Honkai: Star Rail is a turn-based free-to-play RPG from the makers of Genshin Impact that is launching near the end of this month. While HoYoverse has gained worldwide recognition, not to mention enormous revenue, from the success of Genshin Impact, Honkai is somewhat less well known in the west. But from the pre-registrations for the game, it seems the Shanghai-headquartered company could have another potential hit on its hands. Honkai: Star Rail's official Twitter account shared the news that the game has reached 10 million pre-registrations, which also beats the speed at which Genshin Impact achieved the milestone (via ResetEra). The success of that game might have contributed to the hype behind this new release, while the rewards unlocked by the pre-registration is also a tantalising reason for fans to pre-register. But the number of pre-registrations also demonstrates how Honkai has an international fanbase, with many coming from Asia. Honkai: Star Rail is the fourth entry in the Honkai series and the sequel to Honkai Impact 3rd. However, the new game is taking place in an alternate universe to its predecessor, so while some of the characters may seem familiar they're actually different. Star Rail therefore will appeal to series veterans while being accessible to newcomers since they won't need to have played any of the previous Honkai games.
Those coming from Genshin Impact can expect to see HoYoverse's signature art style in Honkai: Star Rail as well as many characters and a similarly fantastical world and story but with a more science fiction bent. In the game, players assume a character touched by the "Aeons", the Honkai universe's gods.
But the snag is is that you've been touched by the Aeon called Destruction who implanted you with a Stellaron. These seeds of destruction have been known to cause "massive changes to ecosystems" and this is not a good thing. To discover the true nature of the Stellaron, you embark on a journey across the galaxy. Along the way, there'll be lots of characters to find and add to your party and plenty of challenges to overcome.
Honkai: Star Rail will be arriving on mobile and PC on April 26, while the game will also launch on PlayStation at a later date.