That review score is way too high for this game in my opinion, I really find it amusing that it rates so high on social when me and my group barely had the chance to play and do things together whilst leveling.
PvE group dungeons that are only worth doing once due to nerfed EXP gain and below average items. Other than that the rest of the PvE content is not aimed at groups.
PvP is average at best, and im sure by the time ZoS have so called "balanced it" it will be even worse.
If I sound bitter I am this game was a big let down. Another Generic themepark mmo that focuses on Solo play and recycled content as an endgame.
Is this the same person who accused the people who had issues with the game of being spoon fed haters. The same person who was baiting in their other thread but didn't have the polite to post again in that same thread.
Perhaps you would be kind enough to comment on many of the posts in your eso hate baiting thread now.
I'm not Ryan Getchell. I'm Bill Murphy. Both articles from different writers.
Just lol. Foot in mouth disease. Good stuff.
Anyway:
I can't agree with social score as well. It is the one area that hinders this game the most. The bugs will get fixed long before the lack of social interaction is resolved. There are fundamental design problems.
Got say one of the best MMOs i ever played, totally worth it.
i was Afraid this game might not be as good, but am happy it went that well.
And for the guys who are going crazy flaming all over the review, i don't see why all the hate, if you did buy the game well, am sure you knew what the game is prior to release still you did buy it, and most likely your playing it :P.
"The biggest downside to crafting is that with very limited bag-space..."
Yes, imo this does not only completely ruin crafting, it also completely breaks the game. And it's not the only gamebreaker Things like the pay-to-unlock imperial, very limited shared bank, and no auction house, are all seperately breaking the game for me.
It doesn't matter how good the rest is when issues like these completely ruins the game for me.
Didn't buy the game, and have absolutely no plans of doing so in the future either, since I'm sure none of my personal issues are ever going to be fixed, and I would need ALL of them to be.
I happen to run a large guild of more than 360 members, so the less than perfect LFG/LFM tools have not been as much of an issue for us. Knowing that if I was not in a guild it would be different, I would have given a lower social score than Bill did. However I agree with a longevity of 9. We had one member in fact who said there is too much content in ESO. Have never heard that in other MMO's.
ESO is:
The most lag-free MMO I've played, the client continues running smoothly more often than other MMO's where hitching and rubber-banding is more prevalent.
One of the most beautiful MMO's I've played, and an awesome soundtrack
Has the most comprehensive set of quests/storyline I've seen in an MMO. Few MMO's have such a huge amount of content at launch, what with all 3 factions plus the Cyrodiil quests.
I often get totally lost in the experience and story unlike most MMO's.
The update schedule for ESO is also very uplifting, with major content adds coming every month and a half or so with the large Craglorn area (and level cap increase), thieves guild quests and skill line plus crime system, and Dark Brotherhood quests and skill line (and possibly poisons) rumored to be in the works for future updates. Having spent nearly all of my time in other MMO's 'capped out' I look forward to the difficulty to do so that ESO presents. Remember we only have 1/3rd of Tamriel open to us so far, plus there are the other continents and Oblivion to expand into.
I do have to say that the bugs the game has experienced have been an irritance, but also that they have been patching bugs very aggressively and in fact are patching more as I write this.
ESO is not for everyone, and does have it's issues, but I think Bill did a reasonable job on the review as ESO also has a lot of strong points and a lot of future potential as well.
I don’t get this sense, as to me it looks and feels very much like a TES game... and let’s be honest, they can look a little “muddy generic fantasy” too.
So, aesthetics of a current game are now being compared to much older games and lauded for it? Yeay? I guess?
Compared to another soon-to-be-released game’s performance,
Comparing a released product to something in pre-release, and much greatness was to be found. Yeay, again?
If you connected all of the 31 designs into a single one, that would be a proper dungeon. Ragnarok Online of old has better dungeons than the ones pictured ....
