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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. andicniko
    Apr 15, 2014
    0
    It's in the bin after a week. For those who say this is in the spirit of the series I don't want to live on the same planet as you. If you want to compare it with Morrowind Oblivion or Skyrim then ESO has... Awful graphics, lazy animation, ugly low quality objects and buildings, the combat is just s$%t and has no feeling of connecting blows at all, it just feels like clicking furiouslyIt's in the bin after a week. For those who say this is in the spirit of the series I don't want to live on the same planet as you. If you want to compare it with Morrowind Oblivion or Skyrim then ESO has... Awful graphics, lazy animation, ugly low quality objects and buildings, the combat is just s$%t and has no feeling of connecting blows at all, it just feels like clicking furiously until they're dead - dialogue being a minor inconvenience between clicks as opposed to something interesting.

    In its defence the voice acting is good in parts. That's about it for me.

    Honestly, it might not even be a bad MMO. But it seems to me it is only called Elder Scrolls to cash in on the goodwill attached to it, and it contributes NOTHING good back to it's name. This is shameful game development in the same vein as a flappy bird clone. This is a scar in the Elder Scroll series that is best forgotten.

    (It really doesn't make a difference that was not developed by the same people - then don't call it Elser Scrolls. It still doesn't live up to its name in any way shape or for, and is just bad overall)    … Expand
  2. cripplerca
    Apr 15, 2014
    1
    This game has amazing graphics but its not a game for everyone its more suited for an experienced MMO player. This is a good game however I will not be continuing after the 1st 30 days not because its a bad game just not a game for me I get bored with the questing wish they had a dungeon system like most MMO's do. Happy I tried it but not a game for me
  3. F4KT0R
    Apr 15, 2014
    5
    Wir unterstützen weltweit mehrere Methoden. Spieler müssen The Elder Scrolls Online kaufen um es zu spielen. Für die ersten 30 Tagen nach Spielaktivierung werden sie "unbegrenzten Zugriff" haben und danach mit einem Abonnement von €12,99 pro Monat ($14,99 / £8,99) weiterspielen können

    unbegrenzten Zugriff Haha ich muss gleich weinen vor lachen...
  4. bluesnacks
    Apr 15, 2014
    8
    I'm saddened by these reviews, as many of the negative reviews are for silly reasons. "Bugs?" Come on guys. Give me an MMO that didn't have these at launch. By the way, they're fixing a ton of those bugs mentioned below me with a patch coming out today.

    "PvE is unbalanced." Really? That doesn't make sense. It's been out for a week, I'm surprised you've already made it to veteran level    I'm saddened by these reviews, as many of the negative reviews are for silly reasons. "Bugs?" Come on guys. Give me an MMO that didn't have these at launch. By the way, they're fixing a ton of those bugs mentioned below me with a patch coming out today.

    "PvE is unbalanced." Really? That doesn't make sense. It's been out for a week, I'm surprised you've already made it to veteran level and tested. Oh, wait.

    In all seriousness, it's a great game. If you enjoyed Elder Scrolls, and are an Elder Scrolls fanatic, maybe it's not for you. If you're looking for an awesome game to play though, this is it. It has engaging stories, fun combat and a myriad of things to do. Crafting is amazing; and this is coming from someone that has historically *hated* crafting. I was apathetic playing the betas, almost disappointed, but the game really has blown me away so far, and it doesn't deserve people down voting it because of bugs.

    As of this writing, 8 out of 10, things could be better, but it's still damn good.    … Expand
  5. Osutin24
    Apr 15, 2014
    10
    I've played since beta and this game is like none other that I've seen before it. I've played Wow, SWTOR, LOTR online, GuildWars 2 and other MMO's and this one is like no other. A friendly reminder though, this game is not like it's predecessor in that it's an MMO, not a single player game. The game play is fun and I find myself enjoying the casual questing and foraging. The PvE is reallyI've played since beta and this game is like none other that I've seen before it. I've played Wow, SWTOR, LOTR online, GuildWars 2 and other MMO's and this one is like no other. A friendly reminder though, this game is not like it's predecessor in that it's an MMO, not a single player game. The game play is fun and I find myself enjoying the casual questing and foraging. The PvE is really cool and and offers allot more than what I actually thought it would when I had just heard of the game. I'd give this game a higher score, but with the amount of bugs to be fixed are quite staggering and a few balancing issues should be noted. All that aside I don't mind paying 15.00$ a month for this MMO because I know it's going towards fixing those bugs and balancing.… Expand
  6. Timp2700
    Apr 15, 2014
    7
    My initial look into TESO was guarded but anxious to say the least. I've played tons of MMO's ranging from Ultima, WoW, Tera, and SWTOR. I've long been waiting it's release, being a big fan of the Franchise and the developers as well. What I saw was a game that sought to separate itself from other MMO's in very unique ways. The crafting system for instance can be very time consuming and inMy initial look into TESO was guarded but anxious to say the least. I've played tons of MMO's ranging from Ultima, WoW, Tera, and SWTOR. I've long been waiting it's release, being a big fan of the Franchise and the developers as well. What I saw was a game that sought to separate itself from other MMO's in very unique ways. The crafting system for instance can be very time consuming and in depth... and all-together it offers an entirely new facet to play. You could spend (if you wanted) an entire day trying to hunt down resources to create the perfect potion, or the right runes to create a glyph for your chest piece. Another appealing feature is the stability of the player economy. Whereas many games have resorted to the Free to Play method (with pay to win being a large factor in many of the aforementioned equations), TESO sticks to subscription. Unfortunate, but when you realize what they've done in terms of limiting players ability to rapidly acquire resources through paying to win... It seems well worth it. There is no public auction house, and returns from crafting and selling to vendors are minimal at best (so minimal at times that it's truly frustrating and seemingly unfair). The purchasing end is just the opposite, usually resulting in a very empty gold purse. This system encourages players to seek the selling and buying wares from one another as oppose to getting them from vendors.

