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. Vlad86
    Apr 4, 2014
    5
    As an elder scrolls fan, I'm very disappointed. Just another random MMO with elder scrolls overlay. A very poor and disappointing design choice from Bethesda.
  2. tacos4me
    Apr 4, 2014
    0
    Disappointing, to say the least. It doesn't deliver a Skyrim level experience, nor does it offer the open world feeling of WoW (and every other MMO). End game content is nonexistent. Animations and combat are wonky. The art style is what you would expect from an Elder Scrolls game, but it ends up looking like a washed-out, brown mess most of the time. It has it's moments, but they are fewDisappointing, to say the least. It doesn't deliver a Skyrim level experience, nor does it offer the open world feeling of WoW (and every other MMO). End game content is nonexistent. Animations and combat are wonky. The art style is what you would expect from an Elder Scrolls game, but it ends up looking like a washed-out, brown mess most of the time. It has it's moments, but they are few and far between.… Expand
  3. tatsumaru03
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    If you love lore and adventure of the Elder Scrolls game then ESO is a great place to get lost in. The ability to share this experience with friends and loved ones is exactly the social game that brings people together.
  4. Incrementum
    Apr 4, 2014
    6
    Like other reviewers have mentioned, ESO is not a terrible game - it's just incredibly disappointing considering it uses the Elder Scrolls name. It really is just another WoW clone with a PvP system similar to the one used in Dark Age of Camelot. The voice acting is surprisingly good and the graphics are as well. Everything else falls short though which makes me wonder they this gameLike other reviewers have mentioned, ESO is not a terrible game - it's just incredibly disappointing considering it uses the Elder Scrolls name. It really is just another WoW clone with a PvP system similar to the one used in Dark Age of Camelot. The voice acting is surprisingly good and the graphics are as well. Everything else falls short though which makes me wonder they this game was made in the first place. If Skyrim sold like hot cakes, why not just make another game in the main Elder Scrolls series? I really wonder if the developers are actually proud of their finished product. There's just nothing new or unique here. MMO's don't have to be EverQuest / WoW clones to be successful. Not every MMO has to be a theme park ride that holds your hand at every moment. ESO should have offered more freedom than this.… Expand
  5. Heeko
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Best PVE I ever seen on a MMORPG, if you like elder scroll games you will love it. Best RVR since Dark Age of Camelot. Intelligent mix between old school and "new school" mechanics. Seriously, if you like elder scroll games, mmorpg, and real RVR, you have to try it.
  6. cooper76
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Special game here. ESO has the best combat the genre has seen, and pvp the genre has not seen on a AAA level in many many years. There are so many things from Lore books to ruins the need discovery. Real exploration here, not the mark on the map garbage.
  7. Enigma_Syrus
    Apr 4, 2014
    8
    I've played Daggerfall, Redguard, Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim. Elder Scrolls Online bears little in common with them aside from art and lore. With that said, it is still a unique game in its own right. I've seen people claim the leveling system is similar to other games, but it does allow a good amount of customization at the cost of grinding. It is very unlikely you'll find twoI've played Daggerfall, Redguard, Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim. Elder Scrolls Online bears little in common with them aside from art and lore. With that said, it is still a unique game in its own right. I've seen people claim the leveling system is similar to other games, but it does allow a good amount of customization at the cost of grinding. It is very unlikely you'll find two characters with the same build unless they're running a cookie cutter spec from a forum post. Quests are usually close together and generally have a story tied to them. Sure, there are fetch quests, etc. but there the story sets it apart from the elephant in the room (WoW). The quest/story concept has more in common SWTOR.

    A criticism and a boon (depending on the side of the fence you're on) is the phasing system. If you make a choice during a quest, your instance of that quest will differ from others. You may receive NPC help, or be fighting a different mob. It also allows you to have quest affect the area around you. If you're into solo play or you group before you begin quest and make the same choices, this is great. If you've already started a quest, others will have to catch up to join you. If you've already completed a quest, you're out of luck...

    This is a shame as you're not able to join up with friends in some instances. Sure, there are other places to go, etc. but it would be nice to be able to repeat quests at reduced xp / no xp.

