Xboxaddict.com Article
Skyrim Dragonborn DLC
by Brent RobertsAges have passed since the release of Skyrim and once we found ourselves waist deep in snow, while trekking up a steep and rocky mountain on our way to slay a Dragon, we were hooked. Like millions of gamers we found ourselves lost in the world of Tamerial all over again and after multiple months of immersing ourselves back into the Elder Scrolls lore a cry rang out from the gaming community, louder than a Nord warning bell, that demanded quality DLC that would allow us new areas to explore and new adventures to complete. Bethesda heard the shouts of the masses and worked hard at bringing the next DLC to the Xbox 360 and from their toils we have the opportunity to enjoy the latest adventure called Dragonborn. While we were used to climbing snow-capped mountains in Skyrim, Dragonborn brings us back to a land that millions already know and love, the island of Solstheim in Morrowind. One interesting note is that the island of Solstheim was originally introduced in Bloodmoon DLC for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Welcome back.
To start your Dragonborn DLC you must first travel to any major city, and upon your arrival you will be attacked by a couple of cultists who start preaching about the original Dragonborn. After finishing them off you can loot their corpses and find directions back to an old familiar place; Raven Rock in Morrowind. When I first set foot back on the shores of Raven Rock I wanted to explore the island and see just how the land has changed throughout the years. While this led me to accept some more random quests and fight some new dragons, I was very pleased to see just how amazing this land has become. Throughout the lands you will find that something strange has taken over a majority of the citizens who apparently mindlessly build various temples to the original Dragonborn, Miraak. The myth behind Miraak is one that is steeped in dark magic, dragons, and an ultimate grab for power. A Dragonborn that once served the Dragons, but longed for power beyond what any could comprehend in an attempt to challenge the Dragons himself. Ultimately he realized the true power against him and was banished to the realm of Apocrypha. Now though, the tales are spreading throughout the lands about the original Dragonborn has sought teachings from the forbidden knowledge of the Daedric Prince Hermaeus Mora.
The story of the Dragonborn DLC is absolutely brilliant; however, there are a few things that stand out that tries to dethrone the Dragonborn. One of the new innovations that come with the Dragonborn DLC is the ability to tame and ride Dragons. While this is something that gamers have been wanting for in Skyrim, this attempt feels slighted when compared to the sheer amount of content already in the DLC. For starters, your horse apparently would be a more maneuverable mount as you cannot directly control the flight of your Dragon. I'm sorry but it's a massive flying creature that you have control over and a horse can out maneuver it. There are other issues as well when it comes to using the power of the Dragon in combat. When you think of the abilities of the Dragon in combat, they tend to be quite limited. There are only a few options actually for combat which also limit what forms of attack you can use as well. While you can use some magic spells and shouts while mounted onto a Dragon, area-of-effect spells cannot be used.
Even though there are a few issues to contend with in the Dragonborn DLC, the sheer mass of content packed into the DLC is worth far more than the 1600 MS price tag associated with it. By beginning with an amazing story and providing new areas in an already iconic setting to introducing new Dragon shouts, spells, and abilities, Dragonborn DLC is hands down the best DLC for Skyrim, period.
