The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dawnguard

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 273 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 171 out of 273
  2. Mixed: 58 out of 273
  3. Negative: 44 out of 273

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Ryusennin
    Jun 27, 2012
    6
    If you were expecting a DLC the size of Shivering Isles, you're going to be very disappointed. This filler quest is more akin to an overpriced Knights of the Nine, with interesting game mechanics (vampire lord, crossbow) which are unfortunately poorly executed and impractical at best. Not even mentioning the plethora of bugs already reported on Beth forums.
  2. purgat0ri
    Jun 30, 2012
    3
    Why are vampires still hostile to me, when I'm part of a faction working to further the interests of my kind? Why does said faction share so many quests with its rival faction, the Dawnguard? Why is there never any kind of showdown with said faction? Why is this "expansion" sending me to dungeons I already cleared in the original game? Answer: Bethesda screwed up, and released aWhy are vampires still hostile to me, when I'm part of a faction working to further the interests of my kind? Why does said faction share so many quests with its rival faction, the Dawnguard? Why is there never any kind of showdown with said faction? Why is this "expansion" sending me to dungeons I already cleared in the original game? Answer: Bethesda screwed up, and released a half-hearted, overpriced, wretched piece of DLC. I would be even more harsh if it wasn't for the fact that we've not had a decent vampire game of any sort since Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines.… Expand
  3. disgruntlegamer
    Jun 28, 2012
    4
    If you were expecting an Shivering Isles type expansion you're going to be disappointed, if you were hoping for a near bug free environment you should read the line that says it's made by Bethesda and if you were hoping to get your moneys worth you're really going to be disappointed. Don't get me wrong it would be fine as a 5-10$ DLC, but unless you some vampire Twilight Fanatic it can beIf you were expecting an Shivering Isles type expansion you're going to be disappointed, if you were hoping for a near bug free environment you should read the line that says it's made by Bethesda and if you were hoping to get your moneys worth you're really going to be disappointed. Don't get me wrong it would be fine as a 5-10$ DLC, but unless you some vampire Twilight Fanatic it can be passed over for 1600 Microsoft points.… Expand
  4. Tubey
    Jun 27, 2012
    8
    It's very difficult to review an expansion like Dawnguard. You have to remember that it is an add-on - it's not trying to compete head to head with the main game, nor is it trying to "double" the experience of the main game. With that in mind, Dawnguard is a decent expansion pack, but it isn't world class and for Elder Scrolls die hard fans it has the possibility to disappoint when setIt's very difficult to review an expansion like Dawnguard. You have to remember that it is an add-on - it's not trying to compete head to head with the main game, nor is it trying to "double" the experience of the main game. With that in mind, Dawnguard is a decent expansion pack, but it isn't world class and for Elder Scrolls die hard fans it has the possibility to disappoint when set next to Oblivion's Shivering Isles.

    The expansion introduces a myriad of new features, such as a "Vampire Lord" transformation (a major part of the storyline in Dawnguard), Dragonbone weaponry, crossbows (and bolt crafting), a new quest storyline. On the surface, this is quite impressive, but next to the existing actual Skyrim game it feels like the expansion is only adding an extra 5% on top of the game. In a way, Dawnguard suffers from how good Skyrim was to begin with!

    The new Vampire transformation is quite clunky to play with, similar to the Werewolf combat mechanic but it feels quite rushed and can be a frustrating experience. The animation is really... well, "stiff" is the only way to describe it, like a demonic character design from Mortal Kombat 20 years ago! The crossbow is also very cumbersome, the knockback effect is utterly annoying, as is the reload speed, and I can't envisage many players using it ahead of a standard bow.

