Genshin Impact surprised not just the world but also its competition with just how much of a quality game it is for the best price tag of all: free. Of course, not all the glitters is gold and Genshin Impact has to recuperate that price of admission somewhere else and that would be with its gachapon system which is pretty much digital gambling. That's why it's best played in moderation once players leave the beginner stage.
But whatever do they do with those remaining hours? Well, there are other free games like Genshin Impact out there that players can sink their teeth and time into. These have existed well before Genshin Impact either and have already established their free-to-play formulas so they're perfect for those burned out by that gacha game's chaotic Wish system. So try out these free-to-play games for similar cravings or just to take a break from Genshin Impact.
Updated on April 21, 2021, by Jessica Thomas: Genshin Impact has become one of the most popular titles in the gaming world, but many players have not completed most of the available content. While waiting on Inazuma, players can't help but want to find a new game like Genshin Impact to play while they are biding their time. There are a ton of free-to-play games with similar mechanics on the market, especially for players looking for another gacha game to play. From games with anime aesthetics to RPG-focused combat, there are tons of games to try out. Below are 20 games that you should try while you're waiting on the newest update in Genshin Impact.
20 Azure Lane
- Genre: Side-Scrolling Shooter
- Developer: Yuwan
- Platform: Android & IOS
Azure Lane is a gacha game that runs on both IOS and Android devices. The game is based around girls who resemble famous battleships and the different factions they align with. The gameplay itself is side-scrolling-shooting, but there are some RPG elements involved as well.
Players will need to level up their ships and work on making a powerful team to conquer new levels.
19 Raid: Shadow Legends
- Genre: Turn-Based RPG
- Developer: Plarium
- Platform: Windows, Android, Apple, & Macintosh
Like Genshin, Raid: Shadow Legends is a game that is available on multiple platforms. A PC version of the mobile game was released in 2020 for gamers who don't like to have a phone in their hand. The game has a turn-based battle system and allows players to pull for new characters.
It has an in-game story with a dark twist, perfect for gamers looking for something to do in between updates.
18 Date a Live: Spirit Pledge
- Genre: Dating Sim, RPG
- Developer: Moonwalk Interactive
- Platform: Android & IOS
Date a Live is a huge multimedia project in Japan, and Spirit Pledged was released in the west in 2020 for Android and IOS devices. The game allows players to go on dates with the girls in the game and experience the romance element that many players have been asking for in Genshin Impact for months.
The game also has a battle system that will retell the story of the anime as players progress.
17 Tales of Crestoria
- Genre: Turn-Based Rpg
- Developer: Bandai Namco
- Platform: Android & IOS
Tales of Crestoria is a mobile game based on the popular Tales Of series. It has its own story and features popular characters from previous games in the franchise. The game lets players pull new characters that they can then be used to play the game's story for those who want to invest.
The game is turn-based and features crisp art that will appeal to fans of anime-styled games.
16 Disgaea RPG
- Genre: Turn-Based RPG
- Developer: Boltrend Games & Nippon Ichi Software
- Platform: Android
Disgaea RPG is one of the newest mobile gacha games and is based in the popular Disgaea world. Currently, the game is only available on Android devices but is a perfect choice for gamers looking for a free-to-play RPG with stylish characters and an enticing story.
Players can enjoy several different game modes and getting to see the adorable Prinnies in action.
15 Dragalia Lost
- Genre: Turn-Based RPG
- Developer: Nintendo & Cygames
- Platform: Android & IOS
Developed by Cygames and published by Nintendo, Dragalia Lost is a hugely ambitious title that has grossed more than $100 million. $16 million of that came in its first two weeks, which just goes to show what a huge impact it had on its player base upon release. Few games are as well polished, nor can they boast such an accessible combat system.
On the surface, it's one of the simplest that you're likely to find in a modern mobile game, but there is a surprising amount of depth to it as well. Combine this with the game's interesting plot and its regular collaborations with big gaming IPs like Fire Emblem and Monster Hunter; you've got yourself a game that's absolutely worth your time.
14 Another Eden: The Cat Beyond Time And Space
- Genre: Side-Scrolling RPG
- Developer: WFS
- Platform: Nintendo Switch, Windows, Android & IOS
With its time travel elements and turn-based combat mechanics, Another Eden serves as a nice throwback to some of the fantastic RPGs of yesteryear. As it happens, it was developed by some of the team behind Xenogears and Chrono Trigger, which likely accounts for some of these similarities. Surprisingly though, there aren't too many similarities to be drawn between Another Eden and the many other free-to-play titles available right now.