Let' just "pretent" that i stopped playing ESO because i was punished for grouping at every corner and my gaming team did not want to keep trying anymore. So they moved on. Let's further pretent my GF tried harder and forced me to go and level up with her... but she also gave up soon after for obvious reasons. So she moved on as well and so did i.
Oh wait, no need to pretent that, this is what happened. I am one of the few really social MMO gamer out there. I absolutly DO NOT play solo, like at all. And if a MULTIPLAYER game punishes me for that, i don't see a reason to give it a 8 / 10 for social stuff.
The issue here is that the category is "social". Not "grouping".
Grouping can be social. Grouping can also "not" be social. I've been in groups where NO ONE SAID A THING EVER, NOT ONE THING!
As I said in another post, one has to look at the game world and its systems and look at where the game allows one to be social. Certainly grouping should be there. It's a system that allows one to be social.
There are games where You take a quest, run, kill x of y, run back and rinse and repeat. Sure one can be outgoing and social but the games dont' do much as far as adding outlets for social activity. I can play LOTRO for hours and never really need to help anyone, certainy most trading is done with the Auction House so not a lot of interaction there.
Now, ESO's quests are good (my opinion) but they suck as far as allowing social interaction. One can be in a group but if one is to play the game as it is intended one might listen to them. I've had to turn off Team Speak because it interferes with the quests. So yeah, ESO's quests dampen social behavior
Where it IS social is allowing for players to explore and by doing that you will meet players, players who need help and might want additional help. You will then quest and the quests will dampen conversation but in my time playing this game I've grouped a lot and had conversations with people in so many places. certainly more than the last year of lotro. Easily more than The Secret World.
Waiting for spawns, helping everywhere I can when people need it, taking down the mini bosses and then hanging around, talking to people while waiting and then helping them to take down those same bosses, trading with people, obviously pvp.
That's "social".
The writer was reviewing a game, not reviewing other players. This should be obvious. How 'social' other people are in the game has no part in a game's review.
So what is left are the tools that the game has for grouping, for interaction and communication between people. These come with the box. If looking at these and how well they are designed and executed, you could argue that the rating for social is maybe too generous.
My impression is that the writer played mainly solo and maybe didn't experience the problems surrounding grouping.
The writer was reviewing a game, not reviewing other players. This should be obvious. How 'social' other people are in the game has no part in a game's review.
So what is left are the tools that the game has for grouping, for interaction and communication between people. These come with the box. If looking at these and how well they are designed and executed, you could argue that the rating for social is maybe too generous.
My impression is that the writer played mainly solo and maybe didn't experience the problems surrounding grouping.
Yep, I keep seeing people misplacing the praise on the social aspects, based on their descriptions.
Talking to someone during a trade is not indicative of "the game supporting or encouraging social interaction". If people decide to start chatting during a trade, it's because they, as individuals, feel like chatting during a trade. It could have been just as much a matter of someone saying "here", and "thanks" in reply. Or nothing at all, though that would be awkward lol.
A bunch of people running up to take on a Public Quest/Event/Whatever is not "social content". It's content designed for individual reward, where a bunch of people can participate at the same time. Again, you can talk and be social in those situations... but by no means are you ever required or even encouraged to. Any chatting going on happens 100% through the players' own initiative.
I can't stand Rifts/Anchors/World Events/F.A.T.E.s/Public Quests and anything like them, because of what they represent. What they represent is developers trying to find a way to create content thatthey can spin as being 'social content' in their PR, without actually creating what they're describing. A bunch of individuals zerg-rushing a "public event" is not a "social activity". It's a bunch of individuals zerg rushing a public event in hopes they can get some shots in and earn a reward before running off to do the rest of their "Me" content. Calling that "social content" is a lie.
I gave examples in a previous post of game mechanics that truly encouraged, and rewarded people to meaningfully communicate, coordinate, cooperate.. in order to achieve a goal or perform some task, which would be unachievable otherwise. You didn't chat with people "because you felt like it". You did because some aspect of the game requires people to work together toward a common goal... or even an individual one.
