The Five Best Elder Scrolls Games To Play In 2016

Best Elder Scrolls Games 2016
The elder scrolls have been around for over two decades giving us some of the best open world RPGs of all time


5 Best Elder Scrolls Games That Are Good To Play in 2016

The Elder Scrolls games are open world role playing games developed by Bethesda Softworks. All the games in the series take place in the world of Tamriel, a vast world with a variety of geography. Three of these games all won game of the year awards. As of now there are six installments. The Elder Scrolls: Arena, The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, The Elder Scrolls III Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited. We will take a look at them right now and decide which ones are the best five to play this year.

The Elder Scrolls Online

Best Elder Scrolls Games 2016

The Elder Scrolls Online takes you back to Tamriel 1000 years before Skyrim during a bigger war than in Skyrim, a war for control of all of Tamriel

At the top of our list as the best to play is a game that has definitely earned it. It is The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited. This is the newest addition to the world of the elder scrolls. It is also the first to step outside the traditional genre of the other games.

All of the other games are single player role playing games. The Elder Scrolls Online is MMORPG. This means that you get all the fun of an elder scrolls game but instead of having to experience the adventure alone you can share it with friends or with soon to be friends.

This game also has the largest playable world out of all the elder scrolls games. As opposed to the other games which generally only take place in a few places in Tamriel The Elder Scrolls Online gives you access to almost the whole continent. Not to mention also a decent sized place in the realm of the daedra. Not only is the world huge right from the start but it is only growing. Each expansion so far has come with a new playable area. This is a game that is only going to get better and better.

  • Very first MMO game from Bethesda
  • Largest Playable area out of all the games
  • This is a game that is great from the start and has the potential to be even better

The gameplay of The Elder Scrolls Online keeps so much of its roots it will come naturally to old players even if they are new to MMO games

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

In Skyrim you get to play as the Dragonborn a mythical hero who is the only mortal that dragons fear, probably because you have the ability to absorb their soul after you slay them

Coming in Second we have the fifth installment in the series Skyrim. This game was so good it received the PC Game of the Year award, the RPG of the Year award and the Overall Game of the year award. As the name implies in this installment of the series you find yourself in the region of Skyrim in Tamriel.

As any current elder scrolls fan will know Skyrim is home to the Nords, a Viking like people. It also is full of diverse geography from the green pastures and waters of The Rift to the snowy climate of Eastmarch. The game takes place during a civil war between the Stormcloaks and the Imperial Legion. The Stormcloaks are fighting for a Skyrim that is free from the Imperial Empire’s influence and rule. The Legion seeks to unite Skyrim within the empire and bring peace to the land. As the main character you get to choose who is right and wrong and fight alongside whichever faction you would like.

It doesn’t end there. The civil war that is raging throughout the land is not the only threat. Dragons have returned to Tamriel and seek to conquer and enslave the rest of the world. With a story like that this game never gets old no matter how many times you play through it. The game also had three DLC add-ons for it, two of which featured new playable lands.

  • A Very exciting story throughout the game whether you do the main missions or just the side ones
  • The game won multiple game of the year awards
  • The way the skill system works really allows you to truly make your character however you want it

Skyrim's skill system really lets your character be yours, it doesn't use classes like its other elder scrolls counterparts you can give almost any ability to your character and mix them to your heart's content

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
                                                                                   

The third installment in the series is Morrowind this game really defined "open world" in itself as it was the first to put more emphasis on exploration and side quests than it did following the main storyline

Number three also happens to be the third installment in the elder scrolls universe. Morrowind takes place in the region of Morrowind. This is the land that the Dunmer or “Dark Elves” call home. It is also a very diverse land from volcanic lands to swamps and forests.

The main story is about a deity named Dagoth Ur. He seeks to gain power and rule over Morrowind. You as the main character are inducted into a secret group called the blades. You are then tasked with stopping Dagoth Ur.

