As the name would suggest, MMORPGs are a highly popular genre of game. With an impressive audience of hardcore and casual gamers alike, titles likeWorld of Warcraft,Runescape, andGuild Warsstill attract millions of players every day. Each game has its own strengths and weaknesses, andThe Elder Scrolls Onlineis no different.
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A unique collaboration between ZeniMax Studio and Bethesda Softworks,ESOwas first released back in 2014 and has since garnered a substantial player base that continues to log back in to resume their adventure in Tamriel. Despite this, newer players might bewondering howESOdiffers from other titles. Here is everythingThe Elder Scrolls Onlinedoes better than most MMOs.
6Immersive Lore
As anElder Scrollstitle,ESObenefits from theexpansive worldbuilding and lore of Tamriel. Each province and race has its own history, culture, religion, and unique style, helping to fill each zone with tons of quests that dive deep into the mythology of the world and its people.
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Players can explore the relationship between the Argonians and the Hist in Black Marsh, investigate the political intrigues of the Daggerfall Covenant, or discover the secrets of Valenwood’s mysterious traveling city, Falinesti. For players interested in lore, the sheer volume of interesting stories that can be uncovered makesESOa perfect game to lose themselves in an immersive world overflowing with information.
5Single-Player Experience
While most players would expect an MMO to focus primarily on multiplayer gameplay,ESOalsoprovides a fantastic single-player experience. This most likely derives from itsElder ScrollscousinsSkyrimandOblivion, which are focused on creating a single-player RPG adventure.
ESOcan be played in a similar way, with many players opting to ignore the multiplayer content and instead journey across the varied zones of Tamriel, defeating enemies and completing quests to their heart’s content. Of course, it helps thatESOis fully voice-acted, which adds that extra level of immersion that engages players with its story-driven gameplay.
4Endless Content
ESOhas no shortage of content for players to get stuck in with. The game was initially released with 15 major PvE zones, 5 per faction, alongside the main PvP area of Cyrodiil. If this wasn’t enough, DLC expansions have been released regularly ever since, which continue to this day.
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These content drops have added a plethora of new zones for players to explore, and the continent of Tamriel is now almost entirely covered in playable areas. Players can access this content by either buying the DLCs or paying a monthly subscription, and can easily rack up hundreds of additional hours in-game. On top of this,a 2016 updateremoved alliance restrictions and allowed the player to adventure anywhere on the continent at any time, granting them immense freedom in how they want to approach the mass of content.
3No Pay To Play
While some MMOs have adopted pay-to-play mechanics,requiring players to pay real moneyto acquire some of the best and most powerful gear,ESOavoids this entirely. It does have a Crown store, in which players can purchase certain outfits, pets, and crafting motifs, but these items are not game-changing and aren’t by any means mandatory.
There are even alternative ways to acquire the Crown currency, by completing challenges in-game or even being rewarded with a drop from Twitch. Overall, it fosters a more enjoyable and rewarding game experience while also giving players the option to purchase their favorite cosmetics if they so desire.
2Evolving Community
Despite being released almost a decade ago,ESOstill boats a vibrant and thriving community that continues to play the game andtake part in multiplayer activities. Some MMOs lose their player base and die off, which essentially kills the game, butESOhas maintained high quantities of active players ever since launch.
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With new content being released regularly, it is easy to see why. There’s always a new zone to explore, new quests to undertake, and new activities to complete.ESOalso has a high level of replayability, owing to the massive pool of content that it already has on offer.
1Captivating Settings
Depicting the varied and numerous provinces of Tamriel,ESOisn’t lacking inelegant, unique, and fascinating landscapes. Whether hiking through the dunes of the Alik’r desert, traversing the jungles and savannahs of Valenwood, or trudging through the ashy wastes of Morrowind, there’s always a new and exciting locale to visit.
This allows players to experience the beauty of Tamriel first-hand, withESOmaking more of the continent available than any title did before. While it doesn’t exactly have top-tier graphics, they compare well to most other MMOs, and the architecture and design of the environment and settlements more than make up for it.
The Elder Scrolls Onlineis available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Windows, and macOS.
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