Summerset is the newest expansion to come to The Elder Scrolls Online. It’s been out for a few weeks now, and we at Gamers Heroes have spent a fair amount of time with it. Sit back, relax and let us tell you about our adventures in Summerset.
The Elder Scrolls Online Summerset Preview
It should be worth noting that I haven’t been back to ESO since it first launched. I played the game until the end, and reached level 50 with my Dragon Knight, but I didn’t have the time to commit to an MMO. Basically, this is from the perspective of a new player because of all they have added since then. This preview will focus on Summerset though, and not the other things that were new to me. Thankfully, if you are new, there is an excellent tutorial at the start to help you out.
There are five classes to choose from in ESO: Templar, Dragon Knight, Sorcerer, Nightblade, and the Warden. The Warden was new to me, so I stuck to my Dragon Knight for melee combat. Much like other Elder Scrolls games, you can play in a first or third person perspective. The big difference is that you can group up with other players. When it came to grouping for quests, I didn’t run into much trouble. I was quickly invited to a guild of friendly players, and we ran through a lot of the quests together. They guided me on the right path through most of the content, which significantly improved my playing experience. If you are new, get with a guild – they will help you out.
The Summerset isles themselves are bright and colorful. Those of you who prefer a more and dark and dreary setting might not enjoy this environment as much. You are free to search each zone at your own pace, but there is a story path to follow as well. Following the story path will lead to side content and put you in new areas at a robust pace. Adding to this is the new Psijic Order. The Order is a group of mages who will task you with closing breaches scattered throughout Summerset. There is also a skill tree related to the Order, allowing you to access more skills. If you raise your reputation with the Order high enough, you will gain access to powerful buffs for yourself.
Crafting has also received an update in Summerset, though I didn’t get too deep into it. In Summerset, you can craft jewelry for yourself or your allies. You can also sell it to other players to make some extra gold. Some of the jewelry can be added to armor sets for additional bonuses and buffs. These bonuses are a great help when you are doing the dungeons in Summerset. These are difficult instances where healers and tanks are needed, or else you will lose. Dungeons are also where new players will come across the most flak.
Even though the dungeons are new, it is generally expected to know how your class works. If you don’t, players won’t hesitate to let you know how you are messing up. It happens if you queue in with a random group, but again, with a good guild they will help you learn. Nevertheless, it can be frustrating as a player trying to keep up with people who have been playing for a while. That’s just how it goes though; some people play ESO monthly. There is also a new raid, but I didn’t get to try that since I wasn’t powerful enough.
Summerset provides plenty of new content for new players and veterans alike. If you are new to ESO, however, I strongly recommend going in with at least one other player to help with the learning curve.