    But that's about it really - there's nothing overwhelmingly negative about Dawnguard. Is it worth the money? Yes, because it adds on to the overall Skyrim experience. It's worth it because the initial game itself is worth the price of admission on its own. So Dawnguard isn't the crowning glory of Bethesda DLCs, but it ain't bad. Hopefully, a much larger and more expansive Skyrim expansion pack is in the works, one along the lines of Shivering Isles rather than a focus on a new storyline and gimmicky feature additions. I'm scoring it 8/10, which for an Elder Scrolls game is a low score!!!    … Expand
  5. DaedricPanda
    Aug 15, 2012
    6
    First of all, this is ridiculously overpriced, and is only worth about half of its retail price. As far as new content goes, however, there is a fun (glitchy) questline, and some new (irritating) achievements, along with some extra misc quests. As cool as some of these are, I would only recommend Dawnguard to big Skyrim fans, or those who are big vampire fans.
  6. Cuddlezombie
    Dec 8, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I am aware that a number of people were disappointed with the Dawnguard dlc and it is due to that, that I feel its worth stressing the fact that this piece of dlc was an add-on. The fact that Dawnguard is on add-on impressed me more when playing, as Bethesda have managed to introduce new and interesting areas without having to leave the Skyrim area. I will not deny the fact that at times you are sent to areas which you may or may not have previously visited. However, these missions are generally side-quests and do not pertain to the main quest line. Also, the new npcs introduce new companions and the new ability trees allow you to experience being either a vampire or werewolf in a new and more in depth way. Once again Bethesda have shown that they know how to make brilliant dlc, which actually fits within the world of Skyrim. Therefore, I found this content very interesting, detailed and fun to play and I especially loved the attention to detail used by Bethesda when creating the new npcs.… Expand
  7. MrBluePheonix
    Aug 20, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Maybe my expectations were too high. When I heard that Skyrim (my personal goty) was getting its first downloadable content after almost a full year after release, i couldn't help but get excited. But, after playing through it, I only felt dissapointed. I'll start with the core of the dlc, the quests. The questline starts out promising, you overhear guards and citizens spreading rumors of vampire attacks and an ancient order of vampire hunters known as the dawnguard are gaining strength. You visit their fortress at the very southeast of skyrim, and are sent on a simple mission to clear out a dungeon infested with vampires. However, when you get there you discover a female vampire named serana, and a plot to end the tyranny of the sun. Soon after, you are given the choice to either join the dawnguard, or the order of vampires serana is/was a part of. This is the point where most of dawnguard's problems surface. The quests are either simple fetch quests/ clear out all of the enemies, or horribly drawn out quests (albeit with a good story) that have you repeating the same tedious task 4-5 times. For example, the soul cairn, a quest that was shown off at e3 as the pinnacle of the dlc, ended up being a 45 minute quest that was a chore to get through, let me breakdown the quest for those who think i'm being tough on it. You arrive in the soul cairn, walk for about 5-10 minutes to get to a castle, talk to someone, then you walk to a tower, again for about 5 minutes,and kill an enemy, rinse and repeat 3 times. after that you walk back to the castle, and face an undead dragon an his army of skeletons who have been cursed to the realm.(which admittedly is a truly great moment) Then, if you didn't become a vampire, you are supposed to retreive your soul, and either i'm a complete moron or bethesda messed up, it must of took me 30 minutes to find my way to the soul, because you need to get to the roof of the building it's on, which is basically a maze. After i had become completely frustrated, I looked it up online and it turned out I needed to jump into a well of magic water that teleported me to the roof, how was I supposed to know this? Another problem is the vampire assassin's that randomly spawn in cities. It isn't fair, if you aren't willing to run around the entire city and check every building, then important npc's/shopkeepers/questgivers will be assassinated without you even knowing. Why aren't the npc's smart enough to know the guy with the black cloak, inverted nose, and glowing orange eyes is maybe a little suspicious? But I don't completely hate dawnguard, the storylines and characters are some of the best in the game, and the extra content(new weapons, armor, locations, vampire form,etc..) are welcome additions. Unfortunately, mediocre quests, and some bugs, kept dawnguard from being a strong addition to the 2011 GOTY, and i can only recommend it to those who can't wait for another dlc or even another Elder Scrolls. Hopefully Bethesda steps it up before they release anything else… Expand
  8. mrgamesandstuff
    Dec 12, 2012
    6
    Dawnguard, the first expansion in Skyrim. may not be exactly what some people were expecting. On one hand, Dawnguard successfully brings a new experience into the Elder Scrolls franchise. On the other, it comes off as much worse than I was hoping for. While Dawnguard plays just as well as the rest of the game, there are many glitches that should have been fixed before it had even beenDawnguard, the first expansion in Skyrim. may not be exactly what some people were expecting. On one hand, Dawnguard successfully brings a new experience into the Elder Scrolls franchise. On the other, it comes off as much worse than I was hoping for. While Dawnguard plays just as well as the rest of the game, there are many glitches that should have been fixed before it had even been released. There was a time when I literally had to shove my companion through a cave to continue the story because she would not follow me when she was supposed to, but it is hard to complain when there are many great things that Dawnguard does. For one, it adds on a new set of weapons, shouts, companions, and abilities. Weapons like dragonbone allow for one to obtain some very strong and rare maces or swords. The companion you receive is probably the strongest you could possibly have and new abilities like the vampire turn out to be pleasantly useful. Aside from that however, Dawnguard does virtually nothing to add onto the map besides maybe three or four locations. While these locations are fun to explore, you will have very little reason to return to them. Also, some of the story quests are rather more annoying than entertaining. Overall, the most disappointing thing about Dawnguard is that no matter what side you choose, it will end the same way, adding no replay value what so ever. Dawnguard may have its issues and downsides but most people who own Skyrim will want to play this dlc. If you have extra money laying around I suggest buying Dawnguard, if you don't, I suggest waiting until you can spare some extra cash.… Expand
  9. rhe
    Jul 4, 2012
    6
    Admittedly, while the new classes, new story-line and new dungeons to explore really try hard to make this DLC sound like it is reasonably priced, it still really feels way too anemic to be priced at 1600 msp. I say this because when considering other DLC pieces from other games like Kingdoms of Amalur are half as much and actually add a whole new map to explore outside of the originalAdmittedly, while the new classes, new story-line and new dungeons to explore really try hard to make this DLC sound like it is reasonably priced, it still really feels way too anemic to be priced at 1600 msp. I say this because when considering other DLC pieces from other games like Kingdoms of Amalur are half as much and actually add a whole new map to explore outside of the original area you get to explore while Skyrim is double the price and gives you NOWHERE new to explore outside of the main map. Due to this, Skyrim really feels WAY too heavily priced to be worth the content and if Bethesda want to charge this kind of money they should at least make the effort to add a new area (like the Shivering Isles expansion for Oblivion) so it doesn't feel like so much of a rip-off.… Expand
  10. Sofd
    Jul 8, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Elder Scrolls first DLC - Dawnguard is a little bit of a let down. At 1600 Ms points you'd expect better, but as Skyrim was it does come with a good story but is let down by shoddy errors of programming. Not only that but Dawnguard has major flaws; such as when switching over to Vampire Lord, this could have easily have been added better, but instead it is listed in the Powers section of Magic and leaves you having to change back all the time to loot corpses.
    Now don't get me wrong, I advocate Skyrim with its many puzzles, storyline and game play but The DLC is such a let down and my verdict on Dawnguard is it's a lowly 6 out of 10 for ruining Skyrim.    … Expand
  11. mustard_tiger
    Jul 5, 2012
    5
    Bugged and Boring is how I would describe this expansion. I had to restart once because of a bug and when another bug stopped the progression of the game I put the game back on the shelf. Such a shame this fantastic game had such a sub par expansion. I am really starting to take issue with video games no refund policy.
  12. DishevldPeasant
    Jul 1, 2012
    7
    In terms of bang for your buck among recent DLC, Dawnguard is not a bad investment. That being said the only addition I have found useful is the dragon armor as it dwarfs the new crossbow. The quests are good, yet be prepared to visit the same location multiple times with only a few new additions. Overall, if you loved Skyrim and put it down then Dawnguard is a decent reason to pick itIn terms of bang for your buck among recent DLC, Dawnguard is not a bad investment. That being said the only addition I have found useful is the dragon armor as it dwarfs the new crossbow. The quests are good, yet be prepared to visit the same location multiple times with only a few new additions. Overall, if you loved Skyrim and put it down then Dawnguard is a decent reason to pick it up again. If you are a casual Elder Scrolls fan you may want to steer clear.… Expand
  13. dragonbourne1
    Jul 4, 2012
    7
    So I just finished the vampire storyline of dawnguard. Over all I found the plot fairly interesting but would have liked to see more involvment in "families" disfuntionality. The main subquest is fairly involved, but does require going to some location revisiting of dwemer ruins. I enjoy the benifit of both mounted combat as well as being able to summon an immortal horse (undead). My mainSo I just finished the vampire storyline of dawnguard. Over all I found the plot fairly interesting but would have liked to see more involvment in "families" disfuntionality. The main subquest is fairly involved, but does require going to some location revisiting of dwemer ruins. I enjoy the benifit of both mounted combat as well as being able to summon an immortal horse (undead). My main gripes are that ever since I downloaded it some of my armour will become invisable yet functional. Also although the areas that are new are cool, I really would have liked to see a new map. Also I don't think that the size of the dlc justifies $20. Can we say horse armor anyone. I would recomend this as it is fun, but at a lowered cost. Oh and for those who complane about vamps. killing npcs... First do you complane when a dragon does this, second isn't this supposed to reflect events in a world, like a movie people die, no ones immortal.… Expand