For one thing, there are no annoying stamina bars and timers in the game which allows players to enjoy it at their own pace. There are also no multiplayer elements to speak of and - whilst they do exist - the microtransactions have been kept to a minimum and are never shoved directly in the player's face. Instead, players are treated to a charming art style, a wonderful story, and one of the best soundtracks to ever feature in a mobile game.
13 Fire Emblem Heroes
- Genre: Strategy RPG
- Developer: Nintendo
- Platform: Android & IOS
As is the case with Final Fantasy, there are several free-to-play Fire Emblem games available. The pick of the bunch is definitely Fire Emblem Heroes though. It looks great and does a fantastic job of incorporating elements, characters, and combat mechanics from the mainline series. Until we finally get a new Fire Emblem game on Switch, this might just be the next best thing.
New heroes are constantly being added to the game and there are always several special events taking place to keep players busy. It's one of those games that you can very easily lose yourself in, which is great for those who find themselves with a bit too much time on their hands. While not quite 'simple', it's a fairly easy game to pick up, although putting it down again afterward may prove to be a little difficult.
12 Bleach: Brave Souls
- Genre: Hack-n-Slash
- Developer: KLab
- Platform: Android & IOS
Based on the incredibly popular Japanese manga series of the same name, Bleach: Brave Souls does a brilliant job of adapting the source material and offers a surprising amount of content for a free-to-play game. With more than 40 million downloads, it's also one of the most successful mobile titles out there and remains popular despite having first released in Japan almost six years ago.
The game combines elements from the beat 'em up and RPG genres and features a fully fleshed out story mode as well as coop and PVP options. There are hundreds of characters from the manga available as well as a wonderful soundtrack that features some of the biggest names in J-pop. If you like Bleach or manga in general, you'll likely love what Brave Souls has to offer.
11 King's Raid
- Genre: Side-Scrolling RPG
- Developer: Vespa
- Platform: Android & IOS
Unlike some of the other gacha games on the market, King's Raid is incredibly generous when it comes to handing out new characters. The real challenge here is getting hold of the equipment needed to make them viable party members. It's not an easy task by any means, but with enough time and patience, is something that most players should realistically be able to achieve.
In that respect, King's Raid is incredibly free to play friendly; allowing players to remain competitive without needing to take out a second mortgage to pay for microtransactions. They do exist, of course, but in many ways serve more as a time-saver than anything else. Providing you don't mind a bit of grinding though, there's no reason why you'd ever need to spend real money on the game.
10 Warframe
- Genre: Third-Person Shooter
- Developer: Digital Extremes
- Platform: Windows, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, & Nintendo Switch
Much like Genshin Impact, Warframe is also an action RPG with co-op whose gameplay primarily evolves around "characters" with unique skills. These are called Warframes and they're pretty much just freelancer space ninjas who take contracts usually involving mass murder.
At the moment there are around 40+ Warframes (excluding their Prime variants) and all of them are comparable to Genshin Impact's 20+ characters. The difference is that obtaining Warframes doesn't rely on luck (at least most of them don't) and can be more forgiving or generous than Genshin Impact.
9 Albion Online
- Genre: Fantasy MMORPG
- Developer: Sandbox Interactive
- Platform: Windows, Linux, Macintosh, IOS, & Android
Albion Online is another free-to-play game that's of a different subgenre compared to Genshin Impact. It's a sandbox MMORPG that's played from an isometric top-down perspective and has a classless combat system where the characters can specialize in anything the players want.
How Albion Online does this is more interesting compared to similar RPGs as it also allows the players to swap between builds or RPG archetypes, much like how players can swap party characters in Genshin Impact.
8 Kurtzpel
- Genre: Action
- Developer: KOG Studios
- Platform: Windows
Kurtzpel plays out differently compared to Genshin Impact even though the aesthetics are astonishingly similar. This game is more of a free-to-play brawler where players duke it out on a virtual playground either against one another or in co-op mode versus the A.I.
