The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dawnguard
Feb 26, 2013 13 years ago
The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard is the first official add-on / DLC. Dawnguard revolves around an ancient prophecy predicted by an Elder Scroll. Foretelling the eternal obfuscation of the sun, the scroll gave instructions on how to perform a magic ritual with a mythic bow and a special blood sacrifice. A legion of vampires known as the Volkihar Clan, lead by Lord Harkon, seek to actuate the prophecy by performing the ritual; the Dawnguard, a faction of crossbow-wielding vampire hunters counters their aims. Skyrim's Dragonborn protagonist chooses whether to join the Dawnguard and prevent Nirn from being plunged in an irrevocable night, or assist the vampire coven with realizing their malevolent ambition. introduced in Dawnguard are two unique skill trees, one for vampirism noted as "Vampire Lord" and one for lycanthropy. Twenty-two quests featured in the plug-in; twelve exist in the main quest, with several optional side quests. A few repeatable, radiant quests can also be completed. The questline forks at "A New Order", where allegiance between the Volkihar Clan and the Dawnguard must be selected. The side chosen is irreversible. There are a ton of new items, people and weapons added with this DLC
What it’s like
Dawnguard expands the base game with a high-stakes moral dichotomy: join the ancient vampire hunters or embrace the power of the Volkihar clan. This choice unlocks two distinct, deep progression paths—the Vampire Lord transformation and enhanced lycanthropy—offering substantial mechanical variety and replayability. The experience centers on a structured faction war narrative set against gothic, atmospheric locations like Castle Dawnguard and Forgotten Vale. While the writing remains consistent with Skyrim’s established tone, the gameplay shines through new abilities that encourage aggressive, supernatural combat styles. The structure is linear yet rewarding, providing a clear sense of purpose and escalation. However, the polish suffers from technical instability; players should expect bugs and glitches that can interrupt immersion. Despite these performance issues, the core loop of exploring new dungeons, mastering unique powers, and making an irreversible allegiance choice delivers a compelling, action-oriented RPG experience that feels substantial and distinct from the main campaign.
Strong in Progression / ReplayabilitySystems Depth / Build VarietyAtmosphere / MoodCharactersCombatExploration / WorldGameplay / MechanicsPacingStory / Narrative
Keep in mind Significant technical instability and bugs are common, requiring frequent manual saves to avoid progression blockers. · The narrative depth is somewhat shallow compared to other RPGs, relying heavily on familiar fantasy tropes without complex moral nuance.
AI-generated from catalog data, informed by reviews from en.wikipedia.org, metacritic.com, pcgamer.com, inmotiongaming.com, gameskeys.net.
Screenshots
Releases
| Platform | Region | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox 360 | Worldwide | Full release | Jun 26, 201214 years ago |
| PC (Microsoft Windows) | Worldwide | Full release | Aug 02, 201214 years ago |
| PlayStation 3 | Worldwide | Full release | Feb 26, 201313 years ago |