    These systems are how they separate themselves and try to stay true to a dedicated and undiluted play experience, which has my deepest admirations in it's practice. Now, as far as playing the game is concerned... this is where you experience the most setbacks. I really enjoy playing the game, it's awesome and some might refer to the combat system as "Clunky". Instead of the traditional "spam tab" to switch between targets, they resorted to a free aim combat system like TERA's. So in other words, dodging and finding your target is left up to your eye hand coordination. While it isn't as polished, it's still just like Skyrim in the sense that your moves will go where you point them. If you can't handle the prospect of free aiming your fireballs and arrows at targets, don't play this game. The game is still in it's birthing stages, barely above release... so of course it's going to need dedicated user feedback and ideas to make it that much better.

    Now, the most important part, and my second biggest gripe.... the bugs. I was willing to let most of the first ones I encountered over my first few days of play slide. After more days of play however, I encountered more bugs... and more bugs. It reminded me of the console release of Skyrim all over again. Once I got above level 15 and to the second area is when they really started becoming frequent. So much so that I grudgingly started submitting user feed back, switching my attitude from constructive to very frustrated, to seething. After encountering bug after bug, and seeing others experience the same in zone chat, I started to wonder if they even really tested the quest lines let alone the areas themselves.

    This of course leads to my biggest gripe. Downtime. A game that offers a entirely new MMO experience is one that I will gladly attach myself to for hours a day. Especially on my days off. As any seasoned MMO player is aware, most MMO's have scheduled downtime. TESO doesn't. They drop the servers whenever they feel like and it can be anywhere from two hours to six hours. Unless you regularly check the forums for spontaneously scheduled maintenance, there's no telling when you might be met with the dreadful "The EU and NA Megaservers are currently down" message. My days off vary widely, never being set from week to week. Yet, as long as I've played this game, they've managed to do maintenance on every single one. So when I wake up, looking forward to the progress I'll make on my character, I'm brought to a grinding halt by the announcement that I can't play as intended. This has happened on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday so far. I'm sure that if I have an off day on Wednesday next week, it will be then too.

    I really would like to rate this game higher, but the gripes I presented hinder the gameplay so much I can't bring myself to do so. It's long past time developers stop peddling their wares when they haven't been properly tested and even finished. When I go to a car dealership, I don't expect to buy a new car without windows and airbags with the promise of their installation in the following weeks. Why should this be any different.

    If you can look past it's faults however, and ignore the bugs and downtime... this MMO is a goldmine of potential. They just need to dig a little deeper, and stop being so reckless with the excavation.    … Expand
  7. KillAllHumans
    Apr 15, 2014
    9
    From the start I was one of the haters of the entire concept of ESO. I just didn't think ES was meant for such a standard take on the MMO genre. I was glad to be proven wrong in most ways.

    The game is massive. In a few of the more recent MMO launches. I've often found myself greatly disappointed with map sizes in general. Zones often feeling like small bottle-necked canyons that lead    From the start I was one of the haters of the entire concept of ESO. I just didn't think ES was meant for such a standard take on the MMO genre. I was glad to be proven wrong in most ways.

    The game is massive. In a few of the more recent MMO launches. I've often found myself greatly disappointed with map sizes in general. Zones often feeling like small bottle-necked canyons that lead from point A to point B. That feeling is nowhere to be found. I'm still stunned at the size of the zones. Glenumbra for example a Daggerfall zone. Honestly feels like it could engulf almost the entirety of The World of Warcraft zone Northrend within its borders.

    The game is beyond gorgeous. Without a doubt the best looking MMO I've played to date. The environments are lush, the lighting is truly amazing. For matter of fact. The lighting is the single best thing about the look of the game. They've done such a good job with it. The contrast from Day to Night is noticeable. A good example of the lighting would be. Take one of the many Skyrim lighting mods with "Fantasy settings" mixed with highly saturated colors. This makes for some amazing sun rise vistas while exploring the world.

    The character models is where Zenimax really strays from typical Elderscrolls. Mainly they are appealing looking out of the box and not with having to add an array of body and texture mods to make your elves not ugly. Unless you're one of the many die hards that want their Elves ugly and their women manly. You will not be disappointed with this. With that said. I still want a few more options. Mainly with the face models. I would like to see some more preset options. I'm not really one to take and create the perfect face for my character. I usually like cycling through presets until I find one I like, then tweak that model slightly.

