The Elder Scrolls Online

Written by: Adam "ManKorn" Korenman, CC2K Video Games Editor

Is This Worth $15 a Month?

Short answer? Yes.

ESO is the culmination of years of gaming development. The team behind the new title includes some heavy hitters, and everyone gave their A Game. The visuals are polished and bridge the gap between next-gen and last-gen, all while running super smooth. The music and sound design is epic, as one would expect from an Elder Scrolls title. And the story, while large in scale and somewhat derivative, is still well-thought out and fits the setting perfectly.

This is a game that will steal more than just a few hours of your time. Consider that, all said and done, Skyrim had almost 400 hours of content. Now take that same scale and triple it. Now add one hundred of your closest friends. This game has some mighty powerful legs to stand on, and you would be foolish not to take part.

That’s not to say you should be throwing your money at the game right away. There are some warnings that should be heeded by any potential MMORPG player. The developers have announced that only four console servers will exist at launch. While these so called “Mega Servers” are meant to handle a large load, history tells me that a few crashes are to be expected.

But all of it may be worth the risk in order to wander the gorgeous countryside with a group of friends, doling out punishment to unwary bandits and splitting vast piles of loot from explored dungeons. I can’t make the decision for you, but I will say that you can look for my handle in the coming weeks. I’ll be the one wearing a belt of Dark Elf ears, bearing the scars of my many battles against the demonic horde. 

Where will you be?