The Elder Scrolls Online

 PC
User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2703 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,210 out of 2703
  2. Mixed: 447 out of 2703
  3. Negative: 1,046 out of 2703
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  1. Michael_J_Wall
    Apr 5, 2014
    4
    Well i wanted to like this game but i find myself feeling extremely guilty about how to break it to my friend that i really don't want to be bothered playing it with him every evening.
    Its just extremely tedious & boring having to complete pointless quest after quest just so that your in game Avatar will level up sufficiently for you to actually start exploring and doing things that you    Well i wanted to like this game but i find myself feeling extremely guilty about how to break it to my friend that i really don't want to be bothered playing it with him every evening.
    Its just extremely tedious & boring having to complete pointless quest after quest just so that your in game Avatar will level up sufficiently for you to actually start exploring and doing things that you might like to do.
    It is an improvement on LOTRO where you click on a series of buttons in the center of the screen in order to tell your avatar what actions to perform but that's all it is an improvement.
    This day and age you shouldn't have to spend hundreds of hours jumping through hoops to be able to get stuck into a game and until publishers realize that then they will only have a very limited appeal to the majority of intelligent gamer's.

    Very disappointing 4 out of ten.    … Expand
  2. Isca
    Apr 5, 2014
    4
    EXTREMELY disappointing. This game does still have huge potential to be worth playing, but at launch there are some major issues spoiling it:

    - For an MMO, it feels BARREN. There is little interactivity with other players due to the nature of the chat set up. It is very confusing to see who sent a message, and all you see is 'shells' of other players darting around. You are mostly    EXTREMELY disappointing. This game does still have huge potential to be worth playing, but at launch there are some major issues spoiling it:

    - For an MMO, it feels BARREN. There is little interactivity with other players due to the nature of the chat set up. It is very confusing to see who sent a message, and all you see is 'shells' of other players darting around. You are mostly ignored if you try to interact with them. Sure, you can join guilds and clubs, but unless you know the person, every other player is an annoying distraction that can't or won't interact with you.
    - For an RPG - the character development is linear and confusing. You feel like you are controlling something that already has its path laid out ahead, rather than having control of its destiny.
    - The quests are EXTREMELY BUGGED, at least 1/3 quests have NPCs missing, or they are doing something so that you can't forward the quest. The quests themselves are mostly childish 'put this here' 'take that there' kind of affairs. Even Runescape has more engaging and challenging quests.
    - The enemies and bosses are virtually impossible to beat without dying several times over each time, which makes continuity impossible. It's like water torture trying to kill some of them (doing the same routine 20 times over, until you feel like punching your PC monitor). Mudcrabs level up along side you?? Really? All of a sudden the mudcrabs that were lvl 2 when you were lvl 2 are suddenly lvl 20 ... just as you hit lvl 20. This is the same for all PVM - There's no advantage in leveling combat skills.
    - There's little interactivity with the game world. You ask why your character can't pick up the countless weapons, armor and supplies that are just sitting around for the taking, while you struggle to find the right stuff to make a lvl 2 iron knife. Ridiculous.
    - Lag spikes are common. The servers seem to like them
    - There are too many items than you can pick up, store or bank, without any indication as to whether they are useful. The tooltips are pathetic. This will be OK for seasoned players, but for newbies it is very testing.

    On the plus side, the graphics are gorgeous, the soundtrack/ sound effects are amazing, and there is plenty of scope for personalizing your character.

    I was wishing for so much better. It really is a shame.    … Expand
  3. TripleBullet
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    Im not going to do some in depth review. I will just tell you from what i've played and how much i love it. After putting over a day in this game so far as in 24+ hours it just blows my mind. If you pay attention to the dialog and actually follow along the quest it feels like TES. Every quest has a small story to be told with interesting dialog and at times choices. Which is awesome. TheIm not going to do some in depth review. I will just tell you from what i've played and how much i love it. After putting over a day in this game so far as in 24+ hours it just blows my mind. If you pay attention to the dialog and actually follow along the quest it feels like TES. Every quest has a small story to be told with interesting dialog and at times choices. Which is awesome. The combat is very nice. Although the melee still needs a little work in 1st person everything else is enjoyable. I'm a healer dps and dungeons are fun and very challenging, at least for your average group. There is much to adore in this game. My hopes are that the end game will hold up well. For now, the PvP is amazing! Much better than GW2. I love the game, totally recommend it!… Expand
  4. Swisschalet
    Apr 5, 2014
    9
    Elder Scrolls Online, the next big MMO that is so much depth even my butt hurts. You'll never want to play another MMO again.

    The best thing about Elder Scrolls Online is the depth of everything in the game, they managed to find the perfect balance of user friendly mechanics and managed to make it interesting and less cookie cutter. The skill line for example is very in-depth, you    Elder Scrolls Online, the next big MMO that is so much depth even my butt hurts. You'll never want to play another MMO again.

    The best thing about Elder Scrolls Online is the depth of everything in the game, they managed to find the perfect balance of user friendly mechanics and managed to make it interesting and less cookie cutter.

    The skill line for example is very in-depth, you can attribute skill points to a whole range of skills from armor, and dueling welding too racial features, and guilds. While they keep it simple and not overly complicated, its a near perfect balanced feel.

    Another huge bonus with EOS is the questing. It's not the same like in WoW where you go to fetch something all the time. Some/most of the quests actually give you a choice on how you wish to complete it. I even have come across quests that offer two choices but because I was thorough through the quest chain I discovered something and I got a more satisfactory 3rd option. It is MIND BLOWING. Not to mention the voice acting is top notch as per the Bethesda quota.

    Also unlike WoW, you will want to adventure around. It has lots of hidden goodies in each area that aren't initially on the map. From one man dungeons, to random books that start quests, or people, or areas of interest.

    There's so much right with the game I could go on for hours, (Like the combat..) but the final pro I have is that it looks and feels like an Elder Scrolls game. It is exactly what I thought it would be and more.

    Now for the negative. The game is still a little bit buggy, but it isn't game stopping. The bugs I've come across as minor ones and by Bethesda standard this is was near perfect release.

    The UI needs a little work, exp bar doesn't show my progress that well and the map functions are not great. Especially when queuing for group dungeons and no one knows where they are at. There's no way to warp to the specific location... why bother making the un-found dungeon entrances available?

    Overall

    If my complaints about the game involve the UI mainly and nothing else, you pretty much have a dam good game on your hands. I will as many others will be, hook on this game for a lot time. They haven't even implemented the crime aspect of the game. There's so much to this MMO my mind has melted. Most negative reviews probably played it during beta, or for about 1 hr. I say that because most of the issues raised in the reviews have been fixed or don't exist.

    This is not WoW. This is better.    … Expand
  5. Alcapwn
    Apr 5, 2014
    9
    After reading through the negative reviews I can tell the majority of them are due to either the subscription model, pre-purchase incentives, or the reviewer played for 10 minutes and didn't get immediately hooked. I'm not going to talk about the preorder stuff even though I don't agree with what they did. The gameplay is what's important and it's fantastic. The quests have the greatAfter reading through the negative reviews I can tell the majority of them are due to either the subscription model, pre-purchase incentives, or the reviewer played for 10 minutes and didn't get immediately hooked. I'm not going to talk about the preorder stuff even though I don't agree with what they did. The gameplay is what's important and it's fantastic. The quests have the great writing and backstory that is familiar to elder scrolls fans and they are varied enough to keep things interesting. The problem is the weak beginning. The game didn't really hook me until level 15 or so which is disappointing since that is several hours into the game. The amount of content is crazy and couple that with one of the best crafting and pvp systems I've seen in a long time and I think this will be a very popular game with a hardcore following.… Expand
  6. Wyleray
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    Combat wise, very much like a mixture of a standard mmo (Aion, WoW, Etc.) and GW2. The Difference being the main attacks being executed the same way exactly as it would be in an Elder SCrolls game. The rest of the PVE content mimics an Elder Scrolls game very well, more than an MMO. The quests are emotionally driven and well fleshed out, diverse and interesting. Levelling up is fun andCombat wise, very much like a mixture of a standard mmo (Aion, WoW, Etc.) and GW2. The Difference being the main attacks being executed the same way exactly as it would be in an Elder SCrolls game. The rest of the PVE content mimics an Elder Scrolls game very well, more than an MMO. The quests are emotionally driven and well fleshed out, diverse and interesting. Levelling up is fun and challenging, and pvp is outstanding. Played correctly pvp is far better than any other mmo. Flaws in the game being its limits on things such as attack types and weapon mixture attack trees, not really flaws as they are to be expected of a newly released mmo but some people are stupid. Over time all systems in the game can easily be greatly expanded upon as well, the game has a long and exciting future and will most likely not go ftp any time soon :)… Expand
  7. kifferen
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    TESO, The last flagship for MMORPGs to not be a soccermom genre, like World of Warcraft so desperately try to make it. This mmorpg is hard, rewarding, and exactly what old school mmorpg gamers from the EQ days and DAoC days have been looking for. If youre looking for an mmorpg that is challenging, rewarding and fun at the same time, TESO is the game. It brings the nice aspects from ElderTESO, The last flagship for MMORPGs to not be a soccermom genre, like World of Warcraft so desperately try to make it. This mmorpg is hard, rewarding, and exactly what old school mmorpg gamers from the EQ days and DAoC days have been looking for. If youre looking for an mmorpg that is challenging, rewarding and fun at the same time, TESO is the game. It brings the nice aspects from Elder Scrolls into the mmorpg world in its own unique way. Entering a zone of your level, or getting a quest, dont mean you can just go there and beat it, unlike other mmorpgs. You still need to initiative on the attacks, 1 wrong move, and youre dead. This game, in PvE, exploring and PvP, is what you could have ever wanted. They have added so many new things you havent seen before in an MMO unless youre old school, and that makes me a happy man. definetly a 10/10 from here.… Expand
  8. Napalm420
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    Very enjoyable game, Doesn't feel like the typical MMO. If you like Elder scrolls AND MMO's, i think you will enjoy this. You actually have to Explore to find resources loot, and places. You are actually rewarded for exploring, as opposed to just, teleporting around. Love the Combat system, no more point and click boredom.

    Some interesting things such as the treasure maps, they are kind    Very enjoyable game, Doesn't feel like the typical MMO. If you like Elder scrolls AND MMO's, i think you will enjoy this. You actually have to Explore to find resources loot, and places. You are actually rewarded for exploring, as opposed to just, teleporting around. Love the Combat system, no more point and click boredom.

    Some interesting things such as the treasure maps, they are kind of like the Red Dead Redemption treasure maps, which make it a lot of fun, and can be quite difficult. The PVP system is top notch in my opinion, it has a very unique game play style in the sense that you actually have goals for your faction, invading a keep, defending a keep, keeping your factions elder scrolls, putting up one of your Faction's players as emperor, etc. As opposed to the typical MMO PVP, where one just runs around and kills other players where the only goal is your K/D count.

    Did I mention that the PvE is actually worth playing? No more plowing through a hoard of 15 enemies and coming out with 3/4's of your health. From my experience, this is a game where if you accidentally bait more than 1 or 2 creatures...you are Dead. Death has a nice penalty as well, just like in all elderscrolls games, you die, all of your items lose durability, and can be very expensive to have them repaired, which adds more of a " Oh crap, I cannot die" feel to the game, that it seems many games lack.

    There is also end game content which i have not reached beyond the PVP, Some of them are known as "Veteran dungeons", as well as "adventure zones" Which are supposed to include up to 150 hours of Questing per faction. ( each faction has a different "adventure zone" That makes it 450 Hours of End game content between the three factions)

    Overall, i recommend it, yes there is a monthly subscription, but really, it is hte only way a game like this can work, massive server clusters aren't cheap, and neither are the people who administer and help to maintain them. Plus let's not kid ourselves, we all know a bit of it goes tot he higher ups for a nice bonus, but that is called Reality.