    ESO is a good game, but know what you're getting into. Don't believe the hype and safely ignore the whiny "it isn't what I wanted" group. Taken as its own game, it is an above average MMO and will consume a good deal of your time. Even if you don't plan on sticking around, it will hold you over until another game comes along. I don't believe the subscription model is obsolete, I believe commitment to a specific game is.    … Expand
  8. Ogr
    Apr 4, 2014
    8
    If you want to enjoy TESO, please do not compare it to the usual Elder Scrolls Games and don't compare it to an MMO like WoW etc.

    The game looks nice and made for adults, fantasy like it was before WoW etc. The Story is sometimes really great and exploring the world is interesting and full of content. Quests are as usual, but with a nice story etc. I don't really like the combat    If you want to enjoy TESO, please do not compare it to the usual Elder Scrolls Games and don't compare it to an MMO like WoW etc.

    The game looks nice and made for adults, fantasy like it was before WoW etc.
    The Story is sometimes really great and exploring the world is interesting and full of content. Quests are as usual, but with a nice story etc.
    I don't really like the combat system, it's okay and sometimes fun, but I would prefere more skills to use etc.
    Some things are too old fashioned and made too complicated for 2014, but it is a good game if you play PVE. Not a great game. I would give 7/10 points for the PVE part.

    If you liked RvR, this is your game. I've had massive battles with the other fractions and they were so much fun, it really reminds me of DAoC.

    So for the PvP part I would give 9/10 (maybe it could go up to 10/10, I'm just lvl 20 right now)

    All in all: 8/10    … Expand
  9. anMMOplayer
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    The Good:

    It's one of the best AAA MMO's currently available. Large scale PvP is best in class. PvE is quite good, lots of variety, very high quality execution, and there are substantial PvE challenges available for solo and group play. The game looks beautiful. The games crafting system is excellent. It supports extremely varied character customization via its character creator.    The Good:

    It's one of the best AAA MMO's currently available. Large scale PvP is best in class. PvE is quite good, lots of variety, very high quality execution, and there are substantial PvE challenges available for solo and group play. The game looks beautiful. The games crafting system is excellent. It supports extremely varied character customization via its character creator. Lore and storytelling are strong points. For a game with themepark features it does a good job of supporting exploration, esp. once you get past the starter zones. The combat gameplay is very active, situationally driven, and rewards skillful play in many ways. The gameworld evolves substantially as you quest due to phasing. Solid in game LFG function. The level 15+ zones and the PvP zone are massive.

    The not so good:

    The games richness comes with substantial complexity. Grouping can be awkward for solo PvE content where phasing is involved. Minimalist UI will not appeal to many competitive gamers that want more information access. 1st person is immersive, but largely impractical for PvP and harder PvE content (the forthcoming addition of a PoV slider should change this for the better). The starter islands (currently optional) provide a decent introduction to gameplay, but are more guided and simplistic in their content presentation than the later zones (basically the gameplay opens up with each subsequent zone).

    The Meh:

    There is a lot of Elderscrolls in it, but it is an MMO. There are many confused reviewers that insist on reviewing it as a single player title (hint, it's not). It has a subscription. On the plus side, this means the developers should be focused on keeping players subscribed rather than being focused on thinking of gimmicks to get players to spend cash in an item shop, on the minus side, well, you need to pay a subscription fee.    … Expand
  10. Anoners
    Apr 4, 2014
    6
    Totally addicted already. I'm not sure why people are so angry about the sub. If that's a problem, don't buy the game? Not fair to give it a low score based on that. I play pretty much all the MMOs that are out there, and this one is def. one of the best.
  11. azz1810
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    This game is absolutely amazing! The quests are probably the best I have ever experienced in an MMO and they are on par with quests in both Oblivion and Skyrim.

    Well worth a try, you will not be disappointed!
  12. RecoveryRx
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    Easily the best mmo I've played in many a year and definitely the most immersive one I've ever played period. Would give this game a 9 but I'm knocking off a point for somewhat questionable business practices in the fact that they locked a race behind the collector's edition and have a cash shop like a f2p game when they said they wouldn't do that.

