in definition of ftp. I think you’re referring to ftp from launch like a Neverwinter.
The ‘doesn’t do anything special’ comment is purely opinion, which you’re entitled to of course, but to me ESO does ‘something special’. It’s all just what flavor ya like, and that’s a good thing. And no, I’m certainly no GW2 fanboy, I hardly play it, but all-in-all it’s a quality game. Preference doesn’t always equate to bias.
tim rogers
February 28, 2014 at 05:12
I’ve not found they “suck” any more that some subscription based games . Also anyone that uses the word suck so much isn’t going to be very smart .
Decias
February 12, 2014 at 02:29
If a sub was so 2010, then Zenimax must be full of the dumbest people on the planet. Millions of dollars wasted because not ONE single individual said during a staff meeting…”Guys, uh, subs are so 2010.” Consider the fact that the experienced developers at Zenimax have in fact thought about this decision.
SWTOR, the most notable sub-to-ftp big-budget mmo, did not go ftp b/c of the subscription. It went ftp because of the lack of endgame, features, and insane amount of bugs. PvP needed a lot of help at the time, and with other quality games out there, thousands did not feel it was worth the wait for Bioware to fix. If the game was high quality at launch with lots of stuff to do, it would likely still be sub-based.
Your argument needs some depth to it beyond two sentences.
Wyzak
February 12, 2014 at 08:49
Where you at the meeting in the Zenimax offices to categorically state that nobody mentioned it?
I guess we’ll talk again six months after the elder scrolls is out.
Decias
February 12, 2014 at 20:37
Wyzak, what I said about the staff meeting was not to be taken literally. That was sarcasm. The very next sentence shows that. Of course they have talked about it!
In six months the game will be healthy. Will it be thriving? Maybe. WoW killer? No way. I’m no fanboy but I am a realist.
Seraphim
February 12, 2014 at 22:05
Wykaz, you’re such a newbie. What do you actually know about MMO’s??? Asherons Call launched in 1999 and people are STILL paying for it. Go figure. It’s people like us subscription based gamers who are trying to keep people like you out the server. I truly rest my case…
jj
February 12, 2014 at 22:43
very well said!!
Rags
February 10, 2014 at 15:51
What does hand to hand combat feel like?
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 10, 2014 at 22:08
Why would anyone downvote that? Must be a mage that specialised in Mysticism :/
thunderpunch
February 11, 2014 at 07:12
its actually not too terrible. i’ve played WoW and a few other mmo’s but hated them because they felt too stiff. this one stil feels stiff kinda… but not very much. if you know what i mean
Jinxie
February 11, 2014 at 07:38
Feels pretty good if your are in an open area or field. This changes for the worse when around objects, in a dungeon, or close quarters. Since movement and camera are tied directly to your mouse, avoiding objects or adjusting camera means missing your target. Real pita not being able to maneuver for attacks without realigning. Typically die trying.
Anonymous
February 10, 2014 at 15:52
This Game is nothing like Skyrim, the combat feels old although I did enjoy the game its not worth its sub fee. the world is also very dead and linear. wheres skyrim forces you to explore.
Brian HungryMonster Galvez
February 12, 2014 at 18:36
You have Skyshards which force you to explore. You have items that give you more XP for exploring. There are chests you can find that give you great loot. Gathering resources lets you explore. I mean how does this not make you want to explore. Stop complaining and start giving out constructive criticism.
corrupt30
February 12, 2014 at 20:46
ffs..ppl need to understand that this isnt es6…get a life ppl and w8 for fallout 4 if u want a single player game….this is an mmo and imho already did enought to diminish the mmo element in favor for some single player fans that wanted it to be es6….and btw if u dont wanna play the game cause of its p2p 15 sub monlthy i can assure you that this will be disastrous if the f2p-p2w is adapted…ppl hesitate to pay the monthly sub but hell yeah they give 2000 gems to buy a stupid skin in gw2 ….i am not saying that i love to pay every month but is my 15 $ separates a game from a casual f2p p2w buy skin or unlock content or what the heck yeah i defo stand for the subscription fee.ofc with the sub comes he consumers expectations and mine is high for the money i ll pay..but no pay no expectations..
Mossel
February 10, 2014 at 15:53
My download finnished this morning! Just in time to get some ESO…oh no wait I missed it.
VampyricSquirrel Monk
February 10, 2014 at 16:36
lol mine finished on Saturday evening.
Guest
February 11, 2014 at 07:47
That’s not technically possible. I was playing with mates from Australia, the US, Norway and the UK and we were all on to the actual end (11:59 EST),
Evie_L
February 11, 2014 at 07:34
That’s what happened to me for the last two betas. /cry
Jacob Richardson
February 11, 2014 at 07:46
Seeing as it ended roughly 50 minutes ago, you didn’t miss it… You clearly didn’t read the beta invite.
Mossel
February 11, 2014 at 07:51
You’re absolutely right, I didn’t. Or I did but never realised what time zone they were in. I actually tried playing it last night, but then it bombed out, so I thought it was because the Beta was over, but I think that was probably my pc’s fault.
Jacob Richardson
February 11, 2014 at 07:56
Hopefully they’ll have another Beta in a few weeks since this one was only two weeks after the previous… We shall see. Hope you make it into the next one!
Mossel
February 11, 2014 at 07:59
That was my thoughts as well! It’s actually a blessing in disguise, I seriously need to start working on my backlog before this game is released!
Captain GUZ
February 10, 2014 at 15:58
Only got my beta key thursday:( so only finished downloading sunday morning(errors and super supers slow download speed).
Did any of you see the price for the collectors edition OMG its so expensive
Brian HungryMonster Galvez
February 12, 2014 at 18:38
If you had bought the game earlier there have been many deals 20-25% off which is basically the original price for the game……
Rock789
February 10, 2014 at 15:59
I was hyped for this game as I am a HUGE Elder Scrolls fan and have played them all right from the start… And the gameplay and CGI for TESO still makes me drool when I watch it. But I just cannot see myself paying R150 – R200 (or more, depending on the exchange rate) a month to keep playing it. I’d just rather play Skyrim again with a new character.
Dunno, maybe that’ll change as we get closer to launch. But, for now, I shall cautiously watch from a distance. **hides outside cave entrance**
VampyricSquirrel Monk
February 10, 2014 at 16:38
Personal opinion after playing TESO and all the other Elder Scrolls games… stick to Skyrim and wait for TESO to go free to play. The subs will be absolutely ludicrous with the way the exchange rates are going.
Bio
February 11, 2014 at 08:09
Sadly, that’s what I’ll be doing.
General JJ the ashamed
February 10, 2014 at 16:53
Agreed. Like I said in another comment. That GTA V option of playing with friends could be great, but Elder Scrolls just doesn’t suit the MMO thing for me.
Hammersteyn
February 10, 2014 at 16:04
Sticking to Planetside 2. So not only is the subs 15$ a month. You still need to pay extra to play as the Imperial race, no thanks.
ToshZA
February 10, 2014 at 16:04
The thing that gets me is that there are plenty, genuinely good F2P titles available.
Hammersteyn
February 10, 2014 at 16:05
I’m playing three F2P games on my PS4 alone. Three more on PC
ToshZA
February 10, 2014 at 16:07
Lol, the recently launched console has 3 F2P games already. Yeah, TESO is dead in the water I think.
I’m looking to get into Loadout though. Looks like tons of fun.
Hammersteyn
February 10, 2014 at 16:18
Oh it is!
ToshZA
February 10, 2014 at 16:20
😀 great to know. Cannot wait for my cap to reset in 3 days so I can download its chaotic goodness.
Vlakna
February 11, 2014 at 21:10
This is non sense all of you complaining and whining over a fee. If you dont have the means or dont like the game fine. Get over it already. I did enjoy the game and will pay. The more I see haters whining the more i feel i can pay for this game since I know the majority of you will not be in the game. This is a matter of taste. Either you like it or not. If you are going to write a review be fair, impartial. Not a hater. Dont bother to response to my comment since I wont be checking this thread again ever. Why? Because you peopla cry to much. Peace.
Vlakna
February 11, 2014 at 21:12
Sorry for the errors I meant you people cry too much.
Rest in peace.
Hammersteyn
February 11, 2014 at 22:23
I didn’t say anything about the game……..
Rags
February 10, 2014 at 16:19
I hate most F2P or P2W games. They add an unnecessary grind tax which drains all the soul out of games. I’d rather pay a sub if its a good game.
Games like Path of Exile are rare though where the F2P model is at least ethical.
ToshZA
February 10, 2014 at 16:21
Dota2, Planetside, Loadout, PoE, GW2. That last, while you do have to buy the box, its still a F2P title (in my books).
Rags
February 10, 2014 at 17:48
Oh yeah Dota2, Loadout, TF2 are good examples of solid F2P games. Planetside 2 is exactly the type of game that requires you do grind way to much or pay instead. At least its not as bad as Dungeon Keeper ‘3’ :P. It’s one of the most stale gaming experiences I’ve ever had, those few hours playing PS2.
But other than that too many are sucky pay to win :<
ToshZA
February 10, 2014 at 18:30
Yeah valid. Far too many crap F2P games looking to cheat some dorraw out of unsuspecting gamers.
Cloneink
February 12, 2014 at 12:10
GW2 is bad crap pvp RLLY bad pve
none of the elements in GW2 work they killed it Guild wars shits all over number 2
Mossel
February 11, 2014 at 07:38
Loadout! Do it!
MDS
February 10, 2014 at 23:09
Comparing Planetside 2 to a AAA MMO is kind of silly. It’s like saying, “Plants vs Zombies 2 is F2P, why can’t Grand Theft Auto V be free?!”
Planetside 2 has no AI, no PvE, no real content… it’s a great game for what it is, but it hardly competes against something like ESO or WoW or FFXIV or whatever.
ToshZA
February 11, 2014 at 11:39
And what about having fun? Remember – that’s why we play games. Sub based MMO’s put content in that makes you have to grind boring quests, endless raids that net you 1 or 2 items in 4 weeks etc. That’s not fun. That’s just insane.
As for PvE? I have Skyrim, all DLC, and there are LOADS of mods adding new content for free. So, why would I pay $14.99 a month to be frustrated and gated and grind?
Cloneink
February 12, 2014 at 12:14
UR A BUM GET OVER THE SUB AND U MIGHT ENJOY SOME GAMES BUT INTO THEN STFU AND STAY TO UR SP GAMES COZ THEY DONT HAVE A SUB MY GOD IS $150 A YEAR AND I BET I DONT BUY MANY SP GAMES COZ I WILL BE ON ESO SOO ITS SAVING ME MONEY THIS IS IN CAPS SOO U MIGHT GET IT THREW UR THICK FUCKIN HEAD F2P IS FUCKED AND PAY TO WIN
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 12, 2014 at 12:28
15 * 12 = 180 :/
VampyricSquirrel Monk
February 10, 2014 at 16:35
The game is absolutely gorgeous, I didn’t get much time to play because of the download size… 27 gigs, then 400mb, then 4gig, then I stopped watching it and played WoW and Terraria on my laptop.
