Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Cindered Shadows

This expansion pass offers new unlockables that can go a long way, but its side story connects in an odd way.

Cindered Shadows, while not a vital piece of DLC, is an entertaining side story that rewards Fire Emblem: Three Houses players patient enough to partake in it.

The Fire Emblem: Three Houses Expansion Pass currently retails at practically 50% of the base game price, and considering the sheer amount of content in the core title, it has to brought into question how much Cindered Shadows segregates itself from the core experience.

If you intend to try out all the new content then the asking price of AU$37.50 is worth it, but if you’re strictly only interested in the Cindered Shadows DLC then you may want to rethink the purchase.

How much you get out of Cindered Shadows will depend largely on what you enjoyed about Three Houses. If you want further exploration of Garreg Mach and Fodlan’s histories, a few new playable characters and classes, new facilities for your main save, and a concentrated dose of Fire Emblem; it does its part and then some. However if you were taken in by the multi-faceted narrative and freer customization of Three Houses, or expecting more on its cast, then you may walk away from Abyss disappointed.

Fire Emblem Three Houses: Cindered Shadows DLC offers a condensed offering of what made the base game great, and is a must-own for fans of the series.

Cindered Shadows is a nice addition to the Three Houses experience, especially for folks who have played the game heavily and want more or just need some extra variety to add to their replays. The difficulty might frustrate more casual fans and it would have been nice to have more class options for your crew. If you’re looking for an excuse to travel back to Fodlan, however, Cindered Shadows just might be your ticket.

In this conclusion to Fire Emblem: Three Houses' Expansion Pass, you can expect great new characters and more interesting stories to explore, this time within the Abyss. Some maps can repeat and it's exceptionally difficult, but it's a worthy closing.

Crimson Shadows is the extra add on to Fire Emblem: Three Houses I didn’t know I needed. It’s a perfect blend of additional tasty gameplay (with some challenges for those who want it), a fun story, and great characters. To top it all off, it gives you some tools to replay the original game in a new way.

Another good value expansion pass from Nintendo, that doesn't quite make up for the flaws of the parent game but does manage to emphasise its most positive qualities.