    Game itself though - incredible.
  13. Neness
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    Simply a great game !
    Goode PVE !
    Good lore !
    Good combat mecanics !
    Giant map !
    Good PVP !
    Giant PVP MAP !
    And it's Elder Scrolls, lore is so great !
  14. Frenk-the-Vile
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Great questing, gorgeous graphics, slow but deep combat, RvR that is huge and polished and with a clear purpose: give it a try...it will capture you...
  15. OzShinDig
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    This game is amazing. Don't listen to all the people complaining about a sub fee. It's better to pay a small amount and not have to buy an item here and an item there, which ends up costing more in the long run anyway. People are just too dumb to realise that. A perfect mix of MMO and TES. Don't expect Skyrim or Oblivion online, because that wouldn't be possible in an MMO. But this is theThis game is amazing. Don't listen to all the people complaining about a sub fee. It's better to pay a small amount and not have to buy an item here and an item there, which ends up costing more in the long run anyway. People are just too dumb to realise that. A perfect mix of MMO and TES. Don't expect Skyrim or Oblivion online, because that wouldn't be possible in an MMO. But this is the best MMO I have played since WoW (played thousands of hours), and the only one worth paying for. The graphics are amazing, the art design is fantastic. A few bugs here and there but they are getting fixed. So much of this game has changed over the past year of development and it's changed for the better because the developers listened to the players. The low average score isn't because it's a bad game, because it truly is fantastic! It's because people are happy to pay $4 a day for a coffee or $15 for a movie ticket for a movie that only goes for 90 minutes, but they go psycho about paying 50c a day for something that provides potentially hundreds or even thousands of hours of fun. Those people aren't the types we want playing anyway.… Expand
  16. DaveMo
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    After playing the first two beta weekends I had access to, I swore I would never buy this game. After the final two, I was in love. This is a truly amazing game. The combat is wonderful. This is impressive considering how I didn't care for it in the first beta. Modifications made it a keeper. There is a lot of timing and smart attack sequencing involved.

    The quests are typical elder    After playing the first two beta weekends I had access to, I swore I would never buy this game. After the final two, I was in love. This is a truly amazing game. The combat is wonderful. This is impressive considering how I didn't care for it in the first beta. Modifications made it a keeper. There is a lot of timing and smart attack sequencing involved.

    The quests are typical elder scrolls. Usually quests are part of 3 or 4 part stories. The character development is interesting. Your class, race, weapons, armor types (light/medium/heavy), and guilds all have their own skill lines, apart from many other skill lines. This allows you a lot of customization where any race and class combination can be any play style.

    Playing with others is also great. I have done a few dungeons with guildmates and traded them a lot of items. This is my first MMO experience, and I am finding it very enjoyable.

    This doesn't include the PvP which is also wonderful.    … Expand
  17. chegsfd
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    this game is not for everyone.

    if you like the elder scrolls series and MMORPGs, and would like to play a game that combine those two, then you are in for a treat. The game is basically skyrim with a different leveling system. Personally, I loved the classes and weapons, and they give a great margin for experimentation. Most combinations work, and thats very impressive. Quests are    this game is not for everyone.

    if you like the elder scrolls series and MMORPGs, and would like to play a game that combine those two, then you are in for a treat.

    The game is basically skyrim with a different leveling system. Personally, I loved the classes and weapons, and they give a great margin for experimentation. Most combinations work, and thats very impressive.

    Quests are a little confusing at times, but overall they are different from other mmorpgs, with lots of story and awesome voice acting.

    If you play this expecting it to be elder scrolls 6, you're gonna have a bad time. This is a very unique game, if you go far enough to see for yourself, and I hadn't been so hooked up on a game for a long time.

    (best launch i've seen on any mmo. most crucial bugs were fixed 2 days after the server opened, and now you can play silky smooth)    … Expand
  18. z1RoadRunner1z
    Apr 4, 2014
    6
    I dared to think it would be something different. I was wrong, same old MMO you have already played if you have played any others. Boring generic quests. Poor graphics but not bad compared to competition, however the tone and style is the most dull feeling thing I have ever seen, could use some colour and is so much worse than other MMOs in that regard. First person is nice, but combat isI dared to think it would be something different. I was wrong, same old MMO you have already played if you have played any others. Boring generic quests. Poor graphics but not bad compared to competition, however the tone and style is the most dull feeling thing I have ever seen, could use some colour and is so much worse than other MMOs in that regard. First person is nice, but combat is horrible and clunky and not smooth at all. Also the free month playtime is being mis-sold to an extent. You still have to let them charge you for the month even though I am under the impression you receive your money back, it still means you have to have another $15/£9 to spare, which is extremely unfair on users with less money to throw around at an already expensive game. Good customer support. Poor voice acting, but at least all quests are voice acted. Good crafting system.

