Is Elder Scrolls Online Good? A 2024 Review & Deep Dive

Is Elder Scrolls Online Good in 2024? Absolutely, Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) remains a top-tier MMORPG, offering a vast and immersive world filled with captivating storylines, engaging PvP and PvE content, and endless character customization options. Dive into this detailed review by gmonline.net to discover why ESO continues to thrive and attract players worldwide with in-depth content, active community and latest updates. Get ready to explore Tamriel like never before, mastering skills, finding rare loot, and connecting with fellow adventurers.

1. What Makes Elder Scrolls Online Stand Out?

Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) distinguishes itself through its expansive open world, rich lore, captivating storylines, and diverse character customization options. Let’s explore what makes ESO a standout in the MMORPG genre.

Expansive Open World: ESO offers a vast and detailed world to explore, featuring iconic locations from the Elder Scrolls series. You can revisit places like Solitude, Windhelm, Anvil, Imperial City, and Blackreach, each meticulously recreated to provide a nostalgic and immersive experience. The sheer size of the game world allows for endless exploration and discovery.
Rich Lore and Captivating Storylines: The game is steeped in Elder Scrolls lore, providing a deep and engaging narrative experience. Each zone has its own unique storyline, complete with interesting characters and compelling quests. This rich storytelling ensures that players always have something new and exciting to experience.
Diverse Character Customization: ESO offers extensive options for character customization, allowing players to create truly unique avatars. You can choose from various races, including Khajit, High Elf, Imperial, Nord, Argonian, Dark Elf, Wood Elf, Orc, Breton, and Redguard, each with their own unique abilities and appearances. Additionally, you can select from several classes such as Dragon Knight, Templar, Sorcerer, Nightblade, Warden, and Necromancer, each offering distinct playstyles.
Engaging PvP and PvE Content: Whether you prefer player-versus-player (PvP) or player-versus-environment (PvE) content, ESO has something for everyone. In PvP, you can participate in Battlefields, Trials, and Dungeons, testing your skills against other players. For PvE, there are countless quests, dungeons, and world events to tackle with friends or solo.
Active Community and Regular Updates: ESO boasts a vibrant and active community of players, providing a welcoming environment for both new and returning adventurers. The developers consistently release new content updates, including new chapters, dungeons, and features, ensuring that the game remains fresh and exciting.

2. What Are the Main Features of Elder Scrolls Online?

Elder Scrolls Online is packed with features that cater to a wide range of playstyles. From character customization to crafting and social activities, ESO provides a rich and engaging experience.

Character Creation and Customization: As mentioned earlier, ESO allows for extensive character customization. You can choose your race, class, and alliance, each offering unique benefits. The alliance choices include Aldmeri Dominion, Daggerfall Covenant, and Ebonheart Pact, each with its own storyline and territories.
Combat System: The combat system in ESO is action-oriented, allowing you to create satisfying combos while fighting. You have control over your character’s actions, and the game provides a variety of fighting styles to choose from, including healer, damage dealer, and tank.
Crafting and Gathering: Crafting is a significant part of ESO, allowing you to create weapons, armor, furniture, and more. You can harvest materials from the environment and use them to craft various items. The game also includes a trading system, allowing you to buy and sell items with other players.
Companions: Companions are a valuable addition to ESO, providing assistance in combat and companionship on your adventures. Each companion has their own unique story quests, and once completed, you can summon them at any time. They also comment on your actions and the world around you, making solitary journeys feel less lonely.
Tales of Tribute: Tales of Tribute is a card game within ESO, offering a unique and strategic way to engage with the game. You can compete against other players or NPCs, earning rewards and unlocking new cards to enhance your deck.
Archaeology Skill Line: The archaeology skill line allows you to find antiquities by following leads and excavating dig sites. You can sell these antiquities for gold or use them to decorate your home, providing a fun and rewarding way to earn income.

3. What Are the Pros of Playing Elder Scrolls Online?

Playing Elder Scrolls Online comes with numerous benefits, from its immersive world and engaging gameplay to its active community and regular updates.

Immersive World: ESO’s vast open world is a major draw, allowing you to explore diverse environments and discover hidden secrets. The game’s attention to detail and rich lore make it easy to get lost in the world of Tamriel.
Engaging Storylines: The game’s captivating storylines and interesting characters keep you invested in the game. Each zone has its own unique story, ensuring that there’s always something new to discover.
Deep Character Customization: ESO’s extensive character customization options allow you to create a character that truly reflects your playstyle. The ability to choose from various races, classes, and alliances provides endless possibilities for character building.
Varied Gameplay: Whether you enjoy PvP, PvE, crafting, or exploring, ESO offers a wide range of gameplay activities to keep you entertained. The game’s diverse content ensures that you never run out of things to do.
Active Community: ESO has a vibrant and active community of players, providing a welcoming environment for both new and returning players. The community is supportive and helpful, making it easy to find friends and allies.
Regular Updates: The developers consistently release new content updates, including new chapters, dungeons, and features, ensuring that the game remains fresh and exciting. These updates often introduce new mechanics and storylines, keeping the game world evolving.
Excellent Voice Acting and Music: The voice acting in ESO is generally excellent, with many characters brought to life by talented voice actors. The game’s music is also top-notch, creating an immersive and atmospheric experience.