Sadly, the moment a MMO tries to go toward something that actually does encourage true communication, cooperation and other social type activity... people immediately say "Forced grouping! Ew! No way! The game needs to be more soloable!", or "I don't want to be forced to talk to people!", and rally against it.
Two big things players consistently get wrong these days about MMOs..
1. Praising the game for having "strong social systems", when it's themselves being social, and the game has little to nothing to do with it.
2. Believing the key to a strong MMO community is "joining a good guild".
The blame for both of those is on both the developers (for not developing systems and tools for stronger socializing and community), and the players, (for not pushing more for such systems). Both issues are a direct result of the continued emphasis on the individual experience. As long as new MMOs continue to be developed for "Me", at the expense of "We", it will never change.
Talking to someone during a trade is not indicative of "the game supporting or encouraging social interaction". If people decide to start chatting during a trade, it's because they, as individuals, feel like chatting during a trade. It could have been just as much a matter of someone saying "here", and "thanks" in reply. Or nothing at all, though that would be awkward lol.
as opposed to a strict auction house system where you just pick your item and be on your way?
Every system that a game has were players have an actual opportunity to "talk" is a part of the game and a part of the game design to be "social".
One of the most social parts of lineage 2 was waiting at a dock for a boat. That is an opportunity to be social. Sure you could just walk away to get a soda but the opportunity is there because the game has "worked in" that opportunity. and if you are attacked at that dock then some players might come to your aid and that is another opportunity to meet people.
the opposite would be not having the boat and opening up your map and clicking on your destination and materializing at your destination. There is no opportunity to be social there.
I'm pretty much an extrovert and i've spoken with more people in ESO than I have in LOTRO in years, another theme park. Why? because there are more opportunities in ESO to speak with people. Whether it be by trade or being out in the world meeting people who want help with a variety of mini-bosses/encounters.
As opposed to clicking on the auction house, buying my item, picking up x quests, running to the yellow bits on the map, collecting y, coming back and rinse and repeat.
Whether or not people take advantage of those opportunities is up to them.
Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb."
My opinion on ESO is this: If it were NOT for the name "Elder Scrolls" in the title, complimented with the decades of lore and world setting, this game would be a flat out 3/10
During beta, it was hot garbage. During release, it's better than it was, but it's lacking in every way. Every. Single. Way. The map of all the dungeons? It's a testament to lower quality standards. Maybe you guys don't remember the last AAA title that copy-pasted maps, but it was the original Final Fantasy 14 release, and it copied SUBSTANTIALLY less than ESO does.
The fact that this wasn't mentioned is disappointing. However, gamers' standards over the years have fallen so low that I doubt anyone even would have noticed or cared.
As I'm not buying this heaping disaster of a game, I won't say what it is now. But based on what it WAS? I'd bet it's no higher than a 5, and that's a generous rating for a game that wants you to pay a subscription fee for offering no real new features or innovation from the hundreds of F2P MMO's out there.
Waiting for something fresh to arrive on the MMO scene...
It's easy to hammer down an MMO in a day where a dozen launch/month.
If WoW (which imo) is king of the heel and will be for some time more had launched today, it would've gotten a 5 - constant server DCs, random maintenance that lasted days, but hey there was no alternative so the community endured.
Today's lot act like a series of spoiled children, nagging about anything and everything.
I am not sure what people expected from this game - me, I am having fun in it. I do agree that being unable to help someone with a completed quest is pretty frustrating. On the other hand they wanted to give a sense of continuity and completion to those that had completed the quest.
The dungeons are new, and with plenty of content..Those who compare this to TOR are delusional, to say the least - being a pve fan, I remember TOR and its first year (or was it two?) ways of dungeon grouping..let's see...NONE?
Everyone had to physically travel to the dungeon? People had to know where they are?And finding a group was all about spamming the LFG? Even TSW, one of my fav PvE games, still uses LFG spam to get a group going.
TESO launched with grouping functionality right out of the box. For the first time as well crafting is useful and makes sense as I level.
