The Elder Scrolls Online

I like the game,hate the makers of the game. They promised in the beginning that all Dlc content would be free if you bought the game. They lied!

I play this game mostly for classic elder scroll exploration and quest experience, treating it like other elder scroll single player game while ignoring many of it's multiplayer aspects. Experiencing morrowind in the past before ES3 Morrowind release, meeting character of legends mentioned in some elder scroll games. It's been great!

The Elder Scrolls Online is basically like being in a toxic relationship you can't quit. The servers crash more than my ex after a bottle of vodka, the combat feels like hitting a piñata with a pool noodle, and yet… I keep logging in every damn day. Why? Because nothing says ‘quality MMO’ like grinding the same dungeon 500 times just to get a helmet uglier than my resting ♥♥♥♥♥ face. Honestly, 10/10, would waste my youth here again. Thanks, ESO, you're the best worst decision I've ever made.

ESO is a game that tells you that a subscription isn't required, and then super glues a crafting bag to you with a big combination lock with enough tumblers to put your credit card info in.
ESO is also a game that, at every level up, feels like it's jingling keys in your face, your character screaming in what i can only hope is excitement, as a new dungeon unlocks for queue. but most early dungeon queues are terrible to sit through, highly recommend doing quests while you wait.
Elderscrolls online feels like a world that doesn't want you here, but since you've bothered installing is trying to entertain you just enough that you'll pay the monthly sub.

I heard a good bit about needing ESO + to really enjoy this game, but I've played the whole time so far without spending anything in-game and I am still having a lot of fun. Especially if you like Elder Scrolls it is worth it being able to travel to various parts of Tamriel within one game.

I won't lie it is undeniably scummy some of the stuff they require eso + for, like having crafting material take up space in your inventory just so you get fed up enough to just buy eso + for the craft bag. Some areas are also locked behind eso + which kinda sucks but it is more understandable I think and you still have tons of stuff to do in the areas you get for free.

With that being said, I have been able to do crafting stuff and manage my inventory spaces with the bank upgrades and bag upgrades just fine. So if you're stubborn and willing to put in a little more effort with the slot upgrades and organization, there should be no problem enjoying the game for hours without spending a dime.

As someone who came into this as an Elder Scrolls fan and having no experience with MMOs, I think this game is very fun.

This game is not very much like Skyrim/Oblivion/Morrowind in mechanics; it has the same theme but it is quite unique. You can customize any class to be a tank, healer, or dps. Some are definitely better than others in some roles because of core class mechanics (Templars are EXTREMELY good healers vs. a Nightblade healer , Dragon Knights are insane tanks but Sorcerers make totally insane tanks as well), however any class played "well" can excel.
While levelling up, if you do random normal dungeon queues, be prepared for breakneck pace dungeoneering at times. I personally don't mind taking it slow even at a meagre max level + 800 CP, but there are people with thousands of hours in this game who have done these dungeons probably thousands of times. They can (mostly) solo them and are just getting the once-a-day queue XP / rewards or just having a grand ol' time, but be advised you will encounter this type of situation. Most folks will happily help you with a quest if you ask, but as with all games, there are also some VERY sweaty people in here.
In terms of subscription, you miss newer things but there is a TON to do for free with the base game. You can hit max level/CP, sell via auctions (you have to be in a guild with a trader though, but you can do that without subscribing). You can buy houses and decorations with gold (but crowns are locked behind subscrip/purchase). Your inventory is a bit smaller but it really isn't a big deal. There are four free classes: Nightblade, Sorcerer, Dragon Knight, Templar. Purchasable classes are: Warden, Necromancer, Arcanist.
If pve is your thing, theres TONS of free quests and stories. Decent if not great voice acting for it as well.
If pvp is your thing, let me tell you about CYRODIIL. A 24/7 combat zone with capturable forts with capturable resources, and mostly destructable structures. Mostly because it's mostly the fortress wall sections and inner fortress sections / doors that can be destroyed to get to capture the flags within. I have been in at peak hours where there can be 200+ players from all 3 factions swarming a fortress (it doesn't happen often and if you are new you will have to earn peoples trust before grouping generally, so you will need to figure out how to FIND the group on the map, listen to map calls and respond, before being able to get into the zerg). I have a couple screenshots of huge battles I've had that have been so cool. It will be brutal too; you will get WRECKED by nightblade gankers and stupidly tanky sorcerers. Looking up builds helps you to find a groove. I prefer to play a slippery nightblade healer in heavy armor (sometimes light armor though in some situations). I can't kill anyone except with siege equipment, but I'm stupidly hard to kill and i can literally disappear and phase back in to full heal someone and then dip out again; but there's always a rock/paper/scissors to beat something.

