Skyrim.  Oblivion.  Morrowind.  

ElderScrolls_Logo

The The Elder Scrolls  brought something to gamers that most games… well, they don’t even dare attempt.  They made the fantasy world “real” to the player.  Skyrim, the 5th and latest installment in the series, was damn near close to this.  As a Dungeon and Dragons role playing game as a kid (yes, I was one of those kids), this game was like my dreams come true.

All this I mention for one single reason… the game was so in-depth, so vast, so beautiful, so expansive… one was left to wish only one thing;  Why can’t I play with my friend?  Why can’t all these characters that I see walking around, actually be “real” players.

Well… ladies, gentlemen, towelites… Bethesda is answering our question with their latest upcoming release The Elder Scrolls Online.

the-elder-scrolls-online

As the game goes into beta mode, Bethesda has released a brand new (6 minute) trailer to get people in the mood of this installments story and world.  The story takes place almost 1000 years before Skyrim and the world is full of evil and chaos.  And within this world, three factions come into being and it seems you can be part of one of these.  It is these three that the trailer seems to show us, as they battle for the control of the Imperial City.

But this is the backstory, and this new trailer seems to show everything that this new game is suppose to offer.  Cause you see, its not only the online / multiplayer aspect that Bethesda is offering, but the world and gameplay is rumored to be expanding as well.  By world, I mean that the entire continent of Tamriel is rumored to be part of this game.  Now, for those who know how HUGE each of these games are (especially Skyrim), well… Tamriel as a whole is just baffling.

Map of Tamriel

The 3 factions offers its own set of additions to the gameplay.  Each has its own story, its own goals, and each will probably have a help-or-hurt relationship with the others.

The trailer also seem to show these factions each attempting some sort of invasion/siege unto what seems to be the Imperial City.  I think this is important because rumors have it – sieges are actually part of this new game.  Siege weapons will be items you may be able to use.  This sounds very exciting, and if Bethesda can pull this off… well, they will have made everything even more grand.

But the problem is, with these rumors already flying around, the trailer might be promising more than the game will have to offer.  A world with hundreds of players, each searching for their own thing, each completing their own mission – this will be a difficult project on its own.  The “realism” Elder Scrolls provided needs to keep it going, and not have the game get lost in the sea of games like World of Warcraft.  This game needs to keep the “role playing” as a strong element – which is what mades these games good to begin with.

Elder Scrolls Factions

I will say this… even if it’s not perfect, it will still be mind boggling… and any room for improvement will obviously give Bethesda the next project to work on (i.e., online Fallout?  Now wouldn’t that be a treat).

The trailer definitely sets the mood, shows what this new game will probably offer, and looks beautiful.  So yes, I’m excited.  And yes, this game will be the death of me, cause I doubt I will be able to stop playing once I start.

Check out the trailer yourselves below, and stay tuned with Don’t Forget A Towel, cause you know we’ll be keeping you updated with all the details as they get released.

~mozeus