I’ll talk about the upcoming DLC, the new Endeavors system, if the game has changed at all and finally – should you invest your precious time and money into this game?
Should I play this game?
It’s been a long and bumpy road for this MMORPG since its release in 2014, but should you try this game in 2021? In this article I’m going to help you decide if you should play this game – because it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
What is ESO? (Elder Scrolls Online)
ESO better known as The Elder Scrolls Online is a MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game – thank goodness for abbreviations) It released in 2014 and doesn’t require any additional monthly payments. You buy it once and its yours to keep and play until your hearts content. Only other time you will be forking out money is if you plan on diving into the next chapters (or getting married – I got married last year and let me tell you…I’ve spent more money in this year alone then I have on games in my entire life). ESO had a horrible start but with tons of DLC’s and fixes it has come a long way. In early 2021, Bethesda’s Pete Hines praised ESO as “the most successful Bethesda game over the last four years.”
To best describe ESO… Imagine Skyrim but a lot less… well…boring. Skyrim made you choose between becoming a werewolf or vampire, betraying friends and taking arrows to the knee…whilst ESO is just about being there, doing stuff, killing bad guys and collecting that sweet, sweet loot. Although the original storyline is not as good, the questing evolves and gets better with each expansion.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty to do either solo or on a co-op adventure. You’ll gain control of your character, weapons, skills, and decisions. And you can explore, battle, craft, siege, and discover the secrets of Tamriel as you experience the story in any order you choose.
As a day 1 player returning to the game, the difference between 2014 and now is astounding. The game has been made so much easier for new and returning players. When I started, I was plagued with so many quests that I just got lost and nothing grabbed my attention. I would finish 1 quest but be plagued with 6 more and was in a way, forced to finish them. New or returning players will find tons to do but you aren’t tied to any single path. Players jumping in will now find a vast number of dungeons and story arcs to occupy their time as well as crafting, PvP, housing, and different types of treasure hunting. On top of that there are also frequent events with special rewards. Whether you want to wander around exploring, smash through dungeons, hunt treasure, or mess around with mates, The Elder Scrolls Online can keep you occupied for a very, very, very long time.
What’s new in the game?
So, what’s new? (The following has been sourced from various websites including ESO’s official website)
The antiquities system: This addictive non-combat gameplay for treasure hunters-at-heart allows players to scry out and excavate ancient relics via a series of new minigames.
Kyne’s Aegisis 12-man trial: Players defend the island bastion from invading sea giants in normal or veteran mode; additionally, each individual boss has its own hard mode.
A new item collection system: For those who want more options in their crafting (or just like collecting things), this system lets players collect gear and sets, allowing them to personalize the item when crafting later.
Vateshran Hollows solo arena: Dungeon lovers who don’t love groups can experience the solo arena that offers seven bosses to encounter. There is also one hidden boss in each of the three stages.
Bethesda is expanding: The studio is currently hiring more developers for TESO, a positive sign for the health of the game.
New Flames of Ambition DLC in testing: The Cauldron, a cursed mine dungeon in the upcoming DLC, is on the test server.
“I want to try dive into it, but don’t feel like grinding XP for hundreds of hours.”
Well, luckily for you, Bethesda has got you covered. Bethesda has added and is still introducing tons of new ways to easily get XP.
One of these things are called Daily Experience points. Activate a Crown Experience scroll in addition to the Daily Experience Point rewards, and the gains will be massive.
The new Endeavor System
The biggest addition coming to ESO is Endeavors. (I must admit it has a nice ring to it)
It arrives as part of Update 30 and will launch mid-June. The new Endeavors system is a free addition to the ESO base game that all players can utilize. With this new system, you can complete new daily and weekly tasks, called Endeavors, that grant you various rewards (such as ESO Gold In-game or Experience) and a new currency called Seals of Endeavor. Here’s how it works: When you log in, you’ll automatically receive various daily and weekly Endeavors that ask you to complete different tasks (pretty convenient if you ask me). These tasks vary across the different play styles and in-game activities. Here’s some examples of the kinds of tasks Endeavors might ask you to do:
- Steal or pickpocket items
- Complete quests
- Defeat enemies using Class or Weapon abilities
- Sell items to vendors
- Craft different types of eso items
- Defeat different types of monsters
- Harvest resource nodes
Final thoughts
Currently the game is still being played by millions of players, DLC’s and new chapters are still coming out and I think the future is looking bright for this game. Should you play it? Certainly. It always goes on sale, and is currently free for Xbox game pass members so it’s a bit of a no brainer. Just be prepared to invest lots and lots of hours into this massive online game. And you can turn to SSEGold for cheap ESO gold and items if you want to save time for boring grinding.
Will I be returning? I currently have TONS of other games to play (and platinum) including AC Valhalla, Spiderman Miles Morales and Immortals Fenyx Rising. So, my answer will be…
But it boils down to not having time and nothing else. But that shouldn’t stop you from giving it a go!
There tons to do in the world of Tamriel and your options are endless. Go slay some dragons or brew some potions. Loot some treasure or build a house. Its all entirely up to you.
Until next time… and don’t forget to check out the upcoming Chapter, Greymoor! Greymoor will release for PC players on May 26th 2021.
The Elder Scrolls is currently available on PS4, PC and Xbox One.
