The MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is getting the Blackwood addon with NPC companions that will accompany you. This new feature is quite controversial in the community. Here are 6 reasons why you can look forward to the companions.
What do the NPC companions bring? Zenimax Online wants to make it easier for players to complete dungeons. Those who want to do this alone or cannot find teammates should be able to do so. NPC companions will support the players.
But not everyone is pleased. After all, ESO is an MMORPG and the social gaming experience should be at the forefront. Fans now fear that many players will only experience adventures with the NPCs and the social aspect will take a back seat.
Which companions are coming to the game? The Blackwood expansion starts with two companions:
- Bastian Hallix, who is searching for his brother
- Mirri Elendis, who wants to free her companions
Both will fight by your side, sneak with you, heal, and use the equipment you give them. You will also experience the personal quests of the NPC companions and get to know them better. Through a karma system, you can determine whether the NPCs like you or not. What is not possible: You cannot use the companions in PvP.
In the future, more of these companions could come to the game.
Here’s why NPCs could be really cool
Here are some reasons why the companions could enhance the gaming experience of ESO.
1. You’ll never be alone again
Even though ESO is an MMORPG, there are times when you need to do certain things alone. Friends don’t always have time, or you just want to play a quest in between and want some peace.
Now, while ESO can be played solo quite well, having a companion by your side makes many things easier. With the NPCs, you always have a companion who supports you and fights alongside you.
2. The classic RPG feeling returns
Anyone who thinks of old role-playing games or loves the Baldur’s Gate or Dragon Age series will delight in the companions in ESO. Having NPCs with exciting backstories around, learning more about them over time, and experiencing their personal quests is simply fun in role-playing games.
Additionally, it brings back the feeling of belonging to a group, as seen in fantasy novels and films like The Lord of the Rings. Frodo Baggins didn’t wander alone to Mordor to destroy the One Ring.
3. NPCs don’t behave stupidly on purpose
Although the intelligence of NPC companions may depend on the quality of the AI, and it may sometimes happen that they sneak within direct sight of enemies without being detected, NPCs never act intentionally foolish or maliciously.
This cannot always be said for real players. Occasionally, you encounter individuals who want to ruin your fun, act unseriously, or steal your loot. Such players include fake tanks that nobody likes.
If you want to avoid such players, you can simply use the NPCs as group members.
4. Star Wars: The Old Republic makes fun with AI companions
The Elder Scrolls Online is not the first MMORPG to place NPC companions at your side. In Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR), this has been a feature from the beginning. No wonder, as the developer studio Bioware is known for introducing interesting companions in their role-playing games.
The companions in SWTOR are deeply developed, have their own quests, and interesting personalities. With some, you can even enter romances. This doesn’t disturb the social aspect of the MMORPG; it actually fits very well into the atmosphere. The companions in SWTOR simply show how much fun it can be to experience adventures with NPCs.
5. ESO becomes even more tactical
Since you can equip the AI companions yourself and they have their own abilities, you will also need to use them tactically in battles. Especially in dungeons, you should always pay attention to what weapons and armor they wear and how you want to proceed with the NPCs.
This adds another component to the game. You not only have to take care of yourself when you want to complete a dungeon alone, but also of your AI companion.
6. ESO will become more similar to the single-player games of the series The Elder Scrolls
NPC companions have played a role since The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind from 2002 in the RPG series. They assist you, support you, and fight with you. These companions are also more or less interesting personalities.
However, Zenimax Online wants to take it a step further with the NPCs in ESO, giving them even more interesting quests and more options for managing them, such as equipping them with weapons.
What do you think of the NPC companions in the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online? Are you looking forward to them?
MeinMMO author Alexander Leitsch has already tried the companions in ESO and promises that everyone will use them.
