February 14, 2014 11:57 AM EST
I have played and re-played this game countless times. The first time I played it I was an Imperial Dark Elf. I think that the Stormcloaks are racist and besides, once you kill Ulfric, the new Jarl (his name escapes me) who gives a shit about the Dunmer, Argonians and Khajit. (Also in the lore, the empire is a shell, it is really just Cyrodiil, High Rock, Skyrim and a bit of Morrowind. You help destroy the empire by being a Stormcloak)
I am a Stormcloak in my current playthrough, and unless you are a Nord, it seems a bit immersion/lore breaking. Anyway, it depends on whether you think the empire are spineless puppets to the Aldmeri overlords or the only thing keeping the peace.