The Elder Scrolls: Legends
- May 31, 2017
- Sparkypants Studios, LLC
- 9h median play time
The Elder Scrolls: Legends is a free-to-play card game set in the Elder Scrolls universe. Players build decks and compete in battles, using strategy to defeat their opponents. The game features single-player story mode, PvE campaigns, and PvP matches, with a wide range of cards and abilities to collect and master.
Reviews
- Great game with engaging mechanics and a rich Elder Scrolls lore.
- Fun and addictive gameplay that allows for strategic deck building.
- Free-to-play friendly, with the ability to earn cards and currency through gameplay.
- Recent updates have caused significant bugs and performance issues, making the game unplayable for many users.
- High costs for additional story content and expansions, leading to a pay-to-win perception.
- Long loading times and large file sizes make it difficult for players with limited storage.
- story810 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally praised for its engaging narrative and immersive atmosphere, consistent with the Elder Scrolls franchise. However, many players express frustration over the limited free content, as subsequent story chapters require significant monetary investment or extensive grinding for in-game currency. While the initial storyline is enjoyable, the high costs for additional content detract from the overall experience, leading to a perception of the game as somewhat pay-to-win.
“The story modes are great and live up to what we all expect of TES games.”
“The story is rich and new, the card game idea is out of the box, and it is a great addition to the Elder Scrolls universe.”
“This game has a wonderfully made cinematic story, that kept me playing mission after mission.”
“The story mode is completely unfair because almost all of the story mode duels have some kind of cards start on the enemy's field before the match starts, making it seem completely unbalanced and unfair.”
“It's very fun and uses very little data; however, I can't seem to unlock the other decks even though I've completed story mode.”
“I love this game, but when I finish chapter 1 of the story mode, I can't continue to any other chapters because I have to pay to unlock it, which is disappointing.”
- gameplay638 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Elder Scrolls: Legends" is generally praised for its engaging mechanics, strategic depth, and beautiful graphics, making it a standout in the card game genre. However, players have noted issues with certain mechanics, particularly the "invade" mechanic, which some find overpowered and detrimental to the overall experience. While many appreciate the game's accessibility and free-to-play model, concerns about bugs, loading times, and a perceived pay-to-win structure have also been highlighted, impacting the enjoyment for some users.
“The lore is great, especially if you enjoyed Elder Scrolls games over the years. The illustrations are beautiful, and the gameplay makes you feel as though your success depends more on strategy than luck.”
“Gameplay is amazing as well as addicting. The graphics are top-notch, and decks can be mixed together or you can create your own deck that suits your needs.”
“The gameplay is solid; it's actually one of the best card games I've ever played. The mechanics are engaging and provide a unique experience that keeps me coming back for more.”
“The game is interesting and rather nice, at first glance, but the level of content and variety of mechanics makes it tedious and headache-inducing to keep everything in mind.”
“The gameplay is actually rather boring and bland, but the cut scenes are good though.”
“The devs abandoned it after releasing the most broken mechanic the game's ever seen, and now the only 'updates' it gets are occasional promotions so you can spend $20 to buy a new card back.”
- graphics371 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the beautiful artwork and animations, while others criticize the recent updates for causing lag, crashes, and a cartoonish aesthetic that detracts from the overall experience. Many players express a desire for options to reduce graphics settings to improve performance, especially on lower-end devices. Overall, while the game features impressive visuals, performance issues and aesthetic changes have led to dissatisfaction among a segment of the player base.
“The graphics are superb and beyond phenomenal.”
“Beautiful graphics, fun gameplay, challenging but winnable as a free-to-play player, and a fun story.”
“Insanely addictive, great graphics, wonderful artwork and awesome gameplay!”
“Ms. Paint style graphics, odd color choices, a black filter over the whole screen makes it tough to see, wonky fonts... the list goes on and on.”
“The new graphics and animations make the game slower and look like a cartoonish version of the older one... the fun I was having playing this game is almost gone.”
“Graphics have been downgraded from polished and elegant to cartoony.”
- stability135 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, particularly on mobile devices, where users report frequent freezing, crashing, and various glitches that hinder gameplay. While the Windows version has seen some improvements, the mobile experience remains plagued by issues such as long load times and unresponsive screens, especially after recent updates. Overall, many players express frustration over the game's instability, which detracts from an otherwise enjoyable experience.
“A lot of fun, easy to use, runs great!”
“The best game ever, no glitches.”
“Runs great and is incredibly fun to play!”
“I downloaded the game..it installed pretty quickly, however, I'm afraid to take a break from it because it either takes forever to load or it constantly freezes when I try to open up the game again after turning it off.”
“Since the 'sparkypants' update, the game became unplayable.. it's buggy as hell.”
“Game freezes during ranked matches not allowing you to do anything, thus resulting in a loss.”
- monetization103 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 47 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the absence of intrusive ads and the option for in-app purchases that do not lock non-paying players out of competitive play. However, concerns about excessive microtransactions and a perceived "pay-to-win" model persist, with some users feeling that the game leans too heavily on in-game purchases to progress effectively. Overall, while some players find the monetization balanced and fair, others criticize it as a cash grab, particularly in comparison to other titles from the same developer.
“The monetization of the game is well balanced with purchase options offering players a sped up progression option while not locking non-paying players out of the competitive PvP.”
