▷The Elder Scrolls Online Review: Elsweyr, in the land of the Khajiit 🥇

Another year has passed and, as usual, Zenimax e Bethesda they brought us a new DLC in the already extensive Tamriel di The Elder Scrolls Online, after crossing the dark lands of Morrowind and the fascinating ones isole Summerset, it's time to turn Elsweyr.

Elsweyr in chaos

The homeland of the Khajiit it is in anything but peaceful conditions. The political situation was turned upside down by the arrival of the usurping queen Euraxia who, with his army of necromanti and undead, she managed to take over the city of Rims. As if that weren't enough, an ancient threat looms once again over the lands of Elsweyr: the dragons are back. But the valiant citizens do not give up easily and unite in a defensive force to fight both the usurping queen and the dragons and finally free Elsweyr.

In case you decide to start a new game and immediately enjoy the new adventures, the expansion also introduces a new tutorial. Our hero, whom we called for this review Te'ech Prinx (no questions), he wakes up without memory in the sanctuary of Star Haven. The shrine's followers rescued and healed him after he barely survived a dragon attack while he was heading north of Elsweyr in the company of a caravan. We will soon receive a message from the archmage Abnur Tharn, captain of the defense forces, in his search for allies who want to join him in countering the fury of the dragons.

The main campaign, lasting about 30 hours, turned out to be more interesting than expected. The plot, apparently simple and not very innovative, hides mysteries that are increasingly thick and well intertwined. It will be interesting to find out why the dragons decided to return during the invasion of Euraxia. Obviously there is no shortage of secondary quests already seen and repetitive which are however diluted well in the course of the adventure.

The power of death

Undoubtedly the most interesting novelty of this expansion, in terms of gameplay, is represented by the addition of the necromancer. The new class introduces three different skill trees that offer considerable flexibility and interesting variations. In fact, it is possible to launch elementary attacks, use the corpses of enemies to power up, summon undead but also recover health points. The latter case makes that of the necromancer one very versatile class also able to heal themselves and other allies without giving up a good deal of damage.

What has disappointed us a bit, however, is the evocation of the undead. Forget to call a servant from beyond the grave who will fight alongside you. Summoning works just like any other spell. The summoned skeletons have a short (very short) life and will disappear immediately after launching their attack. They don't need to be healed or upgraded, and they won't keep you company around Elsweyr. It must be said, however, that as your necromancer levels up, the spells to be used will become more powerful and scenically spooky.

Obviously we chose to start this adventure with Te'ech Prinx (accept him) as a necromancer and we were pleased to find that the choice of class does not go unnoticed by the NPCs. After all, the whole region is overrun with Necromancers and during some conversations, this "little detail" comes up. But we are here to defend Elsweyr, the ends justify the means, right? Not always. In fact, remember that to practice Necromancy is prohibited throughout the kingdom. So, heroes or not, avoid using it near population centers if you don't want to attract unwanted attention.

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Cats, dragons and Skooma

Like any DLC, the real protagonist is the new game area. Forget the sunny islands of Summerset, Elsweyr is a desert and hostile region, but far from desolate. Each area is teeming with fascinating creatures (living and non-living) and is full of cities and dungeons that will immerse you completely in the fascinating Khajiit culture. Cat-men are everywhere on the map and best reflect everything we've learned about them in the games of the main saga. They are confirmed as very agile fighters and excellent merchants surrounded by adorable real cats.

It must be said that the new region is slightly smaller compared to those introduced in previous expansions but it defends itself well for the particularity of its ravines and the large amount of destinations to discover. All the area is obviously beaten by dragons which, while far from the ones we've come to know and fight in The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, will give you a hard time in grandiose battles. Three of these also occupied the great temple of the First Cat. Our player can join a team of 12 players and fight against dragon disciples in this one new Trial mission.

In conclusion

The Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr puts many interesting elements on the table: a political struggle, an invasion of the undead on one side and one of dragons on the other. Each element manages to fit together with the other to give us an engaging and interesting plot. All immersed in the curious region of Elsweyr where we will be able to learn more about the cat-men and the culture of the ancient Akaviri now gone. Perhaps we would have wanted something more from the necromancer class that manages to give a touch of versatility to our character without introducing particular new features to the gameplay.

Tamriel's charm is indisputable and expansion after expansion, The Elder Scrolls Online becomes an increasingly rich and engaging game. The Elsweyr DLC further increases the potential of the game by giving us an interesting campaign and dragons, which always make a good impression.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr is available starting today.