Thankfully, combat in The Elder Scrolls Online is fairly straightforward. A left-click of the mouse unleashes a light attack on enemies; holding down the left-click button hits them with a heavy attack. Incoming attacks may be blocked with a right-click, and illuminated red lines and shapes indicate the size and target of enemy attacks. The skills that I selected earlier were mapped to specific buttons on my skill bar. Regardless of class, such skills are not burdened by individual recharge times—they could be used infinitely so long as players have the magicka to support them.
Actually defeating the enemies proved to be a more complicated matter. Before we entered the instance, we were warned that the game was built to reward patience and not button-mashing. Enemies in groups were equipped with formidable AI. If we were faced with multiple casters, one would inevitably fall back to heal and buff the other. Tank-type enemies would retreat in order to regain health before swooping back in for another assault. Our enemy’s strategic prowess coupled with their general toughness required us to be on point with our combat abilities and combos. It also called for us to have plenty of health potions as our quick-slot items.
Needless to say, we both died a few times while we oriented ourselves with the fast-paced and responsive combat. This was an opportunity in disguise: we learned that, upon the game’s release, players would be faced with two options upon dying. They could resurrect their character at something called a “Wayshrine,” which could be discovered at various locations through exploration, or they could revive their character at their place of death for a small penalty. The precise nature of the penalty has yet to be decided.
Eventually, we learned to capitalize on the combined abilities of our classes. As a Dragon Knight with a two-handed sword, Katy adopted the role of Tank alongside my summoned familiar, while I supplied DPS support from afar with my spells. Our efforts allowed us to escape the tunnels (mostly) unscathed, and our teamwork served us well when we faced off against the namesake of Bad Man’s Hollow. For the sake of not spoiling the experience for future players, I’ll stay quiet about the ultimate outcome of the dungeon and the fate of those occupying the glen.
Weary from our endeavor—and rapidly approaching the end of our allotted time—we returned to Daggerfall. Within those final minutes, we managed to find ourselves embroiled in two additional quests. A farmer near the Daggerfall docks had lost his prize pig, and he anxiously entreated us to confront the accused thief at a local inn. On our way to the inn, we became sidetracked by a dog named Giblets, who begged us to follow him with wide, watery eyes and frantic whines. The dog led us to the corpse of his master. Upon further inspection, we found a note listing three possible witnesses (or suspects) in the corpse’s pocket. The situation seemed like prime fodder for a basic murder mystery, but knowing Bethesda’s knack for storytelling, even a simple crime-solving quest would no doubt grow into something far grander and equally enthralling.
The adventure in Bad Man’s Hollow and the “community service” in Daggerfall illustrate the size and scope of available quests. The Elder Scrolls Online seems to contain the same artful balance of big, dramatic missions and small, poignant side missions that were so plentiful in the preceding titles. More importantly, these quests represent the degree to which the producers have managed to remain faithful to their core content.
That thought brings me to the biggest impression that I had while playing The Elder Scrolls Online: nothing struck me as being out of the ordinary. If any of the storylines from ESO were written into Skyrim or Oblivion, they would fare just as well. Exploring Daggerfall felt much like slipping back into a favorite pair of slippers. Even though the stories were new, the world—and its inhabitants—felt intrinsically familiar. Because of this, long-time fans of the series should feel at peace as the release date for The Elder Scrolls Online approaches. Bethesda sacrificed nothing of their original subject matter when unifying the realm of Tamriel with the mechanics of an MMO. If anything, the potential for cooperative (or competitive) gameplay only adds yet another dimension to an already rich and varied world.
Before we left the Bethesda booth, we had the opportunity to chat with Paul Sage, the creative director for The Elder Scrolls Online. He was able to give us greater insight into the gameplay itself and what we had to look forward to in future builds of the MMO. The interview, in its entirety, may be found below.
