Hello and welcome! My name is Shank, and I’m the incoming News Editor here at MMORPG! I’m sure you may have read some of my news items recently as incoming Managing Editor Joseph Bradford and I are getting ramped up. I also write some hardware reviews here, and editorials on GameSpace. But if you don’t know who I am, no worries! I’d like to introduce you to a continuation of a weekly feature all about The Elder Scrolls Online, originally written by our outgoing fearless leader, Bill Murphy.
In short, I’ve been doing nothing but playing Elder Scrolls Online for the past month and a half. I’m absolutely loving the game. And since this site is called MMORPG.com, we thought it prudent to somewhat revive and continue a weekly series about a hugely popular and unique game in this evolving genre.
As I wrote in a previous editorial for GameSpace, I initially played the game and became disappointed with its emphasis on MMO over Elder Scrolls. Fortunately, the game has changed tremendously with the Tamriel Unlimited and One Tamriel updates, along with a string of fantastic expansions (dubbed “chapters” by Zenimax Online Studios), and has seen me return.
)
This weekly feature will cover the exploits I have playing solo and with my friends over the past seven days. Think of it as a journal of sorts, akin to my Newb’s Adventures In World Of Warcraft mini-series I wrote last year. As an aside, I created a guild called Tawdry Ballz (of course) run by myself and incoming Managing Editor, Joseph Bradford. Anyone is welcome to join! Just don’t be toxic, and we’ll have fun. Simply search for the guild in the game.
Meandering prologue aside, let’s jump in.
I’m playing as a Breton Necromancer, having created a character with the latest Elsweyr chapter. I’m currently level 32 at the time of this writing while I work my way through Summerset as I have recently completed Elsweyr .
For the most part, I enjoyed the Elsweyr main quest. However, like other open world and MMO games before it, it carried that dissonant wall that somehow you are the only savior to rid Anequina of the dragon menace despite the fact that thousands of other players are doing the same thing.
Dissonance aside, the side quests were immensely enjoyable due the quality of writing, use of wit, and unforeseen twists and turns. I used my time in Elsweyr to re-acquaint myself with the mechanics in Elder Scrolls Online, such as relearning skill progression, crafting, and general dungeon flow. All this proved very useful. From Elsweyr, I moved into Alinor to experience the Summerset chapter.
Good lord.
)
Summerset is my ideal fantasy setting. Beautiful, green, slightly whimsical, yet firmly grounded. I’m loving the main story more than I did in Elsweyr due in part to its more personal and less grandiose feel, and so far -- so far -- it has managed to avoid that “sole hero” trope. Hopefully, this continues.
Once again, the side quests are a highlight, with one quest in Lillandril particularly standing out as it began as a murder mystery, but evolved into something far more,. Unique moments like these elevate these side quests beyond the “kill x number of enemies” quests I became accustomed to in World of Warcraft.
)
It is probably best if I now informed you of my playstyle. Elder Scrolls Online is the one MMO that has truly clicked serendipitously for me, despite how much I enjoyed World of Warcraft. In that respect, I love exploring and taking in the world and stories. I love finding every nook and cranny in the world as I hunt for skyshards, treasure chests, and Thieves Guild troves. In this regard, Elder Scrolls Online is aces.
The fact that there has been a wealth of content since I last played is truly staggering and incredibly exciting to an exploration-focused, story-driven player like me. I have so many new lands to explore and quest through. One such questline I’m pursuing as a result of this is the Thieves Guild. And man, it’s thrilling thus far.
As I mentioned at the top, we have a guild called Tawdry Ballz. We’re a bunch of friends (new members welcome!) who get together every Saturday and stream a couple hours of our ambitious, but ultimately rubbish play. So far, we have three episodes which can be viewed in this playlist.
This past weekend, we tried our hand in PvP. It went about as well as one could expect given the...unique qualities of our combined....skill. In an effort to not split up our alliance grouping, our friend Brian selected his Aldmeri Dominion character. This would have been fine, if not for the fact that his character somehow had no armor. We informed him to don a disguise instead in an attempt to fool the enemy. This didn’t work.
Bradford joined us later, but we realized all too late that he was in a completely different Imperial City instance than the rest of us. Yeah, like I said. We’re ambitious, but rubbish. You can view the entirety of the chaos below should you so choose!
To finish off this first article in this series, I’m loving Elder Scrolls Online. My friends and I are having a blast. You’re welcome to join our Tawdry Ballz guild and romp around with us on Saturdays! But in short, Elder Scrolls Online is the single-player game I can play with my friends I didn’t know I wanted. I hope you’ll join me every Wednesday for a new update in my ongoing adventures!
