This review is an unedited version of the review written by Zombie Dredd and published in the Tech Magazine: Issue 27 November 2015.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited is potentially the game that many role-playing fans (and Elder Scrolls fans in particular) have been waiting for. It’s a ‘massively multiplayer online role-playing game’ and as that description suggests, the world is pretty enormous indeed, with plenty to do.
The real issue for those not familiar with a game of this type is the requirement to be online to play. In fact, this may very well be the point many South African gamers will be put off the title, and while there is good reason to worry, if you stick with it you may very well find yourself neglecting family, friends and food to continue questing and exploring.
Like almost all role-playing games, you start with a character creation which allows a wide variety of options (class, hair, race, faction and more) for players looking to stand out from the crowd. Classes include the usual fare of weapon and magic-based options, with your skills levelling up in the game based on the use of equipment and abilities, so you can build a character very different from your starting point.
The game takes a while to really get going, but once you have levelled up and have some decent equipment and weapons, the world is almost yours for the taking. Quests are plentiful (but can feel familiar after a while) and should you choose to, you can find partners to assist you on your quests. You can also take on other players in specific player versus player areas for inter-faction battles.
There is of course a cost implication for immersing yourself in the world of Tamriel. If you play the game regularly, an uncapped internet account is recommended. You may also find connections are a little unstable to the international servers for the game (there are no local servers), and I did lose some progress due to random (and obviously frustrating) disconnections. Thankfully, there is no monthly subscription fee after buying the game, but you will need to be a PlayStation Plus subscription member to enjoy the online adventuring.
This game is much bigger than this review can handle, but if you’re looking for a never ending role-playing game that looks pretty incredible, then I can recommend the game. However, if you prefer a solo experience when it comes to role-playing games, then there are plenty of other options out there for you.
Score: 7/10
Available for: PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC
Distributed by: Ster Kinekor and available at all retailers of games
- You can subscribe to Tech Magazine here.
- You can purchase the game via our affiliate here.
