On June 6th, just in time for the holiday in Germany, the new major expansion for the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online arrives. It is named High Isle and is based on medieval Europe. In the short MeinMMO check, you will find out if the expansion is something for you.
What is High Isle anyway? The new major expansion of The Elder Scrolls Online is named High Isle and will come into play on June 6th. You can already purchase the expansion, but you will only be able to download it on release day.
It brings a completely new area to the MMORPG that is inspired by medieval Europe. You will also encounter the Bretons, who are at the center of the story of the new expansion. Unlike what you may be used to from previous expansions, there is no new PvP content this time.
Instead, the following highlights await you:
- The new area “Systres Archipelago,” which is based on Europe and features various biomes and two different maps
- A new story that centers around the Bretons and offers about 30 hours of gameplay
- A new world event and open dungeons, which MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch already describes as the highlight of the expansion
- 2 new companions that make solo gameplay easier
- With the Dread Sail Rifts, a new trial for 12 players comes
- A new collectible card game called Tales of Glory
When and where does ESO: High Isle appear? The “When” is not entirely easy to answer. The expansion will be available on June 6th as soon as the server maintenance is completed and the game is back online. After that, you can download and play the update. To keep better track of this, you can directly check the ESO Server Status online.
Regarding the “Where,” there is also not a clear answer. On PC and Mac, you can start on June 6th, but those playing on Xbox and PlayStation will have to wait until June 21st. Then you can get the expansion through the usual channels.
A precise list with all the information about High Isle can be found here:
Checklist – Should I play High Isle?
To give you a compact overview, we have prepared 10 statements for you. If you answer 8 of them with “Yes,” High Isle is definitely worth a look. If you are still unsure or can agree with fewer statements, there is a summary below of what awaits you in High Isle.
- I like MMORPGs with a story focus and strong characters
- I enjoy exploring vast landscapes and like immersive worlds
- Leveling and grinding for the highest gear score is not important to me
- Side quests, like a card game, are often more fun for me than fetch quests
- I haven’t played ESO in a long time and am looking for a reason to dive back in
- I have no problem with additional bonuses for real money that make my life easier
- The entry price of €40 just for the expansion itself is not decisive for me
- I enjoy housing and like to spend a lot of time doing it in MMORPGs
- I am looking for an MMORPG where I can easily enter the endgame years after release
- New PvP content is not important to me, I prefer to play PvE anyway
You can see gameplay from High Isle in our video:
The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle – Who is it worth it for?
Why should I check this out? That depends entirely on whether you have ever been in the world of ESO. If so, High Isle meaningfully continues the story and shows you, with new areas, the card game, and the great open dungeons, why you love Elder Scrolls games.
If you haven’t been in Elder Scrolls Online yet, High Isle offers a good starting point for you. You do not necessarily need the other expansions to play High Isle. You also avoid the annoying leveling to finally experience the content there, because here you automatically adapt to the areas you are in.
However, High Isle is aimed a bit more at veterans of the MMORPG than at completely new fans. The expansion lacks a unique feature that attracts completely new players or brings back people who have left the MMO for a while.
If you are still actively playing ESO, the purchase is already worthwhile for the story, the new areas, and the current sets of the expansion.
Which edition should I buy? That alone can already be a bit confusing for new fans, as the major expansion is being released in four different versions:
- ESO Collection: High Isle for €69.99
- ESO Collection: High Isle CE for €89.99
- ESO High Isle Upgrade for €39.99
- ESO High Isle Upgrade CE – €54.99
All four versions include the new expansion. However, the two upgrade versions do not include the base game, only High Isle. Therefore, they are not interesting for you as a new player. The Collection offers the base game with the new expansion for €69.99 and would be your starting point as a newcomer.
The two CE versions, on the other hand, include both High Isle and all 5 previous expansions. So you are getting the full load of ESO.
What exactly is in High Isle?
New Maps and the Card Game
What is it about? In the current expansion, you explore a part of Nim that has never appeared in any Elder Scrolls title before. In two new maps, you will uncover the legacy of the Bretons, which symbolizes the entire year 2022.
The namesake High Islands are a tropical area surrounded by bright cliffs and home to several dense forests as well as medieval fortresses. It visually differs significantly from the second new map Amenos. The latter relies on lava flows and introduces a completely new world event with the volcanic vents.
The two maps provide room for a story revolving around political maneuvering between two alliances. At its heart is a dubious knight order that threatens safety and peace on the High Isle.
High Isle tells, as you are used to in ESO, the story not directly to the end. It will be narrated throughout the year in four upcoming DLCs. The prologue of the story is already in the game:
What kind of card game is this? Tales of Glory is a card game that introduces a completely new game system into the MMORPG. You can play this quick tavern game against NPCs as well as other players, unlocking new achievements and collectibles along the way.
The focus of the Tales of Glory is on different cards and decks that you can collect and assemble. The individual cards represent famous events and personalities from the universe of The Elder Scrolls.
How the card game works in detail has been explained in a separate article for you.
Two New Companions
What kind of characters are these? Since the Blackwood expansion, the companion system has been introduced in Elder Scrolls Online. These are NPCs that you can unlock, train, and then equip as you wish. They then take a place in your group and can explore the open world with you. You can also use them in dungeons and trials, but the NPC friends have to stay out of PvP.
High Isle brings two new companions named Isobel and Spark. Both have their own quest lines, tailored personalities, and individual skills.
- Spark is one of the cat-like Khajiit and often gets into trouble, from which you have to rescue her
- Isobel comes from a good house and leads an orderly life, yet she is not a typical noble
The backstories and even the voice acting of the two companions are said to be more refined and interesting than was the case with the previous NPC allies.
New Items and Antiquities
What else is new? What cannot be missing in an expansion are of course new rewards. There will also be numerous rewards in High Isle, including new antiquities, collectibles, and more.
New sets and Mythic items have also been a major part of recent expansions. Although they are not explicitly announced for High Isle, we can assume that this addon will also have new equipment for you.
Additionally, an elf has already been shown as a new assistant, a brand-new two-player mount, and even a underwater house. So there is still plenty to do besides the main story of High Isle.
However, a new class is not included in this expansion and is not planned. Although the last class, the Necromancer, was released three years ago in 2019, fans are once again left empty-handed regarding new class mechanics with High Isle.
What do you think of the announced features? Is ESO High Isle something for you, and did our checklist help you figure that out? Feel free to let us know in the comments here at MeinMMO.
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