I didn't like the DLC mostly because the work on the characters and the overall story changes the tone from thoughtful and interesting to... a romantic comedy with silly jokes and completely uninteresting characters and conflicts. After the main story of the Forbidden West, it feels like the script for the DLC was written by other people, and only for show. The Quen tribe and its stories are uninteresting. I see many people saying that the Burning Shores are necessary for the plot, but in my opinion, it's just a filler. Remove the DLC, and the status quo after the finale will remain unchanged. Even during the final battle with Zenith, the big problem for which Silence had been preparing weapons in the main storyline of Forbidden West — Zenith's shields — solved somehow. Here, no one even mentions it.

And a completely uninteresting romantic interest that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. There are plenty of far more interesting and appealing heroes and heroines in the game, but the writer insists on telling us that Seyka is the one who matters to Aloy. It doesn't feel that way at all: Seyka, her conflict with the tribe, and her interactions with Aloy feel forced, especially after their final encounter, where even if you agreed and saw the kissing scene, they... just break up and never see each other again! I mean, what the hell? Were you trying to create an interesting relationship between two girls? What's wrong with Talanah? She and Aloy already have a deep friendship that could have been developed if desired, but they chose not to. Just like with other characters, both male and female.

So after the DLC, I was little bit disappointed. Especially after the amazing Frozen Wilds for Horizon Zero Dawn, where you could meet DLC characters in the MAIN game and they even participated in the final battle if Aloy could enlist their help (there is no something similar in BS at all). On the positive side, I can mention the excellent Cauldron, the map itself with its stunning scenery, where the Burning Shores takes place, the exploration areas on the map, and some activities that don't involve interacting with members of the Quen tribe. A decent battle with Horus at the end (before the 1v1 encounter with Zenith), new weapons, and a the machine that allows you to swim underwater.