    In short, sickeningly average. I smell corporate greed taking over bethesda.    … Expand
  19. dukelunar
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    There will always be haters for every game, old elder scrolls fans refusing to accept that Bethesda decided to publish a mmo break their hearts.. either way this game is very fun to play with friends, soloable if you are intrested in that too. I do really recommend you to buy this game.
  20. getorky
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    This by far the most impressive MMO I have played. Very smooth and responsive character control and combat, excellent visual presentation and a simple interface for new players, with advanced features for the hardcore. Definitely subscription worthy. I don't see myself playing anything else for a long, long time.
  21. RootAbyss
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    The game is amazing.

    Both for MMO and Elder Scrolls players. Zenimax has found a perfect balance of a mix of The Elder Scrolls and the MMO genre. The quests vary from several activities and the dialogues are sublime! Also worth mentioning: the voice acting. The voice acting is amazing and definetely worth listening to, and it's definetely not cheap. If you're bored of PVE then    The game is amazing.

    Both for MMO and Elder Scrolls players.
    Zenimax has found a perfect balance of a mix of The Elder Scrolls and the MMO genre.
    The quests vary from several activities and the dialogues are sublime!
    Also worth mentioning: the voice acting.
    The voice acting is amazing and definetely worth listening to, and it's definetely not cheap.

    If you're bored of PVE then just go to Cyrodiil for some PvP.
    The massive battles with trebuchetes and catapults deliver a great fight for keeps.
    And then you can also capture the keeps around the Imperial City, which let's you crown an emperor.    … Expand
  22. lazlo2020
    Apr 4, 2014
    1
    Nice thought but ultimately horrific and shabby attempt.. The whole game is just essentially a short term cash cow.

    Made me laugh that people have capped their toons already and founs there is nothing to do because there is no endgame apart from pvp (endgame is not even being tested). Nice scenery and crafting is good, everything else is just generic,dull and poorly executed. What an    Nice thought but ultimately horrific and shabby attempt.. The whole game is just essentially a short term cash cow.

    Made me laugh that people have capped their toons already and founs there is nothing to do because there is no endgame apart from pvp (endgame is not even being tested).

    Nice scenery and crafting is good, everything else is just generic,dull and poorly executed. What an absolute disappointment    … Expand
  23. Sensin
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Incredible experience. Great graphics and voice acting. Definitely feels like an elder scrolls game. Everyone who's say it's a "disappointment" have obviously played the game for little more than a few minutes. It's amazing how people even say that a few days after early access started when obviously they haven't played the game much. 10/10 from me.
  24. DatGladiatah
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Honestly one of the closest, most heartfelt games I've played this whole years. People are constantly making mentions of this being a sellout cash cow, but let me tell you, no cash cow would ever dedicate this much coherency, integrity, and closeness to the franchise it's built from. The gameplay itself is also rather unique, with it being completely real time and very open to characterHonestly one of the closest, most heartfelt games I've played this whole years. People are constantly making mentions of this being a sellout cash cow, but let me tell you, no cash cow would ever dedicate this much coherency, integrity, and closeness to the franchise it's built from. The gameplay itself is also rather unique, with it being completely real time and very open to character builds. While there are few classes, it is very focused on doing whatever the player feels to be fitting for their character or for their playstyle. Mages wear heavy armor, stealthy dps characters can become lifestealing tanks, daedric summoners can also use bows, cc tanks can become healers. Any way you want to play, at least at this point in the game, is effective in the pve so long as you stay coherent to its intentions rather than trying too many things at once.

