The Elder Scrolls Online is an RPG with an interesting history. It faced an uphill battle when it first launched due to numerous gameplay issues, but instead of declaring it a failure, Zenimax Online Studios revamped the game and made it amazing. The game has become one of the more content heavy MMOs and is noted for being able to be enjoyed fully in single player and expanding heavily on the lore of the series. Last year saw the launch of the Morrowind expansion, which saw players return to Vvardenfell from The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. It was a true nostalgia trip and a very content heavy expansion that had something for everyone. But now there is a new expansion that takes us to Summerset, the home of the Altmer, for the first time. But does this expansion hold up compared to Morrowind?
Summerset is an interesting beast in that it seems there is less content than in Morrowind, but what is there has a lot more substance. The new feature of jewelry crafting isn’t anything special to write home about, but the quests and world building featured here are some of the highest quality ever seen in the series as a whole. The dungeons are far more fulfilling and Summerset itself is truly brought to life here. An issue with Morrowind that couldn’t be worked around, was that there was a limit to what could be done with additional world building due to being a nostalgia driven expansion. Summerset however, is given free reign and I must say I am a bit disappointed. Not in the quality of the game, but that this was not saved for a mainline entry. If this had been saved for Elder Scrolls VI, it would have been a welcome experience. This speaks to the quality of The Elder Scrolls Online and the work put into it.
It is not all good however. I mentioned before that the new feature of Jewelry crafting is lacking as a new addition, but what feels more like a squandered opportunity is the PSijic Order quest line. The Psijic Order had been built up so much in the lore and games, but the quest line just feels like it could have been so much better and more immersive. I get what the developers were going for, but it still ends up a missed chance. It is a way to catch players up on what came before, but misses the opportunity to go all out. The quest line stalls more than once, and this is disappointing since this quest line was a major selling point for the expansion.
Other quests however, show off the creativity of the dev team very well .We are getting a chance to visit an area of Tamriel that hasn’t been shown in major detail yet, and we are seeing a fully realized world. Unlike previous expansions, the developers have gone all out to truly create a new type of experience unseen previously in The Elder Scrolls. It is very newcomer friendly and also continues the plotline of previous expansions without missing a beat at the same time.
One thing I must comment on, is the character building. It is not just that the world of Summerset is shown to be an exciting new location with its own unique inhabitants, but the Altmer as a race have become hated since Skyrim due to the Thalmor faction there. Here however, we are shown a much different picture of the people due to being set in an earlier time. I love that they are shown in a different light here, and again makes me excited for what is in store in the mainline series.
Overall, I loved this expansion and feel that the game is perhaps one of the best MMOs available right now, There is so much to do in Summerset and the possibilities are all presented well, in a world larger than last year’s Morrowind expansion. Now is the best time to give The Elder Scrolls Online a try, and see for yourself why this MMO has risen above the others.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided