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5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2703 Ratings

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  1. Jan 22, 2015
    1
    The game is average at best, very poor end game content. But the worst part is the company running it. They have been lying from the get go. They promised regular updates and content as this was a sub based game, but nothing came out except 1 zone in a year. Now they are switching their model to further nickel and dime people. Get this: People paid a sub, never got any content it was beingThe game is average at best, very poor end game content. But the worst part is the company running it. They have been lying from the get go. They promised regular updates and content as this was a sub based game, but nothing came out except 1 zone in a year. Now they are switching their model to further nickel and dime people. Get this: People paid a sub, never got any content it was being developped but they kept it away to be able to release it as paying DLC now. DO NOT BUY this game, those guys are using bait&switch practises and will screw you. Expand
  2. Jan 13, 2015
    2
    Nothing hurts more then how disappointment feels. The Elder Scrolls Online was going to be the hit MMO that everyone was going to be playing! Instead we got a game that was poorly made and abandoned after launch. In the beginning you are told that "You are the chosen one" and that its up to "Only you" to save the world. Then you see a bunch of other chosen ones run through the same portal.Nothing hurts more then how disappointment feels. The Elder Scrolls Online was going to be the hit MMO that everyone was going to be playing! Instead we got a game that was poorly made and abandoned after launch. In the beginning you are told that "You are the chosen one" and that its up to "Only you" to save the world. Then you see a bunch of other chosen ones run through the same portal. I got so bored with this game. I played it for a few weeks and just got so bored. The combat is really different then what you would expect. Its a game that Bethesda said "Hey! You know what would be cool? Oblivion and WoW put together!" Yeah that would be cool except that's nothing close to what it is. I'm really sorry because I tried so hard to like it. Really I did. And wouldn't you know it? There is still no word on the console version.

    Elder Scrolls Online gets a 2/10
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  3. Jan 11, 2015
    10
    I enjoyed this game. All the things that were in Skyrim and other Elder Scrolls will be making their way with content patches. Onto the real review: This game is amazing. This game is immersive. This game feels and looks like time was put into this. It doesn't even feel like a theme park ride, it feels sandbox. If you are looking for a new MMO or game in general, you should give this a try.
  4. Jan 6, 2015
    8
    This is a great game - don't let the hype fool you. However - if you're expecting a game more like Skyrim give it a few months, once they fully implement the justice and champion systems the game will seem an awful lot more "Elder Scrollsy."

    I gave the game an 8 out of 10 because they still haven't quite managed to figure out how to promote more diversity in character builds. Yes you
    This is a great game - don't let the hype fool you. However - if you're expecting a game more like Skyrim give it a few months, once they fully implement the justice and champion systems the game will seem an awful lot more "Elder Scrollsy."

    I gave the game an 8 out of 10 because they still haven't quite managed to figure out how to promote more diversity in character builds. Yes you can level with just about any build/style you want, but for end game content you can feel pigeonholed into having to choose one meta-build. Hopefully the new Champion System resolves this when it is fully implemented.
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  5. Jan 5, 2015
    4
    This game was suposed to be the next big thing: It wasn't.

    I've been playing the game since early beta, Fan of TES franchise since Morrowind, I've sadly seen the decline and the dumbing down of the franchise, at first in Oblivion (which was still extremely enjoyable) and afterwards in Skyrim where the game was dumbed down enough to apeal to the console crowd and thus making millions and
    This game was suposed to be the next big thing: It wasn't.

    I've been playing the game since early beta, Fan of TES franchise since Morrowind, I've sadly seen the decline and the dumbing down of the franchise, at first in Oblivion (which was still extremely enjoyable) and afterwards in Skyrim where the game was dumbed down enough to apeal to the console crowd and thus making millions and putting to light a sad fact about nowadays gaming: The easier and dumber it gets, the more people will like it.

    The Elder Scrolls online takes the same path as Skyrim, taking it to a whole new level in the desperate attemmpt to make the franchise popular and as available to the maximum amount of players possible thus diminishing the quality of the game.

    The game itself is extremely easy to play. You can only use a maximum of 5 skills at the same time, cookie cutter builds are easy to obtain and easy to use (some people still manage to suck big time at the game though, don't worry). End game content was unexistant at launch and there are now 3 12 people raids as well as 1 4 people raid for end gamers to be "entertained". Any seasoned MMO player will have an extremely easy time playing this game and will also likely leave it quickly when he realizes that the game rewards never match the difficulty nor the effort put into the encounter.