    The combat is a mixed bag for me. I feel like the amount of abilities is simply just not enough to really mix and match and come up with crazy builds. You have 1-5 and Q and R. Q being quickslot which can only have potions and other on use items. I would like to see the option to throw a spell in this slot. R is for your ultimate ability. 1-5 To me is really confining. I've been finding it very hard to create a build I truly enjoy. Weapon Swap helps a little bit with this but it's still not enough. Having 1-5 abilities is just not enough. I'm not a fan of having 26+ keybinds and it still not being enough. I feel like 10-12 Keybinds would be more ideal and I really hope they revisit the model they've developed in future expansions. MMO's are dynamic by nature after all. Otherwise the left and right click combat mechanics of swinging a sword, staff, using a bow, etc and blocking with right click. Works pretty well and is more fluid than I could've hoped for.

    The questing holds mostly true to the Elderscrolls style. I prefer to do the questing content solo. That way I can move at my own pace and enjoy the stories and getting the quest rewards at my own pace. Some things I don't like. I don't like how when I'm on this epic quest and I see 20 other people in the some dungeon, doing the same quest. I feel like this content should've been tuned towards single player and party content. The feeling of ES would've been much more intact. What I mean by that is. The questing dungeons should not all be public. It's just kinda strange. There are a ton of public dungeons that have a boss at the end that people can farm for loot and sometimes these will have a quest in them as well. Thats fine, but when I'm on a quest. I don't want to see everyone and their brother that is on the same quest in the same dungeon. It's really distracting.

    I haven't really got to try out the pvp much at all. So I don't have a lot of input on that. From what I've heard though, people seem to really enjoy it.

    ESO seems to have taken concepts from a few key games and mixed them all really well together.
    Games like Warhammer, Rift, Age of Conan and SWTOR. They have taken concepts from these games and wove them strongly into the fabric that makes ESO as a whole. This is where ESO really shines. The experience as a whole package. Which is something rare of some of the last MMO's I've experienced. I have that classic WoW feeling. That feeling when I know I'm taking part in a truly special game. The one thing people need to understand is, don't expect ESO to be like Skyrim, Something people often forgot about Elderscrolls games is. They each play a little differently and that's whats important to remember. ESO is simply an MMO take on the universe of ES. If you don't like MMO's already. You probably will not like ESO. If you like MMO's don't miss ESO.    … Expand
  8. drwebs
    Apr 15, 2014
    1
    The zones are just one big sameness. The quests are cleverly disguised fetch and kill quests. It is a good game, it wont "fail" like many have said it will. However, it is not the best of the best in the elder scrolls series. Let's not pretend it is something it is not.

    Longevity? Why does it feel like a fishbowl? The map surround us with mountains instead of invisible wall. How come    The zones are just one big sameness. The quests are cleverly disguised fetch and kill quests. It is a good game, it wont "fail" like many have said it will. However, it is not the best of the best in the elder scrolls series. Let's not pretend it is something it is not.

    Longevity? Why does it feel like a fishbowl? The map surround us with mountains instead of invisible wall.
    How come we are all "the chosen one"?

    Boss camping, Bite selling, Content blocking until X level.

    Bank/Bag space? I hope that wont be in the cash shop.

    And we all know the cash shop is not going to sit idle for long. The cash shop says: I am ready to move to free to play at a moments notice. XP potions, Gold Potions, skins, buy a level 50, mounts etc.    … Expand
  9. blackbird1
    Apr 15, 2014
    0
    5 Slots are way to less for one bar.
    Bots everywhere
    The game gets made easier and easier with every patch
    if you are not a complete casual player stay away from this.
    It looks nice and the story quests are not bad.... but its not an mmo!
  10. DigitalOz
    Apr 15, 2014
    10
    I played the 4 beta weekends and have played now for a couple of weeks. I have played Elder Scrolls games since Daggerfall and I love the Elder Scrolls world. I am an adult with a job and family, so I can only play for a few hours a week. So far, I think the game is outstanding. By far the best graphics in any MMO to date. I have long been waiting for a graphics refresh in the MMORPGI played the 4 beta weekends and have played now for a couple of weeks. I have played Elder Scrolls games since Daggerfall and I love the Elder Scrolls world. I am an adult with a job and family, so I can only play for a few hours a week. So far, I think the game is outstanding. By far the best graphics in any MMO to date. I have long been waiting for a graphics refresh in the MMORPG world. It has been needing it for a long time. I also like that the graphics are realistic style instead of cartoon oriented. There is voice acting throughout most quests. The game improves on the MMO formula in several ways, but two notable ones for me are: first, combat is no longer just a 'turn on combat mode and mash spell/activity buttons' affair. You can actually dodge, block and stun opponents, so combat requires more thinking and action during the combat and it becomes more interesting as a result. Second, they have done a great job moving away from pure grind for leveling. So far, I have never been without quests to complete and quests reward handsomely so that leveling results more from quest completion than just monster killing. Quests so far have included the usual kill quests and delivery/messenger quests, but also there have been a number of puzzle quests. I have enjoyed the variety of quests. Overall I am having a lot of fun and enjoying the breathtaking graphics.… Expand
  11. auntumleaf
    Apr 15, 2014
    10
    The questing is intriguing and fun. The game developers put a work into it. Very enjoyable playing in the game world. Alliance vs alliance battle is a lot of fun.