Yes, there’s a lot to see and do, and running into the wrong area and dying a really horrible death happens rather often (much like Loadout). The quests are pretty cool, most can be done alone, but some… some of those quests… damn… you need a GROUP of people… a large group!!!
Like your preview Zoe. I really enjoyed my time in MMO Tamriel, the world is really massive and really beautiful to see. Thankfully this isn’t the first Beta I’ve had access to, so I knew not to expect absolute perfection 😛
General JJ the ashamed
February 10, 2014 at 16:51
Thanks Zoe. Since you mentioned this Friday night I was waiting to hear about it.
Sadly, it sounds a bit like what I expected it to be. Bring on SP Elder Scrolls. If they give it an MP option like GTA V, well, that could be great.
Willem Swanepoel
February 11, 2014 at 08:11
TESO will end like SWTOR. It will be over populated with subscribers for the first month or two and it will go quiet VERY VERY quickly and they will be forced to go F2P.
Jacob Richardson
February 11, 2014 at 08:36
You mean it sounded like…*cue dramatic music* an MMO? Better yet, a Beta test of an MMO?
General JJ the ashamed
February 11, 2014 at 12:33
Nope. Not at all.
Ottokie
February 10, 2014 at 16:55
Played for about 30 min till the game started pinging my router to death, router crashed 4 times when I finally decided to just stop playing.
But on the flip side, it really gives you that good old Skyrim feel of play and movement, which is really a plus point.
BacchusZA
February 10, 2014 at 17:17
I’ve enjoyed it for the most part, & had a pretty good time. As others have said it’s beautiful, & you’ll jump right in if you’re used to any of the previous ES titles.
But there’s the problem.
It’s Skyrim with a graphical polish that you can play with friends (not that I’ve really bothered with that aspect during the beta). It doesn’t offer enough that I’m keen to spend R700-850 to buy it, depending on supplier, and then another R200 or so a month to keep playing.
It’s *good*, no mistake, but it’s not good enough to justify the price of admission, when there are quality F2P alternatives out there, so I’ll be going back to SW: ToR for my MMO fix when this beta is over.
Gareth L (That Guy)
February 10, 2014 at 21:37
Since the game was announced it has always felt like was going to be just that. The Elder Scrolls’ strength was always in the open-ended single player experience – that’s what’s always held it apart from other fantasy games.
Now that they’ve gone “World of Skyrim” – complete with “questing” and “grinding” – it’s made the whole experience just empty, complete with pidgeon-holed adventures on rails.
BacchusZA
February 11, 2014 at 14:26
Nah, it’s really not bad. By any reasonable measure they’ve done a damn good job, & made a good game. I had fun, & enjoyed the time I spent playing it. Just not enough so that I’m prepared to spend R800+ to buy it, and then pay a subs on top of that.
R400-500 & a $15 subs a month? Sure, I’d think about that, but not nearly double that to buy, & about R70 a month more to sub.
Evie_L
February 11, 2014 at 07:49
“It’s Skyrim with a graphical polish that you can play with friends […] It doesn’t
offer enough”
Does not compute.
‘
BacchusZA
February 11, 2014 at 14:21
It helps if you don’t cherry pick a few words of the sentence. Context is important to understanding, & so on 🙂
Nolan Helms
February 10, 2014 at 17:23
if you ask me this post is very inaccurate. ive put about 26 hours in this weekend, and there are lots of bugs but that’s the point. every beta it just keeps getting better and better.
scott
February 10, 2014 at 17:45
I beta tested this weekend too and had no issue downloading the file or installing it. Had no issues except the anticipated log in cue getting into the game and even better had no issues running it in ultra-high graphics mode. Usual beta issues, but the game played beautifully. I’m using an MSI GT70 high end modle.
It seems people are judging an entire games worth based on a very, very short view of its capabilities. And 15$ a month is the price of a couple of cups of coffee, cheap. I equate this to a relationship, if I judged my wife based on a relationship beta test worth of exposuredas many are doing with ESO, I would have lost a great thing. Which by the way costs way more then 15$ a month!!!
I enjoyed it, it was Skyrim, with a few tweeks.
Rags
February 10, 2014 at 17:53
I agree, I did not play Skyrim for more than 2 months actively. Subscribing to this game for 4 months to complete it is not too bad. And if they continue to add good content thats worth the extra $15, I don’t see the issue.
Should give benefit of doubt during beta.
Besides that what is the experience for you, especially the combat?
Willem Swanepoel
February 11, 2014 at 07:56
The funny part is, people complain $15 a month and I bet you, half of them are smoking R1500-R2000 of cigs a month.
Rags
February 11, 2014 at 07:59
I hope you get a month or two with the initial purchase. Don’t mind the sub, but the $60 is quite steep.
Willem Swanepoel
February 11, 2014 at 08:09
If you start saving R150 a month from now then it is not that bad
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 08:50
You get the first month free. Pretty standard fare for subscription based games.
QQ MORE
February 12, 2014 at 12:19
you get one mth free soo its only $60 dam there is soo many cheap ass’s in the world i guess thats what you get when ur on $6-$12 a hour shit the sub fee isnt even 20 mins of work for me 20 mins once a mth to play a game that is great thats a no brainer and will keep me from buying SP games soo its saving me money
MDS
February 10, 2014 at 21:49
It kind of amazes me that gamers that will gladly spend $60 for around 15 hours of gameplay (e.g.. Last of Us, Bioshock, Dishonored, Tomb Raider) yet balk at paying $15 for an MMO. On average MMO players play over 20 hours a WEEK. The amount of content in these AAA MMOs is immense.
The question isn’t really, “Is $15 expensive?” (it isn’t)… it’s more, “Do I like this game and are they updating it enough to warrant the subscription fee?” If you do, and they are, then it’s an insane value for your gaming money.
Brian Murphy
February 10, 2014 at 22:39
Yeah, from a World of Warcraft perspective, there is literally nothing out there that even comes close to comparing in content and replayability. It may not appeal to you, which is really why WoW is a love or hate game. I’ve got over 400 days into my main, I cannot honestly say I have that much time, even remotely in any other game. Except maybe street fighter, but…that’s hard to count.
IggyK
February 11, 2014 at 07:30
You just listed a handful of titles with superb graphics, spot on controls, and deep environments. Most MMO’s don’t have a thumb on any of those games comparatively. Also most MMO’s drag out a lot of crap with fetch quests which isn’t really content.
IggyK
February 11, 2014 at 07:30
You just listed a handful of titles with superb graphics, spot on controls, and deep environments. Most MMO’s don’t have a thumb on any of those games comparatively. Also most MMO’s drag out a lot of crap with fetch quests which isn’t really content.
Tarisma
February 11, 2014 at 07:33
I had to download it 3 times. and eventually gave up.
Justin
February 12, 2014 at 22:57
I agree with this, all of it. I had zero technical issues outside the norm for beta testing, download and connection included. I currently allocate money to one $15/month sub for gaming and when this comes out I’ll simply allow my other sub to go F2P status and pay for this instead. Essentially, it will cost 0 more dollars to try out a new game that has great promise. I heard it said that the dev team has stated that the real game doesn’t start until max level. If that’s the case then I won’t be regretting my decision to pay any time soon.
medicgarou
February 10, 2014 at 18:45
Played the beta since friday and I’d love to say more but can’t due to the NDA. I’m loving it though.
Brenz
February 10, 2014 at 21:17
While I fully understand your point and what you are saying, I feel that maybe there are a couple points that need to be illustrated here.
You raise points about the play style, like the quests to go do this, kill that, collect that.
You say it fell victim to the usual “mmo traps”.
You mention the “laundry list of activities”.
Well the thing is, this is what happens in mmo’s. Well mmo’s that have a proper levelling system, progression, group activities, and all that. (basically the WoW formula)
Would you complain while playing a fps and say, “oh gosh darnit i had to shoot that guy in my way”
Would you complain while playing an adventure game and say “oh great balls of fire I had to jump so many times in the last 10min i just want some flat ground”.
What Im trying to say is, you cant complain and point out issues is an game that is following the structure that is accepted and required to make it work.
Sure maybe its a bit tired, but if its delivered in the right way it can be fresh and not feel like a rehash or a copy, which I dont think ESO does feel like from what I have seen.
Basically, judge it on what it is as a whole and what it has done to improve on the past, not on how similar and boring it is to the past.
Rags
February 10, 2014 at 22:52
Yeah that’s odd, and the comments about the bugs and graphics too. It’s a beta? Would rather know what it plays like, what changes are there for the various classes, how much influence the ping is, how does the meta system work etc. Did not learn much from this preview.
Willem Swanepoel
February 11, 2014 at 07:45
It is a bit clunky, not sure if it is ping or maybe it is the global cooldown. I will cast a spell and there is a slight delay before I can start attack even after the whole animation completed.
It is damn fun playing with a two handed weapon, played an Assassin with a 2h and medium armour 😉
The game runs very much like Skyrim, the combat system is almost exactly like skyrim.
One thing that I really like about the weapon system is that you can use a “healing stave” for example as a pretty strong DPS weapon and you unlock healing spells while killing stuff with the healing stave. So I can play an assassin healer. I have not done dungeons or group runs to see if the healing will be any good because I wont have any other healing abilities from the class itself it will be all about my stave healing spells.
Crafting system is pretty awesome, I love it. It is really really fun, I am a big crafting fanatic and yeah, I am hooked with the crafting system.
Here is a hidden gem from ESO that I have to say well done to them.
You get level 2 then 4 then 6 then 8 … etc. gear. Each level item looks a bit different, so level 2 and level 4 gear for the Dunmer (racial gear looks also different) looks different and that is only “iron” armour. You can also craft other racial gear if you learn the skill.
If I look at the crafting system and compare it to lets say Skyrim or WoW or SWTOR. Then ESO’s crafting system is so much more deeper and a lot more interesting. Skyrim’s crafting system is pathetic compared to ESO. Well done to the guys…
Questing is cool, there are very few “collect this shit and that shit” quests and more like defend the village and save the guy’s 4 sons or solve the puzzle.
The spawn rate of the monsters are decent, so you do not wait to get the kill.
Items that are quest related spawn for you, so you do not have to wait for it to spawn if someone else got it. You also share boss kills for the quest. I find it pretty decent and really wont mind doing the quests.
Story is very interesting, it is actually very cool and the ingame cut cinematics or what you call it is pretty well done and will keep the guys busy till the final level.
The game’s day/night cycle is awesome, the sun effects are cool and when it is dark you can see all the pretty lights. The graphics are fking good compared to other MMOs, really. I ran the game on FULL and it looked sweet.
I still have not tried out the PvP. Cyrodil was disabled at the time when I played.
There are still a crapload of bugs and they have enough time to fix them all.