I am still level 35, but I have played long enough to enjoy the experience - I do have a RL job, so I mostly play in most evenings.
You got a fantasy game without confeti, hello kitty baloons, with plenty a dungeon (True some similar) on launch, 3 faction pvp that hasn't been there properly since DaOC, and we're still about a month in. And people are already whining about bugs and content. I'll rest my case. Some people are never pleased.
This game is here to stay - plenty of content, plenty more coming, and the bugs will be fixed as time passes. A good review (Social rating is FINE. You can auto group with people. No MMO that I know of in the last 4 years included this on launch ! )
level cap 50 ? uhm ? I am veteran rank 5 and have a veteran rank 2 alt. This game requires you to be Rank 10 veteran for future contend and getting the best gear. So level 50 you say ? grats you just completed only a meager 30% of the game. here lets port you to the veteren zone where all stuff is scaled up and you need millions and millions of exp to gain a level while only doing !!!! QUESTS !!!
i loved this game as i tought level 50 was it ! now i can have fun in pvp !!! But boy was i wrong :P
casuals are going to get a shock of their lives once they reach the vet contend. half the skills and passives do not work, so you never know what build is working and wich doesnt. If you die alot that means 2000 gold repair for you sir ! oh you only made 500 gold ? no problem just wear trash items you find and lose stats you might need for you playstyle !
Where is Knotwood ? and his assumptions of 20 millions subs in a year ? i think 200k subs left before the year is over. And still no word from Zenimax that they reached that wonderfull 1 million units sold or 2 million units or 3 million ! To me it indicates they are having a rough time selling this mmo. And with all the borked stuff currently ingame i can only say that many people are not willing to spend another month worth on a sub to a game that frustrates the fack out of you.
I am not a fanboy or hater as i still love to play it, but if it wasnt for my guild i would have uninstalled this mmo and not look back before they fixed at least 90% of the stuff that is not working as it should be.
For the supposed 200 million or so they paid to make this MMO every dungeon should have been unique, the fact that they copied and pasted so many designs is embarrassing. As a matter of fact for 200 million the game should have been in much better condition.
Too much time is spent running around doing pointless quest. No community whatsoever.
This game will be f2p very shortly. Too much is lacking from this game. No viable way to level except the boring quest. No grouping. No socializing.
Very fun?? Not even close. Its fun for about 40 hours.
So 49 $ for a new released game (solo game) is expensive? There are games you play 9 hours story mode and they are over, where you pay 69$, thats expensive. Even though even 40 hours for 49$ is even over the average gametime of games in that price region.
Um, solo games don't cost $15/month... And solo games from the ES saga are WAY better than this. And you don't have to be online to play them. And...and....and.....
My opinion on ESO is this: If it were NOT for the name "Elder Scrolls" in the title, complimented with the decades of lore and world setting, this game would be a flat out 3/10
During beta, it was hot garbage. During release, it's better than it was, but it's lacking in every way. Every. Single. Way. The map of all the dungeons? It's a testament to lower quality standards. Maybe you guys don't remember the last AAA title that copy-pasted maps, but it was the original Final Fantasy 14 release, and it copied SUBSTANTIALLY less than ESO does.
The fact that this wasn't mentioned is disappointing. However, gamers' standards over the years have fallen so low that I doubt anyone even would have noticed or cared.
As I'm not buying this heaping disaster of a game, I won't say what it is now. But based on what it WAS? I'd bet it's no higher than a 5, and that's a generous rating for a game that wants you to pay a subscription fee for offering no real new features or innovation from the hundreds of F2P MMO's out there.
They had this game franchise built around open world roaming and adventuring and they turned it into the most on-rails smoke and mirror game I've ever played in order to move boxes.