    Zenimax stick to their vision of the game but still listen to the playing community to make good improvements. Some bugs are to be expected in the first couple months of a new MMO launch. They have been moving very quick    The questing is intriguing and fun. The game developers put a work into it. Very enjoyable playing in the game world. Alliance vs alliance battle is a lot of fun.

    Zenimax stick to their vision of the game but still listen to the playing community to make good improvements. Some bugs are to be expected in the first couple months of a new MMO launch. They have been moving very quick to address the issues.

    For those who hating on the subscription model, you do know in life you get what you are paying for. This game is worth it.    … Expand
  12. viewtiful1337
    Apr 15, 2014
    0
    TEOS is a huge Game,
    it takes you to cities and places you've already visited in morrowind/oblivion and Skyrim and beyond.
    Tamriel is splitted in 3 different factions that wages a huge war in cyrodil (pvp) and there are lots of dungeons and quest you can discover. and it has the most varied questing I#ve experienced in years- But it is a singleplayer game, you can do everything on    TEOS is a huge Game,
    it takes you to cities and places you've already visited in morrowind/oblivion and Skyrim and beyond.
    Tamriel is splitted in 3 different factions that wages a huge war in cyrodil (pvp) and there are lots of dungeons and quest you can discover. and it has the most varied questing I#ve experienced in years-

    But it is a singleplayer game, you can do everything on your own, the grouping and questing together is uncomfortable and pretty much useless since there is absolutely no need for it.

    The quest don't match the experience you'll need to advance in higher leveled areas.
    Most of the higher level content is buggy.
    Sometime the game resets your characters progress

    Things you buy disappear
    Things you craft disappear
    Your helmet will most likely disappear.
    These are all things you can patch but since they want you to pay 14bucks a month I#m sure I won't play it next month.    … Expand
  13. zyander
    Apr 15, 2014
    3
    Basically a very good game, lots of fun and interesting things to do and a few challenges.
    But....
    This is 2014. I'm beyond excuses for poor technical implementation of MMO. Everyone gets by on launch issues because "that's how it is for all games". I'm tired of that lame excuse. I played UO for almost 7 years, it had a very shaky start, rebounded and was great. Then WoW for about 7    Basically a very good game, lots of fun and interesting things to do and a few challenges.
    But....
    This is 2014. I'm beyond excuses for poor technical implementation of MMO. Everyone gets by on launch issues because "that's how it is for all games". I'm tired of that lame excuse. I played UO for almost 7 years, it had a very shaky start, rebounded and was great. Then WoW for about 7 years. Same bad start, fixes, then okay.

    Why haven't any MMO publishers learned from all of the mistakes that have come before. Most technologies has advanced greatly in the 17 years or so since UO launched, yet MMO launches all seem to be falling into the same old problems.

    MegaServer is a good concept, but I question it's viability. They have already removed a lot from the game, nameplates being the most obvious, I believe because their megaserver can't support it.

    Dozens (maybe more but this is from my limited play) of bugged quests (many reported during beta yet the game launched with them), terrible server lag, frequent disconnects for Unknown Error (I'm concerned about unknown, but more because they capture no data in the error folder that might allow them to determine what happened).

    Lot's of people losing banks, upgrades, skill points, 5-6 times a day kicked out and rolled back 5 or so minutes and lag of up to 20 minutes in chat.

    I really want this game to be good and the next game I play for 7 plus years, but unless there are significant fixes soon and better communications to the player base, I sadly feel it will fall by the wayside. I'd hate to see that happen, the Elder Scrolls games have been some of the best for 20 years. I had already setup a 6 month sub, but will be removing that before the "free month" is over unless some real change occurs.    … Expand
  14. MrMT
    Apr 15, 2014
    9
    This is the best new MMO to come along for some time. The skill system is excellently flexible, allowing a great range of playstyles with each of the 4 core classes. The world is enjoyable to explore and quest in, the crafting works well, the combat is meaty and satisfying. I would say this is a pip above Guild Wars 2 at this stage; we'll have to see how it feels in a couple of months.
  15. mysterybounty
    Apr 14, 2014
    9
    I see people giving this game a 0-5 score and those people need to realize what reviewing a game actually means. Even 5 years ago it was implausible to think an MMO could achieve some of the things Elder Scrolls Online manages to do. From making a better community by only having 1 MEGA Server, to somehow making the game feel like an action RPG that just happens to be online, Zenimax knocksI see people giving this game a 0-5 score and those people need to realize what reviewing a game actually means. Even 5 years ago it was implausible to think an MMO could achieve some of the things Elder Scrolls Online manages to do. From making a better community by only having 1 MEGA Server, to somehow making the game feel like an action RPG that just happens to be online, Zenimax knocks it out of the park with this game at every turn, Elder Scrolls Online is immersive, gigantic, and a blast to play, the first MMO in YEARS I have felt like I HAD to get back on everyday, anyone giving this game a score lower than a 6 is trolling I guarantee it.… Expand
  16. Demikly
    Apr 14, 2014
    10
    Brilliant MMO with a healthy dose of excellent TES lore, story, PvP sieges and excellent combat.