  14. Butler
    Jul 13, 2012
    8
    A good reason to play Skyrim again, quite entertaining but not enough to get me to play any more after the quest line was complete. A good add-on for any vampires or vampire slayers.
  15. Avatoon
    Jul 4, 2012
    4
    I had to un-install Dawnguard after a day due the bugs but much much more, the highly annoying random vampire attack system as they were decimating the population every 5 minutes with no let up what so ever! What started as a dynamic
  16. Sceptic
    Jul 12, 2012
    8
    More Skyrim can only be a good thing.New missions,weapons,armour,story,shouts etc are a blessing after hundreds of hours exploring the original to death.Several missions take the player on a fantastic journey involving excellent new lore,locations and characters for fans,though Soul Cairn is pretty poor.Though usually patient with Bethesda,the glitches infuriated me for once and I justMore Skyrim can only be a good thing.New missions,weapons,armour,story,shouts etc are a blessing after hundreds of hours exploring the original to death.Several missions take the player on a fantastic journey involving excellent new lore,locations and characters for fans,though Soul Cairn is pretty poor.Though usually patient with Bethesda,the glitches infuriated me for once and I just don't understand why they keep releasing broken products.DLC thats requires patches is a blight on the company and the gaming industry and I'm now finding it hard to forgive.Still,I loved the parts that work but won't be as forgiving in the future.… Expand
  17. MrWhiggy
    Jun 28, 2012
    8
    Overall, Dawnguard is not a bad expansion by all means. But as Skyrim has so much to offer already, the additions don't feel too great. That being said, Vampire Lord is enjoyable to play, and the addition of a skilltree for Werewolf and Vampire Lord is nice to see. However, the Dawnguard faction feels weaker to the Vampire faction, despite an Armoured Troll summon and crossbows. It feelsOverall, Dawnguard is not a bad expansion by all means. But as Skyrim has so much to offer already, the additions don't feel too great. That being said, Vampire Lord is enjoyable to play, and the addition of a skilltree for Werewolf and Vampire Lord is nice to see. However, the Dawnguard faction feels weaker to the Vampire faction, despite an Armoured Troll summon and crossbows. It feels that Bethesda really wanted you to go Vampire Lord. That being said, Vampire Lords were obviously in hiding for a very long time because the dungeons/caves in Skyrim occasionally get too small for a Vampire Lord to pass through! Having to wait around 30 seconds (that's if you turn back into Vampire Lord) just to pass through a 'low' part of the cave is incredibly frustrating. But, apart from stuff like that, I enjoyed the Vampire Lord. The quests themselves feel quite bland, and are not pushed forward by story all that much. They're still enjoyable, but don't expect to LOVE the story. The Dawnguard themselves are also slightly disappointing, as it's just another ancient group coming back to power with the help of the player. The legendary dragons, more fearsome and stronger dragons found in particular areas, were quite enjoyable. It's by now means a 'bad' expansion - it's actually very good. But tiny little, typical RPG bugs get in the way of the overall experience. A patch (like a bigger ceiling!) would be a welcome fix.… Expand
  18. ROMshinobi
    Jul 1, 2012
    8
    This is great new DLC content for skyrim. For some reason, RPG's in the past have been very conservative when it came to producing dragons in adventures. Perhaps the game engines couldn't handle them. Then, along comes Skyrim with a zillion dragons but falls short because these dragons are very bland and weak. I mean, come on, dragons should be bright colors and wicked spells, evilThis is great new DLC content for skyrim. For some reason, RPG's in the past have been very conservative when it came to producing dragons in adventures. Perhaps the game engines couldn't handle them. Then, along comes Skyrim with a zillion dragons but falls short because these dragons are very bland and weak. I mean, come on, dragons should be bright colors and wicked spells, evil minds (none of this philosophical bs), and actually be very tough to kill. How can a cave bear be more dangerous to fight than a dragon!!?? Anayways, Skryim is still pretty awesome and this new DLC does a much better job of vampires than dragons. The creators seem to understand the vampire mythos better. The quests are pretty interesting with creepy settings which is a must for an RPG. There is still the goofy thing going on though as with all these elder scrolls games. They are all kinda goofy as compared to Dragon Age Origins or Dark Souls. The main drawback to this DLC is that you seem to spend a lot of time walking compared to the main game. Also, vampires should have new spells to attack you with which are illusion based. maybe this comes later in the game. anyways, peace.… Expand
  19. SCHMOOPITIZE
    Jun 29, 2012
    8
    This is my second review of the dlc, as I believe i was simply starstruck by the fact that...well...it's skyrim dlc.
    Here's the honest to god review.
    It is quite large, mostly because 2 new "realms" are introduced. Both of these new places are quite vacant. So looking back on it, it doesn't add as much as that aspect seems. It also includes the single longest quest in the game. It was    This is my second review of the dlc, as I believe i was simply starstruck by the fact that...well...it's skyrim dlc.
    Here's the honest to god review.
    It is quite large, mostly because 2 new "realms" are introduced. Both of these new places are quite vacant. So looking back on it, it doesn't add as much as that aspect seems. It also includes the single longest quest in the game. It was also the hardest. VAMPIRE/DAWNGUARD- the dawnguard lore is in my opinion cooler but the ability's are far better in the vampire lord side. The crossbow i found myself barely using. They should have made a crossbow for each weapon tier. It also would've been nice to have some miscellaneous stuff put in there. EVERYTHING IS ABOUT VAMPIRES. Which is like "duh" but 10-20 hours of VAMPIRES is a lot. Simply buy it if you like skyrim, especially if you aren't satisfied with current vampires.    … Expand
  20. stewmo
    Jun 29, 2012
    8
    Why must this be compared to Shivering Isles? It wasn't created to serve the same purpose nor is it meant as the translation of it into Skyrim. No, what people are somehow failing to realize is that this DLC is meant to keep you engaged in the game with new abilities, weapons, spells and shouts. If you are unaware of what to expect from a standard Elder Scrolls DLC, you won't beWhy must this be compared to Shivering Isles? It wasn't created to serve the same purpose nor is it meant as the translation of it into Skyrim. No, what people are somehow failing to realize is that this DLC is meant to keep you engaged in the game with new abilities, weapons, spells and shouts. If you are unaware of what to expect from a standard Elder Scrolls DLC, you won't be dissapointed. If you purchase this game expecting something like Shivering Isles, however, you may find yourself a bit dissapointed. If you wanted to give it a score of how well it resembles Shivering Isles, it only deserves a 4 at best. However, you may find yourself quite intrigued if you manage to find it within yourself to go in with an open mind. 8/10… Expand
  21. Not_Casual
    Aug 7, 2012
    0
    The main quest won't progress past the first quest, I can't even feed properly as a vampire. There seem to be no working fixes anywhere. i can barely walk through most doors as a towering floaty vampire. This is too broken to have even been released.
  22. YHWH
    Aug 26, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Predictable, bug-ridden fare. BUT IT IS SKYRIM, MUST BE GOOD
    -Reddit    … Expand
  23. godWhisperer
    Jun 26, 2012
    10
    First off, Fort Dawnguard looks breathtaking! You get a werewolf/vampire skill tree, crossbows and 10-20 hours of content. With many new games today releasing with only around 10-15 hours of total content, we get this awesome expansion for arguably the best game of all time and it only cost $20. While dawnguard is not as extensive as, say, Shivering Isles, it's a great deal and it's theFirst off, Fort Dawnguard looks breathtaking! You get a werewolf/vampire skill tree, crossbows and 10-20 hours of content. With many new games today releasing with only around 10-15 hours of total content, we get this awesome expansion for arguably the best game of all time and it only cost $20. While dawnguard is not as extensive as, say, Shivering Isles, it's a great deal and it's the first DLC I've ever stayed up all night for.… Expand
  24. Twitch375
    Jun 29, 2012
    9
    Overall, I enjoyed Dawn Guard and thoroughly.. No, this is not in the ranks with The Shivering Isles. More like in the middle of that and The Knights of the Nine The story was lacking, with jumping plots and it strayed far away from the Gothic vampire theme. But the bonuses such as the vampire and werewolf perk trees to the new gear (Dawn guard & vampire armor. etc) made the D.L.COverall, I enjoyed Dawn Guard and thoroughly.. No, this is not in the ranks with The Shivering Isles. More like in the middle of that and The Knights of the Nine The story was lacking, with jumping plots and it strayed far away from the Gothic vampire theme. But the bonuses such as the vampire and werewolf perk trees to the new gear (Dawn guard & vampire armor. etc) made the D.L.C completely worth the low 20$ price tag. I think a respectable nine is what this D.L.C deserves.… Expand
  25. CiaranJ
    Jun 29, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Dawnguard is a welcome addition to the near endless content which Skyrim has to offer. It expands on the lack of vampire related lore and game play in vanilla Skyrim and does a good job presenting a unique and in my opinion a more interesting story than Skyrim… Expand
  26. logfish111
    Jun 28, 2012
    8
    Dawnguard is exactly what you should have now come to expect from Bethesda, stunning locations, an enthralling questline with a few glitches on the side. But most of all, assuming you are an Elder Scrolls fan you will come away with more reasons to invest yet more time in one of the best games of the current generation. These include a new range of weapons(dragonbone), crossbows, vampireDawnguard is exactly what you should have now come to expect from Bethesda, stunning locations, an enthralling questline with a few glitches on the side. But most of all, assuming you are an Elder Scrolls fan you will come away with more reasons to invest yet more time in one of the best games of the current generation. These include a new range of weapons(dragonbone), crossbows, vampire lord and werewolf perks and all the joy of using these powers, I can safely say that this was worth my money.… Expand
  27. TheOriginalFan
    Jun 29, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When I first heard about this DLC I thought it was great news. I purchased this as soon as I could off of the XBL marketplace and I don't regret a cent of it. It isn't as large as Shivering Isle, but I would say it is equally as enjoyable. I enjoyed every last bit of it, especially the saints soul.