    P.S. I have been in the Beta since Early November, I have plenty of game time logged. I am not someone who played simply for 5 minutes, then decided to write a review. I remember when the Voices, weren't even filled with Voice actors...    … Expand
  9. beeper917
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    A positive spin on the MMO genre. You won't find boring quests like "kill ten rats" or anything like that. Other nice things are you can craft with all the materials in the bank, thus saving inventory space. Great graphics and story based quests with an Elder Scrolls feel. Definitely recommend this game.
  10. Jaysmith012
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    This game is amazing. This turned out to be everything World of Warcraft couldn't be. I know deep in my heart that this MMO will change the name and faces of MMOS forever.
  11. jirkasl
    Apr 5, 2014
    0
    I am alredy done with ESO.I played almost every new big mmorpg like aion,swtor,tera .... i was happy on start , i make maximum lvl on my character,but on ESO i feel like i want kill my self.This quests are so long . 3 -5 steps quest on 15 min with so low xp reward and u cant select item reward. I dont want play this game anymore pay2play or Free2play. I dont care,this is boring like hell.
  12. WreckBeard
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    This game is simply awesome. There are a few bugs that are slightly annoying, but it is all normal for a game that just launched. It has that Elder Scrolls feel, but with the ability to join a large community with it.

    I would recommend this game to all of my friends.
  13. VieriRoma
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    For an Elder Scrolls fan, or a fan of MMOs in general, this game is a dream. Immersive, staggering amount of attention to detail, and just flat out fun to play. There is a ton of content in this game, and I just wish Zenimax had been more forthcoming with their information leading to release, but once you delve into the game, it is just massive. The combat is fun and engaging, and theFor an Elder Scrolls fan, or a fan of MMOs in general, this game is a dream. Immersive, staggering amount of attention to detail, and just flat out fun to play. There is a ton of content in this game, and I just wish Zenimax had been more forthcoming with their information leading to release, but once you delve into the game, it is just massive. The combat is fun and engaging, and the freedom to create builds with your characters is so much fun. I can only imagine what else is coming down the road with new weapon skill lines or class skill lines, or even new guilds. The graphics and the world are beautiful, and it manages to nail that Elder Scrolls feel of exploration and wonder. The quests are actually interesting, and not boring turn 10 of these in, come back, rinse and repeat. An amazing game overall, and most importantly, a smooth launch compared to some other big mmos in the past couple of years, with developers that actually are listening and fix things. Don't let the naysayers and trolls make you think this game is not worth it, because it most certainly is. A highly polished, fun, experience in a world you can lose yourself into for hours, I will be in Tamriel for the long foreseeable future.… Expand
  14. TheOsman
    Apr 5, 2014
    1
    We want single player, immersive games for mature players, where you get to make real choices and alter the fate of the player.

    WE DO NOT want another crappy MMO game. This game is truly dissapointing, unoriginal and a poor allocation of time and resources. Just think if they made a sequel game for the Elder Scrolls Universe instead! But this money grabbing scheme is what we get from    We want single player, immersive games for mature players, where you get to make real choices and alter the fate of the player.

    WE DO NOT want another crappy MMO game. This game is truly dissapointing, unoriginal and a poor allocation of time and resources.

    Just think if they made a sequel game for the Elder Scrolls Universe instead! But this money grabbing scheme is what we get from producers who disregard what the gamers truly want. Haven't the success of the Fallout series and previous Elder Scrolls games proven this already?    … Expand
  15. Naotsugu
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    This game can be described in ONE word: HUGE!
    The quests are long and always tell a story about the map you're in; the crafting system is more complex than the normal MMO's crafting and is enriched with a nice old-style trade system (you can trade directly with pple near you, and you ''sign'' the items you craft) and guild store(not only a bank); combat is slow but tactic; char    This game can be described in ONE word: HUGE!
    The quests are long and always tell a story about the map you're in; the crafting system is more complex than the normal MMO's crafting and is enriched with a nice old-style trade system (you can trade directly with pple near you, and you ''sign'' the items you craft) and guild store(not only a bank); combat is slow but tactic; char progression is the most deep i've ever seen in MMOs; graphics is just good and ''fits'' the lore, without manga-style design or fancy lights all over etc.
    PvP is something fresh and it's like the crown on a king's head!    … Expand
  16. armyranger173
    Apr 5, 2014
    7
    I am loving this game so far. It is a great marriage of Elder Scrolls and MMO's, that being said if you are looking for the next chapter in Elder Scrolls this is NOT it, it is a completely different genre. I have played through several BETA's and Early Access. This is the most graphically stunning MMORPG I have been apart of. The leveling and progression system is innovative. CraftingI am loving this game so far. It is a great marriage of Elder Scrolls and MMO's, that being said if you are looking for the next chapter in Elder Scrolls this is NOT it, it is a completely different genre. I have played through several BETA's and Early Access. This is the most graphically stunning MMORPG I have been apart of. The leveling and progression system is innovative. Crafting is complex and engaging. I have enjoyed exploring using treasure maps, searching for skyshards, and going through dungeons. The battle system is dynamic blocking, dodging, counter attacks, and really focusing and the abilities you use. PvP is the best I have ever seen, giant war, so much fun.

    This is a MMORPG so again if you are looking for the next Skyrim or Morrowind this isn't for you. If you enjoy social gaming of MMORPG and are a fan of Elder Scroll Lore this is amazing.

    It is a brand new release so don't be surprised that there are some bugs, it is a lot smoother than the release WoW, SWTOR, LoTR. And I have not seen end game yet. Because of those to I am giving 8/10. To be revised in a month or so! :)    … Expand
  17. SBM
    Apr 5, 2014
    5
    Anyone waiting for the next great MMO will likely be disappointed. I had high hopes for ESO, I quite liked Skyrim and Morrowind before it, and the idea of a multiplayer installment was very appealing. However ESO doesn't break free of the MMO mold at all, in a lot of ways it's a step backwards. WoW is still better, heck The Old Republic is better. This game will not survive with aAnyone waiting for the next great MMO will likely be disappointed. I had high hopes for ESO, I quite liked Skyrim and Morrowind before it, and the idea of a multiplayer installment was very appealing. However ESO doesn't break free of the MMO mold at all, in a lot of ways it's a step backwards. WoW is still better, heck The Old Republic is better. This game will not survive with a subscription fee, I highly doubt I'll even use my free month of play time. I'll try and breakdown what's wrong with it, along with what they did right.

    The bad:

    Gameplay - Levelling solo was very boring for me, a friend or two may have helped, but I digress. It was admirable of the devs to try and break away from the kill X enemies or collect X of Y, but the quests still end up boring and samey. Combat, which has never been great in Elder Scrolls, is actually a step back from Skyrim. The combat feels floaty and requires you to aim in the general direction of an enemy when attacking. For an MMO with lots of enemies and chaos, this is just annoying. Levelling feels way too slow, and there's no good reason to even want to get to the end game. Dungeons are just a harder variation of the same boring crap you'd be doing solo. The Cyrodill PvP could be fun, but it usually ends up as one faction dominating the other two.

    Some essential features are also missing or just plain done wrong. There is no auction house, nor is there even a dedicated trade chat. You are stuck either trying to peddle your goods in the main chat channel, or to your guildmates. Speaking of which, you can join 5 guilds. Who wants 5 different guild chats spamming their screen at once? One guild has been standard for MMOs and for good reason. If WoW has too many features then ESO has far too few.

    Another note: The animations and lip syncing are fairly awful, of all the things to carry over from Elder Scrolls, why bring the terrible animations?

    The game economy - They took an interesting route with crafting, but it seems unbalanced. Also resources are very scarce, making levelling your crafting skill slow and expensive. Certain things like mounts cost far too much, it really seems like Zenimax wants you to shell out real cash for the imperial edition horse or the palomino. It's just too hard to earn enough money, I wouldn't be surprised to see gold available in the cash shop soon.

    The not terrible:

    Graphics - Pretty decent, not amazing, but about what you'd expect for a modern MMO.

    Sound - Probably my favorite thing about this game is the soundtrack. There are a lot of familiar tunes along with some new ones, I enjoyed the music. Voice acting was a mixed bag, certain voices were way overused, remember that guy who voiced half the Nords in Skyrim? He's back voicing half the Nords in this game.

    In Conclusion:

    This game is not horrible, clearly a lot of work did go into designing the game, but it went in the wrong direction. A lot of the Elder Scrolls features they stuck in this game were the wrong ones. Of the paid MMOs, this is the weakest by far. Even the free to plays like SWTOR and Neverwinter are better in my opinion. If you are like me and looking for a fun new MMO, you won't find it here. Save your money.    … Expand
  18. Cicero8
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    This game is like crack.

    But honestly, a lot of the negative reviews don't like the fact that its not the next skyrim....and its not.

    It's the bastard child of an mmo and the elder scrolls.

    All i can say is you should play it yourself to see if you like it, its worth the 60$ up front. You will definitely get your moneys worth for 60$. If you subscribe after, only you can decide.
  19. Player1gamer
    Apr 5, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Absolutely solid multi-player RPG game, with real RPG elements that have been disappearing from games lately. Great character building/skill systems, lots of choices in the game that actually feel important to your character's progression.

    Pros:

    -Great music and audio effects, combat/weather sounds are impressive
    -Character creation process offers a ton of customization
    -Incredible aesthetics, art assets are exceptional, best looking MMO on the market
    -Skill/weapon/armor system is top notch, lots of possibilities
    -Story/writing are very well done
    -Crafting is an involved but fun process, not a useless chore
    -Combat involves real time aiming, blocking, interrupting, dodging, weapon swings, etc.
    -Collision detection
    -The game can actually be challenging at times while leveling, but isn't overly punitive
    -You can become a vampire or a werewolf, complete with various strengths and weaknesses
    -Overall extremely high production value

    Cons:

    -"Exploration" can sometimes feel like aimless wandering, not knowing what to do next
    -Experience rewards may need to be raised for pvp, dungeons, etc.
    -You can occasionally hit a brick wall in terms of progression, run out of quests, etc.
    -Some quest lines are occasionally bugged

    In my humble opinion, the best part of ESO is the skill system. Unfortunately there's been a trend in RPG gaming lately to dumb down or outright remove skill systems, resulting in more of an "action-arcade" type of experience. ESO bucks this trend, and features one of the most thorough, well thought out systems I've encountered.

    Any class can wield any weapon or armor type(s), resulting in many unique yet effective character builds. Melee sorcerers wielding huge 2 hand weapons, tanks with a caster-like fire spell focus, bow wielding Templars with burst healing; crazy yet viable combinations are plentiful. You can weapon swap on the fly too, which opens you up for a whole second bar of abilities and alternate play-style. Basically, you can create whatever type of character you want, and if you're smart with your choices, it should work. Ever wanted to play a melee warlock type of character that dual-wields swords and wears a mix of heavy and light armor? Go for it, it's entirely possible.

    Your character will gain skill points through quest chains, finding/collecting "Sky Shards", and leveling up. You can then invest these points into class skills, weapon skills, armor skills, racial passive skills, crafting skills, vampire/werewolf skills, mages/fighters guild skills, etc., etc.. If you're into theory crafting, or planning out and building rpg characters, there's a lot to get involved in with this skill system. It isn't so complicated or elaborate that a novice would be put off, but it offers a ton of depth which is really refreshing. The choices feel important, which is vital for a great RPG experience.

    Anyway, I'd highly recommend this to anyone who considers them self a real RPG fan. This is probably one of the best RPG titles released in the past several years.    … Expand
  20. Not_Me
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    MUST HAVE! The game is the best and most addicting MMO i've played in years! And i've played all triple A MMOs that have come out. Great story, impressive graphics, unique combat and crafting system, awesome questing that will not make you get bored at all.

    All those zero scores are ether coming from WoW/Wildstar fanboys trying to burn the score of the game, or from people that thought    MUST HAVE! The game is the best and most addicting MMO i've played in years! And i've played all triple A MMOs that have come out. Great story, impressive graphics, unique combat and crafting system, awesome questing that will not make you get bored at all.

    All those zero scores are ether coming from WoW/Wildstar fanboys trying to burn the score of the game, or from people that thought this would be a "single player" game...    … Expand
  21. frankwithbeans
    Apr 5, 2014
    9
    I find it quite humorous that you don't have to verify that you own the game before writing a critique hence trolls giving it the bad scores, this is a great game with lots of varieties in equipment, quests, enemies and locations and it defenitivly deserves a high score. best game 2014 so far
  22. MitchC9
    Apr 5, 2014
    1
    Money grabbing title. Just generally bad, offers nothing special, milking the profits. Graphics are alright, quests are boring. Basically WoW in Elder Scrolls lore.
  23. Chomag7
    Apr 5, 2014
    7
    I was really excited about this game, I even flamed haters and naysayers but my opinion of this game has changed drastically since headstart.

