Since the last time we checked quite a few reviews for The Elder Scrolls Online have been published, offering overall tepid impressions for ZeniMax Online’s MMO based on Bethesda’s fantasy setting.
GameSpot, 6/10.
Of course, such issues can be patched, as can The Elder Scrolls Online’s other continuing troubles, a few too many broken quests chief among them. I’m less certain, however, that the single-player and multiplayer sides of this fantastical coin will ever complement each other. That’s too bad, because when the stars align, I get that special tingle in my brain, the kind that heralds upcoming heroism in the face of danger. It happens when the soundtrack’s solo cello climbs an arpeggio and then hangs there knowingly, just as I engage a group of harpies. It happens when I face a decision that has no clear right answer. Hopefully, The Elder Scrolls Online will one day get out of its own way, and stop trying to stifle the very fun it’s trying to provide.
Polygon, 6/10.
We approached Elder Scrolls Online as fans of the series and as MMO lovers, but it came up short from both perspectives. It’s missing that spark of magic that enticed us to get lost in Skyrim or Morrowind for months, or that made us happy to fork over a monthly fee just to access our current favorite game. It seems like so much effort was put into forcibly translating Elder Scrolls’ style into the genre’s norms, but the payoff for that effort isn’t there. Even in its best moments, Elder Scrolls Online is merely a competent traditional MMO; at its worst, it flubs even that.
Eurogamer, 6/10.
It’s tempting to write off subscription MMOs completely, but there are some signs of life in the sector: Final Fantasy 14 is doing quite well, and the forthcoming WildStar is in the final stages of a persuasive charm offensive with the MMO community. But there are only fleeting signs of life in The Elder Scrolls Online itself – and few of them have anything to do with The Elder Scrolls. Maybe this grand project sounded like a good idea in 2007, but now it feels like a leftover obligation: a game no-one really asked for, and a flawed premise from the start.
Bit-Gamer, 40%.
Sadly, the PvP and the other multiplayer-centric content only represent a small percentage of the overall game. In all my years playing games I have never known one to have so much content, and offer so little that is interesting. I can’t think of a single quest that really grabbed me, a fight that really thrilled me. Even if the endgame is the greatest thing ever put into pixels, it wouldn’t justify the hours upon hours of hodgepodge fantasy tedium you must wade through to get there. The Elder Scrolls Online could have been something special. It could have been Skyrim with your friends. Instead, it’s like playing World of Warcraft on your own; repetitive, isolating, and monotonous.
GamrReview, 6.9/10.
The main thing holding The Elder Scrolls Online back, besides technical problems, is its subscription based model. When I was playing the game I was often thinking to myself, “Can I see myself paying money on a monthly basis to play this game?” And the answer is no, not right now. At times it is fun, but on the whole it’s an unoriginal, by-the-numbers MMO with a shiny coat of paint. The world is breathtaking, the stories are interesting, and PvP is a blast when it works well, but the content simply isn’t yet enjoyable enough to warrant spending $15 a month and there are still too many technical issues. If The Elder Scrolls Online was free to play, it would be an easy recommend, but unless you are an absolutely devoted fan of The Elder Scrolls, this is one adventure you can wait for.
PCGamesN, 5/10.
There is a contradiction at the heart of Elder Scrolls Online: the delicate balance between making a game for fans of the Elder Scrolls single player games, and making a game for MMO players. Those who like the single player games will enjoy exploring that world, but the subscription model will continue to bite. And it’s hard to get round the fact that you just one of many thousands of (chosen ones).
For MMO players not particularly wedded to the Elder Scrolls lore, there are just many better made, better produced, and better designed MMOs available.
Zenimax have a lot of work ahead of them to turn TESO around.
LazyGamer, 6.9/10.
For those of you skiped through and arrived at this paragraph, let me describe the cycle I went through each and every time. I had an itch to explore Tamriel, because gosh darn it’s just the prettiest place filled with nice areas to explore and quests to do! Let’s do some quests! What the. why am I stuck here? Where is the NPC I am meant to talk to? Where the hell is the map marker? These creeps are absolutely destroying my face! I need to go back and grind more. Oh, STUCK AGAIN? I usually quit at this point. The cycle repeated itself a few hours later, as I felt the urge to explore Tamriel once more.
