The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset Preview

First off, it's great to get an invite to check this out and secondly I should have been playing more of The Elder Scrolls Online. I was there during the beta on PC and then for awhile on console yet I drifted away. I'm always playing a wide range of games, yet with Tera earlier on in the month for consoles I've gotten that quick desire for MMORPGs again. Good timing for the Isle of Summerset to be arriving and it was nice to jump in. For those that care about the relative location, this area is located west of Auridon. It's a large land mass and home of the High Elf folk.

There are some things going on and now visitors can now visit if they'd like. It was always a closed off place so this is a big deal. This is a fresh sort of adventure, I started with nothing here and worked through some of the initial stories. There's a lot to do, but my preview of Summerset is limited in scope for what I can discuss. I essentially worked through some mystical murders, discovered a mysterious figure and then attended some sort of elegant party. It was a nice mix of action and I spent a number of hours enjoying this area. There's a lot of complexity and it's what you would expect from the type of game. For fans of the core content and its expansions, this should feel somewhat like a vacation considering the location.


There are some really enchanting areas here and the whole isle reminds me of The Witcher 3's "Blood and Wine" DLC in terms of environment. It's a colorful place, there are vineyards and some lovely little spots to visit off the beaten path such as waterfalls. There's some evil sneaking around too, but that's really up to you to discover alone or with a group. Narrative wise; by decree of Queen Ayrenn, Summerset is now open to outsiders. This doesn't mean all are welcome, but it's a sign of a more progressive leadership. Darkness is looming with whispers of Daedric followers, so it won't be a completely scenic adventure. Other fun activities include checking out the secretive Psijic Order, they have years of history and that can finally be explored here. There's also a skill line involved with the Order so that may be appealing, it's very time bending specific.

If you're a fan of jewelry, that can finally be crafted. Obviously there's a lot of content involved with Summerset that will send you adventuring across a vast new area. Take on the Cloudrest Trial, work in groups to tackle the Abyssal Geysers or even just battle world monsters and public dungeons. The area is looking really great and I'm sure fans of the existing content will feel at home, yet have a fresh environment to visit which was a lovely time. I really do enjoy games that pull out vibrant colors and this landscape was an enchanting place to ride a lion within. This is also a great time to try out The Elder Scrolls Online as new expansions for MMORPGs always present a good starting point. Summerset is available May 21st on PC and June 5th for Xbox One or Playstation 4 console platforms.

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The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset Screenshot
Gamerheadquarters Reviewer Jason Stettner