I wasn't a fan of the beta but I very foolishly bought the bloody thing anyway thinking nah I must have not 'got it', it's Elder Scrolls it has to be good! One month in, got a good bit further into the game and...no it's still mediocre. Though passable as a casual hack and slash game, it's so utterly bland in almost every way despite trying my best to ignore the short comings. The skills are all sickeningly bland. The world is bland. The classes and skill trees are horrifically bland. The story is just about passable if you get into it for a while but it ultimately fades into blandness after a while running mind-numbing errands. The zergfests are temporarily entertaining till you find out how repetitive they are. They even managed to make the beloved Elder Scrolls lore a snorefest which is an amazing feat of deconstruction. The whole venture just feels like a half-arsed effort from top to bottom proving that reverse alchemy is possible turning gold into lead. I cannot imagine this holding any subbing customer's loyalty for very long unless I really am missing something.
The fact that fanboys all over the thread are satisfied with the 7.9 says it all. The game deserves a 6.
My opinion is my own. I respect all other opinions and views equally, but keep in mind that my opinion will always be the best for me. That's why it's my opinion.
I have to say I think the game released with a great amount of content. The world is large and beautiful on the surface, with a variety of flora and fauna.
There are, however, many core areas which still need work. The game is in need of polish and feels rushed to press.
The 'Guild Store' concept vs a Global AH is really one area that needs work...ranging from a little shining to a complete overhaul depending on who you ask. I personally think it adds another layer of insulation protecting against artificial inflation caused by the buying/selling of gold. If you manage to get into a couple good Trade Guilds (high population/activity) you can make this work. The Guild Store UI needs a complete overhaul however. Trying to search through Guild Stores is a nightmare and feels like some afterthought. This MUST be addressed.
As far as longevity, hard core scrollers are going to stick with this one. The near limitless tweakability of 'classes' makes leveling interesting and requiring of though.
It remains to be seen how quickly and of what caliber new content is and will be. I have not gotten anywhere near end game so I am still happily churning through low level content. I find it interesting and engaging and satisfying for the most part.
The largest problem I can see is the overwhelming amount of gold sellers and bots within the game.
In so many ways this game is almost perfect. The security issues, however are really going to run ppl off here in a few days. The problems caused by bots MUST be mitigated or there is going to be hard times ahead for TESO...
Innovation 7
Aesthetics 9
Longevity 9
Polish 6
Value 6
I'm seeing a 7.4
I hope I can review this later and that number will be higher.....
Comments
That review score is way too high for this game in my opinion, I really find it amusing that it rates so high on social when me and my group barely had the chance to play and do things together whilst leveling.
PvE group dungeons that are only worth doing once due to nerfed EXP gain and below average items. Other than that the rest of the PvE content is not aimed at groups.
PvP is average at best, and im sure by the time ZoS have so called "balanced it" it will be even worse.
If I sound bitter I am this game was a big let down. Another Generic themepark mmo that focuses on Solo play and recycled content as an endgame.
Just lol. Foot in mouth disease. Good stuff.
Anyway:
I can't agree with social score as well. It is the one area that hinders this game the most. The bugs will get fixed long before the lack of social interaction is resolved. There are fundamental design problems.
You stay sassy!
I agree with this post.
Holy shit, did they just pull a ffxiv 1.0 with dungeons? Lmfao
Got say one of the best MMOs i ever played, totally worth it.
i was Afraid this game might not be as good, but am happy it went that well.
And for the guys who are going crazy flaming all over the review, i don't see why all the hate, if you did buy the game well, am sure you knew what the game is prior to release still you did buy it, and most likely your playing it :P.
From the review:
"The biggest downside to crafting is that with very limited bag-space..."
Yes, imo this does not only completely ruin crafting, it also completely breaks the game. And it's not the only gamebreaker Things like the pay-to-unlock imperial, very limited shared bank, and no auction house, are all seperately breaking the game for me.
It doesn't matter how good the rest is when issues like these completely ruins the game for me.
Didn't buy the game, and have absolutely no plans of doing so in the future either, since I'm sure none of my personal issues are ever going to be fixed, and I would need ALL of them to be.
I happen to run a large guild of more than 360 members, so the less than perfect LFG/LFM tools have not been as much of an issue for us. Knowing that if I was not in a guild it would be different, I would have given a lower social score than Bill did. However I agree with a longevity of 9. We had one member in fact who said there is too much content in ESO. Have never heard that in other MMO's.