Like I have said, they have done a lot more “right” than “wrong” in the game. It is a solid MMO and it will keep the hardcore fans happy but I am not 100% sold that it is the MMO for me. I might try it out 2-3 months after the initial release hoping more bugs will be squished but I wont be playing it on day 1.
Rags
February 11, 2014 at 07:54
Great writeup thanks! I echo your thoughts, I may try it too after a few months not on day 1. I also love me some crafting.
Did you have any experience with ranged weapons, bows? What was that like?
Willem Swanepoel
February 11, 2014 at 08:08
It is very weird for me, I think it is because you do not have auto attacks you have to click for every shot. You can strafe and spam the normal shots and the bow spells are strong, it still need work.
You do not have to stand still to cast the abilities and that makes the combat a lot more mobile. PvP will be very interesting, sad that I could not try it out 😉
I just felt more comfortable with my 2h sword in the guy’s face but as a secondary weapon I will pick the bow, the damage from a sneak attack can be very deadly and is perfect for a good opener in PvP.
Rags
February 11, 2014 at 10:08
NDA edit?
Willem Swanepoel
February 11, 2014 at 10:41
yeah, I think I have said too much 😉
Willem Swanepoel
February 11, 2014 at 07:51
Like I have said, the one big thing that is annoying is that you can only use 5 spells and one ultimate ability. It is really boring and it didnt work for me in GW2 and this wont work for me in ESO too. That is just me anyway
IggyK
February 11, 2014 at 07:34
I think the problem with ESO is it has much less gameplay interaction as compared to other ES games. It may have a large amount of content and a large world map (with regions much smaller than I’d expect). If they drop the cost of buying it, or the subscription cost I might buy into it.
Jacob Richardson
February 11, 2014 at 08:31
Considering those who have played the beta have only gotten to play such a small sliver of what ESO has to offer, yes, there is much less interaction. Have you ever played an MMO in which you got to fully experience the game within the first few zones? I haven’t and I don’t think that I’d want to. MMOs have been and will continue to be judged on their end-game content and that is what ESO should be judged on seeing as it is an MMO.
IggyK
February 12, 2014 at 03:30
I think you’re confusing interaction with content. Also I had many hours in, I wasn’t in the first few zones, and the type of interaction I’m thinking of would have been available from the start of the game. Not gonna elaborate too much because of NDA and all, but I played it and I know I’m dissatisfied.
QQ MORE
February 12, 2014 at 12:41
first few zones ????? go somewhere else troll anyone that tested it knows thats a fuckin lie and a bad one at that any tester knows how many zones were in beta and i can tell that u dont know
IggyK
February 13, 2014 at 00:32
Think whatever you want, I’m not trolling and I filled out my survey yesterday. If the game was buy and play it’d be great, if it was like a $10 monthly subscription that’d be ok.
The price they’re asking is ridiculous, and I have no idea how far the beta went along, just because you’re a tester doesn’t mean you know everything about what’s going on like a dev or some shit. Just got an invite, and put in 20+ hours.
Jacob Richardson
February 12, 2014 at 22:15
I think you’re misusing “interaction” in this. I also can’t say too much due to NDA but I know that due to ESO being an MMO it won’t have the same interactions as a single-player game. You can’t expect it to. That type of interaction model only works in single-player games and I think you know what I’m talking about even though I can’t explicitly say it.
Again, being that ESO is an MMO you can’t judge it by not having the same interactions that Skyrim, Oblivion, etc. had.
If you’re dissatisfied that it isn’t as interactive as Skyrim (i.e. if you can’t loot everything off a corpse) then yeah, you’re asking too much of an MMO because that would break the in-game economy.
IggyK
February 13, 2014 at 00:42
I think it could be a lot closer than they’ve actually made it, I’m ok with the loot system. It’s more so the game is lacking environmental activities, interaction, and the encounters you’d see in the other games that make them more immersive.
The world itself is pretty stale like most other MMO’s, but I’ve seen other games that have the effects I’d like to see in game. Who knows maybe it’ll change by the time the game rolls out, but atm it’s dissapointing.
Jacob Richardson
February 13, 2014 at 02:02
I think that it is as close as an MMO can get and not be in over it’s head. The amount of content that was provided for levels 1-17 which I experienced in the Beta was on a level unseen in any MMO I’ve played. There was much more content, a bigger, richer area to explore and more immersion into the game than I’ve seen in an MMO with the possible exception of LotR Online (mainly due to role-playing being more key in that game).
I respect your opinion on it but I come from a mostly MMO background and I think you’re on the other side of the fence with a mostly TES series background. Anywho, I hope to see improvement in the game just like you and maybe you’ll be in game. Who knows
IggyK
February 13, 2014 at 10:01
Honestly I’ve got more MMO’s under my belt than TES games. I played a lot of Skyrim, but I had a hard time being interested in Oblivion and Morrowind because of terrible character designs.
Personally I really like Guild Wars 2 mainly because of their Living World. It’s nice how factors of the world change (though the constant updates can be a pain). I also enjoy Vindictus for the action and destructible environments. If it had an open world like most MMO’s I would be sold on it for sure.
Kromas
February 10, 2014 at 21:31
Despite the issues Tamriel looks beautiful and voice acting is really nice. One thing though. I have participated in many many many MMO betas and this game is by far not the worst in terms of bugs (I am looking at you Star Wars). If you played without submitting a single bug report or using the supplied survey tool then I expect you to have a bad time of it. Also this is essentially a Bethesda game and thus I can almost guarantee game breaking bugs like what Skyrim,Oblivion,Fallout and just about every other game they have made when it gets released. Still looking forward to it until Wild Star arrives.
Also an important note. MMO’s tend to be more enjoyable at end game rather than at the start.
MDS
February 10, 2014 at 21:39
My wife and I have been playing in the ESO weekend betas since late last year, and have a blast every time. We love it, have pre-ordered and will definitely play at release. It’s a solid game, but yes (surprise!) it’s an MMO.
I get that not everyone likes MMOs–and this one might be particularly difficult to like because its based off of a great single player game–but criticizing it for being an MMO (i.e. “laundry list of quests) is kind of ludicrous. That’s akin to reviewing a First Person Shooter and complaining, “Guns again?!”
Sorry, but to be honest, this review is just kind of lazy… it’s like you’re looking for something to criticize (i.e. bugs in a beta test?), but don’t have any compelling arguments–so you complain about genre tropes? Weak.
Jacob Richardson
February 11, 2014 at 08:28
I love this comment. Thank you for spreading a bit of informed opinion on a review of a game which is again, surprisingly (as if it were intended to be) an MMO.
If you like MMOs, it is great. If you like Single-player, Go play Single-player games!
roush
February 10, 2014 at 22:04
the game is good and not a conventional mmo.its like skyrim online cant wait to do dungens.
going to buy it for sure and wild star too then destiny.
MDS
February 10, 2014 at 23:26
Same here… definitely looking forward to Wildstar and Destiny also. It’s going to be a great year for MMOs.
Willem Swanepoel
February 10, 2014 at 22:47
Zoe, I agree 100% with your preview.
Played the game this weekend and I would probably never play it again.
It is shiny and look really nice but BORING mine numbing dumbed down.
If I play ESO then I feel like to play Skyrim now.
Just one thing that I really like and that is the crafting system. It is awesome, I love it… but thats it … sigh
PASS
I was there
February 11, 2014 at 07:06
Filthy Casuals.
Willem Swanepoel
February 11, 2014 at 07:24
maybe they made it easier for the console gamers … trololololol 😉
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 03:42
The 5 skill thing is because it’s Elder Scrolls so they made the combat system resemble Skyrim’s somewhat with a UI more in line with MMOs. It appears to me that they went for a happy medium there trying to appeal to both types of players.
Whereas you don’t like it, I like it immensely. I prefer games where you have to put some thought into what skills you want to use rather than having 50 skills available at all times, 45 of which are totally situational and hardly ever used. Ability bloat sucks. This game makes you think and plan carefully about what you want to train and what you want to slot. That’s a refreshing change as far as I’m concerned. I realize it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but neither is spamming 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4 over and over again.
fedris19989
February 10, 2014 at 23:25
The problem with this critic is the same as all of those ign employees, they really have no idea what they are talking about. First off as a critic u are suppose to stay objectove and keep ur personal preferences out of it which u failed. I had the privilege of participating in this last beta, and all these problems thats u so easily trashed is proven to be nothing more than an uneducated opinion blast of something u know very little of whoch is MMO’s. Infact the only positive thing u said was that the game is pretty, and even then u downsized it with ur comment of games in the near future with the new graphics engine.
That being said number 1 yes their will be many games much more beautiful however all of them are single player games.l, and if u knew what u were talking about u would understand that graphocs of this game is awe inspiring for this scale mmos are massive compared to single player games.
Number 2. This game easily succedded in it goal, and that is taking elder scrolls and adding a multiplayer element (mmo) in this case, while maintaining the feel of skyrim morrowind oblivion. No you cannot steal that pretty helmet behind the merchant, however every house every cave every pile of boxes crates barrels bookshelves wardrobes and books can be examined and looted for ingredients, food, recipes, clothing and various other chances or maybe good items just like skyrim morrowind etc. So that brings the element of scavenging anything u see similar to other elder scrolls games.
Number 3, yes they had launch issues, most of which involved windows 8users, but in my opinion most of them can be chalked up to windows 8 just sucking donkeyballs. During the 3 day beta I only experienced 2 case that it did not throw me right in and gave me a que, all of which were less than 10minute waits. Now I have a pretty stout computer for gaming so when in game I never once experienced any lag whatsoever which for a beta mmo is record breaking right their.
Number 4. The combat is hack n slash fast paced like elder scrolls fans like and by far the most effectively successful compared to other mmo attempts at hack n slash style ex. Tera, fury, etc. Its fun and fast and enjoyable to the point u dont care even if u are grinding cause its actually fun.
Number 5. Character creation is probably the most in depth i have seen in an mmo definately respecting the elder scrolls style and even adding options that previous elder scrolls titles did not have. Choosing ur class acts more like a starting point giving u initially more health magic stamina etc, but any class can use any armor or weapon styles giving peiple the freedom of freeforming their char to their own unique style.
Summary So all in all. It is an mmo, it does not have every aspect of elder scrolls but it has the important ones so it is a successful reacreation of ES in multiplayer format and it gives you the feel of an elderscrolls game with lore books everywhere that can upgrade ur stats. Now some people like this failure of a critic wont like it, but thats cause they already have their mind made up about the game. Because it is multiplayer some things naturally have to be limited and this guy like many others. Just want es6. I do too. However if ur less thickheaded and enjoy elder scrolls as well as multiplayer games you will highly enjoy the experience. It is very worth a try.
Scott
February 11, 2014 at 00:41
I am expected to pay the price of a tentpole franchise to get client software… and then a monthly. For that, Zenimax COMPLETELY ignored the strength of my hardware? This, on a title we associate with graphics prowess? Have a look at skyrim with the high texture pack installed, and tell me it looks half as good? In their zeal to produce a game that could run on any PC, and to stick to a ‘one size fits all’ model, what they essentially did was remove the high end graphics entirely. It’s clearly an implementation of skin that they developed out at USC last year, and that looks GREAT- but other than that? This isnt even ‘skyrim light’. What do I think that it is? An insult to the core fans of this franchise.