    If you enjoyed Skyrim, this DLC is a must purchase.    … Expand
  28. ViolentDeath101
    Jun 27, 2012
    10
    This DLC is a must buy for anyone looking to enhance their Skyrim experience even more. This DLC introduces so many new features, and improves existing ones. The fact that they take vampires to a whole new level is great in itself.
  29. trollkiller
    Jun 29, 2012
    10
    Its more Skyrim, which is a good thing. Dual story lines mean you essentially get two games in one, which helps mitigate the 20$ price tag. Plus, Serana may be the hottest companion yet!
  30. MeltdownCL
    Jun 29, 2012
    10
    I think besthesda did a great job with this add on. I mean, the perks for werewolves, and vampires alone is just plain fun. No, it's not the greatest of add-ons, but it definitely ranks in the top 5 that i've ever played.
  31. guen
    Jul 12, 2012
    8
    If you've spent a lengthy amount of time exploring the realm of Skyrim then yes, Dawnguard may seem like a bit of a disappointment as it mirrors one of the faction quest lines. That being said, it's not necessarily a bad thing. I found most of the faction quest lines immensely enjoyable and Dawnguard was no different, yielding some unique weapons and armour in the process. The addition ofIf you've spent a lengthy amount of time exploring the realm of Skyrim then yes, Dawnguard may seem like a bit of a disappointment as it mirrors one of the faction quest lines. That being said, it's not necessarily a bad thing. I found most of the faction quest lines immensely enjoyable and Dawnguard was no different, yielding some unique weapons and armour in the process. The addition of being able to smith your own arrows (at last!) as well as dragon weapons definitely made me super happy. Yes, it is not a spectacular new game but a DLC is not meant to be. It enhances the main game while offering some interesting new quests, skills and companions. I think it will be more enjoyable for those that have spent less time in the world because it does incorporate a lot of the old "go there, fetch that" quests but even for those like me who have spent a ridiculous amount of time playing the game it has something to offer. Don't write it off, but don't expect "Shivering Isles" either.… Expand
  32. AlbNYJediMaster
    Jul 24, 2012
    9
    With so many developers now releasing new skins for the characters and calling it DLC or two or three map packs and calling that DLC, Dawnguard is a refreshing change of pace. While it is not an entirely new domain to explore (ala Shivering Isles that seems to be the highest comparison) it definitely gives you 20+ hours of new content. Not to mention that it also fixes things likeWith so many developers now releasing new skins for the characters and calling it DLC or two or three map packs and calling that DLC, Dawnguard is a refreshing change of pace. While it is not an entirely new domain to explore (ala Shivering Isles that seems to be the highest comparison) it definitely gives you 20+ hours of new content. Not to mention that it also fixes things like Vampires being such push-overs and the Werewolf being all but useless. The crossbows could have been made better in my opinion by being stronger to compensate for the long reloads, or make 1-handed versions of them. Also I was disappointed that they didn't offer all levels of crossbows (daedric/dragonbone crossbows would have been nice). I felt that the stories and unique items that were added were a nice addition to the already epic scope of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The graphics did not disappoint, however there were several situations with the Vampire Lord forms and actions that were buggy. With a game and an expansion this size, bugs are to be expected and I hope that most people are taking that into consideration.