    Zenimax Online Sutdios itself as a company is a joke. Don't get me wrong, the people working there are awesome and really feel pationnate about the game which is why I'm still playing it, but the people making the decisions must be complete **** with no sense of Public Relations and/or Custommer Relations, they keep making game changing/game breaking patches and have NEVER EVER made any gesture towards their player base in order to compensate them for all the changes they make and all the time that is lost by the players who worked towards goals that end up disapearing.

    After 8 months of running, the game is virtually rebooting, Zenimax is calling it Elder Scrolls 2.0. Imagine Final Fantasy XIV had kept milking their player base during 9 months instead of closing the game and relaunching and you'd have a better understanding of what is going on in the game. The players who where at end game where cheated by Zenimax to continue playing since the company claimed their advancement would be tracked and that the new system would reward the players accordingly so that they woudln't loose advancement, but it was a lie. The advancement was tracked but during the reboot, the company is simply planing to put all the players at the same level regardless of their advancement (and this is not the first time they do this). The worst part of it is that the implemented system actually helps players who haven't cleared late game content to advance faster than players who are at end game thus giving them an advantage over dedicated players.

    Despite all this, the new system actually looks good, it's just a shame that the company behind the game and the people making the decisions care so little about their PC players who are just beta testing the console release where they plan to make millions like they did with Skyrim. When you look at games with much bigger infrastructure issues like League Of Legends, there allways is a lot of rage towards the company when the game isn't working but Riot Games at least tries to make it up to it's players most of the time, ZOS isn't about that, they are about money.

    This game was suposed to be the next big thing, it might still be with the new update, I'm hoping it will since I'm still here, still paying, still believing in it, but the company behind it is probably one of the worst if not the worst in the MMOG industry...
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  6. Dec 29, 2014
    10
    Best MMORPG ever created. I understand some reviews at launch, however Elder Scrolls Online was never a bad game to begin with. It's launch was one of the smoothest ever, when you look at Warlords of Draenor and their struggles for 2 weeks, ESO launched in a perfect state. Also not to mention WoD is just a "small" expansion and not a full game like ESO.

    So what is there to be said that
    Best MMORPG ever created. I understand some reviews at launch, however Elder Scrolls Online was never a bad game to begin with. It's launch was one of the smoothest ever, when you look at Warlords of Draenor and their struggles for 2 weeks, ESO launched in a perfect state. Also not to mention WoD is just a "small" expansion and not a full game like ESO.

    So what is there to be said that you don't know yet?

    Graphics -> Best in the genre by a big stretch
    Story -> Tie with The Secret World
    Lore -> Best in the genre, Lotro following close, others far behind
    Combat -> Tie with Tera
    PvP -> Best in the genre, close behind DAoC, and then GW2, others far behind
    Crafting -> Best in the genre by a big stretch
    Immersion -> Best in the genre, nobody even close
    Exploration -> Best in the genre, nobody even close
    Dungeons -> Definitively looking the best, with inovative mechanics, and hard skill cap
    Raids -> Lacking at the moment, however the last trial is atm the hardest group content in the genre
    Costumer Support -> Best in the genre
    Community -> One of the best ever, TSW tops it though

    Overally the game is just by far the best MMORPG currently on the market. Be advised though, this game is not for children, it was clearly made for adults and mature people. Expect realism even though it's a fantasy world. There won't be flying unicorn, 10m chickens etc.

    If you just came out of kindergarten though, then I recommend WoW.
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  7. Dec 29, 2014
    4
    Elder Scrolls Online(ESO) represents one of the biggest disappointments of 2014 and one of the biggest wasted opportunities in gaming history. Take the expansive world of Tamriel combined with open ended game play that The Elder Scrolls usually affords and add in massively multiplayer so you can share the world with others, sounds like a winning combination yes? Prepare for utterElder Scrolls Online(ESO) represents one of the biggest disappointments of 2014 and one of the biggest wasted opportunities in gaming history. Take the expansive world of Tamriel combined with open ended game play that The Elder Scrolls usually affords and add in massively multiplayer so you can share the world with others, sounds like a winning combination yes? Prepare for utter disappointment.

