ESO- what game does it compare with the most?

BACONX

I have played a lot of MMOs in the last 15 to 20 Years. Jumped in and out of into Guild Wars 2, EQ2, WOW and LOTRO. ESO is the last Major MMO I have yet to try but I'm always hesitant to throw down money for something new, given the times I have been burned.  I have played other Elder Scroll games but not heavily nor am I very familiar with the lore.  So, without trying to create a pro or against discussion or a critique- I just want to know what game ESO compares to the most.  Thanks.

Mexenlives

I've been playing MMO's for around 18 years.  Out of the ones you mentioned I have played ESO more than those others combined.  EQ1 has the most hours.  

I played the beta till before the Thieves Guild and it was worth it.  I may check back in on it soon.

BACONX

What game though would ESO have the most similarity with- compared to the ones you have played in the past?

Lokero

There's really not much to compare it to in the MMO genre.  Like Torval said, it's designed to feel like an Elder Scrolls game.

Combat wise, with the active blocking/dodging and whatnot, I guess maybe TERA is a comparison?  I've never played TERA, so I don't know how much they resemble one another, however.

If you've played Skyrim, then you have a pretty good idea what the gameplay will be like.

immodium

Lokero said:

Combat wise, with the active blocking/dodging and whatnot, I guess maybe TERA is a comparison?  I've never played TERA, so I don't know how much they resemble one another, however.

TERA's combat feels more like Dark Souls than an Elder Scrolls game IMO. Once you use a skill in TERA, or swing a weapon in in Dark Souls you can't move or do anything else until the animation/skill has finished.

Both root you and have animation locks.

So you do really have to think about when to use a skill as you can't snap out of making a mistake like in Elder Scrolls games, or the majority of MMORPGs.

TERA's combat is my favorite. I just didn't like the rest of the game.


ESO allows you to go anywhere in the world and quest/kill unlike most other MMOs, so a lot like the single player games.

Celcius

GW2 for sure. 

immodium

Torval said:

Is there much rooting at all? I've only played Nightblade and Sorc and I don't remember being rooted much. In fact I always feel really mobile. There are inductions but moving just cancels them which I love.

I've only played Nightblade as well and I'm sure there's no rooting/animation locking when using skills in ESO.

There is in TERA though and for me that's a huge difference when comparing combat I think.

You can really leave yourself open for a beating with a miss timed attack.

gervaise1

Complicated by ESO being "multi-facetted".

The start is LotR! You get introduced to the story.

As @Torval says it can be considered a variant of Skyrim - or other ES titles - and can even be considered to be a single player game. A proper "single player game rather than an mmo with content that can be done solo; with a main story that plays out (mostly) in solo instances - pretty long in its own right; very well produced with excellent voice acting etc. - and the later DLCs also have solo specific instances.

It is also a co-op centric game with lots of stuff akin to Rifts in Rift, world bosses in WoW, RTs in LotR. Everybody dives in. And there are also public dungeons - EQ1, EQ2, WAR, DAoC in which - again - everybody goes in and kills stuff that subsequently respawns. People can group as well of course - which happens a lot when there is a daily quest involved that can be shared with the entire group.

Then there are instances (dungeons, trials) that play like dungeons / raids in WoW, LotR etc. A mix of mobs and bosses and usually a tougher boss encounter at the end. 4 people encounters are the norm - some can be done with fewer (some need at least 2 like some of the LotR ones). There is a normal mode and a veteran mode.

Lastly there are PvP campaigns. These are time limited - a week or a month - and the population of each sides numbers is capped. And the same guilds tend to take part. None of the games you mention has this its more DAoC or Darkfall rather than GW1 but of the ones you listed ....

Will you like it? It has its own art style, animations and systems. Check out some videos first maybe. There have been some opportunities to try but none currently. All you need to check it out those is the basic edition from e.g. Amazon ($14) or some other retailer. Or there is a Gold Edition which includes the first 4 DLCs (they can be purchased as a discounted combo later as an add-on). There are some minor benefits to subscribing but you don't need to - especially if all you want to do is simply try the game.

It is unlikely to burn you so badly you will be disappointed - even if all you play is the solo-centric main storyline!

It certainly isn't LotR - which probably has the best "old style mmo feel" currently out there. Nor is it WoW "sit in main city and spam the Raid finder" and every couple of years venture out to hit the new level cap. (It will take you months and months to hit cap in ESO). I wouldn't really like to say its closest to EQ2 either but ...

