@rlg5150: Um...Destiny was a solid little FPS to play (on consoles) for about a month, then everyone I know moved on to bigger and better things. The Division doesn't really seem to share as much common ground as this article would lead you to believe. But--we'll just have to wait and see, I suppose.
@rlg5150: FFXIV on PS4, anyone? Sorry--but that's the only MMO--outside of EVE--that still clings to a subscription-based model and is worth the asking price, IMHO
@yeknomdab: Okay--after wandering about for 20+ hours, I can say that ESO is almost exactly what I expected. It's a slightly uglier and clunkier MMO based upon the lore of TES.
There is absolutely no room for the unscripted emergent storytelling for which the solo games are are known. Immersion is rendered nearly nonexistent as you move towards your tedious quest's seemingly epic confrontation with a boss NPC, only to have it die and respawn shortly after as gangs of other players plow through their own checklists.
Crafting can be useful, but you are limited by the exorbitant cost of slightly-increased storage space. The voice-chat-only feature is a mixed blessing as well. Interaction with the environment is limited to looting containers, but that is not a huge issue because there are so few things worth looting in the first place. Unless you're a thief--which 90% of the players that I encountered are, due in part to the lack of meaningful consequences of being caught.
Combat is a button-spammer's paradise, and the moronic AI is infinitely exploitable. Exchanging blows with an enemy lacks impact, and it is often impossible to determine who or what is attacking who when caught in larger skirmishes.
There are any number small or significant issues that contribute to what is ultimately a derivative open world MMO with an Elder Scrolls theme.
However, if you suppress the desire to compare ESO with it's more sophisticated solo counterparts, there is a lot of fun to be had in this version of Nirn. Just don't expect anything mind-blowing or even particularly novel. Grab some friends, form a party, and enjoy an above-average and casual MMO theme park.
@McGuirex3: It may be a while before we hear anything concrete about a sixth TES game. I'm sure that it will be on both consoles as well as the almighty PC. Hopefully, Bethesda doesn't just crap out something like Fallout 4--which is good fun but formulaic and uninspired. Perhaps this time around, they'll try and push the envelope a little.
@AlexL225: I'm not sure how anyone can be "horrible" at playing a theme park MMO. Hmm. Anyway, I wouldn't worry about review scores if you are having fun--that's what matters, right? Besides, 6/10 is an average score. Not terrible, but not great.
I know a guy who recently picked this up and says he LOVES it. But then, we're talking about someone whose tolerance for shallow whack-a-mole MMOs far exceeds my own. I did promise to stop by and give it a shot, but I'm still going to save my money for the next true Elder Scrolls. Before any fanboys start flaming me out of impotent rage, I will say that if I WAS going to play another EQ/WoW/etc.-clone, it may as well be the one sporting an ES-themed paint job.
@megawalrus: Um....I hate QTEs as much as the next guy, but TR's were simple, forgiving, and rare. Of course, I've played through the game three times on as many systems (the last being the Definitive Edition on PS4) so maybe it was just that you didn't make the slight effort required to give the game a chance. Your loss. However, I do admit to intentionally "failing" some of these much-maligned button-presses just to see what gnarly death the sadists at CD would inflict upon poor Lara.
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