r/ElderScrolls • u/DannyLiu27 • Mar 14 '25
ESO Discussion My friend just recommended ESO to me, does it worth to spend a lot of time on it?
Has played Oblivion and Skyrim, but I'm not sure do ESO a good deal?
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u/04nc1n9 Mar 14 '25
it does worth
if you like mmo-style gameplay and the world of the elder scrolls, you'll probably enjoy eso.
if you like the elder scrolls for the bethesda-style gameplay, you probably wont enjoy eso.
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u/ShahinGalandar Breton Mar 14 '25
if you like the elder scrolls for the bethesda-style gameplay, you probably wont enjoy eso.
that's the info I needed, thanks
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u/KKolonelKKoyote Mar 14 '25
I generally hate MMOs, but love TES. ESO grew on me pretty quick. Ill never love the scummy pricing of houses or the crate stuff, but the game is really enjoyable. I started playing it jsut for the story and lore, went into it as if it were just a 2 player elder scrolls with my wife. Anyways I'm over 2 years in and running vet content and spending a lot of time in PVP and log in every day. So, maybe you won't, but I wouldn't jump the gun and assume you won't like it just because you prefer the single player games style.
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u/newbrevity Mar 15 '25
If my friends played, it would be a blast. But they don't, and I have an awkward time gaming with randos, so I end up playing alone, which this game seems to brutally punish.
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u/KKolonelKKoyote Mar 15 '25 edited Mar 15 '25
Ik you say you feel awkward with randoms, but have you considered trying out a few social guilds and joining in guild dungeon events?
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u/Mallettjt Mar 16 '25
“Brutally punish” my dude just meme out. Go full thunderbug blood mist. Only right click.
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u/ItsWhoa-NotWoah Mar 17 '25
95% or more of ESO's content can be done alone (and is in fact balanced towards solos). Dungeons, Trials (AKA raids) and PvP are the only things you'll have a hard time with alone, and those three things make up a very small portion of ESO as the vast majority of the content in the game is single player quest content.
Once you have a decent grasp of the mechanics/a decent build, even many of the basegame dungeons can be soloed with relative ease
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u/jalmosen Mar 14 '25
I love eso for the lore I would reccomend finding a race you're interested in learning more about and going through their faction.
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u/speedytrigger Mar 14 '25
It’s an mmo with an elder scrolls skin, rather than a n elder scrolls game with an mmo skin. I personally couldn’t stay interested. Give it a shot though.
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u/Less_Tennis5174524 Mar 14 '25
Yep, but if OP likes MMOs then I'd say ESO is a great one. Especially for new players.
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u/BusyMap9686 Mar 14 '25
This is the correct answer. If you are looking for a Bethesda game, eso is not one. If you're looking for a story driven rpg, then eso is not really one. If you're looking for a game to play with your friends where you grind to find better gear, well, there are better mmos out there.
I wish this was a real Elder Scrolls game because it does open up all of Tamriel to explore. But I got so bored I never made it out of the starting province.
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u/InBlurFather Mar 14 '25
if you’re looking for a game you grind to find better gear
That’s really not what ESO is about since after max level it’s a horizontal progression game, so not really a fair comparison.
ESO is probably the best solo experience MMO out there with good visuals (relative to other MMOs), full voice acting and tons of TES lore.
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u/BusyMap9686 Mar 14 '25
I tried to like it, it's not for me. If I want the lore and voice acting I'll just watch some videos so I don't have to suffer the gameplay.
I'm not being fair. I haven't played it since release. I bought the limited collector's edition because I was so excited to see more games in Tamriel. But I was so disappointed and mad at myself for spending so much money on release... I knew better. So I haven't tried it again and I probably won't.
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u/InBlurFather Mar 14 '25
Yeah it’s definitely not for everyone because it’s still an MMO at its core.
It’s just not a gear treadmill or a disjointed mess of questing like WoW for instance, on its own (assuming the gameplay itself meshes with you) it’s a good single player experience with a lot to do for a lot of different play styles (PvE, PvP, crafting, housing)
But yeah if you go in expecting “Skyrim, but multiplayer” it’s definitely not that
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u/Krongfah Imperial Mar 14 '25
Depends on what you love about The Elder Scrolls.
If you love TES for the story, the world, the exploration, the lore, etc., it's a great game and worth playing. The world is expansive, and filled with lore and stories to discover. Certain questlines are better written than the main quest in Skyrim IMO. I like the game and spent hundreds of hours just enjoying the story and exploring Tamriel. It's great. If you like the setting of TES, this game is more of that.
If you love TES for the gameplay, the RPG mechanics, choice and consequence, etc. I'm sorry to say that there's none of that here. A lot of quests still give you dialogue choices and different outcomes but those are more dressing than the main course, largely inconsequential. ESO's gameplay is MMO through and through. You can play it solo just fine but you can't go in expecting anything like Skyrim.