Jacob Richardson
February 11, 2014 at 08:25
Well you have to look at the fact that not all of us have your “strength of hardware.” A developer (or one who wants to have a successful game) is not looking at creating a game that is tuned for the high-end PCs of the world – they’re after the mid-level PCs.
Also, ZeniMax Online Studios is the developer on this game, not so much Bethesda. I am somewhat appalled that someone with such strong feelings wouldn’t do his research before insulting a game that has had so much work poured into it.
ToshZA
February 12, 2014 at 01:24
He’s complaining that the graphics don’t scale well enough. THAT is the issue. Lower end scaling is perfect, but to not scale it high? What’s that about? Seriously though, he’s right. Skyrim with HD texture packs and an ENB lighting mod – looks incredible, and can put even the strongest machines into a bit of a sweat. Why can TESO not allow for the same?
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 04:00
NDA limits what I can say but I may have heard that settings were force locked at medium for this weekend’s stress test 😉
squizree
February 11, 2014 at 00:54
I got chosen to do the BETA test. Seriously, Skyrim was better. TESO’s main problem is that it feels extremely repetitive. One quest after the other after the other, without any real story telling. Even Skyrim suffers from this issue. Bethseda needs to CUSTOMIZE more. There needs to be more precise and personal storylines that makes your character feel UNIQUE in his/her story. In TESO you get to choose a class and alliance. That’s a good start!
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 04:07
You’re never going to have a unique experience in an MMO. Never.
josh
February 11, 2014 at 04:14
Honestly it just kinda sucks for us Elder Scrolls fans that aren’t into MMO’s. I have never paid a monthly subscription for a game in my life and I was really considering starting just for this game but after thinking about it a lot and playing the beta all weekend(yes i fucking know the beta is probably a quarter of how great the final product will be) I will not be buying this game. Not that it wouldn’t be worth it, but I would feel obligated to make ESO the only game I play which would totally fuck me out of all the other great games that are coming out this year.
fowheela
February 11, 2014 at 04:40
Redguard aren’t meant to be the tank race of the daggerfall covenant they are meant for the rogue role the tank role is the orsimer.
Sabra DeCicco
February 11, 2014 at 05:01
Isn’t this a little NDA breaching….?
Gavin Mannion
February 11, 2014 at 06:15
As far as we are aware not it’s not. The NDA is clear on what and when we could post.. now you have people rushing to re-read the thing 🙂
Sabra DeCicco
February 11, 2014 at 09:06
Ok cool. Not trying to raise a red flag I just seem to remember reading in the NDA we couldn’t even post impressions of the game yet…maybe I misread!
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
February 11, 2014 at 09:13
No; we got press NDA’s. PvP info will no longer be embargoed this Friday.
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
February 11, 2014 at 07:05
No..our NDA said we were allowed to discuss PvE and overview, but no PvP.
Urotsukidoji
February 11, 2014 at 07:15
Game is breathtakingly amazing. The graphics are superb. It feels like Skyrim and an MMO at the same time. The ability to get lost and explore without any MMO obligations is a big selling point for me. The PvP is nothing short of amazing. I can’t say much because of the NDA but with some tweaks and I am sure other stuff coming down through Beta, I see this as not only an MMO with staying power, but the best one to come out since WoW. This is what Warhammer Online should have been all along.
Evie_L
February 11, 2014 at 07:31
Well, it absorbed my whole weekend and then some, and I happily shelled out 80 bucks for the imperial edition today, so safe to say I wouldn’t call it “un-fun”.
I do kinda get the feeling that a lot of the people reviewing this game don’t realize that they’re just playing the first few levels and there is much more in store later on. Compare with levels 1-10 in WoW and get back to me.
Romilous
February 11, 2014 at 07:37
Uhm.. Can we get a Real gamer to make a better review? everything that was said in here was pretty much the worse advice on the game. Because simply, it is in BETA. This isn’t everything in the game nor how the lvling system would be for the actual game. (as said my bethesda). The game is exactly like WOW and any other MMO online, just the lvl’ing system is different.
Visual quality of the game. Were you running xp or something? My grass moved with the wind. The mesh and material coding for the npc’s were completely fine, esp for being in beta.
This is just an all out horrible review. Every aspects that you mentioned was way off. This was a BETA scenario quests and storyline, FOR the BETA ALONE. This is not the actual game and how things really are in the game that will be released. Sorry to say, but you are really bad at game reviews. You need to grab that era 1 system and start from scratch again.
SheHulkNigri
February 11, 2014 at 08:04
I have to admit: I find it funny that people like you are let loose on the internet. For all your ranting and raving, Zoe did EXACTLY what was expected of a Beta tester. She gave her honest feedback regarding her experiences with the game.
I mean, is it just me, or isn’t this what BETA testing is for?
Jacob Richardson
February 11, 2014 at 08:20
BETA testing is for searching for, finding, and reporting bugs in the game. I think that the author was a bit too critical of things that are more or less expected to happen during a BETA test (also, this was another stress-test).
SheHulkNigri
February 11, 2014 at 08:26
What BETA testing is also for, is a chance for people to give their input as to the “look and feel” of the game as well, not only bug reporting.
Jacob Richardson
February 11, 2014 at 08:43
Considering that ESO is still only slightly less than two months out from the official release date, ZeniMax Online Studios still has time to work on things. The author criticized things that are and will always be parts of MMOs and Beta tests. I played the Beta, I played previous Betas. They’ve gotten a lot better as they’ve progressed. The “look and feel” has also improved by leaps and bounds.
Overall, the one thing that pretty much all of the reviews I’ve read have missed is the community aspect. I don’t know if the people who played and reviewed ever got into a dungeon or any other group content (the purpose of an MMO having other people in it) but from my experience it was better than ANY MMO I have every played and I cannot wait to get my fill when the game is released.
Another point to add is that you wouldn’t judge Skyrim on solely the escape from the beginning dragon attack, would you? Don’t judge an MMO on the content between levels 1 and 10. It isn’t accurate and it isn’t fair to those who don’t know about MMOs.
When (if) the devs decide to do an open Beta in which the NDA will be lifted or when the game officially releases, I foresee many gamers streaming their gameplay via Twitch.tv and this will be when those who may be interested will be able to get a real glimpse at what they will be getting into.
ToshZA
February 12, 2014 at 01:20
OMG 2 MONTHS. STOP THE BUS!1!!! THE WHOLE GAME IS GOING TO CHANGE BY THEN.
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 04:15
While I agree that the review wasn’t exactly something I would have found useful if I had no first hand knowledge, your post is just…utterly and completely wrong. Nobody puts quest content into a game “just for beta”. The quests you saw this weekend will be the same when the game goes live, guarantee it.
Jacob Richardson
February 11, 2014 at 07:55
If you are looking for another Single-Player RPG, look elsewhere. This is an MMO.
Shocking, I know, but after reading the comments I feel that that needed to be said. If you are complaining about basic MMO necessities, you can’t handle this game and the MMO community doesn’t really want you in the game to complain about it. I’m not sorry for saying that.
ESO is an excellent game even in Beta. After Beta testing this game and several others in the past I can assure the readers that this game in Beta has been more complete and bug-free (not to mention actually fixed from the previous Betas) than other MMOs. People who have never played MMOs with Sub-fees won’t understand this, but those sub-fees are what ensures the developer has money to continue to provide an excellent product with regular content updates. As we saw with SWTOR, without content (on launch and in updates) the game will fail. ESO has stated that there is an “Adventure Zone” for 12 people on release and that they plan for near-future content packs (free patches for those non-MMO-types out there).
At the end of the day you have to ask yourself one question: “Do I want to play an MMO or do I want to play a single-player RPG?” If it is the former, ESO will blow your hair back. If it is the latter, you aren’t going to like as much as Skyrim, Oblivion, etc.
ToshZA
February 12, 2014 at 01:18
With a sub fee, those patches aren’t free. In fact, if they decide not to patch for 4 months, you’re paying $60 for that one patch. God, that’s an awful lot don’t you think? And btw, I’ve played about 12 different MMO’s, Including WoW (for years). So, this is coming from someone who does know the difference. GW2 gives you bi-weekly updates for free. WoW doesn’t. TESO won’t. No sub-based MMO gives you content for free.
Jacob Richardson
February 12, 2014 at 05:05
Fair enough, those patches aren’t “free” in the sense that you don’t pay for them at all, they’re free as in there will be new raid content (I don’t know how they’d add new PvP content but I’m not omniscient) that you don’t need to pay for specifically. Yes you’ll have to pay the subscription fee, but you have to pay it regardless if you want to play.
$60 for new raid content isn’t asking that much considering progression in that raid will probably last longer than the time I spend on most AAA single-player titles. Being that they have said there will be content releases that include the Thieves’ Guild and (though not confirmed as far as I can tell) the Dark Brotherhood.
Additionally, could you explain to those of us who cannot see into the future how often TESO is updating their content and bringing us new things? I’d like to know and I’m sure others would too.
Jay
February 11, 2014 at 07:59
If you enjoy MMORPGs then you’ll enjoy ESO, unless you have terrible taste in gameplay. An MMO is an MMO, so yes it uses a lot from other MMOs but it does everything right. Awesome crafting system, decent quests, fun leveling that doesnt feel like a grind, and most importantly easily the most fun combat system of any MMO period. The problem is the diehard ES fans thinking this game is Skyrim online, in which case they need to go back to playing skyrim by themselves. This is an MMO, and a great one, easily worth $15 a month.
ToshZA
February 12, 2014 at 01:16
GW2 says HI. It’s different. It’s an MMO. Is it too much to ask for something new in terms of MMO gameplay? Really? The current MMO style has been around for over 10 years. We’re bored of the same-old same-old. Something new. The Elder Scrolls world should be the perfect place to do something that challenges the MMO market. Instead, this is just a cash-in on the ES franchise.
Honestly.
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 04:54
There are similarities between GW2 and ESO but it’s not like they are the same. Character advancement is quite different and it’s not exactly like anything I’ve ever seen or played before.
Randy K
February 11, 2014 at 08:05
This mmo is really lightyears beyond anything else on the market, does immersion really mean nothing to you haters out there? This game is phenomenal… all I hear from people that don’t like it is that it’s boring. It is not boring at all. I can give you can entire list of things that are great. Don’t listen to these people, I don’t care what mmo you like, this is better. Oh and btw did any of you at least try pvp? If you’re not impressed by that, you are a joke.
Hammersteyn
February 11, 2014 at 09:59
I hate having to pay $15 a month. Also I then need to pay extra to unlock the imperial faction and even more to get a horse. F2P I would play it in a heartbeat.
