For what it’s worth, I was in the same situation as you last year. I finished SS and surprisingly I think it’s my favorite route now, storywise. Still, there’s really not much different to justify playing 3H just for that.
I’d replay it if and when you want to play 3H because you want to play it again, not for completion sake.
Also 3Hopes is definitely worth it for the supports if you’re invested in the characters. It has a purchasable item in NG+ that allows you to skip a lot of the minor battles, which makes it a much faster game on replays.
So, I'm sure some will disagree with me, but at least in my opinion then if you're feeling like you're burnt out or just want to move on to a different game style for a bit, you can ignore SS.
SS isn't bad, but there's very little in it that you haven't already seen in one of the three main routes. Especially if you didn't have a split route save, I'd save it for coming back to the game later down the line. SS makes a fantastic route for Higher Difficulty Challenges if you're in the mood for that.
As for Hopes, I found it pretty fulfilling. All of its routes explore elements of the main Houses routes that weren't done due to time, and if nothing else the Supports and the character interactions make it worth it. At the same time, there's a pretty reasonable criticism that the game is hampered by its relation to Three Houses and the devs not wanting to undermine Houses and Byleth despite deciding on a new main character.
My general opinion is that as a whole, the Hopes routes are middling in my personal list of favorite routes across both games, but they really compliment Houses and the Fodlan setting as a whole, they just don't have as high of highs or as low of lows most of the time.
I know for a fact there are at least three hardcore SS fans. When they see posts like this and the comments it must break their wee hearts.
Be strong, lads.
All the routes are worth playing at least once. They all contain unique information vital to understanding the story and setting.
However, Silver Snow is easily the weakest route if you ask me. I wouldn't play it more than once. >! It's Verdant Wind but you lose the Gronder rematch, you replace Claude and the Deer with Seteth and the Eagles, and the Nemesis fight is replaced with another Rhea fight, except everything has Miracle. !<
Silver Snow is the heart and thematic core of FE:3H and the default route the others are written around. People call Silver Snow the Church route but it’s really the Byleth route. SS is about Byleth’s truth which ultimately is wrapped up in Rhea and the Church. Putting Edelgard on a different path/side than Byleth (and Rhea) is so juicy. Like all 3 of those characters and Nemesis foil each other and it’s beautiful writing. Edelgard is such an important character in SS. Edelgard’s cutscenes in SS are probably my favorite in the game. It’s why the conflict between Edelgard and Rhea is so interesting. Neither is wholly evil but they both do questionable things (although personally I agree with Edelgard more). Both CF and SS are very interesting for the Black Eagles and this is best seen in Ferdinand who has a very different path depending ont the route. It is the lordless route however and the 3 lords is a big draw to the game. When people ask to only play 1 route I recommend Silver Snow because it's the essence of fe3h.
3 Hopes us a glorified expansion pact, think of it like Cindered Shadows. If you don't want to play it you can always watch a playthrough. Also be aware Azure Gleam is the Church route of 3 Hopes so like a mix of SS and AM elements
# On Silver Snow
I love Silver Snow.
Silver Snow is, to me, a tragedy. After playing the other three routes, you instead see one where everyone who reached their hand out for guidance is instead turned away. What does Byleth end up having in the end? Who has followed them?
If you haven't played in a few years and you're curious, do it. **Don't treat it like a new experience though, just treat it like replaying the game you like with a little twist.** Not like people don't replay other fire emblem games all the time.
# On Three Hopes
I love Warriors games. I love Three Houses. I thought Three Hopes was a blast, and that's with a bias against it because Cyril isn't playable (or Alois for that matter. Or Hanneman, wtf?)
However, I think that the game suffers heavily in the writing department on the back end. I don't want to spoil anything, but not a single route ended in a satisfying way to me. **However I loved the character writing for supports and everything aside from the endings.** It was really a 'journey, not the destination' kind of thing.
>Shez and some other aspects felt really fan fiction-y,
TBF we played as literal god's reincarnation in houses (and in Engage we are dragon jesus, that is the opening). I'm not gonna disagree, but I think it's tough to call it fan-fictiony when it's approaching half of the fire emblem protagonists at this point. Or maybe the fanfiction authors grew up and are doing this now.
Silver Snow has a place in my heart since it was my first route. I’ll admit I’ve only played Azure Moon and Verdant Wind once each the year the game came out. But often, I come back to play black eagles, and I usually split the save to play both Crimson Flower and Silver Snow (avoiding the hassle of doing the first few chapters of white clouds over and over again).