    Fact is, while subscription based mmo's usually fall to microtransaction systems, no matter how it's presented or how you purchase this game, it is a worthy experience and a breath of fresh air for the mmo genre. While no WoW killer, like anything could even kill it, it offers a unique experience while still giving you the nostalgia and wonder of an Elder Scrolls game.    … Expand
  25. hamod1981
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Outstanding, wonderful, magnificent game I love the quest system like skyrim . Nice Personal story, best pvp same as Dark age of Camelot .beautiful graphics .If you like mmos this is one of the best. Really great game Best MMORPG since Wow, don’t let a few negative reviews change your mind, those are mostly people who can't stand a bad launch, and the game itself is awesome. Best gamingOutstanding, wonderful, magnificent game I love the quest system like skyrim . Nice Personal story, best pvp same as Dark age of Camelot .beautiful graphics .If you like mmos this is one of the best. Really great game Best MMORPG since Wow, don’t let a few negative reviews change your mind, those are mostly people who can't stand a bad launch, and the game itself is awesome. Best gaming experience I had since the start of wow in 2004. I mean all the other competitors on the mmo market. Age of Conan, Warhammer, LotR ,Rift, Guild war 2, Swtor. A solid game that is absolutely worth playing and worth . A few launch glitches but all that will be fix soon , but for a new MMO launch it's really pretty amazing that it went as smoothly as it did. If you love mmo this game for you and if you love elder scroll series also this game for you. Finally this game ESO does things a lot different than the standard mmo. Anything from class building, how you go about your crafting, to stat implementation (which takes a little to understand). Just exploring everywhere and trying different builds alone is incredible, questing is a little different and stay somewhat true to Elder Scrolls style since you can and actually have to find certain quests..i recommend to buy this game was very fun .… Expand
  26. mrsensa
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    Go into this game expecting Skyrim, expect to be hugely unsatisfied. However, if you come to ESO with a love for Elder Scrolls elements in an MMO setting, expect to be blown away. I'm only at level 17 so there's a lot more to discover. I feel the monthly fee has already been justified as i've clocked in almost 40 hours already. Granted, I'm not going to be able to put that much time in onGo into this game expecting Skyrim, expect to be hugely unsatisfied. However, if you come to ESO with a love for Elder Scrolls elements in an MMO setting, expect to be blown away. I'm only at level 17 so there's a lot more to discover. I feel the monthly fee has already been justified as i've clocked in almost 40 hours already. Granted, I'm not going to be able to put that much time in on an average week but if I can put that many hours in on a monthly basis, i'll be very happy. Best MMO on the market. Beautiful graphics for an MMO, but yes Skyrim does look a lot better even unmodded, but Skyrim doesn't have to render a whole world, it only renders what's around you so that's totally understandable. Anyway, can't give much of a review, need to get back to it.

    In a nutshell, if you want an MMO that trys and succeeds at new things (interesting quests, brilliant crafting etc) set in a beautiful looking world with Elder Scrolls elements, then definitely pick this one up.    … Expand
  27. Vasco
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    I have been playing this game for several days already, and I can say with no doubt: this is an MMO that I have always dreamed to play. The quests are really very interesting and different, and the main storyline is as epic as the storyline in Skyrim. The game is fully voiced, the music is fantastic. TESO is so atmospheric! But what I like most of all is exploration.
    The game is awesome,    I have been playing this game for several days already, and I can say with no doubt: this is an MMO that I have always dreamed to play. The quests are really very interesting and different, and the main storyline is as epic as the storyline in Skyrim. The game is fully voiced, the music is fantastic. TESO is so atmospheric! But what I like most of all is exploration.
    The game is awesome, If you really like good MMOs then jus try it!    … Expand
  28. spencerknight
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    It is by far the best MMO available right now. But it's not only an MMO, it's a true Elder Scrolls game. If you played Skyrim, Oblivion or Morrowind, you will feel right at home with this game. Combat system is amazing, much more evolved than in other games, the graphics are top notch and yet the game runs perfectly even on lower laptops. There are over 10000 NPCs in the games and allIt is by far the best MMO available right now. But it's not only an MMO, it's a true Elder Scrolls game. If you played Skyrim, Oblivion or Morrowind, you will feel right at home with this game. Combat system is amazing, much more evolved than in other games, the graphics are top notch and yet the game runs perfectly even on lower laptops. There are over 10000 NPCs in the games and all dialogs are spoken! Make no mistake, this is a very high quality MMO, with an amazing quest system. I can honestly say this is the PERFECT MMO!… Expand
  29. SteinOnkel
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    Did you ever play WoW and wished it wouldn't be so boring levelling up? Welcome to the Elder Scrolls Online. It plays very differently from traditional MMOs in the sense that there are not quest hubs. This means that it is up to you to find and explore and by doing so level up. The combat is fantastic, there are no cool down timers. It is up to you to dodge, block, interrupt, cast, heal.Did you ever play WoW and wished it wouldn't be so boring levelling up? Welcome to the Elder Scrolls Online. It plays very differently from traditional MMOs in the sense that there are not quest hubs. This means that it is up to you to find and explore and by doing so level up. The combat is fantastic, there are no cool down timers. It is up to you to dodge, block, interrupt, cast, heal. It's very hectic and very fun, but also true to the Elder Scrolls Combat formula. Being able to play in first person adds immersion. The graphics are fantastic. All quest texts are voiced. The list goes on and on, in short I couldn't be happier with this game.… Expand
  30. Spacecraft
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    About as good as an Elder Scrolls MMO can be. The crafting is deep and rewarding, the world is large and very alive, the quests are well written and well voice acted, and the combat is fun. For the most part you really can make your own build and play however you want. I'm a melee templar wearing a mix of cloth and plate (think of the vigilants of stendarr in the elder scrolls lore) and itAbout as good as an Elder Scrolls MMO can be. The crafting is deep and rewarding, the world is large and very alive, the quests are well written and well voice acted, and the combat is fun. For the most part you really can make your own build and play however you want. I'm a melee templar wearing a mix of cloth and plate (think of the vigilants of stendarr in the elder scrolls lore) and it works very well.