    The game world is huge and at times beautiful and yet is let down by bog standard theme park mmo design. The game was in very bad shape at release and while many bugs have been squished since then, there are still MAJOR issues with lag, abilities, weapon swapping and general game performance. There are so many changes happening to the game at the moment that endgame is not worth playing and the games developers are so incompetent that any issues they fix several more are implemented. It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
    Current endgame players face losing several months worth of character progress as the developers scramble to change the poorly received veteran system and implement a new champion leveling system that looks to change very little of the games current imbalance and seemingly impenetrable wall of leveling.
    Zenimmax Online Studios will go down as being one of the most incompetent development studios with an extremely poor relationship with their playing customers.
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  8. Dec 22, 2014
    8
    I'm rating this game based on my CURRENT experience - not what I encountered at launch. Personally, I think the majority of the negative reviews are a result of several game-breaking bugs Zenimax (true to form) failed to patch for 6-8 months following launch.

    Onto my review.. Pros - Gorgeous graphics clearly engineered by people who knew what they were doing. My gameplay
    I'm rating this game based on my CURRENT experience - not what I encountered at launch. Personally, I think the majority of the negative reviews are a result of several game-breaking bugs Zenimax (true to form) failed to patch for 6-8 months following launch.

    Onto my review..

    Pros

    - Gorgeous graphics clearly engineered by people who knew what they were doing. My gameplay experience didn't suffer horribly playing on a lower end machine before I finally replaced my old clunker computer.

    - Vibrant music. Rich, immersive environment. ESO mixed the melodies from Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim producing a beautiful, nostalgic feel.

    - Despite the fact this is an MMO, the main story-line was surprisingly attention-grabbing. I found myself wanting to level faster simply so I could complete the next part in the series.

    - Unlike other MMOs, ESO broke away from repetitive gather & deliver quests while leveling. Many (not all) side quests are actually quite involved & I found myself completing them not for the xp or gear rewards but merely because they captured my interest.

    - Many dungeon fights while extremely difficult at times, are incredibly creative. I find it far more enjoyable to defeat a boss with tricky mechanics vs. the plain old tank & spank most MMOs fall prey to. A fine example is where mobs jump on a random player and hook him/her up to a mid-evil torture device. Better figure that one out fast. ;)

    - I really enjoyed being able to see the homelands of many neglected races. Not to mention the fact each race's homeland has unique architecture & stunning environment. The artists did not hold back and breathed life into lands we could only read and imagine throughout the Elder Scrolls series.

    Cons

    - Banking & bag clutter. This issue is exacerbated by the fact gear, pets, collectible toys, etc. are stored in your actual inventory. Trust me, it matters and takes away from gaming experience as you find yourself dealing with full bags mid-dungeon and creating pack mule alts.

    - No auction house. This is (obviously) tied into difficulties players experience with clutter. However, they do have trading guilds and some see this as a more enjoyable feature than a full auction house. Personally I prefer convenience, yet I can understand the logic behind not having to compete with an entire server when pricing items.

    - For lore nuts, it's a bit weird when you find a book that wasn't written until a few ages after ESO. This is barely a con but I know it bugs a few people.

    - The way dungeon quests are executed is absolutely abysmal and really takes away from my gameplay experience. Basically, whomever talks to the NPC first, acquires the quest (and by default others in the group do as well) and the event starts. However, let me point out that only one person actually speaks with the NPC before the NPC runs off and usually that is when combat initiates. Once the dungeon is completed, you don't have the opportunity to re-do the initial story quest. There are dailies and even several high level variations of each dungeon. However, as I said the story quest will no longer be accessible to you. It's.... a really stupid design and I hope they change this in the future.

    That concludes my review. Overall, I would definitely recommend this game. Before I finish this however, I'd like to address the countless 0-5 reviews as they are not without merit given the dates. When this game was first released it was so riddled with bugs certain factions couldn't even level - mine included. At level 25 I had to skip every dungeon/group quest for my faction & dozens of area quests. At this point, the only activity I could participate in was PvP as entire areas would bug out & when I tried preemptively completing the higher lvl areas I'd wind up one shot. Since I literally couldn't play, I canceled my sub for 6-8 months and returned when it was fully patched and was shocked (in a good way.)