    I have leveled 3 characters to level 10 since then and my verdict on this game is this: GAME IS BORING. I won't criticize bugged quests or subscription plans or anything like that, I'm only going to say that the game is really light on the Fun    I was really excited about this game, I even flamed haters and naysayers but my opinion of this game has changed drastically since headstart.

    I have leveled 3 characters to level 10 since then and my verdict on this game is this: GAME IS BORING.

    I won't criticize bugged quests or subscription plans or anything like that, I'm only going to say that the game is really light on the Fun factor due to combat mechanics lacking that thing that would make combat engaging and fun, not to mention the combat animations themselves are far from being something to be excited about. There is also way way way too much running/riding between quest locations. Also leveling is SLOW AS **** I mean it, you can spend 8 hours in the game and you'll barely hit level 10 - this coming from someone who plays video games a lot.

    All player models in the game have some kind of glitch, like weapons clipping through limbs or heads. Though granted, this is an OCD of mine (I really hate clipping of gear though the limbs of my character) and you may not care about such issues. I found the female khajiit model to be the most clipping free model.

    While I never considered ESO could be a contender for WoW, I'm sad to say that it doesn't even qualify as a time filler until WoD, as it becomes boring really fast and makes further leveling seem climbing a mountain except there is no reward at the top. I believe in the idea that leveling should be a fun journey in any game and not something to wade through on your way to the end-game. ESO fails here, leveling is extremely boring.

    I am now going to join the haters who say the game will be f2p in 6 months. Sorry but it's my genuine feeling. ESO is simply lacking Fun.    … Expand
  24. SicDev
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    Even though the game has it flaws it really is a diamond in the big scale. It needs time to adapt into the MMORPG genre, new features are bound to happen and more adventures to be discovered.
  25. Fabtech23
    Apr 5, 2014
    9
    Just shy of being, in my opinion, a perfect MMO. Some bugged quests and some quests that feel too "fetchy" remind me that this still an mmo at heart. Overall though Zenimax did a fantastic job translating the Elder Scolls universe in to the multiplayer world. Class creation is essentially limitless thanks to the unique skill trees and how they can evolve. Voice acting is superb and I neverJust shy of being, in my opinion, a perfect MMO. Some bugged quests and some quests that feel too "fetchy" remind me that this still an mmo at heart. Overall though Zenimax did a fantastic job translating the Elder Scolls universe in to the multiplayer world. Class creation is essentially limitless thanks to the unique skill trees and how they can evolve. Voice acting is superb and I never felt like I was grinding level, just nicely progressing a story. Each zone, like other mmos, is broken in to the level range. However, each zone itself is essentially a mini skyrim, and you are free to explore it as you see fit with no shortages of random dungeons, quests, bosses, chests, or crafting modes to find. Endgame content remains to be seen, but if what I have experienced so far is any consolation, we're in for a treat. PVP is extremely large scale and the auto-jump to level 50 is nice for low level players allowing them to complete quests and feel involved in the current conflict. Attacking/ defending towers as well as placing siege artillery feels purposeful and meaningful. Honestly the best mmo I have ever played and overall just a great game. It might not play out to be the WoW killer everyone is waiting for, but it's a solid game in a series with a massive fan base. $15 a month is worth the plethora amount of content you're getting, seriously we're talking hundreds of hours.… Expand
  26. biship
    Apr 5, 2014
    0
    Worse than Skyrim, worse then a MMO. Combat is terrible, UI is absent, So many buggy quests. Would have been a GREAT MMO had it come out in 2004. So many other average MMOs are better.
  27. bugnguts
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    First I will get two important points out of the way.
    1. ESO is an MMO. This means if you don't like MMOs you will likely not like this game. If your haven't tried MMOs but are fans of the ES universe then you just might like it.
    2. Pay model is monthly subscription. You may or may not like it but rating a game up or down several points based on this alone is ridiculous. Rating    First I will get two important points out of the way.
    1. ESO is an MMO. This means if you don't like MMOs you will likely not like this game. If your haven't tried MMOs but are fans of the ES universe then you just might like it.
    2. Pay model is monthly subscription. You may or may not like it but rating a game up or down several points based on this alone is ridiculous.

    Rating scale: (++++I stand in awe, +++ Excellent, ++Great, +Good, ~So-so, -Poor, --Bad, ---Terrible and ----Pure crap)

    Visuals
    Graphics +++ Compared to other MMOs ESO has perhaps the best.
    Art ++++ The detail and variety of art work is amazing. The artist quality of this game is 2nd to none.
    View Distance +++ The large VD makes the areas feel big. Hi/Lo texture transitions blended smoothly.
    User Interface+++ Clean and efficient. I especially like how the compass is used. For +or- there is no mini map.
    Graphics scaling +++ If your computer runs 21/2 year old Skyrim well, it will run ESO well.
    Graphic Options+++ ESO allows considerable tweaking including options like "Depth of Field".

    Sound
    Voice acting++The voice acting is quite good. Occasional audio glitches mutes the voice over.
    Music+++ ESO music like other ES games is top notch and implemented nicely.
    Ambient Sounds +++ Be it footsteps, NPCs, casting or etc ESO's soundscape it immersive.

    Controls
    Accessibility+++Hot keys and shortcut keys are straight forward. Just remember the "E" key is affirmative and is used a lot.
    Combat++For an MMO, ESO has great combat controls. It is not overly complex yet there is a rewarding learning curve. I do feel a few changes and or tweaking could make this go from great to excellent.

    RPG and Character Development
    Skill trees++++I feel Zenimax nailed this. Race, class, armor, weapon and misc skill trees distinctly affect your character but no single set defines your play style or role.
    Leveling+++You gain experience and skills through exploring, questing and using skills/equipment.
    Customization++ There are quite a lot of choices at character creation to customize your face/body. Though each race has a different style of armors and weapons there are no color schemes you can customize them with.

    Misc
    Game world+++ ESO's Tamriel is large and open. Lootable containers bookshelves etc are everywhere. There are many nooks and crannies that can be explored.
    PVE+++I think I might be playing a different game them those that complain about boring quests. This game's quest are creative, varied and entertaining. ESO uses phasing quite well to make you feel your actions matter. Will you still have to complete 100s of quest to level to 50 yes.
    PVP+++ I would like to experience more PVP, but the siege battles are epic and the three faction dynamic really adds depth to the PVP. The PVP in ESO is shaping up to be the best since Dark Age of Camelot. Though I need more time to tell and Zenimax will need to continue to evolve ESO's PVP.

    Most importantly
    Life draining+++ My wife and really enjoy playing ESO. We've played in beta and early access. We've spent way to many hours playing various MMO's. We like both PVE and PVP. We haven't been pulled into an MMO like this since Burning Crusade came out for WoW.

    There are many other fun and refreshing aspects of the game like lock picking. I will not cover them all.
    If you like MMOs and the Elder Scrolls universe this game is intoxicating. If you want a single player romp like Skyrim wait for TES VI. There is nothing earth shattering new or different about ESO compared to other MMOs. Yet small unique things like a very lootable world, 3 faction PVP, locking picking along with the other refined elements makes ESO a joy to play.

    I rank ESO at a 9.4. Overall its an excellent game. It used to be Metacritic was a great place to see gamers opinions. Now too many axe grinding trolls found the site and flippantly give a 0 with little to no reasoning why. That leaves users users that actually care the choice to rank the game higher to offset the trolls or give what they honestly feel is a reasonable score.    … Expand
  28. velrap
    Apr 5, 2014
    1
    I had big expectations for this game because of their games in the past; Skyrim, Oblivion etc.
    I've played this for 10 min. And I've made up my mind. Really really bad.
    Bad Graphics, adjusted to max settings, but it looks like a 5 year old game. No real atmosphere, at all. Already during the character creation i had a bad feeling. Skyrim = like a great HD movie. (even on PS3) ELSO =    I had big expectations for this game because of their games in the past; Skyrim, Oblivion etc.
    I've played this for 10 min. And I've made up my mind. Really really bad.
    Bad Graphics, adjusted to max settings, but it looks like a 5 year old game.
    No real atmosphere, at all. Already during the character creation i had a bad feeling.

    Skyrim = like a great HD movie. (even on PS3)
    ELSO = comic book from 80s.    … Expand
  29. putzler88
    Apr 5, 2014
    9
    Is it Skyrim II? No. If you are expecting an online version of Skyrim, you will be disappointed.

    Is it an MMO? Yes. If you enjoy playing MMOs and like/love The Elder Scrolls series, this game is a good bridge until TES VI. The graphics are great and the gameplay is good. It is still version 1.xx so it won't be as polished as other MMOs that have been around for years. it's    Is it Skyrim II? No. If you are expecting an online version of Skyrim, you will be disappointed.

    Is it an MMO? Yes. If you enjoy playing MMOs and like/love The Elder Scrolls series, this game is a good bridge until TES VI. The graphics are great and the gameplay is good. It is still version 1.xx so it won't be as polished as other MMOs that have been around for years. it's inevitable that any new MMO will be compared to WoW right? ESO has has promise if given time to bloom.

    I haven't reached max level yet so my opinion may change when I hit end game but I like what I've been playing during the past week (in early access through launch). Btw, smoothest launch of a major MMO ever?    … Expand
  30. keithianw
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    Most addicted I have been since WOW beta and Vanilla Release. It is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Graphics are some of the best out there for an MMO. Sound and music is top notch. One of the smoothest releases in any MMO. No queue times which has been unheard of. No worrying about server selection. So many different ways to level and for an explorer this is the best MMO out there. CombatMost addicted I have been since WOW beta and Vanilla Release. It is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Graphics are some of the best out there for an MMO. Sound and music is top notch. One of the smoothest releases in any MMO. No queue times which has been unheard of. No worrying about server selection. So many different ways to level and for an explorer this is the best MMO out there. Combat to me is better than the single player games. All of our guild is having a blast.… Expand
  31. Dodgernalicium
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    By far most graphic, lore and combat wise superior MMO in the world right now. Absolutely enjoying it. Don't listen to the haters and bad ratings, they probably don't even own the game.
  32. xVinci
    Apr 5, 2014
    6
    Definitely worth trying out for yourself. No MMO was perfect on launch and a lot will depend on where Zenimax is going with this and what content will be delivered, but I for my part was immediately immersed and I hope that you will too, you will miss out on something if not :)
  33. JacobCleveland
    Apr 5, 2014
    5
    This game is a promising concept with a new interesting take on the popular Elder Scrolls franchise. However, the price of $15 a month really discourages me from playing.
  34. FPSSucks
    Apr 5, 2014
    1
    You can read why this game sucks below, besides, they probably share the same opinion because this game is a complete disappointment. Don't buy it, please, just buy a good game or wait for a good to come later this year. This game is abysmal.
  35. Ilikegoodgames
    Apr 5, 2014
    1
    This game is a total disappointment. The severs not working, it being totally boring are only a couple of the problems. The game is far from deserving the Elder Scrolls name. Save your time and money, this game doesn't deserve it.
  36. Deathmain
    Apr 5, 2014
    3
    Après Skyrim on pouvais s’attendre a du contenue et du graphisme au rendez-vous. Hors des graphisme terne, des map qui ce ressemble, des quêtes pas trop épique, un manque cruel d'information a l’écran pour un MMORPG, bref trop casual et surement trop orienter console..
    Bref il va surement faire parti de ces MMO qui s'orientation Free-To-Play rapidement car actuellement il y a un cruel    Après Skyrim on pouvais s’attendre a du contenue et du graphisme au rendez-vous. Hors des graphisme terne, des map qui ce ressemble, des quêtes pas trop épique, un manque cruel d'information a l’écran pour un MMORPG, bref trop casual et surement trop orienter console..
    Bref il va surement faire parti de ces MMO qui s'orientation Free-To-Play rapidement car actuellement il y a un cruel manque de contenue PVE HL.
    Quand au PVP, une map...du même modèle que GW2...tout ce ressemble, rien de nouveaux et encore une fois un manque de contenue évident.
    Amateur de ESO passer votre chemin, casual débutant amusez vous bien...    … Expand
  37. HEISTT
    Apr 5, 2014
    3
    While being a decent MMO to spent some time on, they are using a shady payment model. You do NOT get 30 days of free gametime if you do not have access to a credit card. People without credit cards need to pay another 15 bucks for the second month of subscription to actually active their game product! As I am not able to fund the second month, I cannot claim the game and gametime I paidWhile being a decent MMO to spent some time on, they are using a shady payment model. You do NOT get 30 days of free gametime if you do not have access to a credit card. People without credit cards need to pay another 15 bucks for the second month of subscription to actually active their game product! As I am not able to fund the second month, I cannot claim the game and gametime I paid for. Support department is not helpful either, their messages do not really answer the question at hand and they are just relaying standardized messages. For anyone without a credit card: avoid this company.… Expand
  38. Phatsnake
    Apr 5, 2014
    7
    The MMO genre has become stale and is in dire need of an overhaul. Unfortunately, The Elder Scrolls Online is not it. TESO is torn between trying to follow in the footsteps of the single player experience of Skyrim and its predecessors while combining the boring mechanics of MMOs that we're too familiar with. In its defense, the game has some of the most gorgeous environments I've seen inThe MMO genre has become stale and is in dire need of an overhaul. Unfortunately, The Elder Scrolls Online is not it. TESO is torn between trying to follow in the footsteps of the single player experience of Skyrim and its predecessors while combining the boring mechanics of MMOs that we're too familiar with. In its defense, the game has some of the most gorgeous environments I've seen in an MMO, but aside from that the core of the game is lacking.… Expand
  39. Saalem
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    This game is amazing. It's everything I've been waiting for and I can't get enough of it. Definitely my favorite game and I plan on playing it a very long time. The people who,don't like the game are looking at it all wrong. It's not supposed to be like other mmo's at all, or even another TES game. It's a unique game and is one of the best games. I highly recommend it and I also recommendThis game is amazing. It's everything I've been waiting for and I can't get enough of it. Definitely my favorite game and I plan on playing it a very long time. The people who,don't like the game are looking at it all wrong. It's not supposed to be like other mmo's at all, or even another TES game. It's a unique game and is one of the best games. I highly recommend it and I also recommend not to listed to the misinformed people talking crap or the handful of people that come online to complain and talk crap. They are in the minority. If you don't play this game, you are only missing out and I feel sorry for you. Worth every penny