    If you enjoy MMORPGs & TES games, there is no way you will not like this game. If you enjoy SP RPGs and TES games, try it out, and you may be surprised. I really rate the game at a 9 or 9.5, but have used 10 to balance the multitude of SP Skyrim nerdrage earlier in the ratings with their    Brilliant MMO with a healthy dose of excellent TES lore, story, PvP sieges and excellent combat.

    If you enjoy MMORPGs & TES games, there is no way you will not like this game.
    If you enjoy SP RPGs and TES games, try it out, and you may be surprised.

    I really rate the game at a 9 or 9.5, but have used 10 to balance the multitude of SP Skyrim nerdrage earlier in the ratings with their 'O' ratings.    … Expand
  17. santiagodraco
    Apr 14, 2014
    5
    A word to the wise... if you see a review that refers to ESO as a "Warcraft reskin" realize two things. One, the author of said review is a complete idiot and two the author is a complete idiot.

    ESO has it's faults but a Warcraft clone it ain't. It has the best storytelling and quest narration of any MMO ever, the combat and skill systems are very unique and the game world and audio    A word to the wise... if you see a review that refers to ESO as a "Warcraft reskin" realize two things. One, the author of said review is a complete idiot and two the author is a complete idiot.

    ESO has it's faults but a Warcraft clone it ain't. It has the best storytelling and quest narration of any MMO ever, the combat and skill systems are very unique and the game world and audio is nothing but spectacular.

    Issues exist however and many are game breaking. Zenimax coded many boss fights to instant spawn and drop loot every time. So you just sit and farm bosses and get loot galore. What's funny is how long they let this go on, just long enough to allow the Zenimax developers to get their toons to Vet 10 and then they are patching. Seems to be a common occurance.

    Oh and let's not forget all the broken quests that halt progression for many of us past 50 and they have not once tried to fix it for any player.

    A great game with major bugs. I can't decide if I should love it or hate it.    … Expand
  18. Darkmoon99
    Apr 14, 2014
    4
    I find myself very disappointed in this game. While it uses the world and lore of Elder Scrolls it loses the sandbox aspect of the Elder Scroll series of games. Rather than being able to learn any skills and advance them through use/training you are forced into one of 4 classes of the same old variety - warrior, mage, thief and priest. Each class gives you 3 skills that you can learn forI find myself very disappointed in this game. While it uses the world and lore of Elder Scrolls it loses the sandbox aspect of the Elder Scroll series of games. Rather than being able to learn any skills and advance them through use/training you are forced into one of 4 classes of the same old variety - warrior, mage, thief and priest. Each class gives you 3 skills that you can learn for that class plus your choice of weapons and armor. However the choice in armor is a false choice. The only armor that "sorcerers" gain benefit appropriate for their "class" is light armor. Same with the "thief" class in medium armor and so on. Furthermore skill usage doesn't raise skills, just having items equipped or on skills on your skill bar raises them as you gain experience.

    By discarding the open sandbox advancement aspect of the single player Elder Scrolls games and adopting the same old four cookie cutter class aspects just makes ESO another of the same tired old "been there, done that" MMO. I loved Skyrim and enjoyed the previous Elder Scrolls games, but unfortunately ESO doesn't live up to it's history.    … Expand
  19. statickinetics
    Apr 14, 2014
    3
    Deceptively beautiful, frustratingly generic and mechanically flawed. In a nutshell.

    I wanted to like ESO, because as someone who has only really enjoyed one MMO (EVE), I have been craving for an experience that will provide actual replayability. Unfortunately, ESO is not that game. Before getting into why this game is fatally flawed, let me just get this out of the way: The world    Deceptively beautiful, frustratingly generic and mechanically flawed. In a nutshell.

    I wanted to like ESO, because as someone who has only really enjoyed one MMO (EVE), I have been craving for an experience that will provide actual replayability. Unfortunately, ESO is not that game.

    Before getting into why this game is fatally flawed, let me just get this out of the way: The world design is excellent. This is probably the only redeemable feature of the game, although you're probably better off admiring screenshots than dropping 60 bucks on the game. Environments are lush and crisp, full of interesting details and creatures. Unfortunately, they are also filled with rote NPCs that drone around and remind you that yes, this is in-fact just another MMO.

    The fatal flaw with ESO is the level progression. This is a game that effectively forces you to PvE, and in particularly forces you to complete quests. Going around killing things nets you practically no XP, at least relative to the quest rewards. And let's be clear: these quests are horrendously boring, rote, and uninspired, full of tropes and cliches from a thousand other MMOs. The plotline is so unoriginal and the dialogue (while voice-acted) so tired and bland that you find yourself mashing the skip button just to get through the quest as fast as possible. The game effectively pushes you down a path to quest-grinding, which discourages random exploring (random exploring being the hallmark of games like Skyrim).

    Once you have gotten through the arduous grind to level 10 so that you can access PvP, you can enter a partitioned area of the map solely dedicated to PvP. At first, this seems promising. The area is very large and full of nodes that can be attacked. There are even siege weapons that can be deployed and battles with large numbers (in the hundreds potentially) are relatively smooth and lag-free. However, the experience quickly loses its allure once you realize that the only way to gain meaningful XP is by completely "quests" which are either rote (scouting missions), impossible (capture some objective on the other side of the map far far away from friendly territory), or time-restricted (kill 20 players... but only available once per day).