    ESO was nowhere near ready for release when it launched. However, the game it is today is far smoother & very enjoyable. Nothing like before. I rarely experience bugs & even then they're usually so insignificant that I only notice when one of my OCD guildies points it out. Also, ESO has been regularly updating & releasing new material making me hopeful for its future. That said, this is an MMORPG. If you are looking for a full RPG style game, you probably won't enjoy this for long. Other than that exclusion criteria, if you're looking for a new MMO you can enjoy from level one through Veteran/Raid content, you hit the jackpot. :)
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  9. Dec 11, 2014
    0
    This game could have been so much more than what it is, even for an MMO. It's way overpriced for what it is, there's having a subscription to worry about paying after already buying a $70 game. Animations are horrible, immersion is terrible, and combat is terrible. All in all, very disappointing.
  10. Dec 10, 2014
    2
    Let's be honest, if you ever played a MMO you know that TESO can't pretend to be a MMO, it's a solo game wonderfully made, the graphics are awesome, the story sounds and look cool, but IT'S NOT A MMO !!! I played it with 4 friends and we all abandon it because we like to play MMO TOGETHER not each one in his own story without being able to help each other, this game sucks sooooo much whenLet's be honest, if you ever played a MMO you know that TESO can't pretend to be a MMO, it's a solo game wonderfully made, the graphics are awesome, the story sounds and look cool, but IT'S NOT A MMO !!! I played it with 4 friends and we all abandon it because we like to play MMO TOGETHER not each one in his own story without being able to help each other, this game sucks sooooo much when it came to play as a group it's insane !! If you loved Skyrim you will love TESO but if you want to play a game with friends to do a cooperative play, forget this game, go play SWtOR, Rift or GW2 ... even WoW is a better game than this solo game trying to pretend it's a MMO. I tried it for 4 month and then we all cancelled our subscription, me and my 4 friends are now playing a real MMO, good luck TESO. Expand
  11. Dec 5, 2014
    3
    The 3 different factions you can choose from all have different backgrounds but the same repetitive missions. Though some blame the TES "fanboys" for the negative reviews, this game has an unbelievable amount of similarities and references to Skyrim where it fails as a predecessor. I did not like this game at all, the only "plus" to this game is the massive high quality environment andThe 3 different factions you can choose from all have different backgrounds but the same repetitive missions. Though some blame the TES "fanboys" for the negative reviews, this game has an unbelievable amount of similarities and references to Skyrim where it fails as a predecessor. I did not like this game at all, the only "plus" to this game is the massive high quality environment and splendid soundtracks. Expand
  12. Dec 4, 2014
    8
    One of the few handfuls of MMOs out there that don't rely on "loot" as the primary incentive to keep playing (as opposed to good storytelling or fun gameplay). Gorgeous graphic, sound, and music; voice acting is great too.
  13. Dec 4, 2014
    3
    The best word for this game is "Average." Aside from graphics which are decent but not top notch everything else is just anti-climatic. To a run of the mill WoW player this game is probably good... but to a Skyrim or Oblivion player it is simply awful.
  14. Dec 1, 2014
    10
    Felt I needed to come to the defense of this game. This is a fantastic game, unique to the genre and true to the mythos behind it. I've been a player of the Elder Scrolls series since Elder Scrolls 3, Morrowind. Although aware of the previous titles, they were before my time (or rather I was wrapped up in Ultima Underworld 2). What I'm trying to say is that this game holds true to allFelt I needed to come to the defense of this game. This is a fantastic game, unique to the genre and true to the mythos behind it. I've been a player of the Elder Scrolls series since Elder Scrolls 3, Morrowind. Although aware of the previous titles, they were before my time (or rather I was wrapped up in Ultima Underworld 2). What I'm trying to say is that this game holds true to all of the mythology behind the Elder Scrolls series and even builds on it.
    Now its not a perfect game: My experience with it is that its an incredible game, gorgeous and organic and true to the world, but its unforgiving if you don’t have a mission-plan for your character. There is no way to change your appearance and no ‘respec’ for your character. The skill path you choose is set in stone unless you suddenly win the Tamriel lottery, so if a skill path doesn’t work for you better delete and re-roll. To ‘respec’ you have to buy point by point at a rededication shrine, which can add up very quickly.
    The thing that truly makes this a unique MMO experience is that although there are four unique classes, the rolls of those classes are not set in stone. You can play as a tank Sorceror, or a DPS Dragon knight/Templar. You can essentially wield any form of armor and any weapon of your choosing as any class. Right now I’m playing a pure cut and dry sorcerer, cloth wearing and ‘lightning spec’. At the peak of my power I’m turning into lightning and using dark-jedi style lightning attacks against mobs of enemies.
    Now what truly impressed me about this game is the organic nature in which the animations coincide with one another. Unlike skyrim, you never feel like you’re ‘slicing’ through an enemy. The animations mesh together in such a way that there are times you feel as if your character is engage in actual combat situations. Too many MMO’s have the silly ‘slash and hit till they’re dead’ animation, this game requires actual skill. Power attacks require blocks, you have to time your attacks just right to manage hits, and you can get stunned if you power attack into a block. This is honestly something I haven’t seen since Phantasy Star Online 1. You certainly can’t button mash to get your way, and its is certainly more intelligent than WoW.
    Drawbacks:
    Clunky interface that is at times difficult to maneuver
    Needs work on enemy targeting
    ‘open ended’ but ‘unforgiving’ in difficulty (just like its predecessor titles)
    Difficulty grouping with slow and clunky group finders and dungeon finders. Like all MMO’s that try to herd you into having to group, this MMO becomes frustrating when the enemy difficult randomly shoots above to what you can easily handle. I like questing by myself, so there are times this game becomes frustrating and unplayable.
    Plusses:
    Beautiful well rendered open ended organic world
    Open ended classes that aren’t Pidgeon holed into designated roles
    Solid story with excellent voice acting with voices like Malcolm Mcdowell, Kate Beckinsale, Bill Nighy, Lynda Carter and Michael Gambon ( Dumbledore in Harry Potter)
    Amazing crafting system for those who enjoy crafting
    Phenomenal PVP with an end result of being nothing short of the Emperor of Tamriel ( if you can hold on to the title long enough…)
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  15. Dec 1, 2014
    0
    Every part of this game is broken and some are even worst from Arena like for example Inventory which here don't exist at all. Not mention about core of game statistics which was redesigned into dumbest possible health magic stamina. Is this still Elder Scrolls anyway? If you change rules of chess game then it become checkers, and this is what Skyrim is.
  16. Nov 30, 2014
    10
    It's so sad that Skyrim fanboys have dragged this game through the mud! It's a wonderful mmorpg! It's NOT Skyrim online! To be fair there was a lot of hatered surrounding the game since it was announced by people who thought it should never be made. Well if you can wrap your head around the fact that this is an MMORPG and not a single player TES game there is no reason to not like it.It's so sad that Skyrim fanboys have dragged this game through the mud! It's a wonderful mmorpg! It's NOT Skyrim online! To be fair there was a lot of hatered surrounding the game since it was announced by people who thought it should never be made. Well if you can wrap your head around the fact that this is an MMORPG and not a single player TES game there is no reason to not like it.

