Elder Scrolls Online Beta Shows A Hybrid Skyrim MMO, But Will This Mix Please Gamers?

The Elder Scrolls Online beta has been offered multiple times already, allowing players to have a glimpse of the long-term plans for the game. But will gamers expecting ESO to essentially be “Skyrim online” be happy with the MMO hybrid revealed by the beta?

In a related report by The Inquisitr, the fist glimpse we had of Elder Scrolls Online was an action-packed video that featured Daedra invading Tamriel from a portal in the skies. But that really didn’t give us any hint on how the game would play, although Bethseda promised ESO would feature no grinding, nor will they give out any extra gameplay advantages in the special box editions.

For the most part, Oblivion and Skyrim tended to feature more action and twitch-based gameplay. While leveling up and numbers were obviously important, it was still possible to take on enemies that vastly outweighed your current level by using strategy and being very good at avoiding projectiles.

When speaking to gamers who have played the Elder Scrolls Online beta, that’s pretty much the first thing everyone notices about the combat. While it’s still possible to sneak around, and many enemy attacks require dodging, for the most it’s not nearly as twitch-based as Skyrim. Even an archer character may stand still and shoot a melee based enemy point blank in the face without attempting to move. Some of the special attacks almost seem guaranteed to hit as long as you’re aiming in the general direction of your target. But those who are used to playing traditional MMOs may find the transition to ESO easier because of this design decision.

The gameplay is also decidedly easy during the first section, which some gamers have come to call “hello kitty island.” Because of this many in the Elder Scrolls Online beta did not attempt to group up. But gamers who invested enough time into the game reached levels where quests became almost impossible without a group. For some this is probably a boon since Skyrim was entirely solo, while others more used to other MMOs may dislike the implied imperative on forced grouping.

Otherwise, the game is said to be just as vast as Skyrim. The graphics are well done although slightly different from Skyrim. There’s also many changes to basic gameplay. They’ve changed up lockpicking, enchanting, and other systems entirely when compared to Skyrim. Again, this is probably either a good thing or a problem if your expectations were set by Skyrim.

What do you think about the Elder Scrolls Online beta so far?