Reviews// The Elder Scrolls Online

With all that said about the strengths and weakness of the game however, it’s finally time for me to address what might really make or break TESO in the eyes of many would-be adventurers. This is a pretty damn expensive game. And I’ll admit it does feel a little disappointing that the main reason I wouldn’t recommend TESO to everyone revolves more around that price tag than its actual quality.

If your mighty wallet doesn’t balk at the idea of a £50-£70 game with a £7-£9 monthly subscription fee then the playing field becomes more even, though I think Zenimax has quite a bit of work to do to make TESO really stand out among its cheaper contemporaries.

Compounding this issue – and as is typically the case with both MMOs in general and Elder Scrolls games in particular – TESO is a little buggy right now. There are some clipping issues and I found myself stuck in scenery on a couple of occasions. Nothing game-breaking or even particularly annoying, but I think with that kind of money involved some people might not be as forgiving as I was.

Presumably this early rough-around-the-edgesness is likely to be dealt with soon enough as Zenimax already have some substantial updates in the pipeline. Notably the game is soon to have a crime and bounty system incorporated into it. This is a staple of the main series games and its absence is very noticeable in the launch version of TESO.

All things considered The Elder Scrolls Online offers a very competently-made if slightly unexciting fantasy adventure, and if you are a big fan of the series and its expansive lore then you might be able to get considerably more invested in it than I could. Under these circumstances, then, I can totally recommend you go for it. The game might be a little bland and bare bones now but this is a big license and there are already updates in the pipeline that will bring a lot more meat to the table.

Personally, however, I don’t think I’ll be renewing my subscription to The Elder Scrolls Online any time soon. And while I will miss my endearingly charming buddy T-Wrex and his big gormless blue face, I can’t say I’ll really miss the game itself.

Pros:
+ Cool character builder.
+ Great skill upgrading system.
+ Big world with rich backstory.

Cons:
- Frustrating interface choices.
- Rough around the edges.

SPOnG Score 3.5/5