The Elder Scrolls Online

 PC
User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2703 Ratings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Overall

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The bad:

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

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

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

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

    The not terrible:

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

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

    In Conclusion:

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

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

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

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

    Pros:

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

    Cons:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    I haven't reached max level yet so my opinion may change when I hit end game but I like what I've been playing during the past week (in early access through launch). Btw, smoothest launch of a major MMO ever?    … Expand
  30. keithianw
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    Most addicted I have been since WOW beta and Vanilla Release. It is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Graphics are some of the best out there for an MMO. Sound and music is top notch. One of the smoothest releases in any MMO. No queue times which has been unheard of. No worrying about server selection. So many different ways to level and for an explorer this is the best MMO out there. CombatMost addicted I have been since WOW beta and Vanilla Release. It is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Graphics are some of the best out there for an MMO. Sound and music is top notch. One of the smoothest releases in any MMO. No queue times which has been unheard of. No worrying about server selection. So many different ways to level and for an explorer this is the best MMO out there. Combat to me is better than the single player games. All of our guild is having a blast.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 64 Critic Reviews

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