The Elder Scrolls: Blades

 Switch
The Elder Scrolls: Blades Image
Metascore
42

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
2.5

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 69 Ratings

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  • Summary: A classic dungeon crawler reimagined.

    • Experience dungeon adventures. • Create and customize your city, restoring it to greatness. • Conquer your rivals in epic one-on-one Arena battles. • Create any character you want and discover unique weapons, armor, and abilities. • Master the    A classic dungeon crawler reimagined.

    • Experience dungeon adventures.
    • Create and customize your city, restoring it to greatness.
    • Conquer your rivals in epic one-on-one Arena battles.
    • Create any character you want and discover unique weapons, armor, and abilities.
    • Master the never-ending Abyss with a cutting-edge combat system.

    The Elder Scrolls: Blades enables cross-play so you can battle your friends on other platforms. You can also use cross-save to maintain your progression across multiple devices.
    Start a new character, or continue your previous journey, today.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 13
  3. Negative: 6 out of 13
  1. Multiplayer.it
    May 18, 2020
    60
    The Elder Scrolls: Blades is a simple dungeon crawler, with a nice progression system but repetitive gameplay during expeditions, that represent the core of the experience. The game's got lots of microtransactions since it's a free-to-play title, but the graphics are pretty outdated and there are no motion controls on Nintendo Switch.
  2. Everyeye.it
    May 25, 2020
    60
    The most interesting feature is, in fact, the cross save that allows you to play indifferently on Switch or mobile devices.
  3. Hobby Consolas
    May 28, 2020
    60
    Blades is a free to play dungeon crawler set in the Elder Scrolls universe, with some interesting ideas, but repetitive, even boring, levels and poor combat mechanics.
  4. Wccftech
    May 21, 2020
    50
    I don't hate The Elder Scrolls: Blades, at least conceptually. Bethesda's lightweight F2P Elder Scrolls game has all the hallmarks of the franchise but delivers them all in such a hollow way that it loses everything that makes the franchise beloved. You might find some enjoyment in the game, as I have done, but you will inevitably become weary of the dungeons, frustrated with the timers, and on Nintendo Switch, you will find the performance to be at times unbearable. Fans of The Elder Scrolls deserve better than this, but it's all they will get until The Elder Scrolls VI launches years from now.
  5. Vandal
    May 29, 2020
    45
    Blades doesn’t live up to the expectations players have for this franchise. It has some interesting features, but its gameplay and an old-fashioned free-to-play design make it very forgettable.
  6. NintendoWorldReport
    May 19, 2020
    40
    The Elder Scrolls: Blades is a simple case of a mediocre game on mobile just not holding up on an actual console. Concessions made for mobile play just don’t make sense here. Not to mention when blown up to a TV or even the modest size of the Switch’s screen, Blades is pretty ugly. It's a downright joke when compared to the actual full Elder Scrolls game already available on the platform. Unlike other Bethesda mobile offerings like Fallout Shelter, Blades is a simplification of a complex game rather than a game built with mobile limitations in mind. When you take away the reason for those limitations, you’re left with an ugly mess of a game with nothing to justify its own existence.
  7. Digitally Downloaded
    May 20, 2020
    0
    This game is a creatively broken, anti-intellectual insult. Bethesda spat in our faces and, because saliva is a kind of "content," figured that it could monetise it. Sadly, the success that Blades has seen on mobile - and will no doubt translate to success on the Switch as well - just goes to show that when it comes down to it, consumers actually like being spat on, because it means that they are getting content.

See all 13 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 27
  3. Negative: 19 out of 27
  1. Thethinker912
    Feb 3, 2021
    10
    I am an FTP player and cannot stop loving this game. I chose an Argonian and opt to never show the helmet. The weapon drops scale really well,I am an FTP player and cannot stop loving this game. I chose an Argonian and opt to never show the helmet. The weapon drops scale really well, it’s easy to gather the materials I need, and the enemy AI gets more and more challenging as my own combat skill and armor ratings increase. I love the setting of the elder scrolls games and the various ways to decorate the town. The town improvements remind me of Assasins Creed Brotherhood. The game is highly repetitive and the camera movement is a bit harsh to the senses and can induce nausea. Even with those critiques my satisfaction with this game as a nice escape and something that really feels like I can see my progress in is perfect. My town of Winterfell grows more beautiful by the day.… Expand
  2. ArtistM
    May 16, 2020
    7
    For a free to play game it's actually quite addicting. If this wasn't a Bethesda game and an extension to such a popular franchise I think itFor a free to play game it's actually quite addicting. If this wasn't a Bethesda game and an extension to such a popular franchise I think it would actually be well received.

    Having said that, for this to be released with such enthusiasm when everyone is waiting for the next Skyim...well...it's a choice. Hopefully they can gain customer confidence back but what a misstep.    … Expand
  4. doodlerman
    May 20, 2020
    5
    It's mediocre, but I find myself coming back to it to pass time, so I guess that says something. I doubt I'll ever see everything due toIt's mediocre, but I find myself coming back to it to pass time, so I guess that says something. I doubt I'll ever see everything due to paywalls/wait periods - or maybe I have? In the few hours I've played, I've seen the same map layouts multiple times. Lots of bugs.… Expand
  5. cagan
    May 22, 2020
    1
    so first what kind of fighting system is this it is so annoying there is no good design there is no open world is doesnt like a rpg game itsso first what kind of fighting system is this it is so annoying there is no good design there is no open world is doesnt like a rpg game its not like a elder scrolls a **** game that have a bad loot system is too… Expand
  6. Kakadu
    May 30, 2020
    0
    It's just bad, there's nothing redeemable about this. This "game" is the worst bull**** I have ever played. It's boring uninspired, hasIt's just bad, there's nothing redeemable about this. This "game" is the worst bull**** I have ever played. It's boring uninspired, has extremely bad graphics, literally zero fun factor, a terrible combat system and loot system, bad voice acting. Everything is bad, it doesn't feel like an Elder Scrolls game at all. Bethesda should be ashamed of themselves. Nobody should be tortured by this worthless garbage, full of glitches and paywalls. The quality of Bethesda's products is going down.… Expand
  7. Gunter56
    May 21, 2020
    0
    Trash, like everything Bethesda does now a days. 75 words needed to post!!!
  8. KyoshiLoneheart
    May 20, 2020
    0
    Having not played it before, I downloaded this "game" on Switch for a laugh and thought, eh, it is free so why not? I was bored out of my mindHaving not played it before, I downloaded this "game" on Switch for a laugh and thought, eh, it is free so why not? I was bored out of my mind within 10 minutes. Everything in this "game" is done with so much blatant cynicism that it's mindblowing. Everything from the bland environments, the dull voice acting, characters that exist only as quest dispensers and nothing else, the total lack of an atmosphere at all while it is filled to the brim with microtransactions that they remind of you of every 2 minutes. Oh you just got done doing one of our completely worthless quests that had no thought put into it whatsoever? Here, now please give us money for some loot boxes. Don't worry, we'll ask again, and again, and again, and again. SO FUN.

    Bethesda has earned my sincere hatred and that is sad for me, as I loved Oblivion and Skyrim despite their problems. I could wander in those games for hours just taking in the world. Blades only cares about the money in my wallet and is hoping, begging, pleading the entire time that I throw money at it at all times for its barely even bare minimum effort. No thank you.    … Expand

See all 27 User Reviews

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