Shoddycast: Elder Scrolls Online FULL Review – Worth the wait ?

News from: Shoddycast

The Elder Scrolls Online is finally here, so what’s the verdict? Join Josh as he takes an in-depth look at ESO. Is this the game we wanted?

Read More at: Shoddycast

Quite a critical review, but it's honest and impartial.  

Seems like a fair review to me.  I found nothing I would disagree with and I miss leveling 100% in PvP like I did in Warhammer.

I agree with the review.

Mostly I try to play with my partner and other family members, and that is a chore to find a quest we didn't do together or a quest that doesn't send you into a single player instance to be munched alive by a poorly balanced boss. Yes, I know, the PvE is aimed more for solo content, but the other TES games do that so much better and I don't have to pay 15$ for that :/ I expected and wanted a multiplayer TES game. Yhe family events (be dungeons or ava) are the only things that feels really multiplayer and makes my partner want to pay the sub.

I really hope the best is yet to come.

I agree and disagree - go figure.  I actually think he was a little too biased from an ES standard - wanting it to be more ES and less ESO - he pointed out in the very beginning that it was billed as the next chapter in ES and then continued during the review to point out that it wasn't really.

Having played MMO's for a long time, starting with EQ, and also one of the ES series I find it a valid mix of both which is what they wanted.  So I actually think they accomplished their goal.   Now will this actually please all ES fans or all MMO fans - bluntly - no.   But if it welcomes both and pleases 50% of each then they actually did what they really wanted..

I like the instances that are solo and take me into a world of my own.  This isn't the first MMO to do this and I doubt that it will be the last.  They also have some instanced dungeons that only your group can go in as well as some open dungeons that anyone can mosey into and get their rear handed to them if they don't hook up with a good - or at least a large group of players that are going through to wipe whatever they see.

In comparison to other MMO's I rate them about average on what they need to fix during the first 6 months - and then the second 6 months to keep it going.   It isn't the best launch nor is it close to the worse ever.  As I stated before this game is still in it's infancy.  It needs some time to mature, but this is the same with every MMO.  Some MMO's mature in totally the wrong direction for the majority of their players... SWG, Rift, Warhammer.... while others grow and stay flexible throughout their years.   EQ, WOW (love it or hate it - it does the job), Eve... (I thow Eve in here since even though it is very small - it has a loyal fan base and they serve them well)... Then you have the ones that just pass like ships in the night since they had a vision - but never really visualized it... Matrix OL, Vanguard, ... and there are more that could be added to any of these lists.

We have yet to see where ESO will fall - except I am pretty sure it isn't in the latter.   If you want the game to succeed then submit good feedback to them that actually has some substance.  They have already disclosed that they are listening - some changes in the works are from player feedback.

As Kitty says... I really hope the best is yet to come.  I am one of the people willing to give them the time to develop since I love the world so much and they really do have some well written quests. (I am a quest driven player - I know some are not) I don't care who did the voice acting - it is pretty darn good.

Ahh good old shoddy. As always I enjoy his reviews, he is always honest and fair. I love the crafting, and I love the story. Exploration isn't as great in an MMO as it is in regular TES titles. I also understand that you could build the game to have that exploration but it would take lots of time and money. I pretty much agree with his like and dislikes. Questing could use some help.... leveling could use some help.

The most important thing Zenimax needs to do right now, in my opinion, is fix AvA. AvA should be a viable leveling experience. AvA should be balanced better. I think they are not doing enough to make it balanced. I know they are bringing it to scale to VR5, it should scale to VR10. Leave the emperor line alone, leave the other stuff alone, just scale everything to VR10... This way the emperor cannot solo cap resources. The emperor will take much more damage from players. I know i get angry when I die to them or watch them wipe an entire raid..... 

There is work to be done, I hope Zenimax keeps it up and improves the game. Here is to hoping it only gets better.