    It breaks away from traditional WoW garbage like stareing at cooldowns and DPS charts. It's more about action than waiting for some scripted raid boss to pop it's ability. It offers the freedom of exploration in a gorgeous world with deep lore and a great storyline. Amazing PvP and crafting. This is a great mmorpg so ignore the haters!
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  17. Nov 29, 2014
    6
    Elder scrolls online can be pretty fun at times but it always has its sights on your wallet. The game forces you to spend $60 AND a monthly subscription, (that's already more money needing to be used than WOW) and you have to grind like crazy to get goods with in-game currency instead of paying. This game could have been SO much more tolerable had it been F2P or a one time payment. In thisElder scrolls online can be pretty fun at times but it always has its sights on your wallet. The game forces you to spend $60 AND a monthly subscription, (that's already more money needing to be used than WOW) and you have to grind like crazy to get goods with in-game currency instead of paying. This game could have been SO much more tolerable had it been F2P or a one time payment. In this day and age monthly subscriptions are an unwelcome form of payment. For elder scrolls fans stick to skyrim or pray that the cost to enter this game goes down. Expand
  18. Nov 28, 2014
    2
    I'm a die hard Elder Scrolls fan (from 1995 ARENA their first game) and World of Warcraft. My friends and I used to daydream about how awesome Elder Scrolls online 'would be'. I'm sorry to say the game designers and animators are the most to blame for such an embarrassing boring failure of a game. My Dad, friends tried to play, couldn't see each other half the time and just quit afterI'm a die hard Elder Scrolls fan (from 1995 ARENA their first game) and World of Warcraft. My friends and I used to daydream about how awesome Elder Scrolls online 'would be'. I'm sorry to say the game designers and animators are the most to blame for such an embarrassing boring failure of a game. My Dad, friends tried to play, couldn't see each other half the time and just quit after one week. Foremost, the quests are boring, dry and do not let you interact with friends at all time. Second, the animation is the next crime, every creature and character moves like a 'Borg Drone' with no life, stiff lifeless animation. Like corpses with no personality that kind of move. When you interact with NPCS, it reminds you of visiting a teller at a bank. The Art Director and leadership of this game dropped the ball hard, being 'blinded' by the beautiful environments and thinking that would carry the game. No, No that does not. There are also not enough classes, and all classes can 'self heal' and do not even need the help of your team mates. There are no roles that make you feel vital in a team (healer tank ranged dps etc). They also removed the tried and true SUCCESSFUL classes from their first two games (Arena / Daggerfall) in favor of a watered down 'dog mutt' system of character class. A true, sad disappointment to fans like myself who were 'crazed fans' since 1995. Expand
  19. Nov 26, 2014
    10
    Best MMO I have played in a long time. well worth the money, after six months of playing, I still find myself playing this game for hours on end after a days work. This game might be the game the internet loves to hate, but it is so much fun.
  20. Nov 26, 2014
    4
    A huge disappointment. DO NOT believe any of the positive 10/10 reviews, they are complete bs. You could judge this game as either an ES game, an MMO or even both, but regardless of what you decide this game is, the fact is that it is very poor.