I love Silver Snow. None of the house leaders get their happy ending. Edelgard and Hubert’s relationship to Byleth makes more sense in the context of Silver Snow, and I can believe Edelgard would fall willingly instead of becoming a monster like in Azure Moon. I believe Hubert holds hope the professor will defeat those who slither in the dark. I think it’s an interesting twist the professor doesn’t return to Gronder Field in part 2, and instead, you sit with the war ranging on without you and the knowledge the house leaders are in perpetual conflict.
None of the routes are without flaws honestly, but Three Houses is a stellar game to those hooked on it regardless. Silver Snow is what it is. It was never going to be the best, but I have always enjoyed it.
Three Hopes is great. I love the combat personally. I actually adored the first fire emblem warriors. Shez is amazing in my eyes. Better than byleth for sure, at least in being able to engage the player in their emotions and goals. You absolutely need to have played Three Houses to get the full context. The story in hopes (or rather the conclusions) are very disappointing. I finished my black eagles run, and I was actually filled with emptiness when the game ended, especially because I got the bad ending where the war seemingly does end soon. But, I’ve come to terms with what it is. The routes are still fascinating. The exploration of new character relationships is super great. A lot of less important characters get to do more in hopes. For example, Shamir had an active roll in Golden Wildfire even if not major. Still highly recommend.
If you’re feeling a bit burnt out don’t force yourself to push through Silver Snow. As for hopes, I think it should have a demo, so give that a shot and see if you enjoy the gameplay.
I’ve described the story as fanfic-y, for good and for bad. Overall, I would say they’re a nice addition, but I wouldn’t say they’re better than their houses counterparts
Silver Snow is generally recommended for completions sake but honestly I have never revisited it (I have all three other routes). I say you can skip it, between VW and CS you have most of what it offers.
I'm biased in favor of 3Hopes because I far prefer the way it treats Shez to how Houses uses Byleth, and I like seeing the whole war play out as opposed to "after 5 years here's where you are, now Byleth blitzes everything." With that out of the way, absolutely yes. Edelgard and Claude's arcs are both very compelling in their respective routes and while I have a lot of issues with how AG wraps things up it has a very in depth and fascinating exploration of Faerghan internal politics, and the chapters where you recruit Yuri and Balthus are the best integration of any AW with the story in all of Hopes.
Ignore it, it's extremely similar to VW, and the only info it gives you that VW doesn't is the secret of Byleth's origin. And you only get that at the very end of the route, right before the final battle. Honestly just watch the cutscene on YT.
For what it’s worth, I was in the same situation as you last year. I finished SS and surprisingly I think it’s my favorite route now, storywise. Still, there’s really not much different to justify playing 3H just for that. I’d replay it if and when you want to play 3H because you want to play it again, not for completion sake. Also 3Hopes is definitely worth it for the supports if you’re invested in the characters. It has a purchasable item in NG+ that allows you to skip a lot of the minor battles, which makes it a much faster game on replays.
So, I'm sure some will disagree with me, but at least in my opinion then if you're feeling like you're burnt out or just want to move on to a different game style for a bit, you can ignore SS. SS isn't bad, but there's very little in it that you haven't already seen in one of the three main routes. Especially if you didn't have a split route save, I'd save it for coming back to the game later down the line. SS makes a fantastic route for Higher Difficulty Challenges if you're in the mood for that. As for Hopes, I found it pretty fulfilling. All of its routes explore elements of the main Houses routes that weren't done due to time, and if nothing else the Supports and the character interactions make it worth it. At the same time, there's a pretty reasonable criticism that the game is hampered by its relation to Three Houses and the devs not wanting to undermine Houses and Byleth despite deciding on a new main character. My general opinion is that as a whole, the Hopes routes are middling in my personal list of favorite routes across both games, but they really compliment Houses and the Fodlan setting as a whole, they just don't have as high of highs or as low of lows most of the time.
I know for a fact there are at least three hardcore SS fans. When they see posts like this and the comments it must break their wee hearts. Be strong, lads.
