The MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online has just introduced the new chapter Necrom and the content for 2023. Overall, the community reacted positively to the announcement. MeinMMO author MiezeMelli was also convinced by the new content. You can find out why here.
On June 5, the new ESO chapter Necrom will be released. This year’s narrative “Shadows over Morrowind” will already begin with the DLC Scribes of Fate, which is scheduled for March 13.
In the Global Reveal, the new content and plans for this year were presented. And I have to say, the developers really hit a home run in my view. I am really excited that I finally have genuine anticipation for an ESO update after a long time.
Because I struggled to get excited about the last 2 chapters. The big feature of Blackwood was the companions in ESO. However, I found them personally not very interesting. Still, I was initially curious to see familiar areas from Oblivion again.
The chapter Greymoor was able to fulfill my Skyrim nostalgia. Unfortunately, it was different with the chapter Blackwood. I found the main quest really disappointing after the story of Greymoor and Markarth set the bar pretty high.
Moreover, I’m not a big fan of Eveli Sharp-Arrow. An NPC who sticks to you throughout the entire story. I find her lines extremely unfunny, and her squeaky voice didn’t help at all. Only the raid Felshain managed to convince me. It was really tricky at first, and that always sparks my ambition.
Unfortunately, my enthusiasm did not really increase in the following year, because the setting around the Bretons in the chapter High Isle didn’t captivate me at all. Additionally, account-wide achievements in ESO were introduced with the DLC Ascending Tide in ESO. Considering that I spent most of my ESO time achieving difficult raid achievements on multiple characters, it was really a slap in the face.
I was also far from thrilled with the numerous combat changes. Every now and then, someone must have stumbled across one of my articles where I complained about planned changes.
For me, the announcement of the content for this year and the introduction of the chapter Necrom is a turning point. I must say that every aspect has truly convinced me. And that, despite always being very critical overall.
That I can be so excited about every aspect has really pleasantly surprised me. It’s just great to have such burning anticipation for upcoming content again.
Just the whole atmosphere and setting of Necrom suit my taste 100%: very dark and mysterious. I really like that and it makes me extremely curious about what we might get to see.
The new areas awaken my Skyrim nostalgia
With the new chapter, we will be able to explore two new areas: the Telvanni Peninsula and Apocrypha. In the Global Reveal, we were already able to catch a first glimpse of the landscape. As an absolute Skyrim fan, I was especially excited to see a familiar place from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Dragonborn again.
It brings back some nice memories because one of my favorite quests of the single-player game takes place in the Dragonborn expansion. Also, I’ve always found the shape of Hermaeus Mora to be just wonderfully strange and therefore really interesting.
I am also looking forward to the landscape of Morrowind again. Besides that, I find it really good that an older region in ESO is gaining importance again. I also find it much cooler when the various chapters of ESO are connected in some way.
If ESO implements the plans as I imagine based on the impressions from the Global Reveal, it will be really good.
The story blurs the lines between good and evil
We already know that we will have to work with the daedric prince Hermaeus Mora to avert a threat to Nirn. This way, there is no strict division between good and evil. I find such a setting much more exciting as it is much closer to reality.
And between black and white, there are still many shades of gray. The last story that really convinced me in ESO was the narrative of the chapter Greymoor and the continuation Markarth. It’s similar there, and I liked that a lot back then.
Therefore, I am picturing a really exciting main quest!
The new class looks really cool
Visually, the Arcanist fits perfectly into the dark atmosphere of Necrom. Furthermore, it is supposed to have a completely new playstyle. Although I didn’t necessarily urgently wish for a new class, it has piqued my curiosity and I am really excited to see how it plays.
An endless dungeon is something completely new in ESO
Moreover, it was stated that we will also get an endless dungeon. Rich Lambert specifically mentioned an “endless dungeon with a buddy.” Could it possibly be a challenge for a group of 2 players?
That would be super cool since it was already on my wish list for 2023. You can find out more about it here:
I envision an endless dungeon as a great new challenge that tests gameplay skills in a whole new way. And since I am always looking for new challenges in ESO, I am really curious about what the developers have come up with.
Finally, I get even more character slots
I also think it’s really great that with the next chapter we will finally get more character slots. I have had the maximum number of characters for quite some time and have always wondered when the number would finally be increased. I even wrote about this at the end of 2021 in this article:
Now it is supposed to add two new slots, one of which players will even receive for free.
The developers’ change in direction was extremely important now
Since Update 32 Deadlands, a lot has been messed around with the combat system. I often had the impression that some changes were not well thought out at all. Especially the changes from Update 35 didn’t go down well.
This affected both me and a large part of long-time players. Update 36 didn’t go much better, as it brought a lot of bugs and other issues.
This even led to a noticeable number of players in my circle quitting ESO. This was particularly noticeable in my raid guilds. Suddenly the groups were desperately and vainly searching for replacement players.
This was also the case in my raid group, so we even had to take a forced break because we simply lacked players and couldn’t find enough replacements. The ESO raids are an essential part of ESO for me, and suddenly a very important part of the MMORPG was gone.
An ESO post in December made me hope for a better outcome again: Finally, it has come to an end! To be honest, I had mentally almost prepared for my beloved combat system and thus my MMORPG ESO to die for me.
I also find it really important that there is an open dialogue between the developers and the player community. Because mistakes can indeed happen, but it is important to communicate completely transparently with the community about them. Otherwise, it feels like you’re being ignored.
Therefore, I think it’s very good that this was just pointed out in the post. Communication solves so many problems or prevents them from arising in the first place.
Necrom appeals to many different player types again
The last two chapters brought a feature with the companion system that is particularly interesting for ESO newcomers. Unfortunately, companions are absolutely uninteresting for endgame.
The overhaul of the champion system particularly benefited players with low champion levels. This leads to a limited selection of active champion bonuses. Exactly this causes there to be no further progress once one has reached 1800 champion points.
This is obviously frustrating for players with a high champion point level, as an important reward effect is missing. Therefore, ESO veterans have felt a bit neglected in recent years when it came to new content or changes.
A new class that has been announced, however, is interesting for every player type. Just like the planned player improvements and bug fixes in the third quarter. At first, I wanted to complain that, as usual, two more dungeons were not planned.
But when I took a closer look at the planning for this year, I was very positively surprised. That the developers want to tackle the old issues now and are also planning the necessary time for it is very good.
Recently, I have often felt that the communication between the developers and the community needed improvement. The announcement is a clear sign to me that the developers are approaching their community more and taking the feedback to heart.
I can also imagine that in the third quarter the problems in PvP will be addressed. But this is just a guess for now. I would definitely support that since PvP in ESO is truly unique and has incredible potential.