    Like most devoted ES fans, I was very excited about this game, but unfortunately, we haven't been given an ES game, only another poor generic
    A huge disappointment. DO NOT believe any of the positive 10/10 reviews, they are complete bs. You could judge this game as either an ES game, an MMO or even both, but regardless of what you decide this game is, the fact is that it is very poor.

    Like most devoted ES fans, I was very excited about this game, but unfortunately, we haven't been given an ES game, only another poor generic WoW clone set in Tamriel.

    Good - Graphics are decent, the increased scale makes cities feel more like actual cities than ES games like Skyrim etc. Character creation is decent and the concept of crafting is good; the idea of crafting multiple sets of the same level gear but differing in appearance depending on faction style really should have been in every scrolls game.

    Bad - as with all MMO's, the role playing element is extremely diluted to the point that it doesn't feel like an RPG at all. The map is unremarkable and generic; ES fans should be loving the fact of seeing mainland Morrowind for the first time but it has nowhere near the impact of the offline scrolls games areas like Skyrim or Oblivion, its just meh. The combat sucks.

    Verdict - Once again an MMO developer has been too afraid to create a unique game and has tried to copy much of WoW in order to steal some of their fan base. What they should have done was appeal to ES fans instead and give us another great scrolls game instead of this mess. 4/10 at best.
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  21. Nov 21, 2014
    4
    Update. Can't explain it much, tired of using the same old skills day after day after day. Tired of no real market except in guilds. Really? You could not add a market in fighters guild, mages guild etc. You put in the guilds hands?. Needless to say my score is now a 4. You will play for a month and then it becomes quite dull.

    Apr 10, 2014 9 The Elder Scrolls Online Image
    Update. Can't explain it much, tired of using the same old skills day after day after day. Tired of no real market except in guilds. Really? You could not add a market in fighters guild, mages guild etc. You put in the guilds hands?. Needless to say my score is now a 4. You will play for a month and then it becomes quite dull.