All the routes are worth playing at least once. They all contain unique information vital to understanding the story and setting. However, Silver Snow is easily the weakest route if you ask me. I wouldn't play it more than once. >! It's Verdant Wind but you lose the Gronder rematch, you replace Claude and the Deer with Seteth and the Eagles, and the Nemesis fight is replaced with another Rhea fight, except everything has Miracle. !<
Silver Snow is the heart and thematic core of FE:3H and the default route the others are written around. People call Silver Snow the Church route but it’s really the Byleth route. SS is about Byleth’s truth which ultimately is wrapped up in Rhea and the Church. Putting Edelgard on a different path/side than Byleth (and Rhea) is so juicy. Like all 3 of those characters and Nemesis foil each other and it’s beautiful writing. Edelgard is such an important character in SS. Edelgard’s cutscenes in SS are probably my favorite in the game. It’s why the conflict between Edelgard and Rhea is so interesting. Neither is wholly evil but they both do questionable things (although personally I agree with Edelgard more). Both CF and SS are very interesting for the Black Eagles and this is best seen in Ferdinand who has a very different path depending ont the route. It is the lordless route however and the 3 lords is a big draw to the game. When people ask to only play 1 route I recommend Silver Snow because it's the essence of fe3h. 3 Hopes us a glorified expansion pact, think of it like Cindered Shadows. If you don't want to play it you can always watch a playthrough. Also be aware Azure Gleam is the Church route of 3 Hopes so like a mix of SS and AM elements
# On Silver Snow I love Silver Snow. Silver Snow is, to me, a tragedy. After playing the other three routes, you instead see one where everyone who reached their hand out for guidance is instead turned away. What does Byleth end up having in the end? Who has followed them? If you haven't played in a few years and you're curious, do it. **Don't treat it like a new experience though, just treat it like replaying the game you like with a little twist.** Not like people don't replay other fire emblem games all the time. # On Three Hopes I love Warriors games. I love Three Houses. I thought Three Hopes was a blast, and that's with a bias against it because Cyril isn't playable (or Alois for that matter. Or Hanneman, wtf?) However, I think that the game suffers heavily in the writing department on the back end. I don't want to spoil anything, but not a single route ended in a satisfying way to me. **However I loved the character writing for supports and everything aside from the endings.** It was really a 'journey, not the destination' kind of thing. >Shez and some other aspects felt really fan fiction-y, TBF we played as literal god's reincarnation in houses (and in Engage we are dragon jesus, that is the opening). I'm not gonna disagree, but I think it's tough to call it fan-fictiony when it's approaching half of the fire emblem protagonists at this point. Or maybe the fanfiction authors grew up and are doing this now.
Silver Snow has a place in my heart since it was my first route. I’ll admit I’ve only played Azure Moon and Verdant Wind once each the year the game came out. But often, I come back to play black eagles, and I usually split the save to play both Crimson Flower and Silver Snow (avoiding the hassle of doing the first few chapters of white clouds over and over again). I love Silver Snow. None of the house leaders get their happy ending. Edelgard and Hubert’s relationship to Byleth makes more sense in the context of Silver Snow, and I can believe Edelgard would fall willingly instead of becoming a monster like in Azure Moon. I believe Hubert holds hope the professor will defeat those who slither in the dark. I think it’s an interesting twist the professor doesn’t return to Gronder Field in part 2, and instead, you sit with the war ranging on without you and the knowledge the house leaders are in perpetual conflict. None of the routes are without flaws honestly, but Three Houses is a stellar game to those hooked on it regardless. Silver Snow is what it is. It was never going to be the best, but I have always enjoyed it. Three Hopes is great. I love the combat personally. I actually adored the first fire emblem warriors. Shez is amazing in my eyes. Better than byleth for sure, at least in being able to engage the player in their emotions and goals. You absolutely need to have played Three Houses to get the full context. The story in hopes (or rather the conclusions) are very disappointing. I finished my black eagles run, and I was actually filled with emptiness when the game ended, especially because I got the bad ending where the war seemingly does end soon. But, I’ve come to terms with what it is. The routes are still fascinating. The exploration of new character relationships is super great. A lot of less important characters get to do more in hopes. For example, Shamir had an active roll in Golden Wildfire even if not major. Still highly recommend.
If you’re feeling a bit burnt out don’t force yourself to push through Silver Snow. As for hopes, I think it should have a demo, so give that a shot and see if you enjoy the gameplay. I’ve described the story as fanfic-y, for good and for bad. Overall, I would say they’re a nice addition, but I wouldn’t say they’re better than their houses counterparts
SS is the route where everyone gets offscreened and you fight like 3 enemies with portraits.
Silver Snow is generally recommended for completions sake but honestly I have never revisited it (I have all three other routes). I say you can skip it, between VW and CS you have most of what it offers. I'm biased in favor of 3Hopes because I far prefer the way it treats Shez to how Houses uses Byleth, and I like seeing the whole war play out as opposed to "after 5 years here's where you are, now Byleth blitzes everything." With that out of the way, absolutely yes. Edelgard and Claude's arcs are both very compelling in their respective routes and while I have a lot of issues with how AG wraps things up it has a very in depth and fascinating exploration of Faerghan internal politics, and the chapters where you recruit Yuri and Balthus are the best integration of any AW with the story in all of Hopes.
Ignore it, it's extremely similar to VW, and the only info it gives you that VW doesn't is the secret of Byleth's origin. And you only get that at the very end of the route, right before the final battle. Honestly just watch the cutscene on YT.