A strong initial impression fades with time, but on the whole, Dragonborn is an expansion worth purchasing.
Once you visit any town in Skyrim, a group of cultists will walk up to you and ask you if you are Dragonborn. Once you answer their question, they will claim a mysterious figure wants you killed, and attack. If you manage to survive, a note hints that they came from Solesteim, an island located between the Morrowind and Skyrim provinces of Tamriel (this island was previously featured in the Bloodmoon expansion to Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind). Solseteim is known to all as a miserable place, and upon arrival, the answer to why becomes clear. The island has been partially destroyed due to an eruption of Red Mountain on Morrowind's mainland, and the survivors are left picking up the pieces of what remains. Solsteim looks different than it did eight years ago, as the Imperial presence has largely given way to settlements created by refugees from Morrowind. The game does a good job of drawing you into this downtrodden world, and it is easy to feel sympathy for the poor inhabitants. To add insult to injury, the ebony mine which made up most of the island's economy has run dry, adding another source of conflict to an already depressing climate.
This dark and depressing feel extends beyond just the main settlement of Raven Rock. The southern half of the island is covered in ash from the eruption, and features many destroyed settlements. For a time, this atmosphere is attractive, as it sets the tone well. After the initial shock though, the endless greys and browns start to become sore on the eyes, a disappointment from the lush forests of Bloodmoon. The northern half of the island remains mostly intact, as it remains the mountainous tundra it was years ago, and really is the more interesting area. This part of the game is more reminiscent of Skyrim, as it is dominated by Nords and features many beautiful landscapes and caves to explore.
Adding to the dark tone of the expansion are the hints you see of the expansion's antagonist, Miraak. Asking people in Raven Rock about him leads to mysterious answers, such as seeing him in dreams and feeling as if he was calling out for them. Further exploration leads to encounters with people and creatures under his influence, toiling away to build strange structures around stones which provide the island with its underlying power. This part of the story culminates at Miraak's temple, where a Nord from the tribal group known as the Skaal is met. The Skaal will be familiar to any Bloodmoon players, as they were a key focus of the story in that expansion. It is difficult to discuss any more of the story without spoiling it, but further down the line there will be many memorable events, such as a few visits to a mysterious and imaginative daedric realm controlled by Hermaeus Mora, one of the most unique and atmospheric the series has ever seen.
The unfortunate part of this game's story is that it seems too short and poorly explained. Miraak's character does not offer much intrigue beyond the typical evil villain archetype, and his status as the first Dragonborn does not add as much to the overall story as it seems like it should. The story is also rather short and lacks much challenge, making it on the whole memorable, but disappointing. The addition does have its share of memorable side quests, like exploring rumors of an unexplored part of Raven Rock's ebony mine. These quests give you an excuse to explore the large new area added by the expansion and flesh out some of the void left by the short main storyline.
The other new content added through the expansion rounds out the deal. Some new item types, like Stalhrim and bonemold armor, not seen since Morrowind, are re-introduced, and offer a nice variety over the typical metal armors seen elsewhere in Skyrim. The new shouts are very cool, with one granting the ability to control people and eventually dragons, and another making your character much more of a force to be reckoned with. A few new enemies are added into the game, and some can even be summoned as powerful allies to aid in the harder battles in the expansion.
In the end, Dragonborn can feel a little disappointing, especially because of the brief main story line. However, when taken as a whole, for $20 it offers great value. The main quest may feel short, but it does take you to many memorable locations and introduces the player to an entirely new culture of Tamriel to those unfamiliar with Morrowind. New items and shouts sweeten the pot, and best of all, an entirely new map with lots of new areas to explore and enemies to encounter gives the expansion a new, fresh feel that draws you in, something the Dawnguard expansion seemed to lack, since it took place entirely within the regular game map. The expansion has some flaws to nitpick, but it is a worthy expansion to an already great game, and is an excellent choice for anyone looking to launch themselves back into one of the deepest fantasy worlds in gaming.