TechSoda
February 11, 2014 at 10:41
The Imperial Edition was the final straw for myself and two others I know.
Anyone falling for this deserves every bit of the BS ZeniMax will pull over the coming months. You’ve given them a blank cheque.
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 05:39
Imperial race: not needed
Horse: available for purchase at NPC vendor
Rings of Mara: most likely a very meager xp bonus
That’s all you get in the digital Imperial Edition but the digital Imperial edition is only 20 bucks more than the standard edition. Personally, I value my time enough that I paid the extra 20 bucks with a smile on my face knowing I wouldn’t have to waste time farming cash for a horse.
As far as the Imperial race goes, I really can’t understand the indignation about that. Seems like complaining for the sake of complaining to me. You don’t need that race to play and anyone that pre-orders either edition can play any of the other races on any faction. Complaining that there is one race that you can’t play when there are 9 you can is the definition of “1st world problems”.
TechSoda
February 13, 2014 at 12:38
Paying $20 also gets you 2 extra play days, which in turn gives you a much higher chance of getting the character names you want.
What if – just before launch – ZeniMax decides that anyone paying another $200 gets first dibs on character names instead?
You realise that there is absolutely NOTHING stopping ZeniMax from trying this? And people like YOU gave them the right because you didn’t stop at the previous “Imperial Edition” bullshit, citing “it’s only $20”. It’s only $20 because ZeniMax knew that plenty of mindless sheep would fall for it.
What you really did was pay $80 for a game that should have cost $60. The Imperials already existed in the game – they were taken out simply to be used as an Imperial Edition sweetener for those who wouldn’t have bothered about it otherwise. You know – those people who don’t mind the “waste of time” farming money for a horse, ie normal MMO gamers.
And btw if you talk in MMO terms about “wasting your time” you probably shouldn’t be playing them anyway.
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 17:19
“What if – just before launch – ZeniMax decides that anyone paying another $200 gets first dibs on character names instead?”
So many things wrong with this analogy. Let’s start off with the fact that you’re talking about 10 times as much money for a service as what is being charged for the Imperial Edition.
I’ll cut to the chase though. If they did that, my solution would be simple. I wouldn’t pay it. I don’t place much value on character names, I probably wouldn’t pay more than $2 for such a service but that’s the great thing about free markets. Anybody can offer whatever they want (just about) for sale and anybody can choose whether or not to pay it. Just because people like you and Angry Joe get all indignant about them offering something that is total fluff for sale doesn’t mean they can’t do it. If people are willing to pay for it, and from all indications they are, they are losing money by NOT doing it.
“And people like YOU gave them the right because you didn’t stop at the previous “Imperial Edition” bullshit, citing “it’s only $20″.”
I didn’t give them “the right”. They had the right to offer whatever product or service they want at whatever price they want before I ever entered the picture. You have the right to purchase or decline those products or services. Honestly your attitude smacks of butthurt because you can’t afford 20 bucks. If you can afford it and you are just being self-righteous about spending it, well you reap what you sow.
Poop
February 11, 2014 at 08:15
YOGCST-BESTYT-EVERRR 25% off at GMG till the 14th. See you in game!
Derpintine
February 11, 2014 at 08:28
Sweet! Thanks!
Jangeaoe903
February 11, 2014 at 08:28
Thank you so much dude. Saved $20.
JustAnotherGamer
February 11, 2014 at 08:16
It looks ok, but they royally shat on the lore (as most MMOs tend to do). Therefore, I’m out. The sub is just another reason not to bother with this game.
Sk3tz0
February 11, 2014 at 08:16
I was Lucky enough to get the BETA key on Wednesday night, Download took me whole day and a half thank fully it was a one time download.. The game is fun. its very pretty, Quests where bugged as Beta goes.. My only problem I found was the loading time.. took forever between loading screens, Also prefered it in 3rd Person.. Sadly didnt get much play time as I had to work most of the weekend. only got my Character to level 7.. I’d definately buy this game..
Lydon McG
February 11, 2014 at 08:27
I haven’t dabbled into the Elder Scrolls games very much, only really having played Oblivion back in the day. But something that struck me about ESO while playing the beta this weekend is that the world feels dead. I’m not quite sure what it’s missing, but somehow the world feels a lot less immersive than the likes of Guild Wars 2 did in beta. They need to add a load of environmental effects, insects and other things to make the world feel a bit more alive.
Hammersteyn
February 11, 2014 at 09:58
You should give really give Skyrim a go sometime. Also if you do remember to say good ye to the outside world for a couple of months.
ToshZA
February 12, 2014 at 01:07
Yeah, outside world? Whats that? 😀
Hammersteyn
February 12, 2014 at 07:21
I’ve been there, it’s scary.
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 05:43
Hope this isn’t NDA breaking but there are literally insects all over the place. As far as the NPCs in towns go, they move around and the crafting vendor NPCs actually go about doing their craft in between serving customers. Not sure how much more lively you would like them. Now if you’re asking for rain and snow and what not, no thanks. Those hurt performance and are totally unnecessary.
JustAnotherGamer
February 11, 2014 at 08:33
Warren Ross
February 11, 2014 at 09:23
Spot-on review, Zoe. My feelings exactly: it is essentially a WoW clone (admittedly with some progression differences) wrapped in the Skyrim engine and some Elder Scrolls lore. I’d personally much rather play Skyrim again where there are no naked people called “JohnnyFartPants” running around…
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 05:48
Anybody that calls this a WoW clone has lost their mind. You can criticize it, that’s fine but at least be realistic. The game plays nothing like WoW. Even the quests are about 1000 times more inspired than “WoW’s go pick up 10 coconuts and bring them back to me” crap.
Yeah, you’re going to have the people running around naked and people with ridiculous names but if you can’t handle that, don’t play any MMO that has ever been made. Massively online games have some good people and some dorks with pre-pubescent senses of humor. You have to co-exist with both if you want to play them…unfortunately.
Accolonn
February 11, 2014 at 09:55
Ok so I will just throw in my 2 cents. I played the beta this past weekend as well, sure the downloading times were very bad, and at some point I felt like giving up, but I am so happy I didn’t. If you are going to compare this game to WoW or Wildstar, then you are making a very big mistake, while they may all be classed as MMORPG, WoW and Wildstar are MMO’s with some RPG aspects, main focus for both games is the end game PVE/PVP.
Whereas with ESO they truly do focus on the RPG, it felt like playing a RPG with never ending quests. Granted I hated all the Elder Scrolls games, but the ESO was something so amazing that I believe if you are looking for a story based MMO that will take you on an adventure of a lifetime, this is the game for you.
IF you want PVP then go for WoW, most intricate pvp model out there, if you want PVE/PVP then go for Wildstar or WoW both great. If you want story and amazing locales then go for ESo. I will be paying for all three.
ToshZA
February 12, 2014 at 01:06
That’s $45 a month. You can buy a fair few games with that cash. Wildstar still has my attention, but TESO looks like Skyrim Online to me. I have Skyrim, I can play it whenever I want, for nothing. I don’t even have to be online. I can get the full experience. Why would I pay a sub for more of the same? This is the real question we Elder Scrolls fans are asking. Comparing it to other Sub-based MMO’s may seem unfair, but its not. They’re all taking your money every month so that you can log on and escape from the real world. Each offers their own thing, but they’re all sub-based MMO’s.
Honestly, WoW isn’t worth its sub cost. TESO looks like Skyrim Online, so to Skyrim owners, not worth its sub cost. Wildstar is worth a go, for now, but I reserve final judgement. IF TESO brings something unique to the table, something that makes it worth its cost, then I’ll give it a go. It is still in beta after all.
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 05:56
I have Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim and I’m still going to play ESO. Why? Because I get bored of single player games and having no interaction with other people while I play them. Even though I hate a lot of the time sinks inherent in MMOs, I usually have one I’m playing actively because I like playing with and against other people. This one, as you yourself admit, is very much like Skyrim and I enjoyed that for awhile so I might as well make this my MMO to play.
I don’t care about the sub fee. I’m used to those. I was carrying two EQ2 subs (which are completely unnecessary since it’s F2P) until a few days ago so I don’t mind shifting half of that money I’m now saving towards this game. YMMV.
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 05:52
“IF you want PVP then go for WoW, most intricate pvp model out there,”
That was a joke right? WoW pvp sucks balls. It’s nothing but lame battlegrounds and FotM arena. No keeps to fight over, no siege engines, no massive battles. Hell, if you actually attack someone in the open world on a pvp server they are likely to log in on your faction and start whining about it to you. I don’t miss that pvp AT ALL.
Accolonn
February 13, 2014 at 07:14
Clearly mate the concept of a good pvp model is lost on you. I wasn’t talking about pvp maps, or the layout of pvp, I was talking about the raw, abilities to skill to player ratio, no other game has gone to such lengths to make sure pvp is actually done well. I have played every single MMO out there, some more than others, I can say honestly that no other MMO has given me more pvp fun than wow.
If you don’t miss it, then that’s your problem, but you have to try and be objective.
And to say it sucks balls, maybe you were just never any good at it. Its always the ones not good enough that cry how it sucks. 🙁
Accolonn
February 13, 2014 at 07:17
And yes mate, that may sound elitist, but I came across many like you who would scream about how crap WoW is just to find out they couldn’t even play the game on an LFR level. I am not saying you are one, just interesting how you bash the most successful MMO of all time, without really providing proof of how pvp sucks, other than “no siege weapons” ofc.
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 08:10
Well I don’t know what has transpired in WoW since Wrath because that’s when I quit playing. Back then, there were 2 or 3 team comps that couldn’t be beaten unless your team was also one of those comps or they were braindead. I played a warlock which wasn’t part of any of those comps and my teams won our share of matches but I still hate that clinical esport style pvp where all your cooldowns are always up when the fight starts and you know exactly where the other team is coming from etc. Not my cup of tea. Oh yeah, gear is also a huge determining factor in WoW pvp and have fun grinding out arena points to get a weapon if you don’t get one through raiding. Sucked.
I much prefer open world pvp where you have no idea what’s going to happen, you might have to actually go into a fight without all your skills off cooldown and you might actually be fighting outnumbered.
I don’t know about you but I’ve been playing MMOs primarily pvping since EQ1’s Kunark expansion. That’s a long time and I’ve played a lot of games over the years. I had fun with WoW when there was open world pvp. When they launched the battlegrounds, world pvp died and so did my enjoyment of WoW’s pvp. Best pvp MMO I’ve played was Dark Age of Camelot. Guild Wars 2 is ok but too zergy for my taste. ESO is the closest thing I’ve seen so far to DAoC (makes sense since Matt Firor is on their team) and I can’t wait to play it for real.
Accolonn
February 13, 2014 at 09:59
Ok now it makes more sense to me. Since wrath they have really made huge strides in bringing pvp more to a balanced state. Nowadays there is still god comps, but you have comps that counter them, so no longer so godly. They have introduced a few open world pvp areas now that really works well, with a new island being added in dreanor, to really boost pvp, a never ending pvp island.