    What this means is that you could be running around, killing players, helping cap objectives and generally advancing the fight for your faction and gain zero XP, zero gold and only a random loot item every now and then that gets mailed to you.

    Now, all of this would be acceptable if the combat itself was interesting or dynamic. It isn't. A game like EVE is successful because the PvP is deep, complex and rewarding. There are genuine risks involved and the rush of winning a battle or getting a kill is hard to compare to any other game.

    ESO is the complete opposite. PvP basically involves mass zerg rushes, spamming random buttons and if you happen to die in the mix or get caught out by some hidden gank squad, you just respawn back at base with literally no penalty. No penalties and no rewards = boring, not-fun. The combat is lazy and skill-less. All that matters is you have the right combinations of buttons to push and almost all of the skills are equally effective so there's no real need to worry about optimization.

    Needless to say, my time with ESO didn't last long. Maybe about a week. I won't be subbing past the free month. I uninstalled the game and went back to playing Natural Selection 2, which is game that actually feels rewarding getting kills, capping objectives and winning. ESO fails on all of the fundamentals that make a game rewarding by not offering a challenging experience, or one that provides any incentives in the form of risk/reward. Most importantly, it forces the player down a path to arduous quest-grinding of the worst kind for few rewards or for any real purpose beyond having a bigger number next to your character name.    … Expand
  20. Surg3on
    Apr 14, 2014
    8
    Its a good Elder Scrolls game that would be almost perfect if it had of been Single Player! The only big flaws are the MMO style 'public dungeons' and quests where the immersion is ruined by other players. There is a bit of a lack of truly gigantic dungeons as well. The actual quests are excellent, easily as well done as the ones in Skyrim only there are a hundred times more!.
    The    Its a good Elder Scrolls game that would be almost perfect if it had of been Single Player! The only big flaws are the MMO style 'public dungeons' and quests where the immersion is ruined by other players. There is a bit of a lack of truly gigantic dungeons as well. The actual quests are excellent, easily as well done as the ones in Skyrim only there are a hundred times more!.
    The graphics are excellent if you can run them, moddable single player game probably would have made them look even better! The voice acting is pretty good considering the sheer volume of it.    … Expand
  21. Ralathar44
    Apr 14, 2014
    10
    The Elder Scrolls Online manages to be a unique and compelling game that bucks the conventions of traditional MMORPGs and brings a little of that Elder Scrolls flavor into the MMORPG scene. But do not mislead yourself, it is NOT Skyrim 2.

    Essentially it is a fairly free form MMORPG that makes questing interesting and matter, gives great freedom of building your character, and on a more    The Elder Scrolls Online manages to be a unique and compelling game that bucks the conventions of traditional MMORPGs and brings a little of that Elder Scrolls flavor into the MMORPG scene. But do not mislead yourself, it is NOT Skyrim 2.

    Essentially it is a fairly free form MMORPG that makes questing interesting and matter, gives great freedom of building your character, and on a more subtle level really makes the world feel satisfying. The quests all make sense, areas don't feel the same, interesting little things are tucked around every corner, and the atmosphere and music cap it off. The world just feels alive.

    Lets get down to business.

    Story: 10

    I'm not talking about huge jaw dropping story moments here. The game manages to be consistently real and interesting throughout. Each quest feels real and you don't get sent out on fetch 10 or kill 20 quests. Instead they want you to do things like save crew members, stop rituals, find books of dark knowledge, stop mutinies, pray at shrines to pay respect to a mothers children, etc.

    Killing and item uses happens during these quests, but the focus is on accomplishing something and not just slogging through something to put more exp on your bar. This is the first time in forever that I actually read quest text.

    SWTOR did well on story too, but it had great high points and then everything else sucked. TESO is consistently good throughout. TESO beats out every other MMORPG when it comes to consistently good story, hands down.

    Graphics: 10

    This has some of the best graphics of any MMORPG on the market. Within it's genre it is top notch. But this is not to be compared to skyrim, it's a multiplayer game with the capability of putting 500 people on screen at one time and still running smoothly, that would kill Skyrim.

    Also, people tend to think about MODDED skyrim. Vanilla Skyrim and even DLC HD Skyrim is not near as impressive before you start adding all the custom mods to it.

    Atmosphere: 10

    Each area feels hand crafted. I've been looking for areas that looks the same and have not yet found one. Each area feels appropriate to itself and the quests in that area. The music and the quests given strengthen this. There are scenic views, shipwrecked coastlines, swamps, forests, beautiful cities, etc.

    I've been been playing MMORPG's a long time and without a doubt this is the best one I've played in regards to atmosphere.

    Gameplay: 8/10

    The game starts out a little slowly in the gameplay department and before you hit level 10-15 your combat is much less dynamic and interesting than it will be later. So hang in there. Once you make it past those level though:

    The gameplay is solid and fun, but it's not groundbreaking and it won't be the reason you stay in TESO. Granted this is much much better in PVP, but even then it's just good and not heads and tails above other games like some of it's other aspects.

