Every player will be in one of three factions, each battling over the same delta-shaped piece of land. For example, large-scale strategy logistics in PvP fit the deep-but-accessible philosophy just as well. Of course, this accessibility scales up once a player has their feet wet. One-on-one fights are extremely rare, and that’s actually great for new players. How well you do from there is more based on tactics, skill, and coordination with others players instead of which player has spent the most time hunting down the best gear. Low-level characters receive stat bonuses that put them on roughly equal footing with those at max level. Starting at level 10, everyone can compete for territory and glory in Cyrodiil, a zone that acts as a PvP hub.

Take, for instance, player-versus-player combat.

On the flip side, the game also strikes a great balance between depth and accessibility. It’s a streamlined style that requires a bit more practice and skill to utilize effectively. Dodging, blocking, and speed are far more important than memorizing exactly when you need to use which ability. Instead of adopting that convoluted system, ESO grounds its play in careful player movement. Combat, for example, cuts back on the post-WoW tyranny of ability bars. On the one hand, ESO contains significant depth for the more experienced MMO players out there. And while there are a whole host of opportunities to gain new skills, this process isn't infinite, so max level characters won't all have the same skill set. Throughout the course of the game, you'll also have the opportunity to up skills and abilities that aren't intrinsic to your class, and that opens up even more options for character differentiation and customization. Progression scales with levels as well, so taking up a new weapon in a max-level area will take a fraction of the time as trying to train up something new in the beginning. Any time I felt it necessary to make a quick change to one of my skills, all I had to do was use that ability or item more often. But to master these skills, you actually have to use them, and that opens up interesting gameplay variety. You’ll pick between four main types of characters, and each has a clearly defined skill set associated with it. For one, it tosses out standard character classes in favor of a more dynamic system. It’s fortunate, then, that as an MMO, ESO can stand proudly on its own. That’s a welcome change from grinding for super-rare drops during high-level raids. So far the best items in the game are ones that have been lovingly crafted by players. Weapons and armor can have specific traits that will boost their damage or enchantment effect, but if you want to make items with those traits you’ll need to research them. You still need to hunt down material components, but making items and improving them isn’t a guaranteed success.

One of the best pieces of Elder Scrolls Online is the crafting.

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