Elder Scrolls Online, Tamriel Unlimited is a game that has a number of good features but also unfortunately a whole range of annoying problems.
Let us start with the lying problem. Some parts are outright lies while others just feel not entirely honest. Take the title of the game for instance: Tamriel Unlimited. At the time of this review, half the f*cking map of Tamriel is missing! Also many of the zones are inaccessible depending on what race you picked. It is a bad start when the name of your game is a lie.
The manual of the game explains that owners of the Imperial Edition can convert any armor into Imperial version. Literally the 2nd set of armor I found was not convertible.
Free to play - here is another lie. Due to less than favorable reviews Elder Scrolls Online was forced to go to the free to play model, but only the mandatory monthly subscription has been lifted. The game itself is 50 buks and 70 buks if you want the Imperial Edition or, as it should be called, the “Normal Edition” because Its main feature is the removal of an artificial exclusion of the Imperial race and of the restriction of the choice of your main alliance.
And that is another thing, there are a lot of strange limitations in this game that go against the very spirit of Elder Scrolls. You are locked to one of the 3 alliances. A few exceptions aside, you cannot play the game with players of another alliance, which is insane for a game that is about playing with others. There are no boats or other usual forms of transport for travelling to far away territories. You can only travel between teleport points called “wayshrines” that you discover on your way.
The handling of quests while in a party is poor and inconsistent. Most of the time, completing a quest together with other players simply means that each member of the party has to separately complete all the parts of the quest, including talking to all NPCs and interacting with items. However, there are also occasional quests where the actions of one member count towards the progress of the entire party. Why couldn’t most of the quests be like that?!
The quests are incredibly boring and the forced dialogue does not make a good job making you interested in anything. I could not care less for the main quest. I could not tell you what it was about even as I was playing it. If you were to remove the arrows pointing to the objectives then the whole quest system would fall apart because the dialogue is not good enough at explaining what it is exactly you have to do and how.
Well, is this game a complete disaster then? No.
The things that are good about the ESO are the less obvious features around its rather disappointing core. Combat is pretty good, and actually takes skill as the player is relatively vulnerable when exposed. You have to block incoming attacks, you have to dodge a bit and you have to use your special attacks.
The crafting system is a more developed version of the Skyrim’s crafting system and it is relatively interesting and useful, as the money for new armor and weapons is scarce. Once you create a piece of armor there are free dye stations you can use to recolor your armor, adding some customization.
Then there are the graphics. Usually Massive Multiplayer Online games have poor visuals in order to accommodate a large number of players. Elder Scrolls Online is the best looking MMO I am aware of, looking a lot like a cross between the last two Elder Scrolls games. Sunrays pierce the tree canopies by day, and by night the cozy taverns are lit up by the warm playing light of the fireplace. You are allowed to experience all of this from first-person perspective.
Finally, a feature of Elder Scrolls is that it is a series liked by women. As a results many couples are playing it together and I am no exception. Playing together with your loved one is fun, regardless of how crappy the game is.
But unfortunately this also underlines the problem with this game. What if you are just a kid wanting to play another Elder Scrolls game? Well, for starters, neither you nor your parents can probably afford throwing 70 buks at a single game, but more importantly, the gameplay on its own is just not that good unless you have people to play with. So in that case you better find yourself a good clan in your timezone.
In short, if you have someone to play with, or if you are just happy to explore another Elder Scrolls game without high expectations then Elder Scrolls Online is worth buying when it’s on sale. It is not really worth paying the voluntary monthly subscription for though.