    Apr 10, 2014
    9
    The Elder Scrolls Online Image
    Excellent game. At first I wasn't interested it seemed it was going to be boring. However once you start to learn all the mechanics it becomes quite fun. I love saving a "town" to have it become a thriving community.
    Crafting takes a bit, but is not tedious. The only reason I am giving them a nine, is because I have contacted support numerous times and my issue has not been resolved. The game itself is great, but I can see support might kill it
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  22. Nov 17, 2014
    9
    ESO has set the benchmark for MMO graphics, they are GORGEOUS. I'm played every MMO out there since EQ in 99, some for only a few hours because they were so bad, some for years. Elder scrolls just blew me away with their innovative graphics. Bethesda is by far the best game company there is. Well worth the cost of the software and the monthly subscription. As a matter of fact I preferESO has set the benchmark for MMO graphics, they are GORGEOUS. I'm played every MMO out there since EQ in 99, some for only a few hours because they were so bad, some for years. Elder scrolls just blew me away with their innovative graphics. Bethesda is by far the best game company there is. Well worth the cost of the software and the monthly subscription. As a matter of fact I prefer the sub games so you don't have to deal with so many DB's Expand
  23. Nov 16, 2014
    1
    I was really excited for this game, I have Skyrim and I even pre-ordered the Elder Scrolls online. I expected it to be good, since it was $60 but i got so much lag i was barely able to get to the log in screen, not to mention you have to pay $12 per month and an extra $20 to play as an imperial. When I created my character it was laggy and i wasn't even able to complete the tutorial. TheI was really excited for this game, I have Skyrim and I even pre-ordered the Elder Scrolls online. I expected it to be good, since it was $60 but i got so much lag i was barely able to get to the log in screen, not to mention you have to pay $12 per month and an extra $20 to play as an imperial. When I created my character it was laggy and i wasn't even able to complete the tutorial. The servers are too big and all the people takes away from the experience, not to mention the lag. The loading screen is slower than Skyrims and I'll be sitting here for 10-15 minutes just waiting for the character selection to load. In my opinion the Elder Scrolls online would be better if there was an option to play solo without so many players and if you didn't need to pay every month. It might be better if you don't need a subscription. My review might not be accurate since i haven't been able to get anywhere in the story because its constantly freezing and crashing. The only impressive thing is the character selection, because with the selection you won't see other users with the same appearance. It's not worth spending so much money to play, just go with Skyrim Expand
  24. Nov 11, 2014
    5
    I give this game a 5 because of the fact that this is one of the most disgusting example of a MMO, but i enjoyed the game.
    You have to pay on release day a good $60 with also monthly subscriptions. When i started the game, you received a moment for choosing your class. You get the choice of 4 classes, while one of them is already locked if you pay another 15 to 20 dollars for unlockable
    I give this game a 5 because of the fact that this is one of the most disgusting example of a MMO, but i enjoyed the game.
    You have to pay on release day a good $60 with also monthly subscriptions. When i started the game, you received a moment for choosing your class. You get the choice of 4 classes, while one of them is already locked if you pay another 15 to 20 dollars for unlockable content. This game is more a walking simulator than an action rpg game. The looting system shows us that you better pay another 20 dollars because the old feeling of hours of work is not that important anymore.
    Is this how you treat a franchise like TESC? There are a lot of other franchises who have been destroyed because of the same thing Bethesda tried to.
    If you love this franchise, go and buy it. But for people who just love MMOs, think twice before you go to a store.
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  25. Nov 9, 2014
    0
    I got the same feeling from this game as I did from Halo 3 to Halo 4. Different designer of a classic, amazing series took everything that was good about the Elder Scrolls name, removed it, stole generic MMO play style from other popular MMOs and then duct-taped it back together. At least in this case I can hope to god Bethesda doesn't think that this game was a success by any means. ToI got the same feeling from this game as I did from Halo 3 to Halo 4. Different designer of a classic, amazing series took everything that was good about the Elder Scrolls name, removed it, stole generic MMO play style from other popular MMOs and then duct-taped it back together. At least in this case I can hope to god Bethesda doesn't think that this game was a success by any means. To me personally, as soon as I heard that there was an extra fee to play imperials I knew this game was a money grab, I'm sure I wasn't the only one. I historically played WoW almost since its release. I don't play it anymore because I simply can't justify the monthly cost for content that continues to dumb down the originality of the game to "appease the masses" as in, "we have to market this so that anyone from ages 8-18 will want to play it." This is just yet another title that loses it's connection to its name, and disappoints anyone who wanted a fresh game concept. Very few games are hard anymore, this one is just pathetic. Not that anyone reads these but If someone made an MMO with similar objectives as WoW, BUT and this is a big BUT, completely re-engineered the combat system to be almost a copy of the way chivalry is (if anyone has played that) that someone would become a billionaire over night. I was hoping this game would take a crack at that but it severely missed its potential, all to make quick money. I read a 10 on here that bashed everyone calling this game garbage. Their reasoning was that all of us giving this game terrible reviews is a ploy to keep people playing WoW. Well, as I just said and I'm sure i'm not the only one. I no longer play WoW, and I haven't in years. Explain to me my secret plan to keep people playing WoW? Anyway Don't buy this piece of garbage. It literally took everything and I mean EVERYTHING that makes Elder Scrolls a fantastic series and removed it. The only MMO in my opinion that's worth its cost is EVE. I personally just don't have the time to learn it and I'm not so much into the space scene. But If I was I would recommend it much sooner than this. I would rather play runescape, or neverwinter, or LOTR, or .....I think you get my point. This game doesn't offer anything new or unique, just recycled **** that nobody wants. Expand
  26. Nov 9, 2014
    10
    This game is really really good. I'm so glad I purchased it and didn't listen to all the bad hype. Having played wow since vanilla and gw2 since launch this game truly blows away my expectations of a mmorpg . YES THIS IS A MMORPG. It's got some really nice similarities to skyrim but in a mmorpg style. I find the graphics amazing, the questing the best ever. The crafting system isThis game is really really good. I'm so glad I purchased it and didn't listen to all the bad hype. Having played wow since vanilla and gw2 since launch this game truly blows away my expectations of a mmorpg . YES THIS IS A MMORPG. It's got some really nice similarities to skyrim but in a mmorpg style. I find the graphics amazing, the questing the best ever. The crafting system is the best I've seen. Don't listen to the bad hype if you played mmorpgs this is one not to pass up. I'm so glad I didn't. I actually bought it for the pvp content because that is all I do, but this game has brought a nice reminder of how questing used to be enjoyable. Exploration was so fun in wow when I first played it and unlike gw2 this game has brought that spark I've been looking for. Don't get me wrong gw2 is a terrific game but non comparable to eso in anyway. Expand
  27. Nov 8, 2014
    10
    One of my favourite games! I have always played elder scroll games since Morrowind. ESO offers frequently new content. I like both PVP & PVE. Interesting quests.
  28. Nov 8, 2014
    2
    Bugs and bots. That sums up this game. So many issues and broken quests, so many bots running around the world. Solid music and graphics but bad programming and implementation.
  29. Nov 7, 2014
    8
    The Elder Scrolls: Online was a game that everyone thought would be awesome in theory, but in reality turned out far different than most people hoped for/expected. If you come into the Elder Scrolls: Online expecting an Elder Scrolls game ala Skyrim or Oblivion, you are going to hate it. Come into it expecting what it really is, however, and it's a well put together game with ambition andThe Elder Scrolls: Online was a game that everyone thought would be awesome in theory, but in reality turned out far different than most people hoped for/expected. If you come into the Elder Scrolls: Online expecting an Elder Scrolls game ala Skyrim or Oblivion, you are going to hate it. Come into it expecting what it really is, however, and it's a well put together game with ambition and a few missteps. The Elder Scrolls: Online is an attempt at catering to both Solo and MMO fans, as much of the early game can be completed without the aid of another, even if it makes the experience more fun. It does this well, until the more poorly balanced VR content (which they're actually removing so this point will soon be moot.) With each major update (so far 5,) there have been huge changes and additions to the game. It's hardly the same formula it was back in beta. ZOS obviously cares about their game, and there has been a huge amount of care and detail put into the world itself. Sure, there are some annoying quest bugs and errors that can ruin some things. But if you expect a game of this scale to be bug free, you really don't understand how MMOs work.