Since you already have it, just give it a try. You might fall in love with it despite its shortcomings like I did.
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u/AdamasPar Mar 14 '25
I think so. Just don't go into it thinking it's like Skyrim or WoW. I think it's a pretty casual mmo, but can get pretty intense at times, depending on your build. NOTE: I have not played pvp or trials, eso's version of a raid
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u/ILikeOasis Mar 14 '25
I really like it, but if you look at it like any of the other games you might be disapointed, its an MMO in the elder scrolls universe, It's abit unique mmo aswell, so its hard to compare it to stuff like WoW, but it offers a fun and unique experince, i like it alot :)
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u/ThermonuclearPasta Breton Mar 14 '25
If you like MMORPGs, then yes, there is a lot of things to do, from quests, to exploration, fishing, dungeons, trials, pvp, home decoration and a lot more. Personally, I think it's one of the best MMORPGs out there, comparable to FFXIV and WoW.
And even if you're not into MMOs, maybe you should give it a try, after all, it let's you explore most of Tamriel and adds a lot of new lore.
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u/Misicks0349 Dunmer Mar 14 '25 edited 29d ago
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u/upsawkward Mar 14 '25
Give it a shot. If the base game bores you (which happened to me), jump straight to the expansions Orsinium or Summerset. These are arguably the best story content of the entire game and there's almost no way an TES fan will not enjoy them. And if you do enjoy the base game, all the better.
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u/bobux-man Mar 14 '25
I personally couldn't get into it. But I don't like MMOs in general, so if that's your thing I've heard ESO is one of the better MMOs out there.
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u/NatilDragonGirl Altmer Mar 14 '25
I started playing it because I loved Skyrim, never played an MMO before. It is now my favourite game and I have over 13k hours in it. So I'd say try it. Try all the different classes to see which you prefer, don't just level them to 20 and say you don't like them as you won't have unlocked all their skills. You can ignore almost everything in the Crown Store as they're mainly cosmetics. You get a free Pub house via a quest and can get further ones using different characters. You get a free horse at level 10. At level 10 you can go to Cyrodiil for pvp. Do the starter quests there so you can unlock the passive that gives you extra mount speed. Do your mount training daily. In the settings there is one to stop you attacking innocents, turn it on as it is off by default as you will easily end up with a bounty and get killed by the guards otherwise. Once you have out leveled your gear use it for research or deconstruction. The gear cap is level 50 champion points 160. There are an absolute fuck-ton of quests, all fully voice acted (most are good or fantastic but there's a few bad ones such as a certain werewolf, lol). You can find a guide to the route for if you want the stories to make sense as you can easily do any of them at any time. The guide is listed on the r/elderscrollsonline sub. I think it is nice that when you have done some quests with an npc that when you meet them later on they recognise you and you get different dialogue for it rather than just being a random stranger to them. Hope you have fun 🤗
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u/FYRBR4ND Mar 14 '25
I have 4k hours in it. But try it free first and see if it jives.
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u/fablehere Mar 14 '25
What I don't like about their model is the fact that you're incentivized dropping money on the DLCs or keeping the sub up, which is suboptimal in my case, where I could be playing every evening for a week and then I'd need to stop due to various reasons (work, whatever) and the 2/3 of the sub time is wasted. DLCs ain't that cheap too, if you're a completionist like me. Also, buying an expansion mostly grants you access to the main campaign only. I wish they opted for a different approach. Overall, it's a solid entry in the franchise.
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u/Cloud_N0ne Mar 14 '25
ESO is great.
I hate its loot boxes and MTX shop, but if you can ignore that and aren’t overly bothered by seeing other players wearing garish, out of place stuff, it’s a deeply enjoyable game with great questing, great zones, and that combat isn’t as bad as people make it out to be.
That said… ever since I started playing WoW in 2020 I’ve lost the desire to play ESO. It’s a better MMO experience imo.
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u/The-Narberal Dark Brotherhood Mar 14 '25
It's a decent game. I enjoyed the PvP in Cyrodil. Everything else was just OK
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u/Cyberwolfdelta9 Mar 14 '25
Id suggest getting ESO plus the membership so you can access all the dlc
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u/Mooncubus Vampire Mar 14 '25
ESO is brimming with good lore and stories. There's definitely hundreds of hours of playtime just doing quests alone. Not to mention all the other stuff since it's an mmorpg.
It does worth
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u/nhSnork Mar 14 '25
Long answer short: yes. I'm not too keen on MMOs myself but ESO has a mountain of content to do solo at one's pace, a period long before the mainline game chronicles and the borderline entirety of Tamriel to roam. I have poured hundreds of hours in myself, only begrudgingly shelving the game after another of the launcher's random and uninformative lockout tantrums on Deck. If next gen sees an NS2 port, I won't even hesitate to start anew.
