THE ELDER SCROLLS: LEGENDS—HOUSES OF MORROWIND Review for iPhone

THE ELDER SCROLLS: LEGENDS—HOUSES OF MORROWIND for iPhone is entertaining enough, but the pay to play majority of this game is a deterrent. Bethesda has once again successfully capitalized on The Elder Scrolls games’ mega-fanbase with this elaborate RPG strategy competitive card game. If you are new to this massive world, worry not—you’ll be able to play this game just fine without this RPG’s backstory. THE ELDER SCROLLS: LEGENDS is entertaining for anyone who likes fantasy and strategic gameplay.

We start in story mode, The Forgotten Hero. You can select your playable character from many different factions and depending on what faction you choose, you will have specific advantages and options in gameplay. The narrative that follows is great in the sense that it brings you into this RPG’s world, so if you’re unfamiliar, you’ll appreciate the crash course. The video goes on for a little too long, but the developers were gracious enough to allow you to skip on ahead. Once you reach a certain point in The Forgotten Hero, you will gain access to a variety of different modes were you have the option to play against AI, other players, or solve puzzles.

The controls are basic, but the click and drag action is not the greatest choice, especially on an iOs platform. The screen is too small and most of us have at least one crack that make the finger stick while dragging; touch/touch would be preferred. They make the home screen rather challenging to find, which I found to be frustrating when trying to play in different modes.

My main gripe with THE ELDER SCROLLS: LEGENDS is the noncommittal tutorial system. You essentially just get thrown into gameplay, which is fine, but there is a lot to learn about the cards and their subsequent actions with very minimal instruction. The game points things out that you can figure out on your own, but it would be helpful if they pointed out more intricate components instead (like the cards to soul gems to new cards formula). The game definitely gets more involved pretty quickly and much can be learned by just going along, but some more instruction early on would mitigate unnecessary losses.

Now let’s talk the unpopular reality that is pay to win gaming. THE ELDER SCROLLS: LEGENDS—HOUSE OF MORROWIND is a free download in the app store, but the free part will only get you so far down this House of Morrowind CCG rabbit hole. The Forgotten Hero is a completely free experience and there are many in-game opportunities to score new decks, gold, and other upgrades. In fact, registering on Bethesda’s website grants you an extra two free decks, so it is possible to stretch the free factor pretty far. To get involved in any other storyline will cost you real world money, as well as many of the puzzles, modes, and gameplay-enhancing accouterments.

That being said—if you’re not a super-fan of The Elder Scrolls games, most likely you’ll run out of steam once you max out the free portion and will have no problem walking away. For those of you who are devotees of this RPG, shelling out the cash money to master this strategic card game won’t be much of an issue.

Rating: 6/10

Watch the The Elder Scrolls: Legends – Houses of Morrowind Trailer:

The Elder Scrolls: Legends – Houses of Morrowind is available now on PC, mobile, and tablet devices and you can start playing by visiting the official website.