The Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr
The Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr
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Please note
This was one of my first reviews. So please don't be surprised if the text doesn't seem to fit into the overall context and I'm talking about things here that I've already discussed in the article on the main game.
I haven't played The Elder Scrolls Online, let alone the third DLC Elsweyr. Judging by the cover and name, the game takes you to Elsweyr, the continent of Tamriel, where the feline Khajit are at home. And apparently it's quite oriental, mystical and very esoteric there.
At least that's the impression I get from the nine-track score. Brad Derrick is responsible for it - a composer I don't know yet, but who won't manage to emerge from insignificance for me with this composition either. About the music: the themes are extremely drawn out, very sustained and consist almost exclusively of female singers accompanied by strings. Sure, a powerful cello can make a big difference, but nothing here sticks in the ear. I could search for 'oriental' and 'cello' and find 100 songs that sound exactly like this. Battlestar Galactica clearly shows what you can get out of these instruments. And Assassin’s Creed Origins, which follows the same theme, demonstrates much more variance and individuality.
Of course, I am comparing an MMORPG background music with a story-driven open-world epic. But at its core, that's exactly what The Elder Scrolls Online wants to be. I can't say anything about the gameplay. The score, however, falls short of expectations. The only bright spot: Skyrim-theme (here A Clash of Fang and Flame), naturally as a cello version. However, this is quickly stifled by Prince of Persia-like rhythms and then returns as a transposed version in a minor key. Not pretty, but fortunately rare.