    The combat is complex enough to be challenging without overflowing you with buttons. The character building is varied and doesn't seem to have "right" answers atm and dungeons have even been run with all DPS. Speaking of, dungeon encounters are really fun :D.

    Dungeons: 10

    I'm not much of a raider. I raid and do dungeons in every MMORPG a little bit but have never been drawn in before...till now. I've raided in quite a few MMORPGs too.

    TESO dungeons however manage to be consistently entertaining and CHALLENGING. A good clean run through might have 2 wipes in it, but it doesn't feel too punishing to wipe out here and there and in fact each boss gives you a soul gem (to revive with) so it's kind of expected.

    Boss mechanics are fun and challenging, the atmosphere in dungeons is amazing, the story of dungeons is solid, and the level design is great.

    PVP: 10

    PVP is amazing and is likely the closest thing to Dark Age of Camelot that has happened yet. I would say it's very comparable to Guild Wars 2 PVP EXCEPT it's much deeper and more satisfying. Losing battles in TESO MATTERS. Rezzing is limited. The map is HUGE.

    Combat is fast and frenetic but not as much so as Guild Wars 2, being slightly more strategic. I wouldn't say it's perfect, there are still some tweaks that likely need to be made, but it's VERY good.

    Also, just watching a battle with siege weapons and spells firing back and forth is a spectacle to behold.

    UI: 8/10 The games minimalistic UI is clean and immersive, staying out of the way to enhance you feeling part of the world. If this does not appeal to you then you can turn on more UI in the options to get the information you crave. If this still isn't enough for you then the game supports add-ons via LUA . But the game loses 2 points on UI for it's Guild Store system, which needs some work currently. Conclusion: Very very solid story based MMORPG that has a unique feel from there others and has well done PVP. I highly recommend trying it out for yourself    … Expand
  22. Augustus75
    Apr 14, 2014
    9
    If not for the unfortunate amount of bugs, this game would be getting a much higher score. The PVE is interesting, and while following the same grammar of other mmorpgs they manage to create an engaging world and story line that seems fresh. The graphics are without any argument the best in the business, but again the immersion can sometimes be broken by clunky movement and those peskyIf not for the unfortunate amount of bugs, this game would be getting a much higher score. The PVE is interesting, and while following the same grammar of other mmorpgs they manage to create an engaging world and story line that seems fresh. The graphics are without any argument the best in the business, but again the immersion can sometimes be broken by clunky movement and those pesky launch bugs.
    Combat in this game is exciting, and moves the genre forward not only through versatile, dynamic builds, but also by implementing dodge and aim as opposed to basic tab targeting/macro mashing. The use of instances and similar zone hubs is disappointing, but the sheer size of each zone gives creedence to exploring. The guild stores are interesting compared to the standard AH, and being able to join up to 5 guilds ensures finding a speedy way to buy and sell; I would like the functionality to be more streamlined and easier to use, but hopefully as with Rift, these improvements will be implemented easily within the first year.

    To sum up, this game has some great mechanics behind it, good pvp, good crafting, good community, and beautiful world. The rocky launch remains unfortunate but the game is enjoyable despite. This might be the most grown up, mature mmorpg to date, and while not groundbreaking, it manages to revive a feeling of freshness to an increasingly stale, over-saturated market.    … Expand
  23. alien5
    Apr 14, 2014
    10
    Not perfect by any stretch, but certainly the MMO i can recommend most out of the last 5 years. Reviewing after playing to cap and doing a fair amount of pvp

    -No cooldowns means youre actually managing 3 resources instead of mindlessly spamming abilities -Active attacking, blocking, dodging, and interrupts, the ultimate system, two swappable weapon sets with their own bars, all make    Not perfect by any stretch, but certainly the MMO i can recommend most out of the last 5 years. Reviewing after playing to cap and doing a fair amount of pvp

    -No cooldowns means youre actually managing 3 resources instead of mindlessly spamming abilities
    -Active attacking, blocking, dodging, and interrupts, the ultimate system, two swappable weapon sets with their own bars, all make the combat a lot more visceral than 95% of MMOs out there, and with the above, makes it better than just about everything, combat wise, save TERA imo
    -Questing gets rid of the "hub" design and instead brings you to different towns/villages/forts/settlements/etc that have a specific problem going on that needs to be solved
    -Many quests you options on how to resolve them, some even having interesting (read: not GOOD OR EVIL?!?!) moral decisions to make
    -Character design is pretty detailed. Certainly less ugly than Oblivion or even Skyrim as far as models go
    -Character building is second to none as far as MMOs go. While not the same as the classic TES system, you end up with an amazing amount of flexibility and options
    -TON of solo content. I've had to play a ton to get to cap within the two or so weeks by launch, and am now given the option to play the OTHER two territories for content.
    -PvP isn't quite DAoC, but the adjustments to siege equipment and respawning certainly make it better than WAR or GW2, imo. Massive area to fight over, generally very awesome.