4. What Are the Cons of Playing Elder Scrolls Online?

While Elder Scrolls Online offers many benefits, it also has some drawbacks that players should be aware of.

Grinding: ESO can be grindy, especially when trying to obtain specific gear sets or level up your character. The repetitive nature of some activities can become tiresome over time.
Limited Inventory Space: Inventory space can be a challenge, especially for non-ESO Plus members. Without a subscription, crafting materials can quickly fill up your inventory, forcing you to make frequent trips to the bank.
Riding Skills System: The riding skills system can be tedious, requiring you to train your mount’s speed, stamina, and capacity over several months. This process can be frustrating, especially when creating new characters.
Leveling System: Leveling can be slow, especially after level 50 when you start earning Champion Points. Earning these points can be time-consuming, making it difficult to progress your character.
Potential for Pay-to-Win Perception: While ESO is not strictly pay-to-win, some players may feel that paid content is emphasized over free content. The availability of powerful items and skills through the Crown Store can create a perception of unfair advantage.

5. Is Elder Scrolls Online Pay-to-Win?

Elder Scrolls Online is not strictly a pay-to-win game, but it does offer optional purchases that can enhance your experience.

Cosmetic Items: Many of the items available for purchase with real money are cosmetic in nature, such as costumes, mounts, and emotes. These items do not provide any gameplay advantages.
Convenience Items: ESO also offers convenience items, such as experience scrolls and inventory upgrades, which can make the game easier but do not fundamentally change the gameplay.
ESO Plus Membership: The ESO Plus membership provides several benefits, including access to all previous DLCs, an unlimited craft bag, and Crowns to spend in the Crown Store. While these benefits can enhance your experience, they are not necessary to enjoy the game.
Skills and Skill Lines: Some skills and skill lines are only available through DLCs or chapters, which require a purchase. However, even if you purchase these skills, you still need to invest time and effort into leveling them up.

6. How Has Elder Scrolls Online Evolved Over the Years?

Elder Scrolls Online has evolved significantly since its initial release in 2014, with numerous updates, expansions, and improvements.

New Chapters: Each year, ESO releases a new chapter, adding new zones, storylines, dungeons, and features. These chapters often introduce new mechanics and gameplay elements, keeping the game fresh and exciting.
DLCs: In addition to chapters, ESO also releases smaller DLCs throughout the year, adding new dungeons, quests, and features. These DLCs provide additional content for players to enjoy between chapters.
Quality of Life Improvements: Over the years, the developers have made numerous quality of life improvements to the game, such as improving the user interface, optimizing performance, and adding new features requested by the community.
Companions System: The introduction of the companions system has been a major improvement, providing players with valuable assistance and companionship on their adventures.
Tales of Tribute: The addition of Tales of Tribute has added a new layer of gameplay to ESO, providing a unique and strategic way to engage with the game.

7. What is the Newest Chapter in Elder Scrolls Online?

The newest chapter in Elder Scrolls Online is Gold Road, released on June 3, 2024, for PC/Mac, and June 18, 2024, for PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Here’s a breakdown of what Gold Road offers:

New Zone: West Weald: Explore the West Weald, a region bordering Cyrodiil, featuring a mix of Imperial architecture and untamed wilderness. This zone is rich with delves, world bosses, and unique quests.
Storyline: The Return of Ithelia: The chapter’s main storyline revolves around the return of Ithelia, a forgotten Daedric Prince. Players will unravel the mysteries surrounding her return and the chaos it brings to Tamriel.
New Feature: Scribing: Scribing is a new gameplay feature that allows players to customize their skills, altering their effects and playstyles. This adds a new layer of customization and strategy to character builds.
New Trial and Delves: Like previous chapters, Gold Road includes a new 12-player Trial and numerous delves and public dungeons for players to explore.
Rewards and Collectibles: The chapter also introduces new item sets, achievements, and collectibles for players to earn.

8. How Does Elder Scrolls Online Compare to Other MMORPGs?

Elder Scrolls Online stands out from other MMORPGs due to its unique combat system, extensive world, and deep lore.