ESO is:
The most lag-free MMO I've played, the client continues running smoothly more often than other MMO's where hitching and rubber-banding is more prevalent.
One of the most beautiful MMO's I've played, and an awesome soundtrack
Has the most comprehensive set of quests/storyline I've seen in an MMO. Few MMO's have such a huge amount of content at launch, what with all 3 factions plus the Cyrodiil quests.
I often get totally lost in the experience and story unlike most MMO's.
The update schedule for ESO is also very uplifting, with major content adds coming every month and a half or so with the large Craglorn area (and level cap increase), thieves guild quests and skill line plus crime system, and Dark Brotherhood quests and skill line (and possibly poisons) rumored to be in the works for future updates. Having spent nearly all of my time in other MMO's 'capped out' I look forward to the difficulty to do so that ESO presents. Remember we only have 1/3rd of Tamriel open to us so far, plus there are the other continents and Oblivion to expand into.
I do have to say that the bugs the game has experienced have been an irritance, but also that they have been patching bugs very aggressively and in fact are patching more as I write this.
ESO is not for everyone, and does have it's issues, but I think Bill did a reasonable job on the review as ESO also has a lot of strong points and a lot of future potential as well.
Guildmaster, Brotherhood of Redemption
http://www.borguild.com/
I don’t get this sense, as to me it looks and feels very much like a TES game... and let’s be honest, they can look a little “muddy generic fantasy” too.
So, aesthetics of a current game are now being compared to much older games and lauded for it? Yeay? I guess?
Compared to another soon-to-be-released game’s performance,
Comparing a released product to something in pre-release, and much greatness was to be found. Yeay, again?
If you connected all of the 31 designs into a single one, that would be a proper dungeon. Ragnarok Online of old has better dungeons than the ones pictured ....
The writer was reviewing a game, not reviewing other players. This should be obvious. How 'social' other people are in the game has no part in a game's review.
So what is left are the tools that the game has for grouping, for interaction and communication between people. These come with the box. If looking at these and how well they are designed and executed, you could argue that the rating for social is maybe too generous.
My impression is that the writer played mainly solo and maybe didn't experience the problems surrounding grouping.
Yep, I keep seeing people misplacing the praise on the social aspects, based on their descriptions.
Talking to someone during a trade is not indicative of "the game supporting or encouraging social interaction". If people decide to start chatting during a trade, it's because they, as individuals, feel like chatting during a trade. It could have been just as much a matter of someone saying "here", and "thanks" in reply. Or nothing at all, though that would be awkward lol.
A bunch of people running up to take on a Public Quest/Event/Whatever is not "social content". It's content designed for individual reward, where a bunch of people can participate at the same time. Again, you can talk and be social in those situations... but by no means are you ever required or even encouraged to. Any chatting going on happens 100% through the players' own initiative.
I can't stand Rifts/Anchors/World Events/F.A.T.E.s/Public Quests and anything like them, because of what they represent. What they represent is developers trying to find a way to create content that they can spin as being 'social content' in their PR, without actually creating what they're describing. A bunch of individuals zerg-rushing a "public event" is not a "social activity". It's a bunch of individuals zerg rushing a public event in hopes they can get some shots in and earn a reward before running off to do the rest of their "Me" content. Calling that "social content" is a lie.
I gave examples in a previous post of game mechanics that truly encouraged, and rewarded people to meaningfully communicate, coordinate, cooperate.. in order to achieve a goal or perform some task, which would be unachievable otherwise. You didn't chat with people "because you felt like it". You did because some aspect of the game requires people to work together toward a common goal... or even an individual one.
Sadly, the moment a MMO tries to go toward something that actually does encourage true communication, cooperation and other social type activity... people immediately say "Forced grouping! Ew! No way! The game needs to be more soloable!", or "I don't want to be forced to talk to people!", and rally against it.
