So how do you like Blackwood so far?

Hurbster

Going to grab the Companions on my new main and then go back to Cadwell's Gold.

RedSwallow

Other

Have mixed feelings about it.

I like the overland zone design, it's vast with a lot of swamps and ruins and you can walk in every direction 99% sure you are not going to end up stuck with your face in a rock. Similar to Murkmire, but more diverse with architecture of all sorts - that's really nice.
But I somehow feel it's underdeveloped? It feels empty and I feel like I almost don't see any mobs running around to kill and the problem persists even during night hours when there's little people to consider them killing everything faster then myself.
I liked the guys on the roads, they were fun!

The questline felt underdeveloped too. Is it just me, or the character were not THAT obvious when they wanted you to stop and talk before proceeding further in previous chapters? It was "Let's talk!" and "Speek to me!" more often then I could count. You take a breath then "Let's talk!" you talk and take a breath again and ready to open the door, but then "Let's talk first!"

It didn't help that half of those let's-talks belonged to Eveli who I grew to dislike really strongly at this point.
I understand the idea of diverse character in the game and that sometimes character should be flawed, but usually when you are presented with a flawed character they GROW throughout a story or at least you learn them from other sides and start to see that they have positive features outshining those flaws.
Eveli doesn't grow, all she does throughout a story is let'stalking, running away and leaving you to deal with things after repeating for a millionth time what you already learned before. I mean, I know every time she runs out she says she's doing something but we never really see her doing anything which leaves this feeling of her being an obnoxious and full of herself type who thinks they make an impact when in reality they don't.
She is supposed to be cute and funny, and she might have been cute and funny if only her screen time was cut in ten times. She would be an amazing addition if she'd only appear here and there like that blond captain or Lyranth.

And that part about the book?! Really? I thought at this point script writers here should be at least mildly familiar with "show not tell" concept. Ugh.

I remember I was enjoying storytelling in ESO before. Even when the characters or setting were not to my liking, the dialogues were decent and plotline developed smoothly. I never ever remember being pulled out of the story pacing by let's-talking this often or things being explained with words out of nowhere.

Companions are nice, but it's not a part of the game I had any expectations for, so I'd be good with anything - even them being nothing but a dress-up doll walking around. I would, however, wanted to have them as houseguests since I don't care about all the others and my homes are kind of empty (unless ZOS gives us bards).
I can't say I particularly enjoy their personalities but headcanons have always been a huge part of the game.

As for how useful they are?.. Well, my Bastian is at lvl 8 wearing all white and he almost stopped dieing at the overland content. He even survives public dungeon group events with heavy AoE! Haven't tried him in a real dungeon yet though, but I want to fully lvl him first and maybe gear up a bit, I'm in no hurry.
From how I see it they are more of a convenience thing anyway. Like a resto backbar or Winter Respite set - nothing special, but allows you to chill in a boss fight instead of struggling.

I wouldn't mind them being a bit more convenient though. Like, I don't know, pick up my loot for example? Since half the time they run 20 meters behind me and there's is always something that get's killed exactly there without me even knowing.
I'm also not sure, but do we have a button to make companions stop fighting and return to our sides? I already had them aggro a boss, run away too far and make the boss reset a couple of times - some control here would be useful.

That's said, I don't know what's in the most recent patch, and I still hope there is polishing left to be done.

redlink1979

I like it,seems very interesting.

Orsinium still is my favourite zone.