The demons of Oblivion have returned and only the most intrepid players will be able to finish them off in The Elder Scrolls Online Blackwood, the new additional chapter of The Elder Scrolls Online that is still as fun as ever, but which is increasingly missing more news. In the analysis of ESO Blackwood we talk about it, about the missions, the kingdom of the Daedra and the new companion system of this MMORPG.
We are all crazy looking for news of the highly anticipated The Elder Scrolls VI but if you like the Bethesda Softworks saga and want to lose yourself again in the great world of Tamriel, The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood is an option to consider even if you don’t. you like MMORPGs. Over the years this online role-playing adventure has grown and improved, transporting us to some of the most iconic settings in this fantasy universe, including places never seen before or others that we have not visited for more than 25 years, such as this one. last chapter of ESO, which plays well with nostalgia by recovering one of the most remembered and beloved elements of the saga: the portals to Oblivion. Having the opportunity to enter the realm of the Daedra again to fight the demons is as exciting as it sounds, because beyond the story missions we have a great public dungeon in which you barely have a second to breathe. Enemies are everywhere vomiting fire, shooting lightning, causing explosions; But by your side you have other players with whom to respond forcefully in a succession of frenzied battles against powerful demons that are capable of providing us with some of the most epic moments in the game.
You can tell that ZeniMax Online has gotten the hang of the action RPG of The Elder Scrolls Online and knows what its fans like, but after all these years there are some ideas, missions and stories that start to sound too familiar. Important news is missing, which is not simply a new adventure in a new setting but with the same challenges as always because, in addition, in this case, with the exception of the flaming lands of Oblivion, the rest of the Blackwood places are not they are far too far from what has already been seen in other lands of Tamriel. They are beautiful, yes, it is a pleasure to get lost in their fantasy environments, but everything is – I insist – too familiar.
That this additional chapter also arrives without new character classes to experiment with deepens that sense of lack of novelty that can take its toll on some of the most veteran TESO players. The trip is fun and at times also very exciting, it is difficult not to enjoy the experience, so do not be too scared. Blackwood is a nice bonus chapter with a couple of magical moments that are just that, pure fantasy for any fan of The Elder Scrolls. And if this is your first time, get ready because great adventures await you.
Exploring Tamriel in The Elder Scrolls
Discovering new lands in the world of Tamriel is always fun and Blackwood is no exception. Away from the cold and gray landscapes of Greymoor, which confronted us with the vampires in Skyrim, our journey now continues through scenarios that seem taken from a fairy tale or the classic medieval fantasy stories with all that mist blurring the horizon on the horizon. ruins of great fortresses, once imposing, now lair of necromancers or vengeful spirits. And the nostalgia here is powerful. The first time I came across the great city of Leyawiin, which I hadn’t seen since The Elder Scrolls IV, it was like coming home; to a place already known but at the same time different, more beautiful, with a different aroma. This is something that ESO does very well.
Play nice with nostalgia by taking back the portals to Oblivion
It puts before you iconic scenes with a special charm that you want to explore because you know that you will always find landscapes of unparalleled beauty, or places with a great history behind them. It happens with the fortress city of Gideon, which did not appear in a video game of The Elder Scrolls for more than 25 years, but which during all this time you heard about in Morrowind, Oblivion or Skyrim. So there is a certain halo of mysticism around these landscapes. I don’t even tell you if we talk about the portals to the realm of the Daedra. They open all over Blackwood at random, at any time, inviting the bravest to explore its blazing hellish landscapes. And I say brave because they are public dungeons where death lurks everywhere. You can venture into Oblivion alone, yes, but you’ll soon find that you need the help of others to escape the demons in a series of frenzied battles that are a festival of light, color, and explosions.
These scenarios work great because they complete quickly. They are just a few minutes in which you will not stop running and fighting as if life depended on it. And that, surrounded by dozens of other players, is always spectacular and fun. It will not be your only encounter with Deadlands because the story missions also take advantage of the portals to make us live some of the most exciting moments of ESO. Running through a castle under siege as portals open here and there; While explosions rage everywhere and demons slaughter your allies, it is quite an epic experience that brings out the best of this MMORPG, with fights that require you to dodge and block at the right time so as not to suffer more than necessary. You’ll also have time to get lost and calmly explore the kingdom of Oblivion, enjoying some powerful panoramas as you may see colossal demons walking on the horizon.
