The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dragonborn

A new threat have risen that threatens not only Skyrim but all of the world. As the Dragonborn you must travel northeast of Skyrim to a new land called Solstheim and a realm of Oblivion to face this new adversary, the first Dragonborn Miraak. New enemies, powers, and equipment are waiting for you in the ash covered territories and snowy mountains. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dragonborn has it’s share of glitches and disappointing moments but offers a new world worth exploring, it’s an experience worth having.

When you first set foot on the new land of Solstheim you’ll set foot on the town of Raven Rock. The entire southern portion of this new land is covered in ash, due to a large volcanic eruption, causing the animals to retreat to the snowy mountains and leaving the people to dwell in the dusky environment. However you’re not here to take in the sights but to find the person responsible for commanding the company that attempted to kill you. Strangely the people are unable to remember anything significant regarding Miraak and can only offer pieces of information about this notoriously enigmatic being. The people and creatures of Solstheim built monuments throughout the land while chanting praises in his likeness, completely unaware of what they are doing. Some people are aware of the threat and are willing to help but ultimately it’s up to you to stop it. 

As amazing as Solstheim is it won’t compare to daedric realm that you’ll have to enter. To avoid spoilers I’ll only tell you that this new world houses a daedric prince that you could encounter in Skyrim and plays a important part in the main story of Dragonborn. If you met this diabolical god in your adventures in Skyrim he’ll acknowledge your past accomplishment and demand's that you once again take up arms in his name. By collecting legendary artifacts of this daedric prince and traveling to this distant world provides some interesting powers such as perk resetting. Although you are limited to a specific path in this plane of Oblivion it was definitely the highlight of the entire adventure.

The creatures that lives within both of these worlds offer some formitable challenges. Within the world of Solstheim you’ll encounter creatures called Ash Spawns in the south. These enemies are made completely of ash and have an unknown origins, other then they came into existence after the volcanic eruption. It’s the plane of Oblivion that you’ll find the most intriguing opponents that include Seekers and Lurkers. As far as dragons are concerned you’ll only encounter one new type called a Serpentine Dragon that uses the same attack patterns of other dragons. If you find these enemies to difficult to tackle you can use the new material Stalhrim to craft weapons and armor. The enemies are varied and a welcome additions from facing the same adversaries from Skyrim. 

Now let's talk about the most exciting addition to Dragonborn, the ability to tame and ride dragons. By acquiring a new shout called Bend Will players can control people, creatures, and dragons. After gaining control of a dragon in either Skyrim or Solstheim you can ride them and command the reptile attack enemies. Unfortunately you are set on a specific path and cannot manuelly control the dragon, but fast traveling allows you to continue control of the reptile. I understand that having full control of the dragon can lead to a imbalance in the combat mechanics but to tease such a demanded concept is vexing.  

What if you’ve completed everything and the new additions in Solstheim have failed to give you a challenge. The developers at Bethesda have added a new enemy that is facing the same plight, The Ebony Warrior. This legendary warrior has done everything and now seeks to the blissful land of Sovngarde, but wishes to die in combat. Those who have reached level 81 will be able to face this deadly foe and if defeated will be rewarded with his armor and weaponry. It’s a nice addition for those seeking a challenging opponent. 

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dragonborn is a fantastic piece of DLC. The new land of Solstheim adds a large amount of new areas to explore and the realm of Oblivion is a treat. While taming dragons is shamefully the most disappointing part of Dragonborn it is overshadowed by the amount of pleasing content offered in the rest of the DLC. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dragonborn ignites that wonderful feeling of finding a new area waiting to be ventured into. 

Adam Siddiqui, NoobFeed
Twitter, Youtube, Google+ Facebook