    All in all this was a very nice and well done addition to the epic Skyrim universe.    … Expand
  33. Fenchurch1
    Aug 31, 2013
    7
    As a lover Skyrim and the Elder Scrolls in general, this DLC package really did reignite my love for the game and gave me some new content to sink my teeth into. The additions of crossbows, mounted combat, new talent trees and the whole turning into a vampire lord thing are very welcome and add some neat new features to play around with. But at 1600 Microsoft points (around £14) however,As a lover Skyrim and the Elder Scrolls in general, this DLC package really did reignite my love for the game and gave me some new content to sink my teeth into. The additions of crossbows, mounted combat, new talent trees and the whole turning into a vampire lord thing are very welcome and add some neat new features to play around with. But at 1600 Microsoft points (around £14) however, you have to ask yourself if this is really good value for money. My answer would be yes, but only just and only because I enjoyed Skyrim so much. If you’re bored of delving into caves, killing vampires and skeletons, dealing with all manner of kooky quest givers and are just looking for something distinct and brand new in the region of Skyrim then this is not for you.… Expand
  34. warblinggangste
    Dec 3, 2012
    8
    YAWN!!!!!!! this is gayest dumb poop ive play it. stup. dont. dum. Chell dies in the end of Max Payne 3, definitely recommend among 4 hardcore gamers and softcore boners
  35. WinkOrDie
    Jul 1, 2014
    4
    This DLC made me think of Bethesda's own "Horse Armor DLC" the whole time....

