Is the current event a swansong to ESO? Summerset - the last good expac

Kharnamantic · August 2020

I took one of my alt characters through the Summerset questline, so I could be in zone for all the WBs/event callouts/high pop chat shenanigans during July's anniversary event. I forgot how much of a step above the Summerset expac was over the later expacs, Elseweyr and Greymoor. Any time spent with Razum Dar is a good time. Visiting the graceful home of the high elves for the first time was so cool - seeing the griffons and indriks, and participating in cool side quests like the detective whodunit quest.

Summerset was one of the last truly original pieces of content, part of a long streak of innovative or important (much needed) content (Clockwork City, Imperial City, BGs, Cyrodil). Everything after that began relying on tired nostalgia bait (dragons and Skyrim) to attract players.

This week's event made me really sad for the current state of ESO. Greymoor was a total failure and no-one bothers with the harrowstorms. I hope they announce their content plans for new zones and the next expac soon.

Red_Feather · August 2020

While I share the feeling that harrowstorms are not a success, I love dragon fights.

Sindala · August 2020

personal preference i suppose.
I prefer the Greymoor over Summerset......summerset is too "flowery pretty" for my tastes.

And well.....Dragons!!!!!! (even if they are actually Wyverns)

colossalvoids · August 2020

With elsweyr something died in eso for me, plus all this year of a milking... I meant dragons felt just like a disney ride and not a tes at all, supposedly people liked that and there is no going back. Can't beat Orsinium, Morrowind and Summerset at this point.

Ascarl · August 2020

I guess it s all about personal taste. For me Elsweyr > Sommerset > Greymore

I love Khajiit and that little drunken cat lady and helping Razum - Dar out with his mother have been the most funny quests I ever did in ESO while I don't care about necros.

Speaking of personal taste, I had zero fun with Murkmire just because I don't like Argonians and swamps.

Suna_Ye_Sunnabe · August 2020

I agree. Summerset was the last expansion I was excited for, and I wasn't even a tiny bit disappointed with the stunning landscapes and people, the originality of the architecture and music, and the quest lines just left me wanting more! Just as the great quest lines before had -Morrowind, Clockwork City, etc. Then Elsewyr came, and it felt so...immature and shallow by comparison, not to mention it really grated my lore nerve (Southern Elsewyr after it is something I wish I could purge my memory of entirely, story wise). And here again with Greymoor, we have great lore buried in quite frankly, a disaster of a chapter, devoid of life and depth. I'm well tired of the company milking these little failed nostalgia rides. Let it be Eso's maturity and depth that brings players in, greatness by its own right, not riding so heavily on the past glories of other entries in the Elder Scrolls series. I long for something fresh and satisfying again.

kargen27 · August 2020

Swan song being a euphemism for game almost dead so the answer would be a solid no.

Inyhel · August 2020

From the expansions I've played so far:
Summerset >> Elsweyr >>>>>Morrowind

Summerset had the perfect balance of fun main story and engaging side quests. Elsweyr had cats and dragons and lots of Khajiti lore. I didnt like Morrowinds main story one bit. The fake gods and especially Vivec was about as interesting as soggy cardboard, but some of the sidequests were ok. If it wasnt for Naryu that entire expansion would leave 0 impression on me.

Im a bit worried about all this negative talk of Greymoor to be honest.

SirAxen · August 2020

Lore and story wise, the best updates have been the Q4 updates the last three years for me. Clockwork, Murkmire and Southern Elsweyr.

AdamBourke · August 2020

Honestly, I've enjoyed most of the chapters so far (I haven't played greymoor much yet, was too busy catching up on dragonhold and this event).

But I think all of them also have their issues. With Summerseat, the time breaches are so boring to do, as are the abyssal geysers. This event is making me realise just how much I hate a lot of the delves and world bosses in Summerset. The only delve I like is archon's grove, and I really hate graveld and keelsplitter. But honestly I think its just the repetition caused by this event.

Athyrium93 · August 2020

I really don't like Summerset, or Morrowind, The Altmer are jerks and Vivec has the personality of a wet noodle, but I love Elsweyr. Greymoore is kinda bland, but I still had fun with the main quest.