Combat System: ESO’s combat system is action-oriented, allowing you to create satisfying combos while fighting. This is different from traditional tab-targeting systems found in other MMORPGs like World of Warcraft.
World Exploration: ESO’s vast open world is a major draw, allowing you to explore diverse environments and discover hidden secrets. This is different from more linear MMORPGs that restrict your movement.
Lore and Storytelling: ESO is steeped in Elder Scrolls lore, providing a deep and engaging narrative experience. This is different from MMORPGs that focus more on gameplay and less on story.
Character Customization: ESO offers extensive options for character customization, allowing you to create a character that truly reflects your playstyle. This is different from MMORPGs that offer limited customization options.
Community: ESO has a vibrant and active community of players, providing a welcoming environment for both new and returning players. This is different from MMORPGs with smaller or less active communities.

9. What Are Some Tips for New Players in Elder Scrolls Online?

If you’re new to Elder Scrolls Online, here are some tips to help you get started:

Choose a Race and Class: Consider your preferred playstyle when choosing a race and class. Some races are better suited for certain classes, so do some research before making a decision.
Follow the Main Questline: The main questline will guide you through the game and introduce you to the world and its lore.
Join a Guild: Joining a guild can provide you with valuable support and assistance. Guilds often organize events and activities, making it easier to find friends and allies.
Explore the World: Don’t be afraid to explore the world and discover hidden secrets. There are many hidden quests, dungeons, and treasures to be found.
Crafting: Crafting can be a valuable way to earn gold and create powerful items. Invest time in learning the crafting skills and gathering resources.
Manage Your Inventory: Inventory space can be a challenge, so manage your inventory carefully. Store items you don’t need in the bank and sell or deconstruct items you don’t want.
Have Fun: Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the game. ESO is a vast and immersive world with plenty to offer, so take your time and explore everything it has to offer.

10. What are the System Requirements for Elder Scrolls Online?

Before diving into Elder Scrolls Online, it’s essential to ensure your system meets the minimum or recommended requirements for a smooth gaming experience. Here’s a quick overview:

Minimum System Requirements:

Operating System: Windows 7 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i3 540 or AMD A6-3620
Memory: 3 GB RAM
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 460 or AMD Radeon 6850
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 85 GB available space

Recommended System Requirements:

Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i5 2300 or AMD FX-4350
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 or AMD Radeon HD 7850
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 85 GB available space

Meeting these requirements ensures you can enjoy the vast landscapes and dynamic gameplay of ESO without performance issues.

A player character in Elder Scrolls Online riding a mount through a snowy mountain pass

Elder Scrolls Online continues to be a compelling and rewarding MMORPG in 2024, offering a vast world, engaging storylines, and a vibrant community. Whether you’re a new player or a returning veteran, there’s always something new to discover in Tamriel. Stay updated with the latest news, guides, and community events by visiting gmonline.net. Join our forums to connect with other players, share your experiences, and get the most out of your ESO adventure.

Stay connected and never miss out on the latest updates, guides, and community discussions. Follow gmonline.net for everything ESO and join the adventure today Address: 10900 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024, United States. Phone: +1 (310) 235-2000. Website: gmonline.net.

FAQ: Elder Scrolls Online in 2024

1. Is Elder Scrolls Online worth playing in 2024?

Yes, Elder Scrolls Online is definitely worth playing in 2024, offering a vast open world, engaging storylines, and a vibrant community. The constant updates and new content keep the game fresh and exciting.

2. Is Elder Scrolls Online pay-to-win?

No, Elder Scrolls Online is not strictly pay-to-win. While there are optional purchases available, they primarily offer cosmetic enhancements and convenience items rather than gameplay advantages.

3. What is the newest chapter in Elder Scrolls Online?

The newest chapter in Elder Scrolls Online is Gold Road, released in June 2024, introducing a new zone, storyline, and gameplay features.

4. How does Elder Scrolls Online compare to other MMORPGs?

Elder Scrolls Online stands out due to its action-oriented combat system, extensive world exploration, and deep lore, offering a unique experience compared to traditional MMORPGs.

5. What are some tips for new players in Elder Scrolls Online?

New players should focus on following the main questline, joining a guild, exploring the world, and managing their inventory effectively to enhance their gaming experience.

6. What are the system requirements for Elder Scrolls Online?

The system requirements vary, but generally, a decent gaming PC with a dedicated graphics card and sufficient RAM is recommended for optimal performance.

7. Can I play Elder Scrolls Online solo?

Yes, Elder Scrolls Online offers plenty of solo content, including quests, exploration, and crafting, allowing you to enjoy the game at your own pace.

8. Does Elder Scrolls Online have PvP content?

Yes, Elder Scrolls Online has a robust PvP system, including Battlegrounds, Cyrodiil, and Imperial City, offering various ways to test your skills against other players.

9. How often does Elder Scrolls Online get updated?

Elder Scrolls Online receives regular updates, including new chapters, DLCs, and quality-of-life improvements, ensuring the game remains fresh and engaging for its player base.

10. Is Elder Scrolls Online beginner-friendly?

Yes, Elder Scrolls Online is beginner-friendly, with a comprehensive tutorial, helpful community, and plenty of resources available to guide new players through the game.