    The new characters are not memorable, the quests are just fetch quests, and nothing is here that we haven't seen beaten into the ground before. I bought this when it came out and paid the initial price of $20. I played it then and replayed just for this review so I was not reviewing something I played two    This DLC made me think of Bethesda's own "Horse Armor DLC" the whole time....

    The new characters are not memorable, the quests are just fetch quests, and nothing is here that we haven't seen beaten into the ground before.

    I bought this when it came out and paid the initial price of $20. I played it then and replayed just for this review so I was not reviewing something I played two years ago. This time I explored things more and disliked it even more than a first play through.

    Just... do NOT buy.    … Expand
  36. Kostas_Spirou
    Dec 26, 2021
    8
    I absolutely love the vampire setting but unfortunately "Dawnguard" doesn't bring anything new to the table except from some few things here and there.

    The story is decent and the new characters are great (Serana is my favorite character in the entire game). I was surprised by the boss fights, they are quite challenging and they look awesome. There are also some interesting powers and    I absolutely love the vampire setting but unfortunately "Dawnguard" doesn't bring anything new to the table except from some few things here and there.

    The story is decent and the new characters are great (Serana is my favorite character in the entire game).

    I was surprised by the boss fights, they are quite challenging and they look awesome.

    There are also some interesting powers and magic spells which are very fun to use.

    New armor sets and unique weapons that make the gameplay more diverse which I enjoyed.

    Having said all that I think Dawnguard is a great expansion, it offers some interesting things despite its short length and lack of side content.