    All in all, I very much enjoy The Elder Scrolls: Online far more than any MMO I have ever dabbled in. Wildstar, FFXIV, GW2, TERA. They had strong points, but ESO caters to what I'm looking for in an MMO. It's not for everyone; nothing is. But I really think the general negativity some have for this game is very unwarranted and strange. I really hope they add some sort of a trial so that newcomers can give the game a whirl. It's very different than it was during Beta, but the price tag might stave off potential subbers.

    It's not perfect. But I can't think of an MMO that is.
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  30. Nov 7, 2014
    3
    Great visuals, great score, and it's fantastic to be able to play in the various areas of Tamriel... I just wish it wasn't released unfinished, buggy, unbalanced, and essentially still a beta game. Every update fixes some seriously broken mechanics and usually seriously breaks a bunch of others. Paying $15/month for a game that doesn't remotely feel complete is an insult.

    I never
    Great visuals, great score, and it's fantastic to be able to play in the various areas of Tamriel... I just wish it wasn't released unfinished, buggy, unbalanced, and essentially still a beta game. Every update fixes some seriously broken mechanics and usually seriously breaks a bunch of others. Paying $15/month for a game that doesn't remotely feel complete is an insult.

    I never thought I'd say this, but: unless this becomes F2P, I won't be playing it again.
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Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 64 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 64
  2. 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. Jun 16, 2014
    50
    60 days was more then enough time for me to determine that I would rather spend my time elsewhere.