As you can see, Blackwood’s setting is perfect for living a great online role-playing adventure, but you will soon discover that in terms of playability, beyond how attractive the Oblivion portals are, there are hardly any changes. The mission structure is pretty typical, maybe too typical, leaving you with a constant sense of déjà vu that detracts from the final experience. It is still fun, of course, because there is a lot of action, well-designed scenarios that enter through the eyes, and also a story that without being original is followed with interest. How not to do it if we face the fearsome Mehrunes Dagon which is an old acquaintance to any fan of The Elder Scrolls. It was this demon who made us suffer in the mythical Oblivion, but 800 years ahead in time, which makes Blackwood even more interesting to discover the origin of many of the conflicts that have subsequently plagued the world of Tamriel.
While the story is serious and has some dramatic overtones, ZeniMax Online relies heavily on humor even during the main missions, in line with what is seen in Bethesda Softworks games. However, it is the secondary tasks that surprise the most due to their humorous tone, with some challenges and situations that border on the absurd in a good way. There is one in particular that proposes us to explore Argonian ruins accompanied by clones that almost look like lemmings. It is these challenges that break the monotony a bit in Blackwood, but there are so few, that in the end, they only provide a spark of variety in a game that is already crying out for change.in the design of their missions. Fighting, I insist, is fun; there is a lot of action and they feel alive. Special mention for the battles against world bosses, which are as original as they are spectacular. What chaos !, but how outrageous to survive such challenges.
Playing alone is possible at ESO
Although the grace of an MMO is to be able to share adventures with friends and other players, in ESO it has always been sought that the Elder Scrolls fan who is oblivious to online adventures can also enjoy the missions and stories of this RPG. For that purpose the companions arrive; characters controlled by artificial intelligence who will travel with us to offer us the necessary support to survive some of the toughest challenges of the adventure. They will not be of much help to you in dungeons or raids, there teamwork with other players is essential, but to complete missions and survive Deadlands with certain guarantees of success they fulfill their role well.
At the moment there are only two adventurers to choose from, each with their own abilities and combat styles: we have Bastian Hallix, a wizard who can fulfill the tasks of tank or healer; and Mirri Elendis, an ideal assassin to attack rivals or drain their life with the skills of a Nightblade. As you play with them, they will not only level up, learn new attacks and receive more battle gear, but they will also forge a bond with the hero, being able to unlock additional perks or even stop offering their help if we have pissed them off. in excess. Sounds good, but this karma system it is quite simple and sometimes has strange reactions. Given that the intention is to bring more allies to TESO in the future, it would be nice to get more out of this, but as a starting point, it is not bad.
Over 20 hours of new top content
There are few more changes to comment on from other additional chapters of The Elder Scrolls Online, and this is Blackwood’s biggest problem. In a market where the competition is experimenting with new ways to challenge players, it knows little by little that ZeniMax Online will settle for giving us more of the same but with a different setting. Not even the raid, Rockgrove, breaks this sense of familiarity. The quality of this expansion is indisputable, it is a great adventure with more than 20 hours of new main content, so it is difficult not to enjoy this new journey through the lands of Tamriel. One that also comes with a renewed visual section in the new generation consoles, which add graphical improvements and performance to match its appearance to that of the PC game. And it looks great! The settings are really beautiful, they have charm, and although they are not very different from other landscapes of Tamriel, they stand out from the rest with the marshy areas and the Argonian ruins. We also have the kingdom of the Daedra, with that gloomy architecture and those rivers of lava that draw a horizon of nightmare. Returning to this stage has been pure nostalgia and is, without a doubt, one of the best assets of a game that, however, cries out for more than nostalgia.
Not everything is perfect, of course, because although the graphics have been improved and the fighting is still as colorful as ever, the design of some characters seems ugly and simple at this point. And I’m not just talking about the secondary ones. For everything else, with its music, humour, stories, action and settings, Blackwood gives off that The Elder Scrolls scent that has captivated millions of players around the world. And it is something that allows this MMORPG to continue with a strong position in a market full of competitors. However, it is now time to provide important news. At the moment, yes, the contents of Blackwood are only in English.
With the return to the realm of the Daedra and the portals of Oblivion, Blackwood fires a good shot at the heart of the most nostalgic. The problem is that over the years there are already missing important news that revitalize the action of what has been, and continues to be, one of the best MMORPGs on the market. If you are a veteran, you will have fun exploring the new lands of Tamriel and if this is your first time, you will undoubtedly enjoy touring every corner of this great fantasy universe.
5 Things you should know
- We hadn’t visited the city of Gideon since the first The Elder Scrolls, over 25 years ago.
- The portals of Oblivion lead us to a public dungeon filled with daedra demons and other players.
- Blackwood does not add new character classes, so there are some significant new features
- You can travel alongside an AI-controlled teammate who levels up and improves at the player’s pace
- World boss battles are one of the best parts of this bonus chapter