    The devs are also very quick to fix issues and responsive to the community. This game definitely has a big road ahead of it.    … Expand
  40. TrueGamer81
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    This game is amazing. The graphics are not quite at Skyrim quality, but the scope is far bigger. Everything is out in the open, it seems. There are massive corridors with excellent architecture, and the lands are varied and massive. The game world is incredibly big, and there are tons, and tons, and tons of quest in every single region. The gameplay is excellent, too. The combat isThis game is amazing. The graphics are not quite at Skyrim quality, but the scope is far bigger. Everything is out in the open, it seems. There are massive corridors with excellent architecture, and the lands are varied and massive. The game world is incredibly big, and there are tons, and tons, and tons of quest in every single region. The gameplay is excellent, too. The combat is surprisingly deep for an MMO and Elder Scrolls game, and the possible builds are truly endless. While you start off with a race and one of four classes (which may not seem like much to choose from at first), it soon becomes apparent that those are just basic templates that can be molded at will. The amount of variation and customization available as you build your character is impressive. The crafting system is deep, as well.

    Overall, this is an excellent game with a lot more content on the way. Highly recommended.    … Expand
  41. Sturminator
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    It's no joke that, in recent years, the mmo genre has become over saturated and as a result become almost stagnant and dry. 2014 is turning out to be a hopeful year for mmo players, not only because of Wildstar or WoD, but because of the Elder Scrolls Online. By no means is the game perfect, but what if there is one word I would use to describe ESO it would be: Fun. The only reason IIt's no joke that, in recent years, the mmo genre has become over saturated and as a result become almost stagnant and dry. 2014 is turning out to be a hopeful year for mmo players, not only because of Wildstar or WoD, but because of the Elder Scrolls Online. By no means is the game perfect, but what if there is one word I would use to describe ESO it would be: Fun. The only reason I wouldn't give this game a higher score is because in its current state it is very buggy. Hopefully Zenimax can iron these problems out, but until then I will think of ESO as a very enjoyable game with a lot of potential.… Expand
  42. jackel
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    this game is so good and bad ass ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
  43. LupusVonLuna
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Great game i don't know why anyone is hating on it but i would suggest just look at videos online and see the game play for yourself. I was a little nervous to taking my favorite franchise and making it an mmo but the did it almost flawlessly and its an amazing game. Just try it out and you won't regret it. :D
  44. Civesato
    Apr 4, 2014
    0
    What a money grabbing joke this is! Don't even think about buying this pile of goat **** **** games now a days... fat money hungry developers rubbing their hands!

    This game is a crappy C mmo with a bad and ugly attempt to hide it with a EScrolls skin, i hope for Ba****da and the rest of the crew that this **** will rot up in hell in about a month or 2.
  45. hellsaint111
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    It has been years since an MMO released that pushed the genre forwards and did something new, that is what ESO has done. The way that they have created an MMO while staying true to the Elder Scrolls series is just perfect, any true fan of the series will see it straight away. The release went pretty much flawlessly, which is quite rare. I look forward to many years of ESO's many years ofIt has been years since an MMO released that pushed the genre forwards and did something new, that is what ESO has done. The way that they have created an MMO while staying true to the Elder Scrolls series is just perfect, any true fan of the series will see it straight away. The release went pretty much flawlessly, which is quite rare. I look forward to many years of ESO's many years of success and development, I've been playing MMOs for years and have never been as amazed with any game as I was when I first stepped into the world of ESO. Finally the MMO genre is moving forward and doing something new, proving that all the generic MMOs before it don't have to be that way and hopefully ESO will inspire other MMOs to try something different, because clearly it works.… Expand
  46. HenryDane
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    I was absolutely floored by Elder Scrolls Online for one reason: it made me feel so much immersion I literally forgot where I was for hours at a time, to an extent no other MMO has done for me since Wrath of the Lich King. It has its flaws, glitches, its generic MMOness but this game has definitely done one thing right: it is thoroughly an Elder Scrolls game! I am a veteran of Oblivion andI was absolutely floored by Elder Scrolls Online for one reason: it made me feel so much immersion I literally forgot where I was for hours at a time, to an extent no other MMO has done for me since Wrath of the Lich King. It has its flaws, glitches, its generic MMOness but this game has definitely done one thing right: it is thoroughly an Elder Scrolls game! I am a veteran of Oblivion and Skyrim and after spending long hours of my youth slaying mudcrabs and reading about Lusty Argonian Maids, I had very high hopes for ESO. I can tell you this: if you are a Lore nazi, you will hate this game. It has a few glaring holes in its Lore consistency. However, if you can live with the explanation that maybe Sheogorath just wiped the memory of every historian living in the era because he felt like it, (which I hope most of you can, that Sheiogorath is a tricky fellow), then jump in and join a living, breathing Tamriel on the scope we have all dreamed of since those dark nights in our parents' basements, wiping cheeto dust from our fingers and staring at our screens in wonder thinking, "This would be so awesome if my friends could join me in Elder Scrolls!"… Expand
  47. Morphix
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    We can finally say, a TRUE WoW KILLER! ;) I had tons of doubts leading up to the release and during the betas of TESO, and I honestly didn't plan on purchasing it, but I gave it a shot at the last second; and I am so happy I did! I have played just about every MMO out there since back in the early and good days of WoW, and all of them had me bored within a few hours. I don't know what itWe can finally say, a TRUE WoW KILLER! ;) I had tons of doubts leading up to the release and during the betas of TESO, and I honestly didn't plan on purchasing it, but I gave it a shot at the last second; and I am so happy I did! I have played just about every MMO out there since back in the early and good days of WoW, and all of them had me bored within a few hours. I don't know what it was, but I just couldn't stand them. Up until this day, I just continued to play WoW off and on. But I can 100% positively say, WoW no more! I don't know what it is about TESO, but it is just.. amazing! It is finally bringing the challenge, RPG elements, and a beautiful world back into the MMORPG genre. The world is gorgeous and massive, the community is thriving, the first person view is perfect, and the game is very immersing. I haven't been able to get immersed into an MMORPG since TBC in WoW, but this game will get you immersed in no time! Of course the game isn't perfect, but it is by far just about the best if not the best MMORPG on the market. It does have a different feel than other MMOs, but it's a good one. The combat system for instance; people say it is clunky and not good. But I am enjoying it! It has a real, and awesome feel to it. It's basically just like Skyrim's Combat System which I loved. But.. I'm still very new to the game, so I can't speak for tons of the content/dungeons/pvp just yet, but just from questing for a couple of days; surprisingly.. I am LOVING THIS GAME! =)… Expand
  48. Raidriar
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    The Elder Scrolls Online is a Fantastic game. The game is very immersive with a great world to enjoy. The game feels like a great hybrid between single player RPG's and MMORPG's. If you're a hardcore Elder Scrolls fan you may not like some of the compromises that were made in order to make the game an MMO, but by an large it doesn't in any way pull the game down. The game gives a greatThe Elder Scrolls Online is a Fantastic game. The game is very immersive with a great world to enjoy. The game feels like a great hybrid between single player RPG's and MMORPG's. If you're a hardcore Elder Scrolls fan you may not like some of the compromises that were made in order to make the game an MMO, but by an large it doesn't in any way pull the game down. The game gives a great sense of character progression that very much feels like you would be playing a single player game. Although it doesn't do to much to innovate the mmo genre it doesn't feel generic. So if you're tire of the same old Warcraft style MMO's, ESO may feel a bit more fresh. The main selling point of this game though is it's absolutely fantastic PvP.

    The PvP in ESO is probably the best in any MMO to date. To describe it, it's very much seems to be a spiritual successor to the MMO "Dark Age of Camelot". Think of it as a medevil Planetside 2. The battles are absolutely "Epic" in the truest sense of the word. Imagine three different factions, each with at least two hundred to four hundred people all battling for a single keep. It's honestly something that hast to be experienced. The harsh death penalty and long walks between keeps prevent's zerging and makes every kill matter that much more. What really adds to the PvP though is the skill system and combat. In ESO you have a LOT of freedom when it comes to customizing you're character skills. With three different skill trees for each class plus passives, and weapon skills, racial passives, and armor passives, all of which can be morphed into one of two separate skills. make the possibilities almost endless. It's very intuitive to choose you're class and make YOUR build based around the weapon's armor's that you choose and try and create a synergy! That diversity get's rid of cookie cutter builds and adds for a deep meta-game. There is no best build! Sure some builds will be stronger than other's, but with the amount of choice if someone where to make an overpowered build someone would simply create a counter build thus causing a change in the meta. That system will greatly increase the longevity of this game. Many people would like to bring up that due to the lack of fifty-billion skills you end up "spamming" a lot. I'm happy to report that this is far from what I have persevered. Every skill has a situational use to it and with the addition of having to manage you're manna and stamina, you have to think about what skill you are going to use and how you are going to use it which adds a whole new layer of depth to the already deep skill system. Even with the large battles in ESO you can still feel like you're greatly contributing with you're individual actions. And even if you don't want to always be in these huge epic battles, Cyrodiil which is the huge, massive map that PvP takes place in, is so large that you will often run into solo enemy player's, isolated small groups and isolated combat. There is so SO much to do in Cyrodiil, with not only a large amount of PvP battles but a large amount of PvE content, quests and caves to look for and explore. Another thing that add's to the PvP is the amazing crafting system. Crafting in this game is very meaning full and is truly a step up from past mmo's. Instead of crafting fifty grey copper boot's that you sell to a vendor much of what you make is very useful. It's actually important to have expert crafter's in you're build in order to provide proper gear for everyone. And in fact some of the best gear in the entire game is craftable. Crafter's will have to work to look for locations that add special enchant's to gear and work to get the best ingredients. And all this hard work goes to helping provide good gear to you and you're faction.