Lord-Otto · August 2020

The drop in quality over the last two years is really noticeable. Even if you like cats or vampires, you cannot deny how thin the Elsweyr and Greymoor stories were.
And they're not even complete with their chapter expansion, but half a year later with a needless DLC. Clockwork City made sense because it gave us... well, the Clockwork City! What did Pellitine give us? Just more desert. Same with Darkstorm, it'll give us more Skyrim and Blackreach, which I already know.
Fittingly, Elsweyr seems to have been the players' least favorite year. Greymoor will likely take that spot now. Needless to say, I am not excited for the future of ESO, how could I?

fierackas · August 2020

Elsweyr took me a long time to do the main quest because it wasn't very interesting. Didn't even bother purchasing Greymoor.

craybest · August 2020

Greymoore has been my favorite chapter so far. I know it has issues and many people dislike it for it, but to me, it's the most interesting one, love the story, loved the MOOD, and the music. I wanted to have something on a darker tone for this game. and neither Summerset or Elsweyr did that for me.

Lord-Otto · August 2020

craybest wrote: »

Greymoore has been my favorite chapter so far. I know it has issues and many people dislike it for it, but to me, it's the most interesting one, love the story, loved the MOOD, and the music. I wanted to have something on a darker tone for this game. and neither Summerset or Elsweyr did that for me.

I can understand you liking the slightly darker tone, fair enough. But the story? It was Elsweyr with vampires. The "twist" couldn't have been more obvious if ZOS wrote you a letter revealing it.
Are you sure you're not just happy with the tone and therefore elevate the story to a ranking it doesn't deserve?

CMDR_Un1k0rn · August 2020

Not liking the latest chapter =/= the end

We've already got plenty of hints and evidence as to the setting next year so erm... Nah, not really IMO.

starlizard70ub17_ESO · August 2020

It's a matter of personal taste, (as everyone else has already said.)
Summerset & Murkmire are the two chapters/expansions I liked the least.
Morrowind, Greymore and most of the DLCs are around an average rating for me. Some I liked a little, some a little less.
Elswyer, Orsinium and the Clockwork City DLC I liked the most.

FrancisCrawford · August 2020

I think the overland content has been more up and down than you do. Despite the repititiousness of the basic Altmer obnoxiousness and autocracy, I absolutely love Summerset just as you do. But I loathe Murkmire and will probably never play it. I really liked Clockwork City. I thought Vvardenfell was very meh. DB bores me, but I love Thieves Guild. Etc.

TwinLamps · August 2020

Idk man, I liked Elsweyr better

Onefrkncrzypope · August 2020

Greymoor is an instanced mess. They spent most of thier time down in a cave and overland skyrim is basically tundra. Void of life and intersting features. I mean like kansas like flatness(hyperbole) Morrowind without the balance patch gave the most content, summerset gave the most used content and elswyr gave use an overpowerded copy pasta class. greymoor gave us vamp skill usage for three months, if you were mag.

redgreensunset · August 2020

Personal taste. Haven't got Greymoor (and please note it is only half a story anyway) but I find the double Elsweyr arc only slightly below Summerset. CWC had its moments but was overall so-so, while Morrowind was just annoying, but then I always loathed Vivec.

Rebirthment · August 2020

Summerset>Morrowind>Elsweyr for me

Haven't played Greymoor yet but Elsweyr to me was just so boring and bland that there were only a few side quests that i actually liked. Summerset and Morrowind were alot more interesting and better side quests and the main quest was really nice

Arunei · August 2020

Lord-Otto wrote: »

craybest wrote: »

Greymoore has been my favorite chapter so far. I know it has issues and many people dislike it for it, but to me, it's the most interesting one, love the story, loved the MOOD, and the music. I wanted to have something on a darker tone for this game. and neither Summerset or Elsweyr did that for me.

I can understand you liking the slightly darker tone, fair enough. But the story? It was Elsweyr with vampires. The "twist" couldn't have been more obvious if ZOS wrote you a letter revealing it.
Are you sure you're not just happy with the tone and therefore elevate the story to a ranking it doesn't deserve?

