Table of Contents
Introduction
The Elder Scrolls Online is quite often overlooked in the Elder Scrolls series as a game not worth playing. This pretense seems to come from ancient reviews from when the game was first announced.
I have been an advocate for people to try this game for the last several months, as it is very cheap to pick up and easy to get sucked into. In this guide, we will go over the initial costs of the game, the monthly subscription price, and an overview of the available DLC’s. With Update 24 just being released into the game, and reviews as mostly positive on steam now is a better time than ever to jump into the world of ESO.
ESO Price
Let’s get right into it with arguably the most important aspect when thinking of purchasing a new game; the price. The benefit here is that the base game can be found for dirt cheap, whether it be new & sealed, or a pre-owned copy. With a little scouting online, you can find the base game for such prices as a measly $5 and up to $39.99 for expansion editions. (the Elsweyr Edition, for example) from sites like Best Buy and Target.
ESO, in all its editions, is very often on sale. Nearly every time I walk into a video game shop, I usually see at least three different copies of the game in the sale bins. If online shopping is your thing, currently, you can find copies of the game on sale for as little as $13.99. Buying off steam is also feasible, as it goes on sale quite regularly for 50% off (this is the case currently, with the game costing $17.99)
Now, you may be thinking, “Is it really worth purchasing the base game? Surely chump change won’t get me much enjoyment at all”. There are several reasons as to why the entry price is so low compared to newer editions of the game. First off, the base game was released in 2014, making it five and a half years old at this point (time of writing Nov 2019), hence the ridiculously cheap price point. Secondly, you do not receive the DLC Expansion Packs with the base game, but rest assured; there is a way to play all 12 DLCs with just the base game… we will get into that shortly.
ESO Plus
As mentioned earlier, there is certainly a reason the base game (and overall initial cost) is so low. That reason is Expansion DLC’s and the Elder Scrolls Online Plus, model. We will go through the ESO Plus Subscription service now, and cover DLC later.
The ESO+ subscription model has multiple benefits. This service can be purchased at a price point of $14.99, 13.99, and 11.99 per month for a 1, 3, and half-yearly subscription (respectively). This means the cheapest cost for a year-long subscription would work out at $155. This is undoubtedly a premium price, and there is undoubtedly a reason for this. Note (ESO Plus Subscriptions occasionally go on sale).
The most noteworthy reason the subscription carries such a hefty price-tag is that upon purchasing any length of the subscription. You instantly receive access to every single expansion pack to date (these include Wrathstone, Summerset, Murkmire, Wolfhunter, Dragon Bones, Clockwork City, and Morrowind, just to name a few!).
This includes 12 expansion packs, each with complete storylines, extra play-styles, and more. Along with this incredible offering, there are many other perks included in the purchase of an ESO subscription. You receive 1650 “crowns” – the in-game currency – each month; This means the subscription basically pays for itself alone – as 1500 crowns cost 15.95.
There are also exclusive ESO Plus deals in the In-game store, you receive bonus XP Boosts towards certain traits, double the regular carrying/inventory space, and more. You can certainly see why the price point is often viewed as “extreme.”
The best part about all this is that nothing is stopping a hesitant player from spending $14 on a monthly subscription, purely just to try it out. If you don’t enjoy the vast expansions you’ve been able to experience over the 30 days, the most you lose is a little bit of money and time. ESO Plus is a brilliantly structured service that is well worth the money, with the benefit of being cheap and easy to trial.
With the most noteworthy part of The Elder Scrolls Online experience being the expansion packs, we should probably take a look at some of them a little more in-depth. While we, unfortunately, won’t have enough time to go through all 12, as they are all basically their own full-fledged games, we can certainly look at a couple of standouts.
An important thing to note about each DLC is you can purchase them permanently by buying them individually for between $15 and $40, depending on sales and how recent the DLC is. Each individual expansion comes with its own new storyline, a completely new region – or “zone” to explore, and its own new play styles and characters.
You can start each expansion as a brand new ESO player or a seasoned veteran of the game, this makes it easy to pick and choose if you don’t feel like going down the ESO Plus route. My personal favorite part of the ESO expansions are the zones they introduce to the game. Many of these regions are pulled straight from previous Elder Scrolls titles, and the nostalgia trip is impeccable if you are a long-time fan of the series. Being able to experience new storylines in familiar places is one of my favorite aspects of the game.
ESO DLC’s
Let’s focus on two of (in my opinion) the most noteworthy DLC’s.
Morrowind was released in June of 2017, and takes inspiration from – you guessed it – a previous game in the series, Elder Scrolls III. Along with a considerable amount of new story content (an estimated 30+ hours!) and the nostalgia of re-exploring Vvardenfell, Morrowind also gives you access to a new 4v4v4 mode, a new Class with a ruthlessly strong ally who will fight beside you, and a new trial.
The main storyline is set roughly 700 years before the events of Elder Scrolls 3. The region is filled with all sorts of landscapes, from thick forests to barren, volcano affected environments, as well as a distinctive look at the still-under-construction Vivec City. If you were a fan of The Elder Scrolls III, this is a brilliant expansion to start off with and is undoubtedly one of my favorites.
Morrowind is still one of the most significant expansions to date. I mean come on, a full 30-hour story in a DLC? That’s incredible! Morrowing can be found for between 10 and 15 dollars online – certainly a worth it investment.
Dark Brotherhood is an expansion that was initially released in May of 2016. The exciting thing with Dark Brotherhood is the fact that the expansion comes with an additional base-game patch, which packs even more new content into the game than usual. Dark Brotherhood introduces players to a zone called the Gold Coast, a calming and beautiful province that features sunny beaches and a vast township.
My favorite aspect of the Dark Brotherhood expansion is the opportunity to become an “Assassin for Hire,” which provides a stealthy play style to the game – a rare occurrence. If you’re anything like me, you’ve always enjoyed the hidden aspects of previous Elder Scrolls titles, so this is a welcome change. A notable point of the Assassin for Hire play style is the gut-wrenchingly gory executions, which are reminiscent of the performances from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. As well as being able to take on the role of an Assassin, you can also dress the part in several new costumes that will make you feel right at home in the brotherhood. You will also gain access to unique armor, weapons, and gear, some of which are incredibly powerful. The Dark Brotherhood DLC can be purchased in the ESO shop for 2000 crowns (around 20 dollars)
Conclusion
You would be hard-pressed to find a title that still receives such consistent updates and support as ESO, a game that is nearing 6 years old. While in previous years, the game was not nearly as fleshed out as it is today, I believe you are doing yourself an injustice by not giving this game a go. With the vast amount of play styles on offer, the massive signature ESO open world, locations, and a plethora of quests, there is certainly no shortage of fun to be had here.
The Elder Scrolls Online is an excellent introduction to the Elder Scrolls Universe and an incredible re-visit to Elder Scrolls veterans.
I hope this guide has provided an informative – but concise – look into the world of Elder Scrolls Online. I genuinely believe this is a game worth at least a dozen hours of every Bethesda, and gaming fans time as a whole.
Sources:
https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/joinus
https://store.steampowered.com/app/925100/The_Elder_Scrolls_Online__Elsweyr/
https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/guides/esoplusguide
https://elderscrollsonline.wiki.fextralife.com/Morrowind
https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/updates/dlc/darkbrotherhood