Bethesda has kept good on their promise of continuously expanding the massive world of The Elder Scrolls Online. The fantasy MMO did get a mixed reception when it first appeared, but since then many quality of life improvements and expansions have transformed it into one of the best MMOs available. The newest year long event is Gates of Oblivion, and as the name suggests this hearkens back to the events of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Specifically, this goes back about 800 years prior to the events of that game. The newest expansion that we were allowed to preview is the Blackwood chapter, which is the next continuation of the Gates of Oblivion event.

Blackwood offers a great assortment of new content to The Elder Scrolls Online. As with the previous new chapters, players can expect about thirty hours of a new story campaign as they explore Tamriel. Cultures interacting with each other has always been an interesting aspect of the game universe, and this time the focus is on the Argonians and Imperials. The substance of Blackwood includes many activities to keep players busy, which include the new twelve-player Trial Rockgrove along with new delves, public dungeons, world bosses and quests. A trip to this section of Tamriel wouldn't be complete without Oblivion Portals and new world events, and there's a new Companions system that's particularly beneficial to antisocial MMO players. And of course there will be some assorted quality of life improvements.

Each region of Tamriel seems to be prone to some sort of problem with dragons, Daedra or vampires, and Blackwood is no different. Nestled between the Argonian homeland and Imperial province Cyrodiil, the citizens have to deal with not only the regular problems of the other less-friendly inhabitants, but also Oblivion spawned Daedra. Blackwood puts the player in charge of investigating a conspiracy about the deposed Longhouse Emperors, which is somehow linked to the Prince of Destruction Mehrunes Dagon. Exploring the Blackwood to unravel this mystery and meeting the interesting characters and getting closer to solving the mystery feels similar to previous Elder Scrolls Online chapters, and like the returns to Morrowind and Skyrim, seeing familiar places like Leyawiin but set many centuries in the past is akin to watching a well-made prequel of a beloved film.

The Companions system is one of the more interesting additions with the Blackwood chapter. Similar to single player Elder Scrolls games, this allows the player to meet and recruit NPC companions to travel with the player and assist them in battle. The player can level up their skills and give them their own gear and set their combat abilities. Each of these companions have their own backstories, which help make them feel like a living part of The Elder Scrolls Online world and not just generic battle companions. The Companions aren't as smart as actual competent players, for they are not intended to replace actually playing with other people but are more of a means to flesh out the world and provide solo players to experience this MMO without having to do it alone.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood appears to offer more of what has been happening each previous year, and that's not a bad thing for ESO fans. The formula for each new chapter is tried and true, and while each new chapter takes place in a specific new region with changes specific to that, Blackwood is shaping up to be another enjoyable addition to the MMO, just like the previous entries were. While the Blackwood chapter looks solid overall, the Companions system seems like the stand out new feature, especially for people who want to play The Elder Scrolls Online but for whatever reason aren't comfortable jumping in with a group or has a group of friends that plays. Like other expansions, the reason why they call them Chapters is because these new additions to The Elder Scrolls Online are designed to be enjoyed by veterans and new players alike. Blackwood is scheduled to release June 1 for PC and Stadia and June 8 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.