“Great lore and in-game purchases aren't required to win.”
“I'm enjoying it a lot, and I feel like I'm not being pressured to make in-app purchases; but I'll be tossing a few bucks into it anyway, because I'm enjoying the time I spend playing it.”
“Free games like this can't be financially viable without lots of in-game purchases, which in this case, ruin the game entirely.”
“A lot of microtransactions force you to pay real money in order to get good cards to keep up with other players. Even if you try to play without spending any real money, it's really grindy, so it will take you a long time to get the cards you want.”
“It's pathetic to see Bethesda choose cash grab trash over quality.”
- grinding67 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and time-consuming, often requiring significant effort to unlock cards and content, especially for free-to-play players. While some players find it possible to build competitive decks through perseverance and daily rewards, many express frustration over the reliance on grinding and in-app purchases to remain relevant in the game's meta. Overall, the experience of grinding varies, with some players enjoying the challenge while others find it excessively burdensome.
“It takes way too much grinding to get the gold to unlock more content, and loading screens take too long, and the deck management system is too clunky to actually use.”
“Ruins the entire experience unless you want to spend a hundred hours grinding for cards that still won't compete with premium decks.”
“I don't mind grinding but the reward for the work just isn't worth it.”
- optimization54 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag, with the Windows version showing improvement while the mobile version suffers from significant performance issues, including lag and long loading times. Many users report that recent updates have worsened performance, making the game nearly unplayable on mobile devices, despite some positive feedback regarding graphics and gameplay on PC. There is a consensus that further optimization is needed across platforms to enhance the overall experience.
“The game looks amazing, runs smoothly, has depth, and has generous developers.”
“Fantastic visuals and performance on my Samsung Galaxy Note 8 - absolutely superb to play on PC too!”
“Good optimization in both platforms PC and Android, interesting and really engaging.”
“Great potential ruined by poor optimization.”
“I find it nigh unplayable due to severe performance issues (also some bugs, but mostly performance).”
“The newest update did an overhaul of the game claiming that it was supposed to improve performance on mobile devices, and it seems as though the exact opposite has happened.”
- music47 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its nostalgic quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, drawing comparisons to beloved titles like Skyrim and Morrowind. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's epic and immersive nature, which complements the game's graphics and gameplay. However, some users have expressed frustration over the inability to play music from other apps simultaneously and a desire for a broader selection of tracks.
“The music is nostalgic and takes me back to the Morrowind days.”
“The music, just like Elder Scrolls games, is daunting and epic.”
“The aspects of the game like art design, voice acting, music, and sound are all excellent, creating an immersive experience.”
“The music is ehh.”
“I finished the beginning tutorial now it won't load in anything but music.”
“Only real complaint is a seeming lack of music from the Elder Scrolls games.”
- replayability13 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many users highlighting its strategic depth, diverse play styles, and engaging solo adventures. Players appreciate the balance between accessibility for newcomers and the complexity that keeps them coming back for more, making it a standout choice among mobile games. The absence of pay-to-win mechanics further enhances its appeal, ensuring a rewarding experience for free-to-play users.
“Of the digital games available on mobile devices, I would rate this one to be the most worthwhile to play, with the most replay value and the most sophisticated strategy elements.”
“This game has constant replay value, is not pay-to-win, and is very addictive.”
“I loved that the pen worked with this game, now I almost want to uninstall because one of my favorite features that made this game more playable over others is gone.”
“This game has constant replay value, not a pay-to-win, and is very addictive.”
“Very friendly to free-to-play and new players, insanely deep, tactical and strategic gameplay, endless replayability.”
- humor13 mentions
- 85 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the funny storylines and inside jokes, particularly for fans of the franchise. However, many others find the humor overshadowed by game-breaking bugs and poor AI, leading to frustration rather than laughter. Overall, while some aspects are entertaining, the game's issues detract from its comedic potential.
“Gorgeous graphics, fantastic story, surprisingly funny, & exciting game”
“It's a really funny card game, my favorite one 'til now I have to say.”
“Plus doesn't have the cringey 'humor' Hearthstone tries to have.”
“Major bugs plague this game, and unlike Skyrim, they are not funny.”
“I just feel like I wasted my money; this game is so broken it's not funny. It's somewhat fixed, but still needs work.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its immersive qualities and strong ties to the Elder Scrolls lore, creating a familiar and engaging experience for fans. However, some users feel that it lacks originality, particularly in sound design, and that it has lost some of the charm of previous titles. Overall, the game is noted for its beautiful art and competitive environment, contributing to a rich and atmospheric gameplay experience.
“The lore, adventure, voice acting, and atmosphere feels absolutely Elder Scrolls.”
“Incredible art, engaging gameplay, great atmosphere, all that you expect from Bethesda.”
“Very immersive and atmospheric.”
“The soundboard sounds almost identical to Hearthstone, so it doesn't create a 'new' atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere is just not the same.”
“The lore, adventure, voice acting, and atmosphere feel absolutely like Elder Scrolls.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While players express a deep emotional connection to the game, describing it as heartwarming, they also report significant frustration with the mobile controls, which can lead to unresponsive gameplay and unintended losses. This combination of affection for the game and irritation with its mechanics creates a mixed emotional experience for users.
“A heartwarming feeling for sure.”