The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom Chapter Review - A Solid Addition to the Game
Introduction The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom Chapter, released on June 5 for PC/Mac and June 20 for consoles, offers players a fresh addition to the game. In this review, we will delve into the new zones, the Chapter's story, and the introduction of the Arcanist class. Let's find out if ZeniMax has succeeded in delivering an engaging Chapter or if it falls into the realm of another cookie-cutter yearly entry.
Exploring the Telvanni Peninsula The Telvanni Peninsula serves as the home of the Telvanni Dark Elf house, renowned for their arcane practices. While the region incorporates familiar Dark Elf themes such as mushrooms and alien plant life, it manages to present a well-executed extension of the Dunmer homeland. The World Bosses and Public Dungeon encounters provide enjoyable combat experiences, with the developers effectively incorporating special attacks and rotating ground AOE effects into boss battles.
Unveiling the City of Necrom Initially skeptical about the city of Necrom, I was pleasantly surprised as I progressed through the main story and entered the Necropolis. The locals gained more vibrance, adding color to the otherwise potentially drab experience. However, the time spent exploring the Necropolis fell shorter than anticipated, leaving me wanting more.
A Journey Through Apocrypha By the time I completed the Chapter's main story, my time in Hermaeus Mora's realm of Apocrypha had been thoroughly enjoyable. While the prevalent use of green throughout the landscape concerned me initially, the delves, public dungeon, and interior story locations cleverly introduced variations in the color palette. ZeniMax's art team deserves praise for creating a stunning depiction of Apocrypha, with certain locations evoking the feeling of exploring an Escher painting, featuring mind-bending pathways.
Voice Acting and Companions The voice acting in the Necrom Chapter showcases noticeable improvements over previous years' content, although not a significant leap forward. Most characters are believable and engaging, with the relationships between various companions and the main character being particularly well-crafted. However, the voice acting for Hermaeus Mora lacks the gravitas one would expect from an all-knowing being, occasionally veering into casual territory. Nevertheless, the introduction of two new Companions adds depth to the game, and their storylines align well with the existing Companions in ESO.
Side Quests and Activities The side quests in the Necrom Chapter largely follow the established formula players are accustomed to. While some quests offer decent storytelling in different locations, a few felt repetitive with a fresh coat of paint. The absence of substantial challenges or puzzles to solve during questing was notable, as most quests revolved around kill and fetch tasks. Additionally, side quests often repeated instructions, disrupting immersion in the story.
Bastion Nymic World Events and Arcanist Class The Bastion Nymic World Events, a new activity introduced in the Chapter, offer promising encounters and challenging bosses. These events provide an opportunity for players seeking more difficult overland content. The Arcanist class proves to be a standout addition, with visually impressive abilities and a unique Crux point system that enhances damage and healing. The class's flexibility, build options, and engaging gameplay make it a strong contender as a main character choice.
Technical Issues and Future Prospects The Necrom Chapter exhibits few technical issues, with minor bugs being infrequent and disappearing as the content progresses. The persistent bug of not exiting combat consistently remains the primary concern. Notably, the design flaw of the Herald's Seekers' long-range AOE tentacle attack affecting players not in combat disrupts questing and poses a
0 Comments