    Final Rating: "Great" - 8/10.    … Expand
  37. BurningDesire
    Jan 13, 2013
    8
    a good addon to an already great game, despite what is said against it, its a good solid addon with new weapons and gear, good quest line the game is broken with older characters so beware you may need to start a newer character. but still a great addon
  38. Runfocovah
    Aug 18, 2012
    7
    I will try to explain this as simple as I can. I love skyrim, but Dawnguard should have cost 1,200 tops. Playing as a vampire its clunky and unexciting at all, you are slow, powers are weak you can't play in 1st person, you can't sneak or hide... Plot can be predicted since early on the game. Yes its same old Skyrim, more quest, a few new spots, more annoying dragons. My advice; Get itI will try to explain this as simple as I can. I love skyrim, but Dawnguard should have cost 1,200 tops. Playing as a vampire its clunky and unexciting at all, you are slow, powers are weak you can't play in 1st person, you can't sneak or hide... Plot can be predicted since early on the game. Yes its same old Skyrim, more quest, a few new spots, more annoying dragons. My advice; Get it once it when its on sale, DO NOT PAY FULL PRICE!… Expand
  39. jonbravo2
    Oct 16, 2012
    5
    I honestly expected more out of this DLC than I have before. I played the storyline, and beat it in one day, and I must say: I am very much disappointed. The new content, such as the armor and characters was good, (except for the crossbow) but they didn't do a very good job with the ending of the story. I beat the final objective, and said to myself, "Is that the DLC I bought?" The peopleI honestly expected more out of this DLC than I have before. I played the storyline, and beat it in one day, and I must say: I am very much disappointed. The new content, such as the armor and characters was good, (except for the crossbow) but they didn't do a very good job with the ending of the story. I beat the final objective, and said to myself, "Is that the DLC I bought?" The people who made it cut the story line off WAY too soon, and on top of that, they didn't even make it worth playing. When you beat it, you don't get any sort of grand prize or anything.

