Elder Scrolls Legends gives fans an idea of what makes it unique among card games
Elder Scrolls Legends is a card game that looks to differentiate itself from Hearthstone or Magic: The Gathering Online, two successful and well-established titles in the genre. Bethesda is counting on one simple thing being a huge factor in its favor: the vast fan base of the Elder Scrolls series, who they expect will want to see familiar races and monsters that they grew to love playing Morrowind, Oblivion or Skyrim.
One question about Elder Scrolls Legends that had yet to be answered, though, was what the actual gameplay would be like. Well, at PAX East in Boston this week, Bethesda gave fans plenty to check out, featuring hands-on demos for anyone lucky enough to drop by their booth. Fans were able to test out the Elder Scrolls Legends beta, and Bethesda’s Pete Hines also streamed on Twitch, talking about what makes the game unique.
As mentioned, the game’s cards will feature all of the 10 Elder Scrolls races, of which you must choose one, and there will be a number of game modes. Obviously there will be a competitive PvP mode, but there will also be a Campaign mode that trains you in the strategy of the game, and gives you some cards to get you started. Like other card games, you train your cards to improve them.
Getting to Elder Scrolls Legends’s differences from other games, however, Â probably the biggest is the 2 Lane Battlefield. Other card games have one battlefield, which means that if one player has a ridiculously-good card, they are virtually guaranteed the win. With 2 lanes, Elder Scrolls Legends’ battlefield allows the other player to still have a chance at pulling out a victory, even if their opponent drops a big card on them.
Another feature is Runes, which allow players to draw new cards when their runes get busted. Again, it means that if you are getting your butt kicked by the other player, you might get some good cards that turn the tide. Put the two features together, and Elder Scrolls Legends has lots of “Comeback” opportunities that make matches a bit less of a foregone conclusion than in other card games.
By the looks of it, there’s a lot to Elder Scrolls Legends – and a lot to learn if you want to win at it. Check out their official website here for a complete rundown of what the game involves. Elder Scrolls Legends is currently in development for PC and iPad.