The long-awaited, much postponed Elder Scrolls Online Tamriel
Unlimited finally arrives on the PS4 and the Xbox One. You mean I can
play Skyrim as an MMO? On current-gen systems? Utilizing a controller
instead of a keyboard? Zero cost in subscription fees? What is not to
like? Sign me up!
Playing this game on the PS4 or the Xbox One is
like slipping into your favorite pair of Levi's. It somehow makes the
Elder Scrolls Online more reminiscent of Skyrim, and for fans of that
title, this is a great feeling.
The concerns I had about the
mechanics for this game prior to playing it have all but disappeared. I
would have liked to have been able to switch some actions around, i.e.
weapon swap and map reveal, but this is admittedly being overly picky.
The controls do work well and are extremely responsive. You do have the
ability to map certain skills to the buttons you choose. This makes
early combat easy, first use a damage over time skill, followed by a few
immediate damage attacks, and seal the deal with your favorite
finisher. Then just rinse and repeat for quick kills.
The beginner
terrain is adequate in size and offers many micro quests. Just head off
in any direction and it won't be long until you find some
mouth-watering adventure. These quests are not the same old kill 50
spiders or run here to talk to this peasant (well maybe they are
somewhat similar) but Bethesda has made them much more interesting and
entertaining.
You do use up your stamina bar quickly when running
so you may want to consider investing in a mount. The Imperial Edition
of Elder Scrolls Online offers a white stallion for one gold
immediately. This addition alone may be worth the extra $20 for the
Imperial Edition upgrade. Otherwise, horses are available form the Crown
Store in-game for real money. The Imperial Edition upgrade also
provides you the benefit of playing as an Imperial, who look very
similar to the Bretons. Imperials are able to play in any one of the
three main alliances and possess well-rounded abilities, making them
effective for any class you prefer.
Elder Scrolls Online initially
planned a monthly subscription fee of $15, They wisely reversed that
decision to make the game free after purchase. Sure, they did include
the Crown Store, but purchases made here are mainly for cosmetic and
convenience purposes only. You never have to pay one cent extra after
the initial purchase price of the game to remain competitive. No need to
worry that some inferior player will just "pay" to be good and own you
in combat.
A notable difference to the PC version of this game
that you may miss, is that there are no plug-ins for the consoles. Trial
and error will replace the immediate recipe recall of a plug-in. This
is actually a good thing in my opinion as you become more involved in
the game.
Speaking of crafting, it is somewhat difficult and
overwhelming for new players, as there exists multiple ingredients to
loot and find, but extremely limited inventory slots and general bank
space when you first start out. A good recommendation would be to decide
on a craft that is essential to your character early on. For example,
if you are a class that utilizes medium armor, perhaps leather working
would be a good choice to specialize in right away. Some players even
make another whole new character strictly for the purpose of crafting.
At
the risk of this review becoming a new players guide, I'll offer one
more suggestion. Use your ability points immediately as they will only
begin to rise after you have spent the first point to learn them.
There
have been complaints early on that some players have experienced
difficulty logging in and have seen a lot of lag in-game. My experience
has not been so. Logging in to the PS4 version has not been difficult at
all. I have not waited for more than ten minutes or so to get in. Even
when standing around 7000 in line my wait time was under five minutes.
When in the starting areas or large gathering spots, lag is noticeable
only when there is much activity on the screen all at the same time, but
it is not detrimental to game play. As soon as you leave the
overcrowded area, ESO runs very smooth on the console.
Ultimately
Bethesda should be congratulated on a job well done for this release. I
was prepared for much worse than what was delivered. Of course some
issues are to be expected with a game of this size and scope. Rest
assured developers will improve it over time.
One gripe I do have
is that if someone near you completes a quest, you will be credited with
its completion also. This is not the worst thing in the world, but you
do feel as if you were cheated out of that experience because you cannot
redo quests.
Another complaint I would voice is that you cannot
mute the nastier players by themselves. You only have the ability to
leave the area chat completely, and consequently hear none of the
players or conversations. Sometimes you just want to eliminate that one
foul-mouthed individual who won't stop screaming out curse words when
your children are in earshot. Hopefully developers will address this
issue sooner rather than later. Another head scratcher is that only your
PlayStation gamer tag is visible to other players nearby. What is the
point of naming your character if your party members will only see your
PSN gamer tag?
Those minor issues aside, I must admit that
Bethesda has pleasantly surprised me with this title. I believe that it
will improve over time and I am certain that it will consume much of
mine over the next several months.