    I think Bethesda did a good job with their idea, but it could have used a LOT more work before they put it on the market.    … Expand
  40. Zyrocalt
    Aug 11, 2012
    8
    A different and unique DLC,Dont expect anything like shivering isles,Just dont. See this more like the knights of the nine of skyrim,But bigger. As a big elder scrolls fan i liked it,Like things i have been requesting and asked bethesda for got added,Like the werewolf perk tree and the ability to change your appereance. And i never was a fan of vampires of TES until this. The story of thisA different and unique DLC,Dont expect anything like shivering isles,Just dont. See this more like the knights of the nine of skyrim,But bigger. As a big elder scrolls fan i liked it,Like things i have been requesting and asked bethesda for got added,Like the werewolf perk tree and the ability to change your appereance. And i never was a fan of vampires of TES until this. The story of this dlc and the story of the side quests are much better then the ones in the vanilla game. You will encounter many suprises in this DLC,It is short. Yes. But it was epic. Sure,Stuff like this could be stuff that got added in updates.. But i like it anyway,The one thing i got dissapointed with are the lack of big and new landmasses,And i mean landmasses that has big cities and villages,Where you could shop,live and just do quests in. Skyrim needs something different,I liked Dawnguard. But it could have been better,But this DLC is the proof that bethesda listens to their fans,Well at least me :) I am looking forward to the next DLC and i really hope bethesda listens more to the fans and i really hope we get at least one big expansion sized DLC.. Shivering isles was very alien and different from the main land,What we need is something very different from tthe mainland skyrim. Hm,Parts of hammerfell or elsweyr? Or maybe even valenwood? Skyrim is very popular and i see many reasons to make a expansion sized DLC. The fans would just love that. And bethesda would get more money. Still Dawnguard was a great DLC,For me for features that i have requested for a long time i love it,But if you dont have anything to do in skyrim. Buy this,I think i have spend over 40 hours with the new content,And i dont mean just by questing, I mean having fun with the werewolf perk tree and stuff like that.… Expand
  41. OnAnarchy
    Nov 19, 2012
    8
    As far as DLC these days goes, it's not a bad investment as it adds an entire new game mechanic to an already exciting RPG. Bethesda did an excellent job at adding beautiful landscapes and new worlds to explore, but after a while the whole quest line and story becomes both unbelievable and tedious.
  42. disview912
    Sep 4, 2012
    8
    Dawnguard is short, doesn't really add much to Skyrim, and is a bit steep at 1600 MSP. However I give it an 8 because I love the crossbow and had a lot of fun with the quests. The way I see it, consoles don't have mod support so I will pay what I must to prolong my adventures in Skyrim.
  43. Harumpel
    Nov 27, 2012
    4
    This is an epic looking, well animated wasteland of boredom. In Skyrim, you can do or become everything, but the story is so thin and interaction is so poor, that I lost interest after about 10 hours. Whats the point running around in a world that does not keep you involved? Combat is fun, enemy types are, too. Enemy A.I. is poor, but sufficient. I enjoyed Fallout 3 / New Vegas and FableThis is an epic looking, well animated wasteland of boredom. In Skyrim, you can do or become everything, but the story is so thin and interaction is so poor, that I lost interest after about 10 hours. Whats the point running around in a world that does not keep you involved? Combat is fun, enemy types are, too. Enemy A.I. is poor, but sufficient. I enjoyed Fallout 3 / New Vegas and Fable II, but this one gets boring very fast.… Expand
  44. Eumenes
    Aug 19, 2012
    5
    This DLC had the potential to be so much more than what it is, but for me Bethesda's constant corner-cutting with the design shot it in the foot, certain armours are just obvious re-skins ( my, my ancient falmer armour you sure do look like my steel set) hiding a lack of different armour designs by simply changing the colour, and after all that talk of crossbows you get a total of 2,This DLC had the potential to be so much more than what it is, but for me Bethesda's constant corner-cutting with the design shot it in the foot, certain armours are just obvious re-skins ( my, my ancient falmer armour you sure do look like my steel set) hiding a lack of different armour designs by simply changing the colour, and after all that talk of crossbows you get a total of 2, that's it, there's no unique ones and even the two you do have get obsolete fast, not bothering to give the dawn-guard a full weapon set or the vampire's any weapons at all means that for a hoarder like me there really wasn't much worth getting excited about(especially as they didn't bother making sure they didn't bug out weapons racks, which still deign to eat my new DLC stuff). They even managed to be lazy with the new monsters with most being skeletons with a bit of a black haze around them, and even the mini bosses are just giants wearing dragon-bone plate armour which looks as ridiculous as it sounds. At the end of it all you do get the opportunity to have a new home base depending on your side but just like the others (thieves guild, archmage quarters) there's nothing there worth going back for so you'll never really return to them after completing the DLC. All in all a generally uninspired affair, with the beautiful environments being one of the few positive points, would only recommend to a die hard fan that has a compulsive need to get everything Skyrim… Expand
  45. dpsdust
    Aug 19, 2012
    8
    Lets be honest the frost giant an vampire lord modes are enough to add 30 more hours to skyrim. I did not like the expansion for awhile but some of the side quests like a new and fresh dwemer ruin(s), Dragon bone weapons and skooma smoking den turned my frown upside down. It is a bit better than Nights of Nine but come on Bethesda! do better, its still good though that's why I give it aLets be honest the frost giant an vampire lord modes are enough to add 30 more hours to skyrim. I did not like the expansion for awhile but some of the side quests like a new and fresh dwemer ruin(s), Dragon bone weapons and skooma smoking den turned my frown upside down. It is a bit better than Nights of Nine but come on Bethesda! do better, its still good though that's why I give it a hate out of ten lolz!… Expand
  46. Breegullbeak
    Aug 25, 2012
    5
    Skyrim is a great game. It's a glitch filled mess that I could forgive due too it being such a massive world. Most glitches have been fixed and the ones that haven't will forever bug me. Dawnguard however is to small to excuse these major glitches such as when a major character is to busy being hostile to talk to you. Luckily people found a way around this glitch otherwise I would haveSkyrim is a great game. It's a glitch filled mess that I could forgive due too it being such a massive world. Most glitches have been fixed and the ones that haven't will forever bug me. Dawnguard however is to small to excuse these major glitches such as when a major character is to busy being hostile to talk to you. Luckily people found a way around this glitch otherwise I would have left before the new features had a chance to suck. Playing as a vampire lord is boring. You are only able to survive in a fight at night(which is understandable) and if you chose the Dawnguard side of the quest, you are given no tutorial on how to play as one. You are given the ability to become a werewolf again, but only once, which sucks because they actually made being a werewolf a decent experience. The story is far more interesting then the one the game gives you, but overall this is not worth the $20.… Expand
  47. ChadFirestorm
    Aug 28, 2012
    3
    The only reason im not giving this content a 1 is because i have yet to play it as dawnguard and have only played as a vampire so far. Fair enough Bethesda want fewer but longer content, im all game for that, but it felt it was dragged out a bit by making each portal very mazy. My biggest gripe with the content is not always being able to walk through a door, now it might sound petty butThe only reason im not giving this content a 1 is because i have yet to play it as dawnguard and have only played as a vampire so far. Fair enough Bethesda want fewer but longer content, im all game for that, but it felt it was dragged out a bit by making each portal very mazy. My biggest gripe with the content is not always being able to walk through a door, now it might sound petty but if you want to stay a vampire it can be infuriating, i had to change back to human and back to vampire to walk through and to walk up stairs. It only takes about 5 seconds to switch between the two, but it feels like forever. Rumours of the next expansion sound immense, so was this Bethesda just giving us something to stop our whinging? Big shames… Expand
  48. Svikteren
    Sep 23, 2012
    4
    This is a dissappointing addition to Elders Scrolls V: Skyrim. With some bugs, lack of content and repetetive dungeons and caves, I do not recommend this DLC.
  49. crazywaffle124
    Dec 16, 2012
    9
    Woah woah woah. Whats with all the negative reviews. I found this DLC very enjoyable-much more content then some call of duty DLC. Even more so, this dlc got me back into skyrim.
  50. Madd_H4773r
    Sep 27, 2012
    9
    This being the first DLC for SKYRIM I believe it was amazing, however, I also feel it could have been longer and more challenging. I also liked taking on other forms, but I would have liked even more to see my standard character get a couple of extra perks.
  51. DeviantWaffle
    Oct 7, 2012
    8
    This game was AMAZING the first time around. I very much enjoyed the quests and combats. The graphics were okay, not the best. I found the world extremely bland and tasteless. Be prepared to see a lot of brown, gray, white and yellow when you buy this game. The sounds and voice acting was okay... Besides a few voices which didn't match the NPCs body. While on the subject of voices...This game was AMAZING the first time around. I very much enjoyed the quests and combats. The graphics were okay, not the best. I found the world extremely bland and tasteless. Be prepared to see a lot of brown, gray, white and yellow when you buy this game. The sounds and voice acting was okay... Besides a few voices which didn't match the NPCs body. While on the subject of voices... WHERE ARE ALL THE VOICE ACTORS!?!? THERE ARE LIKE 10 DIFFERENT VOICES IN THIS DAMN GAME SAYING THE SAME THING. The most ANNOYING thing about this game I have to say. If you're like me, then you would want to create the most evilest bastard whom ever lived... So lets say you're going for a stroll and you get a thirst for slaughtering helpless villagers... TOO BAD... Most of the game NPCs in this damn game are invincible. What got me the most about this game was the freedom to do ALMOST anything you wanted, which was in the last Elder Scrolls... The world was very wide and just tempting you to explore. After completing the main quest of slaying big-n-nasteh (which really wasn't too long..) I found myself lost. Very much... Bored. I mean there are a TON of fun quests in this game that will make you laugh and twist your emotions... But past those fun quests are dull and endless quests that have you run across the world to kill some bandits then run across the world to kill some more... IT WAS BORING... Don't get me wrong though, this game is a MUST PLAY. The story will suck you in and not let you go until you slay that ugly bastard. Slicing the heads off of random people will keep you entertained for quite some time and it is worth your moneys worth. Don't worry, when you complete all the fun stuff it will call you back for more and you will make a new character.… Expand
  52. SethyChan
    Oct 29, 2012
    6
    Overpriced, and fairly disappointing when I played it. Vampire attacks become so common it becomes just plain irritating. Good items had been added, but for what it is, just seemed a but of a waste of money. Lag and bugs were so common I had to get rid of the software.
  53. KristinWard
    Oct 31, 2012
    9
    Game is huge, you can spend hours playing it and world is amazing. However the relay to much on the radiant quests, which can get old quick. While they do have some amusing quests, it lacks the character of some of the older games.
  54. Monstr92
    Nov 2, 2012
    8
    Skyrim is one big open world full of plenty to do. Skyrim might quite possibly be a buggy game, full of fast-travelling places, and riding horses. But for that quick moment when encountering a dragon, makes up for the long grinding of repetitive dungeon scouring. The main story-track of Skyrim is suffice, and does justice with beautiful spectacles, stealth, and plenty of dragon slaying.Skyrim is one big open world full of plenty to do. Skyrim might quite possibly be a buggy game, full of fast-travelling places, and riding horses. But for that quick moment when encountering a dragon, makes up for the long grinding of repetitive dungeon scouring. The main story-track of Skyrim is suffice, and does justice with beautiful spectacles, stealth, and plenty of dragon slaying. The game though, falls short of it's loosely put together procedural quest generator, and minor annoyances. Though, that doesn't make the game terrible. Skyrim does right with it's beautiful vistas, mountains, and fields to walk and ride through. The ai, may fall short in some scenarios, and you'll find yourself doing things over and over again. Climbing into dungeons, going fifteen levels deep, learning a trade, collecting, and re-doing that over and over again. But what makes the long grind worth it, is the spectacle. The feeling of being in Skyrim, befriending others, completing side quests, and the sheer joy of exploration is what makes Skyrim all worth it in the end. Just prepare, to fork over long hours to complete this games main story track and along with it the side quests that will stray you away from the main story track. There's plenty of gameplay, plenty of story, and plenty of quests that will keep you occupied as you simply explore the land of Skyrim.… Expand
  55. Tomahawk22
    Nov 17, 2012
    5
    Main story was average as **** Like the Snow Elves being added and extra Dwarven ruins to explore made it a pass. The game needed a big DLC, ala Knights of the Nine (I thought Shivering Isles was way overrated, just fyi). This just wasn't up to scratch.
  56. Valiko
    Dec 11, 2012
    8
    This is a good DLC, it brings more of what i love about skyrim. It brings the werewolf and vampire classes, which are awesome, and the crossbow as well as a couple of spells and shouts. The story is not too bad and still has the same breathtaking environments. Overall it is a fun and good DLC, but for the price there should of been a bit more
  57. SirMauz
    Apr 30, 2013
    7
    For the most part, the only complaints I have are that the dang bloodsuckers eat critical characters if you aren't careful. Oi. Only install this if you are lvl 15 or higher, or you WILL have some issues with the enemies slaying folks you may need in-game. Otherwise, DL it and save it for later. It IS a fun DLC, making Werewolf play actually WORTH it, and Vampire play fun as well. It alsoFor the most part, the only complaints I have are that the dang bloodsuckers eat critical characters if you aren't careful. Oi. Only install this if you are lvl 15 or higher, or you WILL have some issues with the enemies slaying folks you may need in-game. Otherwise, DL it and save it for later. It IS a fun DLC, making Werewolf play actually WORTH it, and Vampire play fun as well. It also hosts a serious hottie in your traveling companion, and a fun story, Vamps or Humies.… Expand
  58. electriclight41
    Jun 3, 2013
    8
    While vampires are a nice change of pace and the story is pretty creepy, Dawnguard doesn't amaze. It offers a fair amount of new content and abilities, though, so it's good if you've done most of what you can in the main game. But if you're going to get one DLC for Skyrim, I'd recommend Dragonborn.
  59. Konstantinos
    Sep 2, 2013
    8
    If you're a fan of Skyrim, this DLC worth the money, but if you are not.. wait a little. Dawnguard is enthusing me with the story, the characters, but the armors and weapons do not. The armors and weapons, actually, surprise me, because i haven't see something more medieval in the game. You're gonna have a good time with that expansion. I thought that the game was big enough, but now itIf you're a fan of Skyrim, this DLC worth the money, but if you are not.. wait a little. Dawnguard is enthusing me with the story, the characters, but the armors and weapons do not. The armors and weapons, actually, surprise me, because i haven't see something more medieval in the game. You're gonna have a good time with that expansion. I thought that the game was big enough, but now it has really completed.… Expand
  60. Monsterdragon24
    Oct 29, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First off, I love werewolves, vampires, and Skyrim. This dlc is the perfect mix of all of them. Secondly, both the keeps radiate that old gothic vibe, especially the Castle, so awesome. This dlc expanded on the base games werewolves and added in a new form, the vampire lord. This new form is like the mage version of the werewolf except it can be activated and deactivated anytime and place. Their are many new quests to partake in. This dlc adds so much content to the already content rich game of Skyrim, if you're think about getting this dlc you won't regret it.… Expand
  61. DanishGamingGuy
    Mar 1, 2016
    9
    good new characters with a great new story you get the choice between vampires and vampire hunters if you are a werewolf and choose vampires they take your werewolf ability there are fun new quests and weapons in general just a great dlc
  62. Kostas101
    Apr 29, 2021
    7
    I love the Vampire setting, but this expansion doesn't bring anything new to the table. The story is decent, the characters are great, Serana is my favorite character in the game, and the boss fights are pretty good. There are some interesting power ups and magic spells, which are very fun to use but it would've been even better if there was more additional side content.
  63. M1sfiT
    Sep 3, 2023
    10
    Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!!

Awards & Rankings

99
#99 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
36
#36 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 47 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 47
  3. Negative: 0 out of 47
  1. DailyGame
    Feb 25, 2013
    95
    Dawnguard is much more substantial add-on than Hearthfire, adding on a full storyline centered on a war between the vampires and the Dawnguard.
    Read full review
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 14, 2012
    85
    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Dawnguard. Bethesda shows how a dlc should be done. Dawnguard's 20-euro price tag is quite steep, but the amount of quality content more than makes up for it. Also, playing as a vampire lord is a welcome distraction. [Sept 2012]
  3. Hyper Magazine
    Aug 8, 2012
    50
    Predictable, bug-ridden fare. [Sept 2012, p.72]
See all critic reviews »