    In conclusion, The Elder Scrolls Online is a fantastic MMORPG that is worth the buy. Do not get on board the despicable anti-hype train of ignorant people bashing the game, they either haven't played it or only played a little bit off the beta. It's aimless hate that holds no ground. So pick up The Elder Scrolls Online for the best PvP experience every and an all around great MMO!    … Expand
  49. trojanvirus
    Apr 4, 2014
    2
    I agree, this game is a generic MMO with a Elder Scrolls Theme. Its not like any other Elder Scrolls game, its a Elder Scrolls Headache. I think I would rather play Cyrus of Redguard than this fail mmo. DDO is still a much better game than this. Not even voice chat, random party formation, hardly any player to player interaction, spamspamspam, gold vendor central. I know startup MMOs haveI agree, this game is a generic MMO with a Elder Scrolls Theme. Its not like any other Elder Scrolls game, its a Elder Scrolls Headache. I think I would rather play Cyrus of Redguard than this fail mmo. DDO is still a much better game than this. Not even voice chat, random party formation, hardly any player to player interaction, spamspamspam, gold vendor central. I know startup MMOs have problems, but this game sucks.… Expand
  50. RonStuart
    Apr 4, 2014
    3
    I didn't like it either.Just another mmo exactly and costly too(i hate subscription).I think the game will have problems with userbase if they are going to charge for monthly subscription.After playing evvery Elder Scroll games from arena to Skyrim,it really don't deserve to be in the list.
  51. Athol
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    First of all, this game is not like regular MMOs. If what you like in an MMO is raiding and farming gear this game is probably not for you, on the other hand if you like exploring, questing, crafting this game is for you! The quests are varied, well scripted, you have choices to make who will impact other quests later. You can craft everything, potions, armors, weapons and customize them.First of all, this game is not like regular MMOs. If what you like in an MMO is raiding and farming gear this game is probably not for you, on the other hand if you like exploring, questing, crafting this game is for you! The quests are varied, well scripted, you have choices to make who will impact other quests later. You can craft everything, potions, armors, weapons and customize them. Exploring is rewarding you can find treasure chests, hidden quests,...… Expand
  52. Nesj3
    Apr 4, 2014
    7
    From Skyrim to this, im not quite sure about how to put this.. the combat, graphics, the firstperson and thirdperson, in skyrim i only played in firstperson because of the beautiful looks and textures. In ESO, the firstperson is kinda, ****
    Haven't played it that much yet, but i hope it will improve.
  53. koh
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Very fun so far, can't wait to see all of tamriel. Best MMO I have ever played, well worth the money..............................................................
  54. Evulsive
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    I personally enjoy the game a lot. I understand there are flaws to be fixed but I don't think I have ever played a game that has reached perfection. The lore is to die for :)
  55. Mastershank
    Apr 4, 2014
    5
    Here we go again...another generic MMO grind fest. Just watch the streams on twitch of people playing this game and you will see how boring it is. Sure you will like this game at first. You'll be excited to try out your new skills and you may even try to follow some of the story. But before long you get the skills you need to have a complete character and you start skipping the questHere we go again...another generic MMO grind fest. Just watch the streams on twitch of people playing this game and you will see how boring it is. Sure you will like this game at first. You'll be excited to try out your new skills and you may even try to follow some of the story. But before long you get the skills you need to have a complete character and you start skipping the quest dialog, because none of it has any bearing on anything, then on to begin the long grind to 50. Once you reach 50 you'll have 10 veteran levels to grind out also.

    At some point you'll be asking yourself why you're doing this boring grind. Is it for the great loot you'l get later? No..this loot is more boring than Diablo 3 loot. Is it for story? No..the story is forgettable and makes no difference in this game. Is it to explore new and interesting areas? No..the areas are a little varied but nothing to gawk at. Then what? Well I don't know. I was hoping ESO wouldn't be a cookie cutter MMO but it is and that's that. Perhaps pvp can save this game, I'm not sure because I don't get into that.

    So you have a $60 game that costs $15 a month that is not innovative in the least. I predict the new game excitement will wear off within 3 months and this game will start having trouble keeping people.Too bad too, I was hoping Zenimax learned all the lessons of past failed MMO's but I guess not.    … Expand
  56. titmo71
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Here's a quick breakdown of the game...
    Take the basic gameplay principles of The Elder Scrolls single player games and add it to a MMORPG game world foundation and you have The Elder Scrolls Online. If that premise interest you, go buy it now
  57. reapz
    Apr 4, 2014
    0
    Not a finished game it needs a year or so , so many bugs game was rushed. If people stick around for a while it might be worth the price tag and time /effort but atm its not fun to be playing a unfinished game.

    Also the ui is just bad
  58. Mordus
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    Many of the positive reviews go into many of the things that I agree with, so I wanted to focus on certain aspects and respond to other criticisms.

    Leveling is Fun - I don't feel the need to rush to max level. I explore the world looking for hidden NPC interactions, lore books, and loot. The combat is more challenging than any other MMO I've played. If you are a fan of Elder Scrolls and    Many of the positive reviews go into many of the things that I agree with, so I wanted to focus on certain aspects and respond to other criticisms.

    Leveling is Fun - I don't feel the need to rush to max level. I explore the world looking for hidden NPC interactions, lore books, and loot. The combat is more challenging than any other MMO I've played. If you are a fan of Elder Scrolls and know the lore, the story line from the beginning is full of fun references and meaningful plot developments from level 1.

    Why not a 10/10? - The game has a few bugs and technical issues that can get annoying.

    Response to Negative Reviews - A lot of the negative reviews on here are completely out of line with reality. They sound like they are coming from bitter players that didn't get the exact game they wanted.

    - ESO is NOT on rails, but it can play that way if you choose to. Just like in Skyrim you can choose
    to go right after the intro and follow the natural quest progression or you can go off and do your
    own thing and come back to complete that content later. The higher level you get the more it plays
    exactly like a traditional Elder Scrolls Game.

    - It is very much in the spirit of other Elder Scrolls games. The only difference is the archery
    mechanic and the limited skill bar which they needed for fast paced, dynamic, and diverse PvP

    - Most quests aren't kill 5 bears pick 10 flowers. They mostly have meaning to the story, if you have
    to kill an enemy it's because they are in your way or have something you need just like in Skyrim.

    - This is the least WoWish MMORPG ever... Those calling it a "Wow-a-like" must think every game
    with an avatar and an action bar is a wow clone...    … Expand
  59. kidl33t
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    This game is great. It's an excellent blending of the MMO genre with the Elder Scrolls series. The amount of detail, dialogue and lore in this game is astounding.

    Combat is a lot of fun too. It's very dynamic compared to most MMO's.
  60. Respen
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    I am pleasantly surprised in this game. I'm an adventurer by heart, yes, I enjoy a bit of endgame, but grinding the same few instances over and over for loot only to be used on those same instances has lost it's appeal to me. This is exactly why ESO shines for me. This is the most entertaining story and environment rich MMO I've played in a decade. The tutorial area and starter islandI am pleasantly surprised in this game. I'm an adventurer by heart, yes, I enjoy a bit of endgame, but grinding the same few instances over and over for loot only to be used on those same instances has lost it's appeal to me. This is exactly why ESO shines for me. This is the most entertaining story and environment rich MMO I've played in a decade. The tutorial area and starter island do not do the final product justice, once you get to level 10+ you will see what I mean. The PVP seems great, but most of my time is spent just exploring and collecting. I'd give this an honest 9, but because of all of the ridiculous 0's... I have to get a little political and throw it a 10.… Expand
  61. Fhear
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    At frist, in BETA, i was very suspicious about the game - about how the game-mechanics work. I've played about 4 or 5 days and thought: Nahh... it won't get any long. But then in the next BETA i gave it another try and more and more I began to LIKE the game. The mechanics tempt you into trying new options and motivate for longer, the fights are challenging and you need to be active(youAt frist, in BETA, i was very suspicious about the game - about how the game-mechanics work. I've played about 4 or 5 days and thought: Nahh... it won't get any long. But then in the next BETA i gave it another try and more and more I began to LIKE the game. The mechanics tempt you into trying new options and motivate for longer, the fights are challenging and you need to be active(you cant go off the keyboard for 10 seconds and survive), the story is GREAT... But the best part ist still the RvR! I love it!… Expand
  62. Anthony20
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    The game is great so far. I give it a 10/10. It's way better then I was expecting. Can't wait to see what else they put out in the future. I definitely recommend picking it up.
  63. cafebabe
    Apr 4, 2014
    4
    I'm very disappointed by this MMO. PvE is so badly unbalanced. Its just frustrating. In some key quests, you fight mobs alone easily, but when you touch a boss, you need a group or be 10 levels ahead. That's just so frustrating. The fighting is just bad. You cannot really focus on one enemy. The server often lag too much so blocking or evading attacks is just a roll of dice. The weaponryI'm very disappointed by this MMO. PvE is so badly unbalanced. Its just frustrating. In some key quests, you fight mobs alone easily, but when you touch a boss, you need a group or be 10 levels ahead. That's just so frustrating. The fighting is just bad. You cannot really focus on one enemy. The server often lag too much so blocking or evading attacks is just a roll of dice. The weaponry and armor is boring and the _very good_ voice overs cannot compensate the repetitiveness of the quests. I will not go further than the 30 days included with the high price for the game, unless there are a lot of bugfixes and balancings.… Expand
  64. Plagued
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    All of the negative reviews I've seen so far are such BS. 1 guy claims this game is a WoW clone... this game is SOOOO far from a WoW clone it's ridiculous. If you think that an MMO that has leveling, and swords and magic is a WoW clone, I guess you're right.

    Another guy gives a negative review because of some Customer Support issues? Sure, it sucks to have bad customer service... but    All of the negative reviews I've seen so far are such BS. 1 guy claims this game is a WoW clone... this game is SOOOO far from a WoW clone it's ridiculous. If you think that an MMO that has leveling, and swords and magic is a WoW clone, I guess you're right.

    Another guy gives a negative review because of some Customer Support issues? Sure, it sucks to have bad customer service... but having issues the day of launch is expected, and putting a negative review because of something that isn't even related to any of the game's development, gameplay or anything... ludicrous.

    Does the game have problems, sure. Is the game 100% unique, pretty sure that it's been proven mathematically that there is almost 0 ideas that haven't been thought of before. Is the game fun? Definitely, and it gets far better after you put in more than 20 minutes into it. Exploration and unique play styles abound.    … Expand
  65. ragekiwieater
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Amazing atmospheric ,some old-school game ,in dark colors and without anime stupid faces .With beautiful PVE and badass PVP. Game has some bugs - but I hope creators will fix that quickly its just a start.
  66. R00TKILL
    Apr 4, 2014
    0
    This game is not the worst game but it also is very disappointing for an elder scrolls game and furthermore it lowers the standards for all MMO games. If we continue to travel down this road and support these game makers they will continue to take our money and produce horrible games because its just business. I played this game in two Beta trials and my friend just purchased it and IThis game is not the worst game but it also is very disappointing for an elder scrolls game and furthermore it lowers the standards for all MMO games. If we continue to travel down this road and support these game makers they will continue to take our money and produce horrible games because its just business. I played this game in two Beta trials and my friend just purchased it and I check it out to see what changes they made, and sadly their wasn't any big changes to make a difference from my experience playing. The Story line and lore is great to read if your into that sort of thing, But the gameplay is boring and mechanics feel clunky and appears like drunken apes running around. The time and effort put in to the gear you find is pathetic and when everyone looks like they are wearing the same armor and weapons is just not interesting to say the least. The biggest gripe I have is the skill system its very minimal and every class has the same tree to choose from. This game should get some points but I am through rating horrible titles with what they might deserve It's time to tank their ratings as much as possible and review them for what they are.… Expand
  67. Random-Guy
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    The game is an awesome piece of art. Interesting quests with variety, unique crafting system, beautiful dungeons, great combat system. I've played many MMOs (including a lot of triple A) and this one does stand out. All those who scared a 0, are probably people who loved TESO and they expected to play another single player game, sorry but this is an online game, it's an MMO, and it's a great one.
  68. TDK1984
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Best MMO experience since the early days of SWG, EQ and WoW. I really am enjoying almost every part of this game. I hope that things get better from here and this game gets really popular.
  69. niknokseyer
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    I'm surprised that I'm enjoying playing The Elder Scrolls Online. It seems like the longer I play the game I discover more and more things to do and resulting for me to love the game more and more. I initially started the beta not liking the game as it seems like it's so complicated, but now I'm having a blast. Awesome game, it's non-linear and you're not limited to whatever you want toI'm surprised that I'm enjoying playing The Elder Scrolls Online. It seems like the longer I play the game I discover more and more things to do and resulting for me to love the game more and more. I initially started the beta not liking the game as it seems like it's so complicated, but now I'm having a blast. Awesome game, it's non-linear and you're not limited to whatever you want to do. Good job Bethesda and ZeniMax.… Expand
  70. springsteen
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    This game is incredible. I really think the negative feedback is coming from people who haven't played past beta, or haters who just want this game to be skyrim. Get over it... this is an MMO people! Seriously, give this game a real chance. Definitely the most fun I have had in a long time. Not your cookie cutter MMO and in every good way imaginable.
  71. Taruine
    Apr 4, 2014
    0
    If you buy you this game you continue to support the degradation of not only MMO's, but games in general. This is the most shallow cash grab attempt to come out of an AAA developer in some time.