Redsalt

It's kind of its own, thing. Like has been mentioned its closeset to Skyrim. Plays mainly like a single player game.  The quests are well written, I like the main story line and the story line quests for the zones.  I have not played it for a while.

SaunZ

it's not like the others in that it is not cartoony. 

it is like the others that do have a holy trinity (tank, dps, healz).

it's not like the others in that the crafting and professions mean something immediately in ESO... you can quickly make yourself very useable and strong gear, provisions, weapons, potions, magical stuff, enchants, etc. 

it's not like the others that rely on tab targeting and not having to dodge... in ESO you actually have to aim at stuff and you can dodge incoming hits, arrows and spells... well technically you can; I can't      cold fire siege gets me EVERY time... my pvp guild spends billions in soul gems rez'n me.

it's like the others in that there is questing.

it's not like the others in that it has huge, fun pvp where grouping is easy and a blast and looks like a real medieval movie.

it does remind one of Skyrim... duh... it is Skyrim.

did I mention that my biggest thing is that it is different because it looks real and not cartoony... I hate cartoony.

it is different in that you have to (if you want) feed your mount and they slowly get faster, sprint lasts longer and can carry more stuff as part of your inventory... if you feed them (daily).  other mmorpg's you wait like 20 or 30 levels to go buy the next level mount.  that's not real... that's cartoony... lol

it is like other mmorpg's that have armor/gear/weapon set bonuses... if you don't have sets and bonuses you suck... like other mmorpg's... if you don't have purple and gold sets you smell and I can't hang out with you... like other mmorpg's.

it's kinda like Rift... except all the kool kids play ESO.

what ESO is REALLY like is.. well... it is like me - PERFECT... just nobody knows it... like ESO  

Sz 

SaunZ

Celcius said:

GW2 for sure. 

:gasp:   GW2 is WAY cartoony... but GW2 does have cool skill combos that ESO doesn't have... exactly

there... I said something bad about ESO... happy?

Sz

Gitmix

BACONX said:

I have played a lot of MMOs in the last 15 to 20 Years. Jumped in and out of into Guild Wars 2, EQ2, WOW and LOTRO. ESO is the last Major MMO I have yet to try but I'm always hesitant to throw down money for something new, given the times I have been burned.  I have played other Elder Scroll games but not heavily nor am I very familiar with the lore.  So, without trying to create a pro or against discussion or a critique- I just want to know what game ESO compares to the most.  Thanks.

I only played it a few days, enough to realize it was a solo quest grinder. Not my thing.
Based on the boring questing (for me) I'd say it's like Rift.

TENTING

Ush, I could talk for very long about ESO, but it would come off as a shameless promotion. And taste is so individual anyway.

So will just say, I have found no other MMORPG like it, not a single MMORPG compare with it out there.

The only thing that saddens me is that the lore does not encourage flying mounts at any given point and nor does the game perse really need it, travelling the world on ground is just amazing enough.
 
 Its a peaceful game, for a casual gamer atleast, dont know the atmosphere in the raiding guilds or high competative PvP guilds, but for a casual gamer that just likes a beautyfull game, some grouping every now and then, a little pvp, tons of questing, its just perfect.  

But I guess I have gamers greed. Id like another game like ESO, with ESO graphics, art, the game to be compatible with PC VR and with flying mounts.

 Its like everything ESO designers touch, its a fountain of beauty.

 But yeah, its individual. Sorry for the extreme positivity, but its my favorite game out there atm :pleased:
 And I cant find anything like it.

Joseph_Kerr

To me, ESO is like Oblivion if it was multiplayer. I don't think it can be compared to any other mmo's though, at least not accurately.

Maquiame

It plays like a watered down Skyrim or Oblivion. Tamriel Unlimited made it alot better. Only problem is that its very single player.

Octagon7711

The game is basically an extension of Skyrim.  It's easy to see where they get their ideas from it.  The closest MMO I would say is Rift.  Lots of skills to learn.  Dynamic group events of closing rifts.  ESO has a more open feeling to it because of it's style.  

SavageHorizon

Lokero said:

There's really not much to compare it to in the MMO genre.  Like Torval said, it's designed to feel like an Elder Scrolls game.