You hate e-sports style pvp whereas I love it, I love knowing that their is a constant and I can plan accordingly. As for the gear issue it is being addressed in Dreanor, with Trail of the Gladiator. A new form of Arena where all gear is standard, you cannot take your own gear into it, and it will really make sure that the non pvpers stay out of the pvp area. Oiler mate its time to make a return to WoW 🙂 loool
Guest
February 11, 2014 at 10:15
Seems like I’m the only one who really enjoyed this. I don’t want to pay a subscription fee, but if I could do it for wow then I will definitely do it for this game. Naturally it still needs a lot of work, but I found it really challenging and entertaining.
Dean
February 11, 2014 at 10:41
Oh Zoe, how dare you have a different opinion of the game than the fanboys. Just look at the anger in these comments. It’s quite obvious you don’t fit into the hype train riding crowd and are a bad gamer for it.
And such comment about a beta? Come on, it should be expected that half the animations and mechanics don’t work. It’s not like they’ve had other test versions of the game or the dev time to put in everything you’d expect from a possible release candidate. That would be expecting too much from such AAA possible titles.
And besides, how can you be so subjective? Only other critics are applauded for their opinions, especially when they align with the hype. You should only write what is expected from the seething masses. Unless you do it in a rant on youtube it’s bad journalism.
Rags
February 11, 2014 at 10:56
That’s a bit unfair, some have given solid criticism. I’d really loved to know more how it plays, whats new, what is different, how did she find playing solo or in a group etc. Willem Swanepoel gave a much more informative opinion before his ninja edit. 🙂
Accolonn
February 11, 2014 at 11:25
Rags mate, you asked about the solo and group aspects of the game, from my experience so far it seemed like a lot of group content was still buggy with you being unable to enter dungeons with a party or doing certain quests with friends, but I am sure that these are just bugs.
As for solo play, my god what an experience. Its the first ever MMO I have played where I didn’t feel like I was grinding my way to the top. I hit level 7 without even knowing what level I was, not for lack of it being available, but because it didn’t matter to me. I had so much fun, I didn’t even log into LoL once this entire weekend, which is heavy since I always play LoL. Questing or rather the journey seems to fit in the the lore amazingly well. There is zero grind. You are your character, you feel connected to them in a way that no other MMO really delivers. From level 1 you get the feeling that you were meant for something great. I loved ESO and would recommend to anyone who loves lore and story lines.
Now onto PVP, Battle for Cyrodil was heaps of fun, the siege weapons and overall play was amazing. One on one PVP however feels chaotic and out of control. You smash buttons and hope you hit someone. I cant see this game really succeeding in Arena or even competitive pvp. Its for fun, and just a different aspect of the game. Since its under NDA I really cant go into detais. But I can say, you will never be disappointed.
Rags
February 11, 2014 at 11:32
That’s great to hear that it is not a grind. It sounds like Skyrim leveling which is great. 🙂 I would probably play this game solo mostly. Its going to be weird seeing other people standing around and questing 😛
Accolonn
February 11, 2014 at 11:15
Seeing a lot of remarks here about the battle between f2p and p2p. Imho I really dont think you can say p2p games are dead because of all the f2p games out there, since most f2p games actually follow the p2w model. So you will end up paying more for the game in the long run.
Take League of Legends for example, a truly f2p game that doesn’t require you to pay anything even if you want to succeed at the game. Still I dish out about R500 a month on the game, I dont feel it so badly since I get nice shiny champs or skins for my money.
Problem with all f2p games is the community, they are littered with kids(not kids as in age wise, kids who cannot control their emotions), who flame and disrupt every aspect of the game.
I for one would gladly pay a sub if it means I get great customer service and an overall enjoyable game experience.
ToshZA
February 12, 2014 at 01:02
WoW has tons of people ready to ruin your gaming experience. This will happen anywhere on the internet, not just in F2P titles. Internet creates an anonymity that allows anyone to be a jerk. Paying a sub won’t change that. It’ll just make them elitist jerks instead of just jerks.
Accolonn
February 12, 2014 at 10:17
ToshZA yes you are right, bad players will be bitching everywhere. But in a p2p model there are more to lose when you get banned than in a f2p. I am by no means saying that there isn’t elitist jerks in p2p as well, but there is less. I have been dedicated to wow since its launch. I have played the game up until 6 months ago when work and life no longer allowed it, I am planning on going back and getting back into raiding. The community in wow is nowhere near as toxic as in league or dota2.
Humanity will always be half ass half angel. F2P seems to bring the assholes to the table more often than not.
Flaygarth
February 11, 2014 at 11:30
I enjoyed the Beta this weekend, I did a lot of party /social interactions and love the RPG feel for the game. I’m not sure that the end game /raiding will excel like WoW, but there is enough in ESO for me to seriously consider a vacation from WoW
Tauriq Moosa
February 11, 2014 at 12:54
*shakes cane* When will I be free from this wretched franchise?! *flees*
Sk3tz0
February 11, 2014 at 14:42
After
ToshZA
February 12, 2014 at 01:00
Um, assholes have been in WoW since WotLK. Way before it went F2P for the first 20 levels. Yeah, only 20 levels. What rock did you crawl out from? This is coming from a WoW vet. Btw.
The thing about the sub fee? There are tons of other F2P games out there, providing tons of fun, without costing you a cent every month. For this sub fee, you can play 3 or 4 stalwart F2P titles, and buy a game every month. Every month, a full game. For the price of just being able to log in to TESO. Why would you sub? Is this game (same as WoW) worth a full game, every month? WoW isn’t. Having Skyrim, I doubt this is either. Oh, and Skyrim Legendary Edition cost me $20. That’s 1 month sub to this game. Its kept me busy for 3 months, and there’s still tons I want to do. Where’s the value?
stephen davies
February 11, 2014 at 16:09
This game was brilliant had chance to play it in beta and loved it. Had issues but its a beta. And the Pvp zone buts gw2 to shame and i say this coming from a Gw2 player. Dont listen to these few negative reviews. Make your own choice their are just as much if not more positive reviews out there. I more then likely got more hours playing this then this guy who reviewed the game. I’ve played all the betas and the graphics are done well when running on the top settings so that is invalid. Also the betas have been restrictive on purpose so we can test specific parts Their is alot which has yet to be seen. Anyone who wants small scale pvp well this isn’t the game for them
Outer Limits Pta
February 11, 2014 at 17:31
Had the opportunity to play the Beta this weekend. I Was extremely sceptical going in. It is however an Elder Scrolls game to the core, I also had very little issues with regards to Queues and Lag. I am now very very tempted! The game really feels just like an Elder Scrolls game should. And with regards to a subscription model, I actually prefer this as it doesn’t turn the game into a cheap gimmick. The amount is a little steep however, especially considering the price for the game itself. That being said, I do believe I will be picking it up.
ToshZA
February 12, 2014 at 00:57
Well the thing is: if you don’t PvP (like many of us) then you’re better off buying Skyrim Legendary Edition, downloading the myriad FREE mods, and enjoying your experience there. It’ll be cheaper, for the same experience.
Jacob Richardson
February 12, 2014 at 04:59
If you don’t like PvP then you’re still free to play in PvE. You aren’t better off buying Skyrim if you want group content.
After reading most of your comments it is clear that you stand for a few things:
1. You don’t like the subscription model.
2. You don’t want to play in PvP.
3. You haven’t experienced group content in the game.
4. You’re judging ESO on the opinions of a writer who barely scratched the surface of the game.
If you don’t want to pay for the game? Don’t. There is no alternative to that one.
If you don’t want to play PvP: Don’t. There is plenty of PvE content and there has already been large group content promised by the developers for end-game on launch.
If you haven’t experienced group content: You’re missing the point of an MMO and I just don’t have the time, energy or will to explain to you how many ways that you’re wrong.
If you’re judging ESO on the opinion of this or ANY writer: You’re already wrong. Go play the Beta. Make your own opinions. When the game goes live, watch some streaming of it and make your opinions that way. Don’t take the opinion of some writer and make it your own, regurgitating their experiences as your own.
I’ve no intention to comment on this further, but feel free to reply.
Outer Limits Pta
February 12, 2014 at 17:14
Already done that with Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim. This just feels that little bit more epic though and I am referring specifically to the PvE content. I am not really a PvP player (even though that part of the ESO content is great) the PvE is what really attracts me to the game. Like I said I was incredibly sceptical until I finally got to play the Beta this weekend.
Sage
March 10, 2014 at 02:49
Yes, there has been a bunch of focus on PVP, but this is not a full open world PVP game. There is a lot for PVPer’s, but a lot for PVEer’s as well. Questing is fun, there will be 2 player content for PVE, There is even 12 player content for PVE and the standard 4 player dungeons. you can argue any invalid point you want…though i would prefer if you would draw your opinion from facts.
Korinth
February 11, 2014 at 18:33
And the more reviewers I see that prove thier ignorance of the game, while providing opinions makes me sad. Redguard was NEVER intended to be a tanking class as the author states. All thier racial perks are for DPS. However you can level them as a tanking class. Your racial abilities just wont help much.
There are rough edges (this is my 4th beta test) …but the level of improvement the devs have made between betas (as short as 1 month in this case between the last beta) is astounding. Im sure they will have more bugs to work even after release, but can anyone name ONE MMO that didnt?
Im pre-ordered and cant wait. My whole SWTOR guild is ditching Star Wars and moving to TESO. What is cool is almost everyone in my guild got into this Beta test, and only one has said “Maybe I will play”…all the rest were sad to see Beta close monday night.
Del Horton
February 11, 2014 at 18:47
Hope this doesn’t get me in hot water with ESO…but I loved it. Am 58, retired and ready to play more.
It was great. Bought the pre order.
jp_antill
February 11, 2014 at 19:32
I loved the beta of this game. It starts off a little slow and it seemed a lot of people were having trouble adapting from others mmos (WoW) and accepting that anything different is not worse but by about level 10 there was plenty to do (dungeons, pvp, public quests etc). The crafting system was also really nice once you spent the time to understand it.
ToshZA
February 12, 2014 at 00:54
Ok, so please read the last 2 paragraphs of the preview. Basically, this is a fun game, but nothing new, and not worth a sub fee AT THE MOMENT. She specifies, this is still a beta. She’s still curious to see how the game develops. This isn’t a final say.
Dear lord people, READ.
jp_antill
February 12, 2014 at 01:16
The point is this preview article is broadly saying things like “I can replicate that experience in any good single player RPG”, “I didn’t see anything that truly differentiated this game” and “it seems to lose out on the joy of a single player game without adding in anything special in multiplayer” when the author clearly never made it to a level where any of the things that are different about ESO were possible. The author has no idea if it’s “not worth a sub fee AT THE MOMENT” because she never experienced the game and yet that is clearly what people are taking away from these previews that keep coming up from people based on a couple hours of play. I would agree that maybe they need to make those first few hours more exciting and bring in more multiplayer content earlier but it still doesn’t make sense to make these sort of statements on it before trying out the full game.
