Genshin Impact isn’t a part of my life anymore. I banished MiHoYo’s hugely popular anime RPG after its gacha mechanics proved too addictive and too much content piled up for me to reasonably catch up on. It wasn’t worth it anymore, and I came to realise how dipping into it each and every day was doing more harm than good. To my surprise, I’ve stuck to this promise for years, but now a new outing from the same studio threatens to upend my weeaboo sobriety.
Honkai: Star Rail launched for PC, iOS, and Android earlier this week, and it seems to be the same thing as Genshin Impact, but it’s set in space with a magical train or something. Oh and the combat is turn-based, meaning the overall experience is far less of a high budget Breath of the Wild clone and something a little more original. The character designs are killer, all the music is wonderful, and the progression loop looks equally fiendish in its potential to dig its hooks in and refuse to let go. My only saving grace is the delayed PlayStation version.
With over ten million players registering ahead of launch, Star Rail is poised to become yet another jewel in miHoYo’s crown as it sits alongside Genshin Impact as one of the pioneering freemium titles of the modern era. We aren’t really in it for the gameplay, the world, or stories this game intends to tell - but the cute anime boys and girls that underpin its gacha economy.
I wasn’t interested until a gameplay video came across my feed earlier this week. Fantasy in the confines of space is hugely exciting, and not nearly explored enough, and combat being a more old school turn-based
affair without sacrificing the cutesy anime aesthetic is doing a lot for me. There’s even a space dragon and sick ass cosmic magic, and like Genshin Impact before it the initial setup is almost limitless when it comes to expansion. In the future it could go anywhere, but deep down I know it’s underpinned by an ecosystem that will eat me alive. A locomotive that allows you to travel across the universe is a brilliant idea, and I can see why millions are already eager to embark on this adventure. I’m not sure if joining them is wise though. Not because the game is bad, it just wants to take advantage of me.
Progression parallels can be drawn between Star Rail and Genshin Impact within seconds. It seems you have an Adventure Rank of sorts which will result in new upgrade resources and items, while there remains a number of hub areas alongside the open world where you will take on quests and meet main characters. Everyone is also incredibly attractive, so expect a similar avalanche of fanart in the coming months. A few unique puzzle mechanics and other gimmicks are present, although one glance at the user interface tells us everything we need to know about what this game is going for. If Genshin ever clicked with you, so will Star Rail.
I’ll wait for the PS5 version before hesitantly dipping my toes in, aware of how negatively Genshin Impact burrowed under my skin and how allowing its slot machine mechanics to become my main reason for playing it will only lead me to a darker place. There’s a huge amount of talent and creativity poured into games like this, so it’s a shame that what they really want from us is nothing but greed. Transparent gacha cynicism of the highest order.