Combat wise, with the active blocking/dodging and whatnot, I guess maybe TERA is a comparison?  I've never played TERA, so I don't know how much they resemble one another, however.

If you've played Skyrim, then you have a pretty good idea what the gameplay will be like.

The combat is closer to Darkfall but Darkfalls combat is closer to Skyrim than ESO. 

The combat is imo one of it's weaker strengths, not that it has many. It's typical themepark on rails mmoing. 

Iselin

It's very much a Western MMO in its style and presentation. By that I mean it's not as bright, whimsical and reliant on over-done special effects like the majority of Eastern MMOs are. But on the other hand, its combat feels a bit more Eastern in that it's active, action combat with a lot of dodging, blocking and just plain moving out of the way - especially in dungeons.

The PVE questing part is on par with SWTOR for production value. The PVP is very reminiscent of Dark Age of Camelot in that it centers around group-based territory control wars with an excellent siege warfare component.

Character building is a pretty unique mix of classes and open ended with the open ended part being more dominant as you progress. It's much more TSW than WOW in that respect.

It's also very content rich. There are months or even years (depending on how much you play) of content.

Also, the game is B2P and frequently on sale at many legit key vendors like Greenman. It's not hard to pick-up a a game key for $19 or even lower so it's not all that expensive to try.

Albatroes

ESO is the true GW2.

someforumguy

Especially with the one tamriel update , it feels a lot like Skyrim. And I agree with the poster above me. ESO has a lot of mechanics that seem to come straight out of the original manifesto for GW2. (Unlike GW2 lol)

Maurgrim

Albatroes said:

ESO is the true GW2.

If ESO dropped the classic quest system and take GW2 dynamic event system and build upon that idea then ESO would be a awesome game.

Sovrath

Maurgrim said:

Albatroes said:

ESO is the true GW2.

If ESO dropped the classic quest system and take GW2 dynamic event system and build upon that idea then ESO would be a awesome game.

Oh, I don't know about that.

I don't really think they have "the classic" quest system. Each area has a story and every npc you meet has "a story". It's a bit different from running to quest hub, going to every npc that has a "!" (or whatever) running here and there and returning.

Also, for my taste, Guild Wars 2's repetitive constantly repeating/resetting events gets tiring.

teakbois2112

Maurgrim said:

Albatroes said:

ESO is the true GW2.

If ESO dropped the classic quest system and take GW2 dynamic event system and build upon that idea then ESO would be a awesome game.

Strongly disagree.

ESO has some of the spirit of GW2 in that wondering around the open world can have you stumble upon something to do.  But they have some of the best written minor quests in the game, with presentation better (IMO) than SWTOR.  Its the most immersive questing experience in the genre IMO.

ApexTKM

Yea like others I've always compared ESO with GW2 just mainly because of the F2P system comparison I like them both and think they do a good job with a free to play system. I honestly think ESO is underrated by all the haters who probably have never played the game in its current state. And GW2 I feel is overlooked by expectations instead of accepting the game for what it is.

Margrave

I love how I can make a character match the playstyle that I want in ESO.

I know they're not alike, but for some reason it reminds me of my times back in EQ.

DKLond

It's very much its own thing, really.

However, the one MMO it reminds me of the most would be LotRO - even though there are many differences.

But it's got that same immersive and relatively mature approach to lore and world building - which is very important to me. The crafting is somewhat similar, only better and more impactful.

Obviously, being a fantasy MMO with a serious tone - that also puts it in the same category.

However, I would give LotRO the edge in terms of immersion and overall world building. It's Tolkien, after all - and even if ESO has a lot of zones, there's a lot of visual redundancy among them - where I think Middle-Earth in LotRO is just beautifully executed, with more variety. Also, LotRO does a much better job with use of filters and atmosphere alteration, like in The Old Forest. That goes a long way to make even similar areas feel very different.

That said ESO is much more modern in very important ways - and I definitely prefer the active combat system to LotRO's somewhat dull and dreary tab-target system. Ironically, they both have pretty crappy avatar animations - but ESO isn't quite as stiff as LotRO.

While I love LotRO - it's too old and the cash-shop infestation is somewhat obscene. The combat is clunky as hell - and you still can't move through Bree without seeing half the players skip and slide all over the place.

Overall, I consider ESO the best MMO on the market today. There's really no immediate competitor - unless you want something very different, like sci-fi or a pure sandbox.