ToshZA
February 12, 2014 at 01:28
These are her honest impressions though, and she states that its still Beta and things could change. It DOES make sense for her to say this, because its the truth of her impressions. Not everyone is going to hardcore no-life for the entire weekend to experience everything the beta could offer. Please realise that many people have lives over weekends, plans, things to do, people to see, time to spend with their spouses. You cannot seriously expect her, or any journalist to sacrifice their entire life just so you can read a more “complete” impression of a one weekend beta, that as she mentioned she didn’t get the entire weekend to play, because download problems.
Dear god.
jp_antill
February 12, 2014 at 02:17
Your still missing the point people are making. You shouldn’t make a preview/review that draws broad conclusions about an entire product without at least testing it properly or including a caveat stating that you didn’t try the entire game (not just saying “remember it’s in beta”). What this article should of included was a small amount of research on the rest of the content currently in the game that she hadn’t experienced rather than just making broad statements and conclusions about it based on a very small amount of play time (like calling it “un-fun” and “not being able to see the added value in paying for it”).
This is after all supposed to be a dedicated games review site with reviews written by professional journalists as far as I can see. If they dont have time to learn about the product they are reviewing then something is going wrong with the process. It’s not a question of “not having a life” when its your job to write from an objective and informed position about something.
Anyway I want to finish this conversation now. I have said what I wanted to.
Jacob Richardson
February 12, 2014 at 04:51
Wait, we can’t expect journalists (read: professionals) to actually fully do their research before reporting? That makes no sense. That would be akin to a jury issuing a conviction after hearing not even a quarter of the case.
Yes, I DO expect a (professional) journalist to sacrifice their weekend to get a more complete impression on a game if that is what it takes to be able to fully understand and interact in that game.
Dear God yourself, Tosh. Some people expect professional people to put forth work of a professional quality.
Sage
March 10, 2014 at 02:44
Agreed..completely. if you are going to make blanket statements, do some research. she doesnt need to play the game for hours on end, but even a little research or reading herself would have given her more insight and FACTS for her article.
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 06:12
You know what I did read? The title. The content of the article doesn’t really fit that title and the title is also extremely misleading.
Yobtar
February 11, 2014 at 19:36
Majority of you, article writer included, went into the game expecting something.
This has downgraded your experience in the game, and as a poster here you should be as unbiased as you can.
This is not skyrim, certain things had to be left out so other people don’t screw up your quests, hence a lot for the moment can’t be interacted with.
This is not WoW, although quests send you to places, pick a direction and RUN… Explore and you will find SOO much more to the game, more quests, open world dungeons and treasure galore.
You also picked the biggest stress test yet, so complaining about bugs is pointless, a few people had download issues however it helps if you DL it BEFORE the beta starts… You have a few days to get that sorted.
Overall the game is incredibly open ended, the combat is intuitive and fresh for an MMO, giving meaning to everything you do, instead of 1,1,1,2,3 win.
The PvP and PvE group content is exceptionally fresh, it gives me back that “feeling” of wandering into a dungeon and everyone having to do their job and look after everyone else, instead of 1 person grabbing everything, 1 person healing, and everyone else spamming aoe.
As for the PvP, it gave me the feeling of being in a VERY large scale war, where small and large groups made tactical plays for territory. Scouts and “behind enemy lines” groups became useful.
So please, don’t take peoples word for it, test it out yourself WITHOUT having any preconceived notion of what the game should feel like…. It is neither your typical ES game, nor your standard MMO.
Meh
February 11, 2014 at 19:43
I am going to completely ignore this review seeing as how there was no mention of pvp in Cyrodiil, which was at level 10, and not until about that level did the game get a bt more fun. the quests get a little less generic, have some story, etc. And Cyrodiil is just insane mass pvp with boiling oil, catapolts, battering rams, etc.
Next time, at least experience some more of the game before making it sound terrible.
ToshZA
February 12, 2014 at 00:51
Ok, but here’s the thing. MANY people don’t do PvP. At all. So, what you’re saying is fun is actually irrelevant to many of us. This is a beta preview man, there will be more previews and a review. This isn’t the final say, only an impression of the current state of the game.
Sage
March 10, 2014 at 02:40
I do agree, and appreciate the comments you made about it being still beta. but much of your review was based off of baby levels. you play wow for 1-9 levels and sure…its solo content…as with many MMO’s. but to do a true review, i would think you would put more effort to get past the starting levels of the game, explore some pvp, though i get not being a huge fan of pvp, or at least get into some dungeons, get a small view of whats further down the road. beta is not preview, nor are just a few hours of play a valid census of ‘the current state of the game’.
Haravikk
February 11, 2014 at 19:56
Are people supposed to be talking about the beta? I thought it was still closed? I’m hoping there’s another beta before final release, as there were a few issues that made the last one difficult to get much out of.
Rezeract
February 11, 2014 at 20:25
The game is in its beta test phase. If you don’t know what beta teats mean it means that the game is going to be a little broken. I hate when people expect the game to be freaking perfect during the testing phase. It wont be so please stop acting like idiots.
BanditZA
February 11, 2014 at 22:11
I really don’t understand why people are freaking out about oppinions being posted about the beta, it’s not a demo. If you want to demo the game and decide wait for a free trial and then hop in.
Beta are regularly stressed as a nice way to stress test network arch. and fixing issues. Yeah GW2’s beta was incredible, but almost none of them are like that.
Chill out let’s see how it goes.
PS: As someone who’s been through most MMOs I find it it interesting that people are having a problem with questing that clearly tries to make things interesting and avoid kills X number of things. Thats seems a bit odd, of course an MMO is gonna have a “laundry list” of tasks to do. Just hope the tasks are fun and not too repetitive.
Jvonen
February 11, 2014 at 22:16
I like how the Reviewer pointed out the graphics were good, and went on to compare them to games that are many years old. The game looks okay, but the texture quality in general is pretty bad (to be expected for large MMOs these days), also the colours in general tend to be quite dull (lots of pastels, although this is clearly an artistic choice and quite subjective if you think its good or not).
The questing is very much the same as other MMOs, so do not come into the game thinking you will have a particularly thrilling or original levelling experience. Quests are almost always go to X location and press the use key or kill X monkeybats etc.
The crafting system seems very in depth/fun to use. It will come down to whether it’s actually useful for endgame gear if it’s worth putting skill points in or not, since you certainly don’t need crafted gear for levelling purposes.
I only got to play for about 15 or so hours, but the overall impression was that this is going to be a fairly well polished MMO that doesn’t really change the genre in anyway. Then again some people aren’t looking for something original, so for those people it will be a fun experience although it is questionable to charge a monthly subscription in the current market with many great F2P games about.
Decias
February 11, 2014 at 23:17
Love this game…can’t wait for launch. Cyrodiil PvP was a blast. To me, the sub is a great idea…minimizes kids and helps create a more mature community.
ToshZA
February 12, 2014 at 00:48
Have you played WoW? Have you seen how “mature” the players are there?
Seriously, this argument is the most null one I’ve encountered in a long time.
Decias
February 12, 2014 at 02:12
You may want to consider this: Back during 2004-2009 or so when WoW was pretty much the only mmo in town, $15/mo was considered ‘the norm’. Today the landscape is vastly different. You’ve got AAA games like Rift, Swtor, GW2, and others that have strong communities that do not require a sub to play.
Now Elder Scrolls Online comes along. It has a subscription requirement. Imagine you’re a 13 yr old kid with no money that wants to play with his buddies. Sure he could go ask his parents for $15 a month, or he can say to his friends, “Hey, let’s go check out Rift, I hear its pretty fun, and we can get right into it without paying.”
You couldn’t do that in 2006. That’s the difference. And that’s why I believe ESO will have a more dedicated, older crowd…consisting of long-time TES fans, DaoC fans, newer Skyrim fans, and those who like mass PvP who perhaps tried GW2 and got bored b/c of that lack of endgame PvE, among others. I could be all wrong about this, but this is just my speculation.
Sure I don’t mind the kids playing, but you typically don’t see 35-40 year olds talking about “WoW was the first mmo” or “Why do they call it Xbox 360?”
Niall Sanderson
February 12, 2014 at 00:55
Finally a review that actually objectively judges the game. The amount of bias against ESO is ridiculous; even Forbes leapt on the bandwagon of bash ESO
ToshZA
February 12, 2014 at 01:10
Thank you for reading. I’m reading these last few comments, its like they read the title and decided what the content of the article was about. I’m not someone special or anything, but I do appreciate someone who bothers to take the time and read.
rafaelhc
February 12, 2014 at 03:38
My download took 3 days on a 2mb connection 🙁 just finished today 🙁
Magsaysay1995
February 12, 2014 at 04:03
Does anyone have an ETA on the next Beta weekend?
Ravager
February 12, 2014 at 06:45
I really enjoyed the beta. I don’t mind the queue problems or even the fact that some of the bosses didn’t spawn much…it was fun and exciting and that’s only for a low level character. The massive group parts of this game are made for high level characters and I haven’t had the time to earn my way that high yet…but from the taste I had it should be much more fun that the MMOs I’ve played in the past. It is, after all, an MMO. To criticize it for not being like the solo game is like saying an orange needs to taste more like an apple.
dh xg
February 12, 2014 at 06:56
No good multiplayer? Its sorta obvious you didnt get level 10+ where you can do the private dungeon and PvP which are both extremely fun. Yeah, you do quests, but you could have crafted or gone after dark anchors or even gotten a group together to clear some elite camps
Roxor
February 12, 2014 at 08:53
At last a place to vent: got the beta invite, opened an account, went to download the PC client and bang! Deadstopped with “file cannot be downloaded”, the message I continued to receive on numerous retries.
No answer from “Tech Support” after 3 days, to 2 tickets opened on the issue. Despite much anticipation (like so many other Elder fans), this is one I’ll pass on. I suspect it’s a Zenimax “thing” and not Bethesda but no matter: if I’m gonna pay, it’s back to WoW or on to another worthier candidate.
iTagidi
February 12, 2014 at 11:25
To each its own.. for now eso looks solid for me. gw2 in example is bland, generic and horribly written with no interesting background lore etc. gameplay and combat seem less restricted, adds interesting elements. lets see
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 08:21
There’s actually quite a bit of lore in GW2 but you have to look for it. I loved playing GW2 and I would still be playing it if they hadn’t decided to add a gear grind because a bunch of WoW refugees whined on the forum about being bored. I really despise gear grinds but I put up with them as part and parcel of an MMO but the problem is GW2’s developers said many times that there wouldn’t be a gear grind in that game and then added one. The day that fractals patch went live I stopped playing and haven’t even gone back for a cup of coffee.