People are capable of liking things other people don't, regardless of how shallow or bland someone sees something. Is it really so hard to believe someone's opinion on something as subjective as this differs from your own? No one's opinion on how enjoyable something is or isn't is right or wrong compared to anyone else's, and being somewhat patronizing to them to try and make them see how their opinion is wrong is generally not going to be very effective.

xclassgaming · August 2020

Summerset is the best.

Elsweyr was the worst.

But Greymoor was just alright, so hopefully next year we get a good chapter as well.

Radiance · August 2020

I strongly disagree that Summerset was the best expansion by any means and that is coming from someone who Mains an Altmer and has since the original Morrowind console game! I remember waiting in anticipation for the SS chapter and was underwhelmed when it finally came out. I'm not impressed by the Geyser Anchors and I would have expected the Necromancy class to come out with Summerset bc the Sload were known Necromancers but nope.

IMO the Elswyer Chapter has been much more enjoyable with the Dragons instead of Anchor Locations it brought something totally different to the game. The overall experience is much more immersive and the cinematic trailers were 1000 times more exciting. I've never been into the Khajiiti Race or Lore but it was so much more in depth and interesting. I've only just very recently rolled my first Khat character so I'm still not some fan girl but that Chapter was objectively better. Idk about this Skyrim chapter this year tho, I enjoy the Gothic Vampire aspect but the Nordic culture overall is just not my thing so I may be a bit biased but it's not the worst. Also I never played the Skyrim console game so there's nothing nostalgic about it for me, personally.

I would say each chapter has been better than the previous until Skyrim. imo, IMO. IMO!!!

InaMoonlight · August 2020

Sorry, but I love all of them!

(Hoping for some better loot on Harrowstorms though)

Each added something amazing to the game for me, dragons, exploring the khajiit zones, and now wading around in snow in Skyrim gawking at the northern lights, I'm overjoyed!

SidraWillowsky · August 2020

Athyrium93 wrote: »

I really don't like Summerset, or Morrowind, The Altmer are jerks and Vivec has the personality of a wet noodle, but I love Elsweyr. Greymoore is kinda bland, but I still had fun with the main quest.

how dare u

Nirntrotter · August 2020

Super subjective. I liked the side-quests in Summerset so much better than the main quest, but in general I'm not much of a fan of "OMG THE WORLD IS ENDING.... AGAIN" type of story arcs. My favourite will forever be Wrothgar. Agree with the people who say it's not a swan song.

Elsonso · August 2020

Kharnamantic wrote: »

Summerset was one of the last truly original pieces of content, part of a long streak of innovative or important (much needed) content (Clockwork City, Imperial City, BGs, Cyrodil). Everything after that began relying on tired nostalgia bait (dragons and Skyrim) to attract players.

Nah. Summerset Isle's claim to fame is that it can be in the top 4 Chapters released by ZOS. Next year, it can be in the top 5!

ArcVelarian · August 2020

The Morrowind, Clockwork City, Summerset Arc was just much more compelling because of the buildup and settings. The only interesting bits of Elsweyr were the Dragonguard and Tsaesci parts. As far as Greymoor goes, a lot of the dislike has to do with the Skyrim fatigue that people have gotten after three or four different re-releases of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Elsonso · August 2020

ArcVelarian wrote: »

The Morrowind, Clockwork City, Summerset Arc was just much more compelling because of the buildup and settings. The only interesting bits of Elsweyr were the Dragonguard and Tsaesci parts. As far as Greymoor goes, a lot of the dislike has to do with the Skyrim fatigue that people have gotten after three or four different re-releases of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Other than geography, I don't equate anything about Greymoor with TES 5. It is familiar ground, but not the same ground.

That said, jury is still out for me as to where Greymoor fits in. It is too new, still. Eventually, I will decide whether it fits in between Elsweyr and Summerset, or replaces Summerset as the bottom Chapter.

I think that if ZOS had done Harrowstorms in a more interesting way, I would have needed to decide whether it was ahead of, or behind, Elsweyr. So Greymoor will probably end up between Elsweyr and Summerset.