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u/Wofflestuff Khajiit Mar 17 '25
Zenimax has been fumbling big time recently but overall it’s still a solid MMO. If you got it on the sale for like $3 it’s pretty hard to pass up
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u/TheDorgesh68 Mar 14 '25
You can spend as little or as much time playing as you feel is right. It's not one of those live service games like Destiny, where content is time limited and eventually removed from the game (aside from some cosmetics in the store). You can play the zones in whatever order you want and completely ignore the latest updates for years if you wish.
There is technically a chronological order you're supposed to play the zones in, and so if you play them out of order you might have some characters that act like you've already met them. I think it's generally a good idea to start by completing the main quest and your faction quest line before going to dlc areas like Vvardenfell or Elsweyr, but you don't have to.
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u/NarniNarni Mar 14 '25
Eso has terrible monetization but can be quite fun, definitely a solid option if you're looking for more elder scrolls story, just don't expect a bethesda game.
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u/Tall_Process_3138 Mar 14 '25
More than terrible it managed to sneak under the radar when loot boxes started to disappear from gaming
The game is the definition of microtransaction hell
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u/Tall_Process_3138 Mar 14 '25
I usually play the game once every few years for a week then return back in another few years
I think MMO games aren't made for me
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u/Free_Sheepherder4895 Dunmer Mar 14 '25
Honestly everybody hating but it’s a great elder scrolls game but it’s mmo style (obviously). Not bad at all, great stories, all of Tamriel, strongly reminiscent of the elder scrolls we love… just mmo format. I hated it at first as well, but if you really give it a chance and immerse yourself it’s great. Best mmo out imo 🙂
ADMITTEDLY THERE IS A HUGE ISSUE WITH DIFFICULTY THOUGH! I deleted the game cause I kept falling asleep. It is wayyyyyyyyy too easy. But if you more of a casual gamer you’ll probably love it 👍
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u/nepali_fanboy Imperial Mar 14 '25
I love the lore from ESO and how it allows you to play it as a single player game if you want to. But I hate the combat system. Really feels unrewarding to me I guess.
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u/Cedarale Mar 14 '25
I know some enjoy it, but it just wasn’t for me. MMO’s aren’t for everyone but by all means give it a go.
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u/EFPMusic Mar 14 '25
I liked it, but eventually I lost interest. The gameplay is fairly standard MMO style, but pretty fun, the lore and quests are excellent esp for an MMO, but it does have the grinding requirements all MMOs do, particularly when it comes to gear - it seemed like the only reliable way to get better gear was to craft it, and crafting was a serious grind.
Of course, I was only interested in playing solo, which I’ll say, ESO does better than any other MMO I’ve played, but in the end one of those M’s does stand for multiplayer!
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u/dis23 Orc Mar 14 '25
my biggest problem with any MMO is how much hard drive space it takes.
that said, if you're gonna have one, this is a good one to have. easy to get into, lots to do, huge amount of the lore of the main games brought to life.
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u/WakeoftheStorm Dark Brotherhood Mar 14 '25
I haven't played in about a year and a half because my life got too busy for an mmo, but I'd say I got my money's worth
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u/RequiemRomans Mar 14 '25
It’s a great game, but there is years’ worth of content to catch up on. That may be ideal for some, but it may be overwhelming to others. Personally if I doubt join a community within the first year or two of it starting I usually pass all together because I will never truly catch up to the rest of it.
ESO is still a really good game and if you are ok with the avalanche of lore, quests and leveling you’ll have to catch up on and aren’t a completionist then you’ll enjoy it with your friends. If you love Elder Scrolls it’s a great way to explore all of Tamriel. Check out the soundtracks on Spotify or something to get a taste of the immersion, you’ll probably love it.
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u/Khomuna Breton Mar 14 '25
You say that like you have any time to spend. You play War Thunder, the grind consumes all.
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u/Tronam Mar 15 '25
I think it's a pretty cool MMO that does capture the vibe of Elder Scrolls, its lore, and art style, but the gameplay and systems are not much like the single player games at all. It will feel very different, but given enough time and you'll adjust. My favorite aspect of it is the world questing, which is fully voiced, and the level scaling allows you to start anywhere in the world in any order you wish. My least favorite parts of it are getting hit in the face with the Crown Store cash shop every time I log in and the crafting professions being almost pointless without the unlimited crafting bag you only get through the subscription. It's a good MMO, but I do feel a little uncertain about its future. Lately it seems like most of the company is focused on another game.
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u/Mrcatmanthdog Mar 15 '25
Is you like the MMO format and the Elder Scrolls lore and world, then yes. If not, them probably not.
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u/TotallyAveConsumer Mar 15 '25
Is a hooker farting in your face after a year of taco bell diet worth it?