While the main story definitely provides excitement to play, Morrowind was the first game in the series to focus less on the story and more on the open world gameplay. Not everyone responded kindly to this choice, however despite mixed reviews from the gaming community Morrowind went on to win more than sixty awards including game of the year.

This game in the elder scrolls series had two expansion packs released for it. Tribunal and Bloodmoon both add new playable areas, however Tribunal only adds a city to explore. Bloodmoon adds a whole new territory a new guild to join and the option of becoming a werewolf. Both include new main quests as well as many side quests.

  • First game to focus more on the side quests than the main story
  • It won more than sixty awards
  • Gave a unique gaming experience where you were actually immersed in the game world and learning and understanding the lore and the land were major parts to playing the game

This is a game that you will have just as much fun exploring and learning the lore of the world as you will battling the enemies you come across

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Oblivion takes you to Cyrodiil home of the Imperial City with the emperor dead and the demonic daedra flooding the world it is up to you to put an end to it and find an heir to fill the Ruby Throne

Next we have the fourth game in the series Oblivion. Oblivion takes place in Cyrodiil another region of Tamriel. Cyrodiil is the region where the Imperials rule from their famous Ruby Throne.

The story revolves around the emperor Uriel Septim and his three sons being assassinated. When this happens and no heir to the Septim dynasty is left to take the throne the barrier to the Daedric realm of Oblivion is broken. Tamriel is invaded by the creatures known as daedra. It is your job to find an heir to the throne and close the gates to Oblivion.

Like all the other elder scrolls games even though the story is exciting and fun to play it is not necessary. There is plenty of world to explore and side quests to do that will keep you occupied for quite some time.

It is the first game in the series to feature fully voice NPCs. Which adds a very enjoyable touch to the game. Also the technology at the time allowed the NPCs to be far more complex than any other elder scrolls game before it. Oblivion also won many different gaming awards one being game of the year. Two expansions were released for Oblivion, Knights of the Nine and the Shivering Isles. Both include new regions to explore and new quest lines.  

  • Received many awards along with game of the year
  • Very first game in series to feature fully voiced NPCs
  • Features one of the most exciting stories in the whole series

Oblivion is the first game in the series to feature fully voiced NPCs this adds immensely to the gaming experience as you play

The Elder Scrolls: Legends

Legends brings a whole new concept to a world we have come to love, this strategy card game is the first of its kind in the already vast and growing universe of the elder scrolls

The Elder Scrolls Legends is an upcoming game from Bethesda. It ventures away from the series normal gameplay of being an open-world RPG. Instead Legends is a strategy card game. However it does still revolve around all the lore, characters, enemies, and creatures we have come to know and love from the elder scrolls universe.

The story in legends is also still centered in Tamriel so you will be seeing a lot of familiar places. This game will provide fun for all levels of gamers from beginners to experienced veterans. Also if you are already a fan of the elder scrolls you will enjoy this game as well.

While an official release date has not been announced it has been said it will be this year. Even though it has not been officially released the Beta has been available since April of this year. It is free to play so there is absolutely no reason not to at least give it a try.

  • Very first strategy card game of the series
  • Easy to play for beginners but also can provide a challenge for veterans
  • Full of everything we have come to love from the elder scrolls

Since legends is not an open world RPG like all of its ancestors its gameplay will definitely be new to most but also guaranteed to be exciting all the same

There it is, the five elder scrolls games you have to play this year. I have been a longtime fan and personally have experienced all of these games except for legends. I hope this has been enjoyable and informative for people who have played the games and who haven’t alike. If you’ve never played an elder scrolls games then I hope this has given you reasons to try one of them. I know you won’t be disappointed.

 

Elder Scrolls Online Review 2016: Is It Worth Playing?

Elder Scrolls Online Classes: The Most Important Tips You Need To Know

All Elder Scrolls Games, Ranked Best to Worst



Gamer Since: 2000
Favorite Genre: RPG
Currently Playing: Elder Scrolls Online, Fallout 4
Top 3 Favorite Games:The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dragonborn, Fallout 4, Star Wars: Battlefront