Paste Magazine, 7.2/10.
How ironic is it that by making their storied franchise an online experience, Bethesda has somehow created a less immersive Elder Scrolls game? I used to feel like The One, now I’m just a customer.
Impulse Gamer, 4.3/5.
The Elder Scrolls Online has such an amalgamation of feels to it, you’re either going to love it or hate it. There is enough here to enjoy with all the fun toys it gives you to forgive any of the short comings it may have or bugs and or balance play. A good game that will only get better over time.
Strategy Informer, 8.0/10.
The review’s already gigantic and there’s no way I’ll mention everything I want to, so I’ll keep things brief in the summary. If you’re after a more single-player-quest-focused MMO with an Elder Scrolls feel, with a helpful community that will rush to aid you at every problem, and don’t mind that a lot of the quests are just a matter of following waypoints then you’ll enjoy Elder Scrolls Online. If you particularly like the idea of a giant online fantasy PVP war as late-to-end-game content then certainly get it now. If however you don’t like PVP, think Elder Scrolls should be about doing what you want in a massive open country and can’t stand the idea of just doing SP-feeling quests over relatively short distances then this MMO may not be for you. I thoroughly enjoyed my time and I will continue playing after this review, but I’ve had to ignore how much classic Elder Scrolls has been left out and how ill-suited the quests feel for multiple players. Nevertheless the quests are fun, the world still good to explore, the combat great, the community wonderful (apart from those damn spambots) and the Alliance War a wildly ambitious and impressive experiment. Elder Scrolls Online is, by the skin of its teeth and a lot of hard work from Zenimax, a success. Phew.
The Escapist‘s piece is based on the first 20 levels, 4/5.
Just the first 20 levels is almost worth the box price, but whether the subscription fee is worth committing to is still up in the air. It’s not the be all end all of Elder Scrolls by any means, but it’s an enjoyable experience with few serious issues. If you like Elder Scrolls or MMOs, take it out for a spin. As long as you can commit a couple hours a day to it, you’ll more than get your money’s worth in the 30 days that comes with the purchase.
USGamer, 3.5/5.
Elder Scrolls Online doesn’t tear down everything that came before in the MMO field and thrust the Elder Scrolls gameplay into the world of massively-multiplayer. In the end, the game is a theme park MMO in the standard World of Warcraft style, wearing the lore, characters, and locations of the Elder Scrolls universe. Visually, the game is consistent, but that consistency is boring and drab. The game itself is punctuated with exciting moments, but overall it’s just above average and I have a hard time recommending that in a subscription MMO. If you’re a big Elder Scrolls fan, give it a try. If not, there are better choices out there.
ActionTrip, 7.6/10.
The final concern is one that will not be answered until a much later date: Content. Yes Bethesda pulled out all the stops and got professional talent to voice the NPCs. It has a huge impact on the gameplay and I have to say I like it. My concern is that as with all the content that MMO players are used to consuming, Bethesda will either not be able to keep up with the demand, will go broke trying to maintain the star power quality of talent or will end up cutting corners to get it done. Based on the monthly cost of $15.99 on top of the purchase price, players will not be happy with any perceived change in quality. That leads to the inevitable question of can it maintain the subscription for the life of the game. However, Bethesda has invested a lot in the game already and ESO appears to the crown jewel in their product crown so I would wager they will handle it appropriately. History has shown that RPG fans are more than willing to part with their cash when they get the chance to play in the land of Tamriel. With ESO helping migrate these players to the online subscription based model, Bethesda might have a money printing machine on their hands and might be able to continue their streak of block buster titles. We will keep playing and providing updates as we progress in game.
AusGamers, 7.0/10.
If you’re a diehard fan of TES lore, there is certainly more than enough here to keep your invested. But the lack of new mechanics, interesting side activities, buggy combat and generic PVE does not help its case. Under the surface, not enough has changed to the formula that separates The Elder Scrolls Online from existing free or established properties, and I would find it genuinely hard to recommend to anyone seeking an experience outside of a cosy, well presented, box.
Finally, Angry Joe awarded the title a 5.0/10 for his video review.