    The game tries horribly to combine the SP game and MMO together. Unfortunately since the developers already had a vision of the MMO they wanted to create, which had nothing to do with Elder    If you buy you this game you continue to support the degradation of not only MMO's, but games in general. This is the most shallow cash grab attempt to come out of an AAA developer in some time.

    The game tries horribly to combine the SP game and MMO together. Unfortunately since the developers already had a vision of the MMO they wanted to create, which had nothing to do with Elder Scrolls gameplay, they managed to take the worst possible elements of each to come up with this garbage.

    The game is linear, without an open world, no real exploration, with bad MMO elements to boot. Everything is forced so the developers could create their PvP game with an ES skin. The PvP isn’t even that good. The game is completely on rails, and doesn’t try to hide it. Level 50 mudcrabs? I mean come on, you just took the same level 1, level 4, level 10, level 16....ect mudcrab skin and put it in a zone and level scaled it to the area. Lazy. This is the way it is with all the mobs though, if you’re in x area, everything is x level. Trash mobs are facerollable without even thinking. Skills are limited, there is no real magic. Classes are forced, and designed poorly. No utility spells, skills or anything like that to give depth to the game. Garbage game, don't contribute to this crappiness.

    The marketing and customer service is even worse, just go to the official forums if you want to see what I mean. What is up with the cash shop? It’s stupid on top of a sub game, and they charge 15 bucks for a horse? I smell desperation to try to turn a profit on this game before free to play.    … Expand
  72. kraigthecritic
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    No its not Skyrim copy and pasted on an MMO. No one should have been expecting that.

    This game is a great MMO though, and old school players will have a great surprise when playing.
  73. DrLuigi
    Apr 4, 2014
    8
    Pros:
    -It has the story of SWTOR but doesn't handcuff you into being a prisoner of having to actually sit through nothing but story if you don't want to.
    -Finally an MMO with next-gen graphics -There are not multiple servers, one giant NA server (or one EU) that gets phased as you work your way through the story mode or join others. -Distinct character customization, it has been a long    Pros:
    -It has the story of SWTOR but doesn't handcuff you into being a prisoner of having to actually sit through nothing but story if you don't want to.
    -Finally an MMO with next-gen graphics
    -There are not multiple servers, one giant NA server (or one EU) that gets phased as you work your way through the story mode or join others.
    -Distinct character customization, it has been a long time since an MMO has given the player this much freedom to create a character how they want.
    -Easily one of the smoothest pre-launch/launches in MMO recent memories
    -You have to work for rewards you really feel like you accomplish something as you level up, complete parts of the story, and get your next item

    Cons:
    -Many times it feels like it may as well be a single player game
    -The fighting is lest action like and much more 1,2,repeat like
    -Itemization needs work, it feels like there is almost a requirement to craft due to lack of AH (no guild markets aren't even close to the same thing)
    -Item store, already seeing as you can buy a horse and the cheapest horse you can get in the game is 17k gold I can see how they will have to be really careful not to sway the store towards the P2W aspect.
    -You have to work for rewards, some of us can't devote hours of our day to a video game any longer.

    Yes having to work for rewards can be both a Pro/Con depending where you are in life/year/month    … Expand
  74. kalimah
    Apr 4, 2014
    2
    Pve is a joke. Pvp is ok. Someone complained that the pvp was like doc lol... you wish! Linear pos. This is only for the older WoW generation who wants complete crap for an mmorpg. Yes.. Wow was a POS. I dont care how much it made in its time. I was hoping for more outta this game.
  75. BountyCritic
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    AMAZING, truly worth of the Elder Scrolls title and a new fierce combatant in the MMO arena, which I think will last due to the fact that it is just so god damn fun to play. While some fans (who have probably not played the game past the opening levels of the BETA, or haven't played it at all) will probably come here just to **** all over the game, but the truth is, it is a deep andAMAZING, truly worth of the Elder Scrolls title and a new fierce combatant in the MMO arena, which I think will last due to the fact that it is just so god damn fun to play. While some fans (who have probably not played the game past the opening levels of the BETA, or haven't played it at all) will probably come here just to **** all over the game, but the truth is, it is a deep and complex RPG with an MMO approach and lots Elder Scrolls Mechanics mixed in. It is also important to note that the game looks visually wonderful, however, the best thing about it, besides its fantastic PvP is the story. There has never been so many good stories in an MMO or an Elder Scrolls game. Each of the 15 zones have their own main stories, beside the numerous side quests and these stories are really, really good and even get you invested into the characters and make you think about the decisions, even though they may not affect the gameplay that much.

    Boot line; the game is just really, REALLY fun. The quests are fun, group dungeons are fun, the PvP is fun, the combat is engaging past the first zone at least), the graphics are pretty good, the classic TES exploration is there, the story is engaging... I could just go on and on about how good I find this game to be. Yes, it does come with a bugfest and that's pretty much to be expected, since it IS an MMO (and a TES game at that). This game deserves my 10/10.    … Expand
  76. jlbenne4
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    The Elder Scrolls Online is great, modern MMORPG. The posts about people maxing their characters are lies. There is more to do in ESO while you're leveling than the majority of MMOs and it is more involved than any WoW quest.

    In addition to the great quest system are public dungeons, skyshards, and elite monsters that reward exploration.
  77. Kraf
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Everything I wanted in an MMO... to me it feels like it takes good things from several other MMO's and combines them into one great game. Non-Tab targeting system (like Tera's system), full voice acting (like SWTOR), great character class customization (like Rift but TESO is its own). It also has great questing that doesn't feel like the normal go here and kill 7 rabbits.
    I am addicted...    Everything I wanted in an MMO... to me it feels like it takes good things from several other MMO's and combines them into one great game. Non-Tab targeting system (like Tera's system), full voice acting (like SWTOR), great character class customization (like Rift but TESO is its own). It also has great questing that doesn't feel like the normal go here and kill 7 rabbits.
    I am addicted... Nuff said!    … Expand
  78. Sensus
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Been having a lot of fun. Really love the elder scrolls feel. Amazing voice acting and great questing. And the graphics are incredible too. One of the most fun leveling experiences I've ever had. 10/10 from me.
  79. xnexus
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    A fantastic game for those that love The Elder Scrolls AND MMO's. Please understand this is an MMO and if you have only played TES games you opinion might vary.

    IMO one of the best MMO's in the last 10 years. Quests are fun, exploring is entertaining, and the story is great. Finally, PVP is all you could ask for in an MMO. I highly recommend this title.
  80. elderrealm
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Zenimax has NAILED IT! Best MMO to date. Hands down. Don't buy into the negative comments- Most of them are complaints about paying a sub fee. $15 a month isn't that big of a deal. You spend that at lunch every day I bet. I will gladly pay as this game has proven itself. And if the additional content lives up, then it will be a game for life for me.
  81. mietha
    Apr 4, 2014
    3
    This game is the worst $60 I've spent in years. It's not even a bad WoW knock-off. It's more like a bad LOTRO knock-off. Don't believe the semi-hype and don't waste your money. There are many, better, completely free MMOs out there. The ENTIRE time I was playing, all I could think was "I'd rather be playing WoW" and I've not played WoW in years. The combat is a dumbed-down version ofThis game is the worst $60 I've spent in years. It's not even a bad WoW knock-off. It's more like a bad LOTRO knock-off. Don't believe the semi-hype and don't waste your money. There are many, better, completely free MMOs out there. The ENTIRE time I was playing, all I could think was "I'd rather be playing WoW" and I've not played WoW in years. The combat is a dumbed-down version of Age of Conan and every thing else is ripped from LOTRO, D & D Online, WoW, and a host of other games. The VERY few original ideas this game does have are unilaterally bad. Just don't do it.… Expand
  82. Username12368
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    I'm a huge Elder Scrolls fan. I've played Arena, Daggerfall, Redguard, that really bad one with the online battles, Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim with all DLC and expansions. I've created several mods for the last 3, the most popular of which has received over 14,000 downloads. I'm a casual MMO player. I've played World of Warcraft, Guild Wars, The Old Republic and Dark Ages of Camelot. II'm a huge Elder Scrolls fan. I've played Arena, Daggerfall, Redguard, that really bad one with the online battles, Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim with all DLC and expansions. I've created several mods for the last 3, the most popular of which has received over 14,000 downloads. I'm a casual MMO player. I've played World of Warcraft, Guild Wars, The Old Republic and Dark Ages of Camelot. I stopped played MMOs completely about a year ago. I don't know what happened, but I've come to despise MMORPGs. I swore to myself that I'd never do another fetch quest, or get instantly kicked out of a dungeon due to the class I choose (Ok, so maybe I do know why I dislike them now). I had come to prefer adventuring on my own, and the Elder Scrolls filled the gap when I quit MMOs. I spent countless hours exploring, questing, flighting and crafting in the world of Tamirel, as well as countless more tweaking and redesigning parts of the game to my liking, all without having to deal with some of the most rude and immature I met during my time playing online. Not everyone was like that, and I did meet some really friendly people, but finding them was like finding a needle in a haystack. So when the Elder Scrolls Online was announced back in May 2012, I didn't know how to react. One part of me was happy that another TES game was being released so soon after Skyrim and that I would be able to play with friends. The other half, however, dreaded the thought of having to return to MMOs. Elder Scrolls helped me escape from virtual worlds, and now it was pulling me back. Fast-forward to Janurary 2013. A beta sign up page appeared on the game's official website. I quickly rushed to sign up as fast as I could. The site told me that my chances of being invited were very high, due to my high system specs and experience with the series. So I waited. And waited. And waited. My beta invite never came. So I signed up under a different email. It never came. Almost one year later I was invited to a weekend long stress test in the fifth batch of invites. I was overjoyed, I couldn't believe that I was going to be playing the next TES game so soon! That Friday I sat at my computer all day refreshing the 'New' tab of the Elder Scrolls Online subreddit. 2 hours ahead of schedule, the servers went up. I instantly got in, made my character, and waited to be amazed, my earlier fears about the game simply forgotten. And it sucked. The first area, Coldharbour, was poorly written and lacked the most important feature a video game can have, fun. This was not a TES game, it was bland TES-branded shovelware. But for some reason, I kept playing. Around level 7 I started to warm up to the game, pleased with its lack of fetch quests. When I reached level 10, I could enter Cyrodill and fight for my faction in PVP battles. And it was amazing. Working together with 100+ people to capture a keep, defending it and capturing it again using siege weapons is so fun it cannot be described using words.… Expand
  83. froggiestone
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    During beta i was left unimpressed, but i decided to get the game anyway. Best decision I've made in a long time, the more you play the more awesome the game becomes, and i don't even like tes games.