Two big things players consistently get wrong these days about MMOs..
1. Praising the game for having "strong social systems", when it's themselves being social, and the game has little to nothing to do with it.
2. Believing the key to a strong MMO community is "joining a good guild".
The blame for both of those is on both the developers (for not developing systems and tools for stronger socializing and community), and the players, (for not pushing more for such systems). Both issues are a direct result of the continued emphasis on the individual experience. As long as new MMOs continue to be developed for "Me", at the expense of "We", it will never change.
as opposed to a strict auction house system where you just pick your item and be on your way?
Every system that a game has were players have an actual opportunity to "talk" is a part of the game and a part of the game design to be "social".
One of the most social parts of lineage 2 was waiting at a dock for a boat. That is an opportunity to be social. Sure you could just walk away to get a soda but the opportunity is there because the game has "worked in" that opportunity. and if you are attacked at that dock then some players might come to your aid and that is another opportunity to meet people.
the opposite would be not having the boat and opening up your map and clicking on your destination and materializing at your destination. There is no opportunity to be social there.
I'm pretty much an extrovert and i've spoken with more people in ESO than I have in LOTRO in years, another theme park. Why? because there are more opportunities in ESO to speak with people. Whether it be by trade or being out in the world meeting people who want help with a variety of mini-bosses/encounters.
As opposed to clicking on the auction house, buying my item, picking up x quests, running to the yellow bits on the map, collecting y, coming back and rinse and repeat.
Whether or not people take advantage of those opportunities is up to them.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
My opinion on ESO is this: If it were NOT for the name "Elder Scrolls" in the title, complimented with the decades of lore and world setting, this game would be a flat out 3/10
During beta, it was hot garbage. During release, it's better than it was, but it's lacking in every way. Every. Single. Way. The map of all the dungeons? It's a testament to lower quality standards. Maybe you guys don't remember the last AAA title that copy-pasted maps, but it was the original Final Fantasy 14 release, and it copied SUBSTANTIALLY less than ESO does.
The fact that this wasn't mentioned is disappointing. However, gamers' standards over the years have fallen so low that I doubt anyone even would have noticed or cared.
As I'm not buying this heaping disaster of a game, I won't say what it is now. But based on what it WAS? I'd bet it's no higher than a 5, and that's a generous rating for a game that wants you to pay a subscription fee for offering no real new features or innovation from the hundreds of F2P MMO's out there.
Waiting for something fresh to arrive on the MMO scene...
So much hate..!
It's easy to hammer down an MMO in a day where a dozen launch/month.
If WoW (which imo) is king of the heel and will be for some time more had launched today, it would've gotten a 5 - constant server DCs, random maintenance that lasted days, but hey there was no alternative so the community endured.
Today's lot act like a series of spoiled children, nagging about anything and everything.
I am not sure what people expected from this game - me, I am having fun in it. I do agree that being unable to help someone with a completed quest is pretty frustrating. On the other hand they wanted to give a sense of continuity and completion to those that had completed the quest.
The dungeons are new, and with plenty of content..Those who compare this to TOR are delusional, to say the least - being a pve fan, I remember TOR and its first year (or was it two?) ways of dungeon grouping..let's see...NONE?
Everyone had to physically travel to the dungeon? People had to know where they are?And finding a group was all about spamming the LFG? Even TSW, one of my fav PvE games, still uses LFG spam to get a group going.
TESO launched with grouping functionality right out of the box. For the first time as well crafting is useful and makes sense as I level.
I am still level 35, but I have played long enough to enjoy the experience - I do have a RL job, so I mostly play in most evenings.
You got a fantasy game without confeti, hello kitty baloons, with plenty a dungeon (True some similar) on launch, 3 faction pvp that hasn't been there properly since DaOC, and we're still about a month in. And people are already whining about bugs and content. I'll rest my case. Some people are never pleased.
This game is here to stay - plenty of content, plenty more coming, and the bugs will be fixed as time passes. A good review (Social rating is FINE. You can auto group with people. No MMO that I know of in the last 4 years included this on launch ! )
level cap 50 ? uhm ?