Good game, has some elements that are less than ideal but has some other elements that are fun a done well.
In short, you can get many hours out of it just from the base game. The stories can be done as a solo player, or you can find a friend/group. Most interactions are positive. Recommend if you want to dive in or get into crafting/player homes then to get ESO Plus (the subscription, i.e. pay more money for the game you payed money for).
Longer:
The difficulty of zones has slowly gotten harder with time (world bosses for example) forcing the player to either learn the mechanics and get great gear or to find help from other players (depending on zone and time of day this can be harder). Some zones are dead, while others remain active.

Veteran and end game content has gotten more accessible to players since they added the activity finder, but will still typically need to join a guild (which may require you to Join tHeRe DiScOrD).
Crafting mechanic is simple but can be complex, the biggest grip is that crafting has a time gated aspect. To unlock traits you'll need to find the gear in that trait then research it which can max out to 30 days. So for example, for me to finish researching the last trait on a bow i'll have to wait 30 days, then boom I can make bows in any trait. BUT WAIT, theirs more! Then there are style pages/motifs, want to look like a bada** warrior with wings n S**t, gonna need the pages for that buddy and the materials to craft it. Oh whats that, where do you get it? Either by pure luck or running the Trial (12 man group content) on Veteran, but that requires you to have friends (me, crying because no one wants a terrible DD, because everyone is a DD in this game). Ahem. Anyway.
Housing: ESO in my opinion has some of the best housing in the MMO space. Yes, typically it is easier to drop a bunch of IRL money on crowns to buy a home. BUT, you can unlock homes via completing zone stories, in-game events, or with in game currency (gold, that you can get from killing mobs, quest etc.). Not only do some homes have cool features, but you can craft furniture (requires materials found in game and crafting recipes also found in game), you can buy zone exclusive furniture after completing zone stories and achievements. You can randomly get furniture through in game log in rewards, looting, fishing, collecting resources, etc. Then once you've got some furniture you can place it your home a decorate however you want. Like legit. A dude remade the town square from Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask MOON INCLUDED in his player owned home like WHAT?!?
Voice Acting: All the characters related to quest have voice actors, so you can play this whole MMO without reading.
Lore: Want lore. Books, Books everywhere. Quest, so many quest. Oh and the characters have voices, so they can just talk to you about (some) lore.
Achievements: MMO not sweaty enough for you, oh boy don't worry theirs in game account and character achievements. Want to show off that you are a Grand Master Crafter, unlock the achievement buddy. Want to show off that you are a god in PVP, unlock that achievement buddy. Want to show off that you eat trial bosses for breakfast, unlock that achievement buddy. Want to go crazy trying to 100% a zone, guess what, better unlock those achievements - what can't find some random book sitting on some random rock that you have jump halfway down a mountain to find, well that's why you don't have that achievement buddy.
Daily quest: Too many (if you have all the DLC). Each new DLC zone has 2-5 daily quest (kill world boss, clear delv, trial, find random item, please the crows, please the crows, PLEASE THE CROWS FEATHERLESS ONE. - Can be a bit overwhelming so i'd recommend just doing the crafting dailies and whatever zone/area your working in/on. Or you could just grind your daily quest.
Guilds: You can be apart of 5 guilds (unless they updated it and I just don't know, mostly solo player here). Best to join a merchant guild so you can sell random loot you get. But they have merch guilds, PVP guilds, PVE guilds, Roleplaying and ERPG guilds, questing guilds, find all the kitty cats guilds, you get the idea. So there is a community out here if you want to be apart of one!
K. Thanks for reading.