    I feel they shouldn't had done the beta, because you really need to get up over lvl 15 or even 20 before the game really comes into it's own. I was pretty vocal about the game being bad    During beta i was left unimpressed, but i decided to get the game anyway. Best decision I've made in a long time, the more you play the more awesome the game becomes, and i don't even like tes games.

    I feel they shouldn't had done the beta, because you really need to get up over lvl 15 or even 20 before the game really comes into it's own.

    I was pretty vocal about the game being bad from beta experience, but every man can have a standpoint til he takes a new, and i'm glad i decided to get it anyway.

    i'm not a TES player although i did play through Skyrim, but i've played almost all (larger) mmorrpg on the marked, and not only is eso an awesome tes game but it is the best mmo i've experienced to date. whether or not this holds true many months from now i can't say, but it's definitely worth the box price.    … Expand
  84. uizueite
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    Would give a 10 if it the game wasn't shush a money grab fest. However ill pay the monthly fee cause its worth it more then wow that i played for 4 years. I'm actually reading all the quests texts from NPCs cause they are imersive. Game is what i expected and more. I know even there are a few bugs and the end game isn't still perfect i trust Bethesda to know that they will solve gameWould give a 10 if it the game wasn't shush a money grab fest. However ill pay the monthly fee cause its worth it more then wow that i played for 4 years. I'm actually reading all the quests texts from NPCs cause they are imersive. Game is what i expected and more. I know even there are a few bugs and the end game isn't still perfect i trust Bethesda to know that they will solve game issues. They worked hard to get the game at an acceptable level at the release and hearing the community was they banner.… Expand
  85. ace123
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    bad ass just bad if u like the elder u will love this a 10 and I love the combat ......................................................................................................................................................
  86. JonnyBigBoss
    Apr 4, 2014
    6
    If you enjoy reading lore in your MMOs, you're going to love this game. Otherwise, you're going to be bored out of your mind.

    I didn't care for it very much. It lacks a lot of modern MMO standards. As a matter of fact, it feels like games I played in the 90s.
  87. doublemints
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    There is a genuine efforts in creating a TES universe in a template of MMO. This game is visually appealing, with interesting storyline/quests presented by NPC with unique personality. The combat is fast-paced and action-packed. The world is rich with lore and details. Plus the add-on to customized your experience, this game offers something for causal and hardcore gamers alike. This gameThere is a genuine efforts in creating a TES universe in a template of MMO. This game is visually appealing, with interesting storyline/quests presented by NPC with unique personality. The combat is fast-paced and action-packed. The world is rich with lore and details. Plus the add-on to customized your experience, this game offers something for causal and hardcore gamers alike. This game provide the atmosphere to be an immersive single player game with social function to be a fully-fledged MMO. If the developers can keep delivering meaningful expansion as they promised, I can see this game easily justified its price tag. The game will offer player with lots of entertainment for a long time to come.… Expand
  88. DarkShadoan
    Apr 4, 2014
    1
    So I've been playing this game for awhile now. And I've determined that I don't really like it. You can't effectively solo this game as a 'every build is a good build' because of how incompetent the developers are. They don't understand how to balance their monsters to make them killable by yourself unless you happen to be a cranked out sorcerer in a VERY specific build.

    Dragonknight?    So I've been playing this game for awhile now. And I've determined that I don't really like it. You can't effectively solo this game as a 'every build is a good build' because of how incompetent the developers are. They don't understand how to balance their monsters to make them killable by yourself unless you happen to be a cranked out sorcerer in a VERY specific build.

    Dragonknight? Nope. Can we say walking target dummy?

    Templar? Unless you go with a healing tree you're pretty much cannonfodder.

    Nightblade? You're everyone's punching bag.

    And on top of that the consistent and constant issues with the server's stability AS WELL as the fact that they don't even BOTHER to give you forewarning before they decide to go "TAKING DOWN THE SERVER NOW!" so you have to literally drop EVERYTHING at THAT instant, no matter what you're doing.

    The numerous bugs and the clunky UI and class system doesn't even make this feel like a true Elder Scrolls game. It feels like a crappy attempt at trying to make an MMO that was different and failing miserably.

    I can't even say that there's any kind of perks to crafting your own gear--you'd think that crafting crap would make the game easier, right? WRONG! It only puts you on BARELY even ground with the enemy.

    And then there's Tanzelwil. Quite possibly the most unbalanced segment I've ever encountered in any game. Just put a fragging "GROUP" tag next to the quest, because... seriously, you can't solo this crap. The enemies hit way too hard, have way too much health, and you only have split seconds to move out of crap before your health is nuked to NOTHING.

    Overall, I have to say that this game is an insult to the Elder Scrolls theme because of very BAD gameplay design. If I want to play another DArk Souls clone, I'll go play Guild Wars 2. Thanks.

    I don't recommend this game to anyone until they fix the bugs, unless you like dying repeatedly to complete a so-called solo quest.    … Expand
  89. cjwilke
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    Is this game for everyone? Apparently not, but it would be for a lot more people if they actually gave it a chance. People seem to be turning it away for minute issues such as the box fee, the sub fee, the cash shop, the Imperial Edition "locking away" a race, initial bugs in Beta, etc. I can see their points but this should not detract from them actually trying the game itself. This is byIs this game for everyone? Apparently not, but it would be for a lot more people if they actually gave it a chance. People seem to be turning it away for minute issues such as the box fee, the sub fee, the cash shop, the Imperial Edition "locking away" a race, initial bugs in Beta, etc. I can see their points but this should not detract from them actually trying the game itself. This is by far the best MMORPG I have played.

    Why?

    1) Story/Questing. There are hundreds of quests in this game and almost every one of them is comprised of multiple steps, each one a little mini adventure, and then many of them tying into the larger plot and lore of the region. I do not understand at all why people keep calling it a "WOW clone". Quests in WOW comprise of "go kill 10 of these" or "collect 15 of those". These quests are much more like what you would expect from a single player RPG, including Elder Scrolls games. Many involve multiple locations, multiple NPC's, investigating locations, etc. All of these stories are told with top notch voice acting. It doesn't have the cut scene approach of SWTOR but the quests are more involved and much less WOW like than SWTOR.

    2) Graphics. The textures are not as good as a recent RPG like Skyrim, but the world is much more varied and just appears for "magical". I got bored with Skyrim after a while with the constant drab colors and repetitive environments. The art design in my eyes is much more interesting than previous Elder Scrolls games and obviously the locales are much more diverse, from island towns to deserts to swamps to volcanoes to the old Skyrim environment. The lighting and shadows I think are even better than Skyrim and the character models, including NPC's and creatures, are incredibly beautiful and detailed. The armor can look "painted on" sometimes, especially lower level armor but there is a huge variety.

    3) PVP. Even the "haters" of this game admit that the PVP in this game is some of the best ever seen in a MMORPG. It is based on DAOC, which most gamers see as the epitome of PVP. Cyrodiil is huge, just as big as Oblivion, and not only offers RVR style PVP with siege weapons and keeps, but the zone offers PVE elements including crafting nodes, treasure maps, chests, dungeons, towns with quests, etc.

    4) Crafting. I've never seen such an interesting questing system in an MMORPG. There are 6 different crafting categories in this game, all with their own skill lines, something for everyone. Many other games involve picking a profession or two and as you level them by crafting, you can craft higher tier items...brainless. Provisioning involves finding recipes and then cooking at a fire. Alchemy involves experimenting with ingredients by tasting and combining to create potions. Enchanting involves discovering/translating runes and placing them into items. Woodworking/clothing/blacksmithing is the most involved, with multiple steps: Finding racial style books, researching traits from other items, using different materials, and upgrading the item, either quality or tier.

    5) Combat. Combo of real time, like Skyrim, and hotbars like traditional MMORPG's. You can block, roll, interrupt, hit hard, hit light, or use special ability skills from numerous skill lines (class, weapon, armor, guild, PVP, etc.). This makes for a very dynamic system that never gets boring. Combat is often not easy either...not just 1 button mashing.

    6) Character development. The game has a very involved character creation system with 10 different races and 4 different classes, with sliders for everything to add a unique look. You then gain XP which gains levels and grants a skill point and an attribute point. There are numerous skill lines including one for each class of armor and each weapon type, each guild (with more to come), PVP, each profession, and unique skill lines for if you become a vampire or werewolf. Any class can use any armor or weapon and can fill the role of DPS, tank, or healer depending on your decisions.

    7) Little touches and diverse content. There is so much to do in this world including dark anchors and fissures for group combat, solo dungeons, public group dungeons, instanced group dungeons, world bosses. There is fishing, lore books, notes/journals, small items to pick up, sky shards for extra skill points, locked treasure chests with its own lockpicking minigame, hidden treasure chests with their own treasure maps pointing to them, and small items to pick up like bottles and carrots.

    8) The future. ESO is against "raiding" which I love. ESO is going to offer "adventure zones" which are large outdoor areas for small to large groups offering more detailed quests, caves, dungeons, world bosses, etc., for end game, that can be repeated. The developers thus far offer "DLC caliber content release" every 4-6 weeks as well so it will continue to grow. It has its bugs and is not perfect, but like all MMORPG's at launch, it is in its infancy and will continue to improve/grow.    … Expand
  90. unreal1212
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Believe the hype. Finally an MMO that can stand up to WoW. Everyone is burned out on that game and ESO is going to give them a run for their money. This is by far the best MMO I have ever played. The world is stunning, the game play is fun and very different from your traditional MMO (and it's about time someone thought outside the box). There is a real sense of community within theBelieve the hype. Finally an MMO that can stand up to WoW. Everyone is burned out on that game and ESO is going to give them a run for their money. This is by far the best MMO I have ever played. The world is stunning, the game play is fun and very different from your traditional MMO (and it's about time someone thought outside the box). There is a real sense of community within the game. Well done Zenimax. Way to prove the nay-sayers dead wrong!!… Expand
  91. Sjalka
    Apr 4, 2014
    5
    The game is "solid" and that is the best i can write about it. The PvE is average, the quests are average, the design and presentation is a bit above average, but cannot compete with single player games. The pvp concept however looks good in theory. How it will turn out on more active and populated servers however is to be seen. combat mechanics seem to combine tactical choices ofThe game is "solid" and that is the best i can write about it. The PvE is average, the quests are average, the design and presentation is a bit above average, but cannot compete with single player games. The pvp concept however looks good in theory. How it will turn out on more active and populated servers however is to be seen. combat mechanics seem to combine tactical choices of abilities and twitch movement and reaction well.

    The major breaking point however is the fact that it is a P2P concept. That in itself is not a bad thing - if the support and active moderation of the game satisfies it, - however when compared to other mmo games of the same genre, it simply does not offer enough to satisfy P2P vs. F2P, so i predict the game to become F2P within a year - along with all the nasty compromises done for that.

    the freedom of single player elder scroll games is compromised in favour of the re-spawning and mostly static world of a mmo - so the player has little impact on the world as such ... as is expected. all in all, elder scrolls online does not reinvent the wheel - but it does what many before it did fairly well - for a price.    … Expand
  92. GivenToFly
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Amazing atmosphere, wonderful leveling experience, public dungeons, RvR. A solid, well performing MMO that is true to the Elder Scrolls name. It runs extremely well, encourages exploration due to finding some really neat quests and other items when out in the world, and has a well written story.

    I've been waiting for an Elder Scrolls game for a very long time and I am not dissapointed.
  93. Musta
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    If you are going to play this like an MMO, you may not enjoy it. There is not a huge hotbar, the combat takes actual skill, there's no grinding, classes aren't that dedicated to a certain role etc. If you want an in-depth review, this is it. I've played about 50-60 hours in the game and am level 24 right now.

    Questing: Quests are pretty much exactly like an Elder Scrolls game. Fully    If you are going to play this like an MMO, you may not enjoy it. There is not a huge hotbar, the combat takes actual skill, there's no grinding, classes aren't that dedicated to a certain role etc. If you want an in-depth review, this is it. I've played about 50-60 hours in the game and am level 24 right now.

    Questing: Quests are pretty much exactly like an Elder Scrolls game. Fully voice-acted with interesting stories. This is the only MMO I have ever played where I didn't just skip through the quest descriptions, so you remember what your character is actually fighting for. There are also three different factions with their own exclusive areas, meaning that even if you do every quest on your faction, you can make other characters in the other factions and do a ton of different quests as well. The story is actually good and gets you into the quests and the people you meet. It makes you actually care about the world. Rare for MMOs, I know.