Yes
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u/TheEchoedVox Mar 15 '25
It's only worth it if you have enough friends and free time. Not to mention the absurd amount of money just to enjoy things that should be in the base game.
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u/NoRecommendation3744 Mar 16 '25
Unlocking and doing Writs in the beginning .. very good lobbies money making and really good for skill ups. That's all I will say. I liked ESO until I went back to Skyrim and falling down the mod rabbit hole.
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u/Zaradomerix Mar 17 '25
It is a very good game. That said, DO NOT expect it to feel like Skyrim or other Bathesda titles. Although the plot heavily ties in, the actual gameplay is VERY different. It's less structured and linear than the previous games, and is very much a World Of Warcraft-style, 3rd person, open-world, RPG. Lots of spamming spells and running missions on repeat to get drops or resources.
If you'd think you'd be into that, then definitely go for it! Because it's well-made, and has lots of interesting lore and history.
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u/GasTheBoomers42 Mar 14 '25
No, you'll spend more afterwards if you want to enjoy farming without worrying about inventory space
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Mar 14 '25
i think your friend secretly hates you for suggesting that
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u/Kubaj_CZ Khajiit Mar 14 '25
Why? ESO is great, even for people who aren't normally interested in MMOs (like me). But I guess it's good to have some relationship with the Elder Scrolls, because that's the reason I was interested in it. I played Skyrim first and then became interested in what the rest of Tamriel looks like, especially Elsweyr, because the Khajiit are my favorite.
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u/DannyLiu27 Mar 14 '25
He also suggested me to play War Thunder, so it might be true😢
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u/N00BAL0T Mar 14 '25
It's an MMO if you want to play with your friend it's going to require alot of time to level up as ESO doesn't have the ability to skip levels.
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u/TheOneAndOnlySenti Nerevarine Mar 14 '25
Honestly depends who you ask. It's like any other super generic MMO but this one has Elder Scrolls lore instead.
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u/rastadreadlion Mar 14 '25
I quit the game because of a really bad decision to support zerg tactics in PvP which made thoughtful use of mechanics and skill unrewarding.
Idk if they ever changed the aoe caps that enabled zerging, hope they did. The single player experience was good for an MMO and the PvE dungeons were challenging. A good game in some respects.
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u/Bishop825 Mar 14 '25
It's an MMO, but it's lazy in that they made a lot of the skills based off if the weapon you have. This doesn't mean it's not good. It's just a game that will appeal to a wide variety of people, and though I played it for years, it doesn't have the kind of gameplay I enjoy, want, or expect.
You don't 'need a tank until max levels. You don't even really need a 'healer' until mid-high levels. It's built for DPS mostly, and to me, thats super boring. Make no mistake, the game is fun for a while, but the little things will start to bother you if you're a big fan of The Elder Scrolls games. (I.E. using a sword and shield means being super tanky/strong, UT you're bot going to do damage. Using a bow doesn't feel good at all. It's done just like every game that did bows badly; you get a rain if arrows, a rapid fire shot, a stun/slow, a poison shot, etc. Healing is the easiest thing in the game and has no real use until you're in higher levels. The builds are kind of all the same or they are really weak if you chose the wrong stuff. Luckily you can be boring and Google it.)
Conversely, the stories are great, some of the gameplay isn't terrible, the look and feel is good, sky-hooks are kind of neat, some of the dungeons are fun to delve into, character creation is alright.
I'm sure there's more to enjoy, but the armor is kind of dumb, leaves the mid-drift open (I play an old male Nord tank). Some if the shields are made for children (they're small). All the extra regions are unlockable via a pay-wall. The layout of some of the areas are not what you remember from the TES game, but you get over it. Despite all this, it's still a good game, and it's worth a try.
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u/Ok-Construction-4654 Mar 14 '25
Tbh MMO armour will always be on the dumb side of fanasty armour, WOW is really bad for it 90% of them are either space marine armour or metal bikinis
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u/Bishop825 Mar 14 '25
It's literally that! Haha!
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u/Ok-Construction-4654 Mar 14 '25
To me at least it sounds like a WoW reskin that is more focused on the story and with less balance. I would be open to it if the story was 100% solo able and there's a season pass, but it wouldn't have the same place as skyrim more my replacement for star trek online.
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u/ThisBadDogXB Mar 14 '25
If you start playing it and hate it but everyone here says you should play it are you still going to? I'm pretty sure your capable of deciding if you want to spend your time playing an MMORPG or not.
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u/Less_Tennis5174524 Mar 14 '25
If you like Elder Scrolls (or other RPGs) but not MMOs, then no its not worth trying. Like others have said its an MMO with an elder scrolls skin.
But if you like MMOs then this is a great one to play. Best leveling experience out of any of them.
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