    only real complaints
    -peak hours have made loading times awful at points (they're "working on it")
    -hate not having nameplates above players
    -need more guild customization options
    -Vampires/werewolves don't have near enough drawbacks to be balanced
    -need better chat options for PvP for coordinating the faction
    -wish i didnt have to use addons to get proper dmg and buff feedback    … Expand
  24. Triageguy
    Apr 14, 2014
    8
    As many people can be nervous about a new MMO, this one was no different. But after I learned the mechanics and got my feet wet, I've had a blast. It is a fresh take on the crowded MMO genre and I'm glad I spent the money. You can play it like a traditional MMO or play it like an Elder Scrolls Game, both are fun and viable. The large scale PvP is my favorite and it is well implemented andAs many people can be nervous about a new MMO, this one was no different. But after I learned the mechanics and got my feet wet, I've had a blast. It is a fresh take on the crowded MMO genre and I'm glad I spent the money. You can play it like a traditional MMO or play it like an Elder Scrolls Game, both are fun and viable. The large scale PvP is my favorite and it is well implemented and executed. It is worth playing and has taken up more of my time than I thought it would. Take a shot at it, there is something in ESO for everyone.… Expand
  25. nymroth
    Apr 14, 2014
    5
    This is a single player game till level 50 with some people in it. And it is not a good single player game. Game design is seriously flawed. Don't make the same mistake i did: Wait for it goes f2p and don't buy it now.
  26. Congo1977
    Apr 14, 2014
    10
    I would not go as far to say a "breakthrough" game, but this game has a LOT of potential. It is both engaging and detailed. I can not compare it to Skyrim, as this is an MMO. But as far as an MMO goes, as close to it as you can get. I find the story enthralling, and can not wait to try the other factions. This is by far the most exciting game in a while.

    My Pro's: Great Story Love the    I would not go as far to say a "breakthrough" game, but this game has a LOT of potential. It is both engaging and detailed. I can not compare it to Skyrim, as this is an MMO. But as far as an MMO goes, as close to it as you can get. I find the story enthralling, and can not wait to try the other factions. This is by far the most exciting game in a while.

    My Pro's:
    Great Story
    Love the mount customizing!
    Realistic world
    Gaming mechanics blend into the background!
    Realistic NPC's
    CUSTOMIZATION of character!!! (Awesome, being a mage fighting with a sword in the thick of battle!)

    My Cons:
    No player housing. (This is Elder Scrolls after all!)
    No dedicated "healer" class. (I know you can make one, but to leave them out of the start?)

    All in all, great game! I am sure, so long as they maintain the game, I will continue to play.    … Expand
  27. staki69
    Apr 14, 2014
    10
    Best MMO to come out ever! 10/10 for not doing the exact same thing every other one has done. Will be playing this for a long time. As long as they keep the content coming.
  28. Squicker
    Apr 14, 2014
    8
    I've played all the Elder Scrolls games since Arena and I am loving Elder Scrolls Online. There is no doubt in my mind that ZOS have managed the difficult task of keeping the unique TES vibe and putting it into an MMO. The single player quests are excellent and interesting, I've never felt like grinding at all, and the multiplayer dungeons are lots of fun. I can't really fault the gameI've played all the Elder Scrolls games since Arena and I am loving Elder Scrolls Online. There is no doubt in my mind that ZOS have managed the difficult task of keeping the unique TES vibe and putting it into an MMO. The single player quests are excellent and interesting, I've never felt like grinding at all, and the multiplayer dungeons are lots of fun. I can't really fault the game design or the playability, it's really superb.

    There are issues at the moment with release bugs and support were initially very poor at responding to these. However, over the last few days they seem to be getting on top of things and I am starting to have a lot more faith in the support of the game. I personally have only experienced a small array of non-critical bugs, but I am still only going to subscribe month by month, until my confidence level in support increases. I get the feeling they are a bit overwhelmed right now.

    But as a game, this really is an excellent addition to the franchise.    … Expand
  29. Dragos1130
    Apr 13, 2014
    10
    I've stood by long enough and watched too many reviewers judge this game too quickly for, quite frankly, mostly ridiculous reasons. Don't let other people dictate your view of this game (even me) but if you want to know my opinion, the game is wonderful so far. If you take the time to get involved in the stories and dialogue and not try to be the first one to reach max level, trust me, youI've stood by long enough and watched too many reviewers judge this game too quickly for, quite frankly, mostly ridiculous reasons. Don't let other people dictate your view of this game (even me) but if you want to know my opinion, the game is wonderful so far. If you take the time to get involved in the stories and dialogue and not try to be the first one to reach max level, trust me, you will have a lot more fun. Zenimax really did an excellent job and put the work in. It does have flaws including some bugs but for the most part I haven't found anything so damning as to give this game a rating any lower than a 9 or 10. If you are expecting this game to be at all like WoW, it isn't. If you think it is a clone of Guild Wars 2, it's not. That being said, you simply have to judge the game for yourself. On a side note, if you played the game and didn't like it that is fine and your criticisms are worth reading but your pitiful hatred and tantrums over, say, the monthly subscription fee (I shouldn't have to explain this but sub fees help fund company employees who work on the game and continue to make it better) are worthless and a waste of everyone's time.… Expand
  30. Faidin
    Apr 13, 2014
    10
    I think this is an excellent game - the best mmorpg I've played since DAOC / EQ1. The combat is enjoyable, the quests are a lot of fun to complete, and the best part about this game is that it never feels like a grind. It's just one epic experience that keeps getting better.
Page:

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.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »