I rated every Xenoblade game with 4.5 stars, mostly because each one was amazing but there were small nitpicks I had with all of them. The only nitpick I have about Future Redeemed is the length. I had such a good time with this DLC and I just wanted more!

The gameplay is fairly similar to 3's combat system with a few tweaks, but those tweaks elevate this to be my favorite in the whole series, with A and Rex in particular being very fun to play as. The exploration in this DLC is also the most rewarding in the series, as everything you can find out in the world helps with giving you a better experience in the game. Whether you're finding ways to expand your combat arsenal or ways to make exploration itself easier, the items and hidden treasures of the game are all meaningful to gameplay, and it makes the whole experience feel incredibly satisfying.

The story is just peak fucking fiction man. I was a bit conflicted at first because the premise of the DLC made me think that there would be more references to past characters and moments in the series(there still definitely is plenty of this, I was just getting greedy in what I wanted), but as things went along I got more comfortable in what this actually was. A prequel set in the perfect moment of transition between the past 2 games and Xenoblade Chronicles 3. It's true that when the DLC was announced I wanted an epilogue and not a prequel, but once I was done with this I truly felt like the emotional core of the entire series was perfectly encapsulated in this moment of time. Some of the newer characters are a bit underdeveloped, but they're fun companions and serve their place in the story well. Other new characters, such as A and Matthew, fare even better. Matthew is our new protagonist and he's up there as one of my favorites in the series. His interactions with A are pure gold, and A themselves are a great addition to the cast. The return of Shulk and Rex, well, need I say more? It's fucking amazing.

This best thing about this DLC is how it brings added context to the events of 3, and gives past games a more active role in the state of the world depicted in the series. I know some people will be left wanting more, but this DLC touched on everything that was important in this series, and struck a final resonant chord in its themes.

It also has some of the best songs in the whole series. The final boss theme sent my soul out of my body.

Play Xenoblade Chronicles. All the games. They're worth your time.

A damn impressive DLC, one of the best I've played. Although the base game made me very curious about a lot of the backstories that were explored here, I didn't realize how much I needed them until I finally played this. The story was emotionally fulfilling, the protagonist of this DLC is arguably a better character than Rex from the base game, and it gave a beautiful full circle moment to the best character in Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Jin. The final cutscenes of this game had me shedding more than a few tears.

The combat was also improved here from the original, and the soundtrack came back again with some new songs that are absolute bangers.

It does have one glaring issue, where part of the main story is blocked off by doing what seems almost the entirety of the side quests in the whole DLC. It grinds the pacing to a grating halt and was very annoying, but overall shouldn't deter you from trying it out.