I am veteran rank 5 and have a veteran rank 2 alt.
This game requires you to be Rank 10 veteran for future contend and getting the best gear.
So level 50 you say ? grats you just completed only a meager 30% of the game.
here lets port you to the veteren zone where all stuff is scaled up and you need millions and millions of exp to gain a level while only doing !!!! QUESTS !!!
i loved this game as i tought level 50 was it ! now i can have fun in pvp !!!
But boy was i wrong :P
casuals are going to get a shock of their lives once they reach the vet contend.
half the skills and passives do not work, so you never know what build is working and wich doesnt.
If you die alot that means 2000 gold repair for you sir ! oh you only made 500 gold ? no problem just wear trash items you find and lose stats you might need for you playstyle !
Where is Knotwood ? and his assumptions of 20 millions subs in a year ?
i think 200k subs left before the year is over.
And still no word from Zenimax that they reached that wonderfull 1 million units sold or 2 million units or 3 million !
To me it indicates they are having a rough time selling this mmo.
And with all the borked stuff currently ingame i can only say that many people are not willing to spend another month worth on a sub to a game that frustrates the fack out of you.
I am not a fanboy or hater as i still love to play it, but if it wasnt for my guild i would have uninstalled this mmo and not look back before they fixed at least 90% of the stuff that is not working as it should be.
Um, solo games don't cost $15/month... And solo games from the ES saga are WAY better than this. And you don't have to be online to play them. And...and....and.....
^ This.
They had this game franchise built around open world roaming and adventuring and they turned it into the most on-rails smoke and mirror game I've ever played in order to move boxes.
QFT!
My opinion is my own. I respect all other opinions and views equally, but keep in mind that my opinion will always be the best for me. That's why it's my opinion.
A fanboy wouldn't be satisfied with a 7.9. A fanboy would be mad that it wasn't at least an 8.9 and most would say it was a perfect 10.
The fact that so many all over the thread are satisfied with the 7.9 says that perhaps they aren't necessarily fanboys after all.
The fact that so many all over the thread are dissatisfied with a 7.9 says it all. The game has a lot of haters - not fanboys.
Games:
Currently playing:Nothing
Will play: Darkfall: Unholy Wars
Past games:
Guild Wars 2 - Xpiher Duminous
Xpiher's GW2
GW 1 - Xpiher Duminous
Darkfall - Xpiher Duminous (NA) retired
AoC - Xpiher (Tyranny) retired
Warhammer - Xpiher
I have to say I think the game released with a great amount of content. The world is large and beautiful on the surface, with a variety of flora and fauna.
There are, however, many core areas which still need work. The game is in need of polish and feels rushed to press.
The 'Guild Store' concept vs a Global AH is really one area that needs work...ranging from a little shining to a complete overhaul depending on who you ask. I personally think it adds another layer of insulation protecting against artificial inflation caused by the buying/selling of gold. If you manage to get into a couple good Trade Guilds (high population/activity) you can make this work. The Guild Store UI needs a complete overhaul however. Trying to search through Guild Stores is a nightmare and feels like some afterthought. This MUST be addressed.
As far as longevity, hard core scrollers are going to stick with this one. The near limitless tweakability of 'classes' makes leveling interesting and requiring of though.
It remains to be seen how quickly and of what caliber new content is and will be. I have not gotten anywhere near end game so I am still happily churning through low level content. I find it interesting and engaging and satisfying for the most part.
The largest problem I can see is the overwhelming amount of gold sellers and bots within the game.
In so many ways this game is almost perfect. The security issues, however are really going to run ppl off here in a few days. The problems caused by bots MUST be mitigated or there is going to be hard times ahead for TESO...
Innovation 7
Aesthetics 9
Longevity 9
Polish 6
Value 6
I'm seeing a 7.4
I hope I can review this later and that number will be higher.....
Co-Founder of Elder Moot
SotA Founder