In fact, some players might find Kurtzpel's experience closer to that of competitive multiplayer games like Call of Duty or Battlefield as it has modes like Team Deathmatch and even Capture the Flag. Still, it's a pleasant game for when players just want to jump into the action straight away.
7 SoulWorker
- Genre: Action MMORPG
- Developer: Lion Games
- Platform: Windows
Speaking of breathtaking anime action, SoulWorker is also another game like Genshin Impact that fans might want to see. Much like Albion Online, SoulWorker is an MMORPG though it has a class system that's gender-locked and the anime style is very much akin to Genshin Impact's aesthetics.
Thankfully, SoulWorker doesn't have a gacha system in place for its characters; it only has one for fashion which is fair enough considering it's a free game. Despite being an MMORPG, the gameplay is also similar enough to Genshin Impact's and its over-the-top anime combat.
6 Phantasy Star Online 2
- Genre: Fantasy Sci-fi MMORPG
- Developer: Sega & Online R&D
- Platform: Windows, Playstation 4, Playstation Vita, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, Android, & IOS
For anyone wanting a break from Genshin Impact's gacha or maybe those wanting a different scenery from all the high fantasy, then Phantasy Star Online 2 is unironically a good choice. It's actually sci-fi and includes lots of mechas and mechanized characters.
Phantasy Star Online 2 is also an MMORPG so the players won't ever feel lonely here unlike in Genshin Impact's limited co-op mode. The game is also constantly updated and is even slated to have another graphical overhaul this upcoming 2020.
5 Closers
- Genre: Action MMORPG
- Developer: Naddic Games
- Platform: Windows & Playstation 4
Closers ought to be a refreshing change of gameplay scenery as it's a 3D sidescroller beat 'em up action RPG. If players thought that sounds like a handful, then they haven't heard of the anime plot of the game where their characters are pitted against monsters from different dimensions.
Okay, that's actually more of just a premise than a plot but the allure of Closers lies in its action co-op gameplay that's in the same vein as Metroidvania-style games. The story and content are also released in an episodic manner, much like how Genshin Impact is about to do it.
4 Blade & Soul
- Genre: Martial Arts MMORPG
- Developer: NCSOFT
- Platform: Windows
Yet another good anime-esque MMORPG would be Blade & Soul. It's a tried and tested game from 2014 that's still popular today and remains free as ever. Blade & Soul is also quite popular for its robust selection of customizable character races including some cutesy small being for those who love Paimon.
Anyway, Blade & Soul puts players in the role of a central nameless and mute character who has to stop an evil gang of world-enders while making it personal with their revenge goal. The grind is more or less on par with Genshin Impact, though fashion can be a bigger motivator in this game.
3 Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius
- Genre: Strategy RPG
- Developer: Alim Co. & Gumi
- Platform: Android, IOS, and Amazon Fire
It's a Final Fantasy mobile game like Genshin Impact with a gacha system, what more could fans ask for? Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius has been making players gamble much since 2015 and remains free to this day as one of the strongest gacha titles.
This one's a spin-off of the Final Fantasy franchise that's also available on mobile. The RPG gameplay, however, can be a lot slower than other RPGs since Brave Exvius features turn-based combat. Still, it's a good pace especially if players want to relax and deal with something a bit more chill and less active.
2 Vindictus
- Genre: Action MMORPG
- Developer: Nexon & Devcat
- Platform: Windows
Vindictus has been around since 2010 and is surprisingly still going strong to this day with its active player base. It's actually one of the most important MMORPGs since it served as a pioneer for action combat that later games such as Black Desert Online, would adapt.
Even if it's old, the graphics are still decent and the action combat still stands out as one of the most exhilarating in its sub-genre. There are currently 15 gender-locked classes and the game has retained its instance-based mission structure with a central hub.
1 Honkai Impact 3rd
- Genre: Hack-n-Slash
- Developer: Mihoyo
- Platform: Windows, Android, & IOS
Honkai Impact 3rd is essentially a sci-fi or futuristic version of Genshin Impact and it's even made by the same developers, miHoYo. That means it also has its own robust gacha and colorful cast of characters that players need to grind or gamble for.
In terms of story, it's even more convoluted than Genshin Impact's and the combat is a lot wackier-- quite similar to over-the-top shonen or action anime. Even so, The faster and more complex combat system ought to keep the players coming back, especially from the slower pace of Genshin Impact.