    Combat: You pick a class which offers different skill trees. These skill trees are unique to your class. However, any class can use any armor and any weapon, and these weapons/armors have their own skills and passives. If you wanted to, you could fill your skill bar completely with Weapon and Guild skills (Skills that are from the Fighters/Mages guild, soon Dark Brotherhood and Thieves guilds too). At this point, your class wouldn't even matter. Want to roll Sorcerer to buff your dual-swords with extra fire damage while wearing full plate armor? Go ahead, being a Sorcerer doesn't limit use. Want to play a Nightblade but be a caster? The Siphoning skill tree allows you to use magic are a range, couple that with Mages Guild abilities, weapon abilities and others, and you can be a Nightblade Caster. There's also Werewolves and Vampires which you can turn into after getting infected (You can reverse the effect in a quest or keep it), unlocked a whole nothing slew of skills.

    Combat: Combat is very skill-based in this game. Gear matters, of course, but not like in other MMOs where everything is stats. If your enemy is charging a heavy attack, you can block it and stun them. While stunned, if you hit them with a heavy attack, they will be knocked down. If they are charging an unblockable attack, you can shield-bash (All weapon types can do this though) your opponent to stun them. You can block, dodge roll, do light/heavy attack etc. You have 6 skills per weapon, and can have two weapons that you can swap between, giving you a total of 12 skills to use. Two of these will be an Ultimate, bound to the R key, which are very deadly attacks that use their own resource pool. There are no cool-downs on any abilities, everything is based on resource management. You'll run out of mana in 6 casts or so, so you need to watch your resource costs carefully. Sneaking is in the game, and every class gets it. It even works in PvP. If you are behind a person and are sneaking, they will not see you, even if they are in third person mode. Bonus damage is dealt upon hitting from sneak. Combat uses a soft-lock system, meaning you have to actually aim at your enemies to hit them. Spells and arrows will still home-in, per balance (and latency) reasons, so there is no boredom to be found, even if doing a quest that you may not find too interesting, the combat is always there to enjoy immensely.

    Graphics: Quite beautiful. Alongside this, it runs very well. I run at 80-90 frames, and in an area with lots of fighting and 50 others players, I stayed at a constant 80FPS. Large battles in Cyrodill run surprisingly well, as opposed to GW2 where everyone would drop down to 20FPS.

    Crafting: Very extensive. You have different levels requiring different materials. You can make different "Styles", which are how your equipment you make looks. It's based on race, and each race starts with their own (You can learn the others later through rare lore-books you find as drops/in cupboards/dressers etc). Not only this, but the rarity (Green, Blue, Purple, Gold) affects how the items look! You can have the exact same item, but improving it to the next level can drastically change the appearance of the item. This allows huge re-playability.

    Cyrodiil: Cyrodiill is the Alliance vs. Alliance vs. Alliance mode, reminiscent of Dark Age of Camelot. I don't have much experience right now as it's incredibly unbalanced due to most people just PvEing, but it seems fun.

    If you are tired of the run-of-the-mill MMOs and are ready for a revolution in MMO games, this is the game. Elder Scrolls Online is the change the industry needed. I recently hit max level in WoW... again, and I realized that even at Endgame, it just was not fun at all. The journey to endgame is worse than the endgame. But ESO, it's actually a fun journey. It's basically an Elder Scrolls game (Specifically Skyrim), but online. I've played around 60 MMOs, and I have played nothing like this. It is truly worth the subscription fee and base price.    … Expand
  94. Jason8705
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Prepare to have your mind blown. I was skeptical of this game, just like I am of any MMORPG that isn't WoW, and I can tell you that it is 110% better than anything out on the market. I have been playing for the 5 days of early access and my social life has taken a severe hit. GET IT, it is VERY worth the monthly fee (allows them to provide better quality addon content, customer service,Prepare to have your mind blown. I was skeptical of this game, just like I am of any MMORPG that isn't WoW, and I can tell you that it is 110% better than anything out on the market. I have been playing for the 5 days of early access and my social life has taken a severe hit. GET IT, it is VERY worth the monthly fee (allows them to provide better quality addon content, customer service, etc) ... I am also a fan of the Elder Scrolls games (especially Skyrim and Oblivion) so if you loved the lore or world of those games you will not be disappointed. Why are you still reading this? Go download it.… Expand
  95. ajpearman
    Apr 4, 2014
    8
    Going into the beta almost a year ago, I did not have much hope for this game. I felt that it was clunky, looked rather dull, and the slew of bugs and issues had me pretty disappointed. But over time, I kept hopping back on to the betas when I felt bored, and the game grew on me. They started to improve responsiveness, fixed many bugs, and added in the pretty great voice acting in all ofGoing into the beta almost a year ago, I did not have much hope for this game. I felt that it was clunky, looked rather dull, and the slew of bugs and issues had me pretty disappointed. But over time, I kept hopping back on to the betas when I felt bored, and the game grew on me. They started to improve responsiveness, fixed many bugs, and added in the pretty great voice acting in all of the quests.

    The beta weekends convinced me that the game was worth at least a $60 purchase. ESO is fun, unique in many aspects to the MMO market, and has an absolutely staggering amount of quality story quest content. Whether I continue to pay monthly for the game is up to how Zenimax does with their release of the upcoming endgame Adventure Zone- Craglorn, and their Trials 12-man PvE content. As of now, the game is still having some growing pains; there are a few quest bugs, leveling needs to be worked on since grinding is the fastest path to level 50, and overall combat responsiveness could use a bit more work.

    All in all, the game is having a pretty strong start, and it is more than clear that Zenimax is capable of handling issues and fixing bugs in a timely manner. Let's hope their content generation teams are up to the task!    … Expand
  96. GameMaster3
    Apr 4, 2014
    0
    Nothing like an Elder Scroll game. A linear, static world where you can't be anything you want to be. Quick cash grab sellout by Beth/Zen.

    Avoid like the plague.
  97. TheHoboMan
    Apr 4, 2014
    3
    Bugged quests, clunky combat, bland environments, bland spell effects, clunky looking animations, bad voice acting, cookie cutter classes...the list of bad things in this game go on and on.

    I will give Bethesda a nod for making an attempt, but the game does not feel immersive at all. But I am disappointed that they would put out such a crap product. Some series are just not meant to    Bugged quests, clunky combat, bland environments, bland spell effects, clunky looking animations, bad voice acting, cookie cutter classes...the list of bad things in this game go on and on.

    I will give Bethesda a nod for making an attempt, but the game does not feel immersive at all. But I am disappointed that they would put out such a crap product.

    Some series are just not meant to be made into an MMO..    … Expand
  98. JonathanE
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    First, let me just say this is not an Elder Scrolls single player game, it just isn't. For one that would make for a terrible MMO. Could you imagine walking into a building and nothing is in it because you are allowed to pretty much steal everything? That sounds great on paper but once you make something an MMO in general you have to reduce a lot of the features in order to implement otherFirst, let me just say this is not an Elder Scrolls single player game, it just isn't. For one that would make for a terrible MMO. Could you imagine walking into a building and nothing is in it because you are allowed to pretty much steal everything? That sounds great on paper but once you make something an MMO in general you have to reduce a lot of the features in order to implement other features.

    Anyway, now because I clarified that let me say that I have personally had a blast thus far. I think it's different enough with the story telling, combat, and other features to keep you interested. The quests are fun, and the voice acting is top notched. So far the story is quite satisfying and makes you actually fill like you are on an epic adventure; however most MMOs now seem to either have a sandbox setting OR a good story line. Very few games seem to have an epic narrative story line but a sandbox world where you are restricted to separate instances.

    This of course leads into instances however where there is serious overcrowding and dozens of people in an area working on the same quest, this can definitely reduce the feel of impact you are making in the world, yet this I believe is a minor thing compared to the atmosphere of the world. So far the villages sometimes change for you when quest happens, and town people might interact with you slightly different based on the quest you have done (not a big change but big enough that it adds flair).

    The graphics and the music help immensely with the atmosphere and causes the world to really come alive.

    I would give it a ten however there are still some issues, the chat box is hectic, the graphics can sometimes be a little glitchy, and the UI is a bit confusing at first (because it feels a lot different then other mmos).

    These of course are just minor things in an overall great game. Hope it will keep my attention for a while.    … Expand
  99. malbec
    Apr 4, 2014
    7
    Meh, it's okay. Much better than SWTOR, moderately worse than the original WoW. I'll be getting it to play in the down time when there's not some other, better game on my plate. The writing is decent, the voice acting is above average, the graphics are good, and the exploration is average for an MMO. I am curious to see what they do with item/questing balance, adjustments to PVP, groupMeh, it's okay. Much better than SWTOR, moderately worse than the original WoW. I'll be getting it to play in the down time when there's not some other, better game on my plate. The writing is decent, the voice acting is above average, the graphics are good, and the exploration is average for an MMO. I am curious to see what they do with item/questing balance, adjustments to PVP, group dungeons, and end-game. I'd recommend it to a friend, but only barely.… Expand
  100. mrbeavis19
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    First off, all the hate coming at this game is totally undeserved. I played the betas and loved it, so I pre-ordered and have been happy with it thusfar. No MMO has ever launched without bugs and after Oblivion and Skyrim's shaky launches, you'd be an idiot to expect this game to ship in perfect condition. The gameworld is simply too big to catch every conceivable issue before theFirst off, all the hate coming at this game is totally undeserved. I played the betas and loved it, so I pre-ordered and have been happy with it thusfar. No MMO has ever launched without bugs and after Oblivion and Skyrim's shaky launches, you'd be an idiot to expect this game to ship in perfect condition. The gameworld is simply too big to catch every conceivable issue before the deadline. That said, I've encountered no game-breaking bugs in the 15 or so hours that I've played in early access, so I have no idea what everyone is whining about.

    Gameplay-wise, it feels far more like previous Elder Scrolls games than I had thought an MMO could. It's much like playing Oblivion or Skyrim. The environments are breath-taking, like seriously I stopped and stared and admired the detail of the sun rays cast through the pink tree canopy in the Dominion starting area for like 10 minutes, it's easily the prettiest MMO I've ever played. The combat is just as engaging, but more skill-based than the hack-and-slash approach taken in its single-player predecessors. The NPCs and storylines for each faction are interesting and pull you in to the gameworld.

    The crafting is just as fantastic as it was in Skyrim. I love that off the bat, with a new character, I can run out of the city limits, gather materials, and craft myself some nice equipment before carrying on with quests.

    Speaking of quests, I've seen "Wah, questing is the same as every other mmo" too much. **** This game is even better voice-acted than Skyrim, first off, each quest-giver delivering a convincing and interesting performance. That said, all the quests feel much more engaging and important than the WoW or GW quest systems this has been compared to. The instancing is also done fantastically. Showing you the devastation of a battle in an encampment that you chose not to defend and saw in fine condition minutes ago was a particularly poignant part of one quest. The experience system is one we've seen before, but too bad, it's a good system, why fix something that's not broken? It's a pillar of RPGs.

    In short, because of the Elder Scrolls' storied legacy, people expected far too much from this game and are now bashing on it for being a fun and well-designed MMO instead of some crazy new format of multiplayer gaming that no one has ever seen before. It's like hating on a Ferrari because it doesn't fly and give blow jobs.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014
14
#14 Most Shared PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 64 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 64
  2. Mixed: 36 out of 64
  3. Negative: 1 out of 64
  1. CD-Action
    Jul 23, 2014
    60
    Eight years of development, a team consisting of even 250 people at some points, budget reaching hundreds of millions of dollars. It’s a pity that this ‘Skyrim Online’ disappoints both fans of previous Bethesda games and MMORPG veterans who expected some fresh air in the stale genre. [06/2014, p.44]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jul 8, 2014
    60
    A well done MMO that can lure players not familiar with the genre. But if you've played MMOs before, this one doesn't offer anything new, nor anything exciting.
  3. DarkStation
    Jun 16, 2014
    50
    60 days was more then enough time for me to determine that I would rather spend my time elsewhere.
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