The Dragonborn downloadable expansion is further evidence - if any were still needed - that Bethesda Softworks are amongst the very strongest singleplayer developers in the industry. A must for Skyrim fans.
In an era where it’s not uncommon to pick up a full-priced shooter and be done with the singleplayer campaign after an evening or two, Bethesda Softworks' singular commitment to epic singleplayer experiences shows no sign of abating. Anyone who has spent a month of playtime making their way through Skyrim and its first two expansions, Dawnguard and Hearthfire, can now go ahead and book in another solid week on their calendars to get through its latest downloadable content pack, Dragonborn. Someone in that place really loves designing ancient Nordic catacombs.
Avoiding a sense of repetition is the biggest challenge to producing more material for this modern classic, as anyone interested in venturing back into Tamriel has likely already looted large numbers of chests, barrels, and burial urns. Dragonborn tackles this potential issue by moving the action out of the land of Skyrim itself, and onto the island of Solstheim, located halfway between the regions of Skyrim and Morrowind. After cultists from Solstheim show up in Skyrim, the player is alerted to the fact not all is well on the island. One convenient clue-giving note and a boat journey later, and the Dragonborn arrives at the port of Raven Rock to do a spot of sleuthing.
Solstheim is perhaps about as large as one of Skyrim’s nine holds, but it's removed from Skyrim both culturally and geographically. The dark-elf architecture and black ash drifts of the volcano-bombarded island reinforces the fact that the Dragonborn isn’t in (metaphorically) Kansas any more. The new land harbours its own distinct landscape, culture, and flora and fauna, which means new vistas, new enemies, new alchemy ingredients to discover, new books to read, and even a local school of cuisine to sample, and then master.
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