    I started out hating this game from my experiences in the early beta but the developers listened and really pulled it together in the end. I love this game.    … Expand
  31. busa27
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    The game for me is PERFECT. I only hope continue support from Zenimax and some quest fixes. I really love AvA, crafting, PvE, dungeons and LORE. Good work Zenimax.
  32. SadiusHunter
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    I honestly made an account just to say, it's really good game, I'm not much of a fan of MMO's, nor do I often enjoy them, However this is one of the few that really makes it really special, the world is beautiful, the combat is great, PvP has been awesome so far, it has quests that aren't always find or kill, it does vary, Character Creation is great, story plays out well and even theI honestly made an account just to say, it's really good game, I'm not much of a fan of MMO's, nor do I often enjoy them, However this is one of the few that really makes it really special, the world is beautiful, the combat is great, PvP has been awesome so far, it has quests that aren't always find or kill, it does vary, Character Creation is great, story plays out well and even the community is mature, the subscription fee does put people off but it's still great, I'd almost give it a 10 if it wasn't for the sub fee, I truly believe this is the MMO that Elder Scrolls deserve, that's coming from a fan who has been playing since Daggerfall… Expand
  33. CoreDave
    Apr 4, 2014
    4
    Its not terrible, its just very disappointing coming from the heritage of a game series that dared to be different from the crowd and define its own genre of open sandbox rpg gaming. Elderscrolls online just leaves me feeling like the makers really just wanted to make a new RvR game in the same mould as DAoC or WAR. Its so standard MMO, so been there done that, so uninspired it just hurts.Its not terrible, its just very disappointing coming from the heritage of a game series that dared to be different from the crowd and define its own genre of open sandbox rpg gaming. Elderscrolls online just leaves me feeling like the makers really just wanted to make a new RvR game in the same mould as DAoC or WAR. Its so standard MMO, so been there done that, so uninspired it just hurts. Where there is an attempt to incorporate some of the elements of the single player games it feels clunky or doesn't quite work because the fundamental starting point was your bog standard MMO the like of which we've seen time and again for the last 10 years. Take questing. full voice, lots of effort put into back story you say? Well yes, but because the questing and character advancement model is essentially the same as most MMOs (That being you advance by completing quests which give you xp to spend on level ups), the world is necessarily packed with quest givers, most of whom give 5 min quests which we've all done a million of before, kill 5 bears, pick 10 flowers, blah blah blah. The end result is all the fancy voice acting and back story just wastes your time because the fundamental activity is so mindless. I could go on and on about the disappointments in ESO, but it all boils down to one thing. Its nothing new, its not in the spirit of the single player games, its just another near enough carbon copy of a gameplay model that doesn't fit with the IP that's been forced into it. Come on Devs, can't you be a bit braver than this. If Bethesda had just copied the successful model of the time then Arena would of been a scripted on rails experience like Final Fantasy. The MMORPG world is crying out for something new, something different. Enough with the era of the WoW-a-like.… 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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