Review Skyrim: Dawnguard Reviews Recap

[Zed]

Tags: Dawnguard; Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim; sparkly vampires; The Elder Scrolls; Twilight

These reviews are all based on the Xbox 360 version of Skyrim: Dawnguard, but I doubt the PC version will be much different (released next month), so here goes.

IGN seems to think it's quite lackluster, but gives it an 8/10 because why not?

Dawnguard is neither as meaty nor as cohesive as Shivering Isles, its Oblivion expansion pack counterpart, but then again it’s not as expensive either. The other issue, as with any Elder Scrolls add-on content, is usefulness. When you get 100-plus hours of gameplay out of the box, do you really want to spend another $20 for 20-or-so more? That’s up to you, but Dawnguard is certainly worth the investment.​

Metro has the most recent review. They're affiliated with the Daily Mail or something.

In Short: its headline feature is easily its worst but there are enough other new extras to make this a costly but still diverting return to the land of Skyrim.​

I don't know what Blast Magazine is but they tagged their review with 'Twilight' and 'sparkly vampires' so they probably know what it's really about.

Dawnguard will appeal mostly to the most hardcore of Skyrim fans because it adds more of everything the game offered in the first place, just be aware that more isn’t always better. The new quests and areas pail in comparison to what came before it and the whole experience seems, at times at least, to just be thrown together.​

ComputerAndVideoGames says "A worthy chunk of DLC that fills Skyrim's already packed world map with new gear, enemies, and quests" and swallows it all - burps up an 8.

Eurogamer kind of likes it... but ponders whether or not it's worth your Microsoft points because it's really just more of the same shit? 7 out of 10.

Kotaku probably weren't payed enough. "NO to Dawnguard", they say.

If I had to summarize Dawnguard in two words, it would be this: more Skyrim. For many people, that's enough—and if you're in that boat, you should most definitely get your hands on this DLC. But if you wanted something special, something unique, something that could give you that feeling of giddiness you got the first time you entered Bethesda's hulking role-playing game and started exploring its caves and cities, then you might want to look elsewhere. Or at least wait for Skyrim: Game of the Year Edition.​

So, the average review:
"Uh, it's not that good. Nothing new, really. Maybe if you like Skyrim a lot and want more of the same? 9 out of 10 buy now".

 

[sea]

I got this impression from watching the Giant Bomb quick look. Bethesda DLC is very hit or miss and I was considering getting Dawnguard until I learned it was $20 instead of $10... for what, crossbows, a new vampire type and a bunch more dungeons to crawl through? No thanks.

 

[Forest Dweller]

They mentioned a vampire skill tree. Do you get anything for being a dawnguard?

 

[Utgard-Loki]

upgraded crossbows.

edit: and a few spells and other equipment.

also armored troll.

 

[Stinger]

Didn't IGN give Old World Blues an 8.0?

So FNV had to go all out and give a large open world to explore with a very different and enjoyable experience from the base game and still only get an 8.0 while Bethesda can just phone it in for the same score.

 

[Wyrmlord]

"Dawnguard is neither as meaty nor as cohesive as Shivering Isles"

There was nothing meaty or cohesive about Shivering Isles.

It had a very short main quest that made absolutely no sense. Ending-wise, it probably had the worst ending in the whole series.

Note: This is coming from someone who otherwise enjoyed SI. Not for the main quest, but for the obscure and cleverly hidden dungeons littered across the landscape, ranging from trapdoors in the middle of the jungle to barrows behind trees - and many weren't even marked on the compass.