At last, we return to the world of Tamriel, but this time we have the opportunity to venture to Isle of Summerset. Those of you who are Skyrim veterans will recognize this place as the homeland of the Altmer, or High Elves. The very beginning of civilization is said to have started in this corner of the world as we know it. Just like a great many other areas in the Elder Scrolls Online, I enjoy my time simply exploring what the land has to offer.
To get things started, the scenery alone is amazing. I really like the layout of Summerset, its wineries, villas, towns, docks, and shores. Tall emerald blades of grass blow blissfully as you traverse the roads surveyed by Dominion guards, gilded in gold. But as it happens, the best place for dangerous serpents to hide is in gardens. Imps and various other forms of beast scour the land in small packs.
The thing that really brings out a challenge for you, friends, and other questers are the confrontations with the abyssal geysers. I thought the number of mobs and the difficulty fighting them were pretty well balanced. It’s kind of like fighting hordes of daedra descending from the anchors in the base game. There are also public dungeons worth their toil, as well as a new trial, “Cloudrest.” I have not tried that out yet, but the developers suggest getting a team together to accomplish the task at hand, emphasizing on coordination and communication among individual party members.
The plotline to this expansion is filled with court intrigue, xenophobia (what else did you expect from the Aldmeri Dominion?), murder, and some morally grey character motivations. There is a pretty colorful cast of supporting characters that you encounter as you quest about Summerset. Special agents, justicars, and a bubbly man named Babblebrook! Some of these guys have strong enough personalities that you remember them even after the quest is over.
For all you crafters in the audience, we are happy to announce that jewelry crafting is now available. Your personal quest to deck out your character with authentic (insert your name) pendants and rings may continue, especially now that you can craft these small items that you would ordinarily purchase from a vendor or claim as a quest reward. In order to add special effects to your wares, you need to develop certain traits, as opposed to finding other reagents to that increase the quality of your item. You can purchase them from guild stores, or you can find them as you find yourself in thematically appropriate activities. There are at least six new traits in this expansion to help you customize your gear.
Do you remember the Psijic Order from the Mage Guild Questline from Skyrim? I hope so, because now you too can harness their power for both your personal utility and your combat style. In order to unlock their skillset, you need to fully finish the main storyline “The Queen’s Decree.” The skillset points work just like those found with the Undaunted, the Fighters’ Guild, and the Mages’ Guild. These moves seem pretty good too. For example, Timestop has an area of effect that, when enemies are caught within it, are slowed and eventually freeze for a time. Another skill is Meditation, which restores your health, stamina, and magicka. And potentially useful skill, Undo, resets your health, stamina, and magicka to where it was 4 seconds ago.
I hope you guys are pumped to get in on the action. The architecture and the landscapes are incredible. I personally thought that Sumerset would look something closer to Ayleid structures from Oblivion, but the Altmer have their own thing going on, so it makes sense. The outfit designs are really cool. There is a new tutorial for newcomers, and it isn’t half bad, mostly because I’ve only had to deal with the Coldharbour one. Overall, I give this experience two thumbs up.
Watch The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset – Journey to Summerset Video:
The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset will release for PC/Mac, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 on June 5. Learn more about the game and pre-order at www.ElderScrollsOnline.com now to receive the Queen’s Bounty Pack bonus reward and gain immediate access to the ESO base game and last year’s Morrowind Chapter (digital pre-purchases only – conditions apply).
I like to think of myself as the average Joe who grew up alongside video games. I have fun playing strategy games, RPGs, shooters, sandboxes, the whole shebang! Every game provides an experience whether it strikes you as profound, mundane, or someplace in between. I'd like to weigh in my two cents before you spend a single penny.
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