I will probably bite the bullet on that DLC when I buy XCR later this month hahaha.
As far as the art style goes... I love the art style but the weeby fanservice stuff and overtly sexualized nature of the characters and blades turns me off. In fact, Tora, the little Nopon character... it was so cringe that I honestly nearly gave up on the game in chapter 4. Chapter 4 is so embarrassing story-wise that I had a very negative opinion of the game. The blade designs certainly didn't help. And the voice acting is rubbish in many places. But I'm so glad I stuck with it because as soon as chapter 5 started the game picked up in a big way and the back half of the game (story, battling, everything really) more than redeemed the first half imo. Quite the roller coaster of opinions, XC2.
When I finally learned how to maximize the battle system's potential and pull off chains using every elemental break, it honestly became one of the most fun battle systems I've ever played. It's really deep and engaging and customizable.
I want Three Houses but I despise that they're leaning into turning FE into a waifu simulator.