The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dawnguard Review (Cassynder)
Dawnguard is the first piece of DLC for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and is, in my opinion, the best DLC for the game. It doesn't add a new land to explore like Dragonborn but it does have vampires, and I am fascinated with everything vampires. How much exactly does it improve the base game? This is what I think of Dawnguard.
I personally know some people who weren't all that impressed with Dawnguard, and I fail to see why. I absolutely loved this one, adding in the new Volkihar vampire faction as well as the group of vampire hunters called the Dawnguard. This is hands down my favourite guild in Skyrim, and most of my playthroughs include a vampire hunting aspect. With a great story, new quests and new locations/dungeons, the best follower in the game in the form of Serana and new weapons, shouts and a new form of vampire called the vampire lord, this is a knockout hit.
The story begins with you being contacted by an Orc decked out in cool new armour, asking for you to join a new group called the Dawnguard. This encounter begins at level 10. If you take him up on his offer, you wind up at an impressive old fortress called Fort Dawnguard, because originality is for losers, to meet up with Isran, an intense Redguard who hates vampires. You are sent to investigate vampire activity and stumble upon Serana, setting into motion a terrific questline to stop a power hungry vampire from taking over the world, adding hours of gameplay. Loved the story, the best questline you can do.
Some new features have been added by this DLC, and nice new armour and weapons. Crossbows are now a thing in Skyrim, a strange omission from the base game and from Oblivion, the last title in the series. They are slower than bows but pack a punch, perfect for taking down vampire scum. The Dawnguard have new armour sets, both in light and heavy varieties, and the vampires have some armour of their own in three different shades. But perhaps the best addition is a new skill tree for vampires, along with the vampire lord ability. This turns you into a powerful, albeit ugly as hell, monster with some great new abilities in combat, enhanced by the skill tree. Werewolves now also gain a separate skill tree of their own, making them much more deadly.
Dawnguard brings with it some great new quests, with a terrific story to match going from strength to strength. You are given the choice between siding with the vampires or fighting alongside the Dawnguard, with some different quests for each. I actually haven't, even after all this time, sided with the vampires so that's something I'd still like to see. The quests also take you to some new locations, such as the Forgotten Vale with a nice section dealing with Snow Elves, a trip to the blasted wastes of the Soul Cairn and the dread fortress of the vampires, Castle Volkihar. It's all really impressive.
Serana deserves a section all on her own. Voiced by the immensely talented Laura Bailey, who really can do no wrong when it comes to voice work, she's one of the few memorable characters and followers in the game. Not only is she an interesting character, but she has some great dialogue and is with you throughout the questline. Caught between her feuding parents, she is something of a tragic character but by the end manages to forge her own path. Really great character, there is always room for Serana in my party.
Now for some negatives here. Dawnguard changes vampires across Skyrim, not just the Volkihar ones. And it...isn't good. Making your vampires look like demonic goblins with glowing eyes is a dead giveaway to their condition, which is rubbish. There is a vampire in one of the main cities in Skyrim, right next to the Jarl and she looks very clearly like one but no one notices. Not a fan of this change at all. Another drawback is the constant vampire attack on main cities after you are contacted by Durak when you reach level 10, another ill-concieved idea on Bethesda's part. Both, thankfully, can be remedied by mods from the community.
To sum up then, I love this DLC. It definitely is up there with my favourite add-ons for games, and might even have been in for a chance for best one if not for a little indie game called the Witcher 3 that came along with some cracking expansions. With a great storyline, new locations, two new factions to join, Serana and host of new random encounters in the game, you really have to play through this DLC. It's quite simply brilliant.