If you’re like me, the vanilla game never quite satisfied that Elder Scrolls feel. While it was sandboxy, it obviously wasn’t as open as Skyrim or Oblivion. I’m assuming it was designed that way to prevent higher-level players from just obliterating entire towns of NPCs.
But between the past DLC and the upcoming ability to join the Dark Brotherhood, it’s getting closer to that open world we all love.
To be more specific, here’s why you should return to Tamriel.
Reason #1: Join the Dark Side
Even though most gamers tend to play the “good guy,” there are those of us who like to take the opposite approach every once in a while.
We invade people in Dark Souls. We steal from everybody we see in Fallout IV. And we’re willing to kill people for a little gold in the Elder Scrolls.
Well that dark side has sorely been missing in ESO to date. Sure, you could be a thief, but so what? The Thieves Guild may have had a decent questline in Skyrim, but it wasn’t as epic as the Dark Brotherhood’s.
Nothing is.
Reason #2: Better Customization
New areas to explore? That’s nice.
But that’s not always what keeps players coming back. Another major factor is the ability to customize your character to be exactly how YOU want.
And that’s what the Elder Scrolls- even ESO- has always thrived on. You could be play anything from a fire mage in heavy armor to a dual-wielding ranger. You can heal allies in one hand and smack enemies in the face with a shield in your offhand. Any playstyle is fair game.
Customization is also what has kept RIFT successful. It’s the main MMORPG I keep crawling back to, largely because of the ability to build MY kind of character.
When Elder Scrolls Online drops the Dark Brotherhood, you get access to a few additional skills, PLUS poison. Since poisoning enemies is one of the most satisfying ways to play any game, this feature alone is worth a trip back to Tamriel.
Reason #3: The Blade of Woe
The very first skill you learn when you join the Dark Brotherhood is the Blade of Woe. An insta-kill ability that puts every assassin on a level playing field? That’s what I’m talking ‘bout.
Have you ever played an assassin in another game that… just wasn’t very good? For example, most low-level characters in Skyrim- and even Elder Scrolls Online- don’t do enough sneak damage to take out a target in one hit.
This DLC is making that a thing of the past. No longer will you get those awkward moments of a sneak attack that just scratches the enemy.
Will the Elder Scrolls Online Dark Brotherhood DLC be enough to keep players happy for years to come? Probably not- but hopefully we’ll have more great DLC or Elder Scrolls VI before killing people for hire gets stale.