Cloneink
February 12, 2014 at 12:04
when will you guys get over that they were not goin for a ES single player game ITS A MMO FOR CRYING OUT LOUD i am over this its not like skyrim its not like skyrim crap all over the internet with out mods skyrim is a dam joke… and one more thing WTF! is this crap about skyrim push’s u to explore what did the MMO community want a game that u run around the world by urself lookin threw caves and shit get OVER IT ESO IS A GREAT MMO AND WILL LAST SUB BASED FOR YEARS TO COME
soo sorry cheap ass’s stay with ur skyrim while we enjoy our kickass MMO
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 08:22
The funny thing is that if you don’t explore in ESO, you’re missing out on a lot of character improvement opportunities.
Admiral Chief in Vegas
February 12, 2014 at 15:38
uggghhhhh
Seraphim
February 12, 2014 at 21:38
This game is not designed to level up as fast as possible. It’s meant to be played with reserve and one is supposed to enjoy the music, architecture and art… It’s a great game. One comment i’ll make that most people don’t have the mind to understand is that ESO is a micro managed game. Meaning: it’s a bit slower paced and combat is highly technical. You don’t have a million buttons because you have numerous ways to customize your skills and different options of weaponry. You can choose how strong you want your attack.
Falcon D. Stormvoice
February 15, 2014 at 03:48
But is it an Elder Scrolls game or just a good MMO dressed in Elder Scrolls drag?
Mombasa69
February 16, 2014 at 21:23
Certainly is yet another brain dead MMO.
sage
March 10, 2014 at 02:32
you really seem like a butt hurt child don’t you? you afraid some of your friends are leaving your current game or just mad its P2P?
K Poms
February 12, 2014 at 22:42
I have been looking forward to this game since it was announced. Needless to say I was heartbroken when I got into the beta this weekend. The combat is dull & repetitive, the combat/skill animations are embarrassing, the classes and skills are terrible and the there was no choice of HUD options. Unfortunately I preordered the game 1 week before this stress test weekend. Like FF14 it was money down the drain.
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 08:25
You and I must have played a different game. I found the combat to require more thinking than any other MMO I’ve played especially on the harder (elite) mobs. That’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned.
Sage
March 10, 2014 at 02:30
i hope you realize you were playing a beta..testing phases and an older version at that. many things have been updated already that you haven’t seen and weren’t in the stress test.
Poe
February 13, 2014 at 05:14
I logged a substantial amount of hours (16+) into the Beta and I agree, it just isn’t worth the $60 box cost nor the $15 monthly sub. The world feels stiff and the multiplayer experience feels like dozens of players running their linear questlines parralell to you with little social interaction. Though the graphics are beautiful they don’t particularly blow me away compared to other recent games. Gameplay wise the combat just feels bland and the animations feel lazy, and dealing and taking damage has little weight to it. The fact that they’ve given virtually no information regarding a PvE endgame does not make me very hopeful that there will be one at all. Take my advice, wait for this game to go free to play in a few months, and if you really want an MMO fix I recommend either WildStar or WoW’s next expansion. With WoW at least they are updating the old models, so “bad graphics” don’t really apply to them anymore. WildStar also looks hopeful.
tl;dr Save your money with ESO, wait for F2P or play WildStar or WoD.
Oilers Fan
February 13, 2014 at 08:28
I’m not sure how you can call the questlines in ESO linear. There is only one questline that requires you to complete a given step before you can go on and even that one you can skip parts of. All the other quests I found simply required finding the NPC that offered them. There were no pre-requisites.
Mombasa69
February 16, 2014 at 21:22
You’ve not played an intelligent MMO then. Try The Secret World, does require you to use your brain though.
Sage
March 10, 2014 at 02:29
I have played The Secret World…it was not overly intellectually stimulating at all. i actually found it quite boring, but to each there own. i would suggest you use your brain before posting. commenting on a game like ESO that you have never played. lol. As for ESO, there is thought and stat just as in many games, they even have puzzles in some of the dungeons that you and your group need to solve to continue. not overly complicated, but adds nice dynamic.
Sage
March 10, 2014 at 02:26
I would even add to this that there is a lot of exploration beyond questing. i loved finding a zone or public dungeon and just going in to explore. often met with a story and lots of action too.
Klempner
February 14, 2014 at 02:02
We had a blast last Beta weekend – really! Imp Ed ftw
Mombasa69
February 16, 2014 at 21:20
The game looks pretty enough graphically, but I’ve seen it in beta on my friend’s PC, but it’s just really dumb, no classes, no brain required to play, and it certainly isn’t with paying a sub for.
I’ll stick with The Secret World, that may not be perfect, but at least it’s free-to-play, only requiring a small fee to get Issues 7 & 8 content, all the previous Issues are free with the latest package, so much content, with intelligent missions (quests) requiring you to use your brain. Added to that there’s Scenarios and Dungeons to group in.
Yep, sod ESOL just isn’t worth it, yet another brainless MMO like Guild Wars 2.
Sage
March 10, 2014 at 02:23
Actually there are classes which are further expanded by the talent trees. you can start as 1 of 4 classes, each with 3 class talent trees, you also get talent trees for every type of weapon, armor, etc. you even get trees for npc ‘guilds’ like the fighter’s guild or mage’s guild. im glad you are a fan of your choice game, but no need to knock another game that you haven’t even really played…’i’ve seen it in beta on my friend’s pc’…lol
Charl van der Merwe
February 20, 2014 at 10:03
I’ve heard many people say, you play this like a linear WoW clone, that’s what you get.
You play this like Skyrim, that is what you get.
Did you try getting off the rails and exploring a cave you weren’t told to explore ?
Asshat.Thirteen
February 22, 2014 at 01:04
Used to play WoW. Had no problem paying the paltry $15 a month to enjoy what it had to offer. And just like any other game, when the fun disappeared, so did my sub fee. But for literally 25 cents a day, I had endless entertainment.
TESO looks to offer just as much as WoW did in it’s early days, and the price point is the same – 25 cents a day. A fucking quarter a day. 10 years after WoW introduced that price point, it hasn’t gone up one iota. 25 cents a fucking day.
The majority of you spend 10-20 times that on a single fucking drink. One large bullshit coffee from Starbucks or wherever would cost you a third of your monthly sub. But not paying a sub fee is your moral high ground? If you enjoy something, you support it. It’s the same reason pirating games is idiotic. F2P MMO’s are shit in comparison – this isn’t a debate. Even the “good” F2P MMO’s pale in comparison to the sub based ones.
If you don’t like the game, or the genre, fine. But complaining about a fucking quarter a day while you live your overly indulgent lives in every other aspect is complete and utter bullshit. This game will thrive or fail on it’s merits, or lack thereof.
It won’t fail because they’re asking you to pay a quarter a fucking day. What a load of tripe.
Mombasa69
February 28, 2014 at 00:04
Hmm sounds a bit brainless.
Jay
March 3, 2014 at 06:01
I AM playing the BETA weekend right now, Have to say its a pretty decent game for being just a baby. I completely Get The Elder Scrolls Feel,… so It’s only a matter of time before it evolves, like any other great game !
Everyone is endowed to they’re own opinion.
Sage
March 10, 2014 at 02:10
This review made me ‘lol’. seriously. ‘i played a few hours of an MMO and didn’t see any real multiplayer value add content’….you are either an idiot or just wanting to fuel the hate with people who pout that its not F2P. look, as with many mmo’s, the first 5-15 levels are solo. its learning to play, learning the interface, learning the environment and how to interact with it. at level ten, you can enter PVP, MASSIVE sieges with forts, castles and towers. working with 100+ people against 100+ people to claim more land for your faction, being able to claim the emperor’s throne for your side. around level 10-12 you can start to enter dungeons. I had a blast with both PVP and dungeons, not to even mention anchors and fissures(dynamic events that spring up). The dungeons are fun, most have a story style quest, which to me, adds even more to the feel. though i have not seen it, they also are going to have ‘adventure zones’ basically 12 player PVE.
many of the quests do effect the world. quests were not just designed to ‘make leveling less grindy’ you actually change entire towns, save NPCs lives, some even come up later on(providing you chose to save them] with even further connection to your previous actions and bringing new quests/stories.
It really does open up more and more as you continue. As for the comments, i would warn many, some of these people are just butt hurt that its P2P, not realizing F2P is terrible. F2P is also known as pay to win…nickle and diming you through the teeth to open content, sprints, dodges, mounts, action bars, dungeons, level boosts, gear, even attack/spell speeds. F2P is terrible. i am so THANKFUL they chose the subscription model.
I might also add…this is BETA, yes there are bugs, no, not all content has been opened yet.
overall, its a good game. some will love it, some will not, and there will be a ton of people in between. Best option is to youtube ‘ESO dungeons’ or ‘eso siege’. the great thing of an MMO is continued content. future quests, areas to explore, raids, etc. 15 bucks a month isn’t bad considering the amount of entertainment it brings.
Overall, i would recommend this game and strongly urge people to disregard many ‘reviews’ and even the comments of ill-informed people. just keep in mind many are commenting on Beta(testing) phases of this game and, even worst yet, off of the tutorial stages.
Brian
March 13, 2014 at 09:47
I don’t know about you guys but the fact that it has the formula of WoW makes me even more excited. If they successfully capture what wow did and put it on a console I’m all in. I played that game for 6 years and quit a bit after wotlk. I’m Pumped for this game and I hope it turns me into a hermit again.
Jacobs
March 19, 2014 at 08:08
As a fan of the Elder Scrolls this game interested me. But the $15 sub fee and imperial edition fiasco had me doubting my desire. But I played the beta pleasantly surprised by the skill morphing and the interesting crafting made me decide to get it. The game looks nice and combat feels interactive especially since the newly implemented unit collision. The starting islands where a little lackluster but after community feedback they made that skippable. I honestly feel that a sub fee is the right choice for this game although wished it was $10. It seems the developers are honestly engaged with the community and pre 10 missing out in group dungeons and pvp is a very narrow perspective. But if you want to play a game in Tamriel with friends with exciting pvp a refreshing combat system and plenty of customization. This is the game for you but it is not Skyrim 2 or a super hardcore mmo. The game looks nice and plays well and I if they can keep on listening to the community with their promised DLC sized patches. I will be glad to keep paying the sub fees for the hard core mmo players I hope the 12 man adventure zones are challenging.
Wow Really?
June 12, 2014 at 20:34
The problem is the elder scroll series wasnt ready to be an MMO. The single player games were never really fleshed out properly. They are full of inconsistency and bugs, the draw is that you can go anywhere in the world and do anything anytime you want… but if you truely old enough to have played Morrowind, and oblivion before skyrim its the same old same old with better graphics. They havent really innovated anything new in years and the same NPC and game bugs come up time and time again. To me saying Skyrim is fun.. is like saying WarCraft is fun. You come for the experience not the gameplay or the mechanics or to get bigger and better stuff as in the later.
Elderscrolls Onlines only draw is the name, had this not been named elder scrolls it wouldnt have made it this far. The game honest to god is boring and gets old fast but thats just me. Give it a try, I mean there are people that put 3,000 hours into skyrim…. if you are that kind of player then you will probably love this game.