The Elder Scrolls Online receives a new large expansion called Summerset. But what is inside? How does the next chapter play? Our author Jürgen was able to try out the first quests of Summerset at an event in London and is quite excited.
In a special pre-launch event in London, I was already allowed to play the new ESO chapter Summerset long before the release. I quickly created a new Khajiit Nightblade, named her after my house cat Cleo, and started the game.
As with last year in Morrowind, you start in Summerset with a tutorial. This time, however, I do not suffer shipwreck. Rather, my killer cat awakens in a bizarre dream world. Everything seems to consist only of fragments. The sky displays strange synapses and brain convolutions instead of clouds and celestial bodies. I seem to be trapped in my own mind. Fortunately, a mysterious sorceress is present, showing me weapons and a way out.
Breakout from the Mind Prison
Along the way, some ghostly enemies come before my blades. Additionally, a mysterious presence speaks to me, threatening me with death and ruin. In the end, a final boss awaits me. A nightmare creature that can take quite a beating and guards a kind of pearl.
Once the beast is dead, I can destroy the pearl and finally escape from the mind prison. But what has happened and where am I?
Reunion with the Coolest Cat in Tamriel!
I only learn that I am on the Summerset Isles and that my benefactor belongs to the legendary Psijic Order. They are said to have established magic in Tamriel and live on an island that is mostly out of sync with time. However, the Psijic mystic does not know who is behind my abduction.
So I continue to explore the area and quickly encounter a daring Khajiit who is fighting against those nightmare creatures that had just been bothering me. And I know this cat! That’s Razum-Dar, the master spy of the Elf Queen. Essentially, a furry James Bond and already one of the most popular NPCs in the base game.
Something is Rotten in the State of Summerset
I help Razum-Dar, and he quickly asks me for help. Because by a royal decree, for the first time, other races besides the arrogant High Elves are allowed to visit the beautiful Summerset Isles. This causes some trouble, and I should check the situation discreetly.
In the process, I stumble upon a terrible conspiracy. Apparently, the High Elves are imprisoning outsiders in an old monastery to test them. However, it seems that no one can get out of the old walls anymore. Razum-Dar and I follow this up and uncover horrors!
I do not want to reveal more at this point.
Scary and Beautiful
You’ll notice, Summerset is pulling out all the stops with a thick story. Unlike the previous DLCs and chapters, things get straight to the point here. After all, Summerset is supposed to be the end of an epic story that began with the first major DLC Orsinium and has continued in further updates ever since.
Now the story is approaching its spectacular conclusion. The plot around the Daedric conspiracy continues to take shape and ramps up even further.
The atmosphere of Summerset constantly shifts between beautiful Elven idyll and gruesome secrets behind the magnificent facade.
Just like a beautiful old house, in whose walls it swarms with rats and disgusting vermin beneath the plaster.
Nothing New, but More of the Good Stuff
As in Morrowind, you get in Summerset a huge island full of quests and exciting scenes. The quests unfold as you know it from ESO. No innovations are expected here.
Why should there be? The tasks are – as known from ESO – full of charm and wit, providing a strong immersion in the game world. With each quest, we dive deeper into the story and want to know how it continues.
So why create something new when the old ESO quest formula works so well?
An Add-On Just to My Taste
I could only play Summerset for just under an hour, but even that was a complete experience from start to finish. The storytelling and immersion in the game world are still excellent and even a notch better than in previous DLCs and expansions.
The site Dualshockers has already released a gameplay video of the tutorial. If you want to see it yourself:
Additionally, the new Summerset Isles are beautiful, which, combined with the terrible Daedric machinations, creates a wonderful contrast of fascination and horror. I also don’t care that I’m basically just getting more of the same. ESO works best this way and should gain even more fun with Summerset.
I am certainly looking forward to the release of the new chapter!
Here you can find all the details about the new ESO chapter Summerset.
