Publisher: MiHoYo
Developer: MiHoYo
Platform: PC, Switch, PS4, Android, iOS
Genre: Gacha RPG
Anybody here played Fate/Grand Order? No? Well you should? But this game isn't just dismissible itself, no Genshin Impact takes some grand ideas from other games and try to blend in to something unique while offering a lot of great appeal and waifu(or yuri) materials that does a good job elevating this game to a great status. Also yes, this is a Zelda clone, but only to some degree. Genshin Impact is a game made by Shanghai based developers who are passionate about JRPGs and Otaku culture as whole.
While games like Fate/Grand Order redefined what it means to make a good RPG game with gacha mechanics, Genshin Impact takes itself further by availability and simplicity compared to other Gacha games in the market. The game is F2P much like FGO, but it's also a fully realized 3D game with crazy graphics for mobile phones, gameplay that is versatile yet engaging and a lasting appeal similar to what I got from the first Ni No Kuni game, including charms and all.
Yet, this isn't the best of the bunch, I've seen some games be derivative and yet manage to spun itself into a better direction without feeling too familiar. Genshin takes awhile to go to interesting territories with its gameplay but it takes pretty long and mechanics itself isn't perfect because button prompts don't always register when you want them to. It's not tight-knit as other good games would be.
< Premise >
Set in the world of Teyvat, you play as either two twins whom are teleported to different worlds and one lands in this particular one that is full of wonder, mystery, charming characters, powerful entities, loot, magic, etc. Anything you can imagine coming from a normal Japanese Isekai. Few particular gods grant certain mortals elemental powers, much like Avatar: The Last Airbender. These individuals are on a journey to understand these gods, why they've given them such powers and why some are bent on their destruction.
Plot premise is confusing, it gets weirder when there's a lot of difficult parts of the story to navigate in order to get the full gist of what is going on. All I know is, I met a bunch of cute anime characters who throws a lot of jargon on the screen and I've decided to make sense of it later once hopefully I've finished the story. The intrigue in the beginning faded away once the prologue was over and I was stuck just striding along.
What makes this game seems good with cherry cream on top is the lore. This game has well, interesting lore that is kind of vast and broad in terms of fantasy, gods and worldly conflicts. I felt like at times saying that this game stands out but the world design, the storytelling, the worldbuilding itself to some degree feel familiar. Like Ni No Kuni 2, Fate series, Legend of Zelda, etc. I am trying at the top of my head here but the familiarity is too obvious here. While there is good novelty in taking inspirations and paying some form of homage, this game has some gull to be kind of blatant about it. Not to the full extent but it's pretty visible.
Nonetheless, the story writing is good, the dialogues pretty engaging. This is a well serviceable game that's fine, long as you're not looking for something that makes this pale in comparison to other RPGs.
< Gameplay >
The gameplay in GI is pretty simple, albeit too simple. Basically all you do attack with different combos, holding attack button, you pull attack bursts. Then there's your elemental abilities, one is your main elemental attack which you either press or hold for more sustained damages and the other is burst which requires you to kill enemies before filling up for use again. You can jump, dash and running are the same buttons. You can even glide through the sky. Not only that, you can also climb over everything, just like Zelda. I actually have no problem with that since it makes everything easier for platforming. I consider this a blessing.
The most important and unique facet of these elemental abilities is the effect they have and how you can synergize each of your characters for more damage. It's like this, if you attack with hydro abilities, they have passive hydro mark, mix that with cryo abilities and enemies freeze up racking insane damage. Same if you set enemies on fire and trying electrocuting them, they shortfuse. There's more to this and it is also affected by your surroundings as well. Though as great as this ideas may be, they're a little on the surface level. I do want to use these and grow my character as well, but I also want to unlock new passives or try out ridiculous burst combos that I know this game is good for. Doesn't always work that way. Especially with just two elemental attack functions.
As for character progressions, better items, unlocking talents and other RPG mechanics, there's a lot you can do. Starting the game within the first few days after its launch, I was given ridiculous amounts of rewards and beginners starter packs, like with insane amount of golds, character XP increase items and more. You can even cook, make better food just so you could increase stats temporarily or revive teammates. But that's about it.
There's a lot you can do in this game. Solve puzzles, visit shrines that'll give you rewards and increase your stamina. Go to blacksmiths to get more items for enhancements of both weapons and equipment and ascending them. You can level up your character easily using cards you've gotten from rewards, reach rank 16 and level 20 for each of your characters and you can ascend them provided you have the materials for it. Collect food for cooking.
I can go all day, a lot of this done is just checkmark stuff. It's good but even with a free to play game such as this, at least the gameplay or RPG mechanics would have something with more depth and nuance. There's been so many RPG and Action games played out all throughout the years all from Japan and yet to a certain extent, I feel it's kind of pointless to play this any further other than sheer curiosities and unlocking waifu characters.
Speaking of waifus and Gacha, this game is wholly based around the Gacha mechanics. Because, in order to unlock these characters, you need to farm for pendants. Two different pendants gets you to do a slot machine purchase where you unlock random weapons or new characters. Rarer items have 4-5 stars, which indicate how powerful they are. Again, of course, if you want to get more, you need to fork up real cash or play through the games and get enough rewards to purchase the tokens in order to do your slot machine thing.
Genshin Impact is a pretty long game, it'll take you 25hrs at best to reach rank 16 and level 20 for characters. But to finish the story, you need to put in more hours. Least there're more features and options available like co-op play and such. Genshin has lot of potential, but because of its so called mobile-phone game status, it only stayed content what it has currently offered. There's a lot to do in this game in terms of side activities, wave clearings, dungeons and so on. In fact, the map is also which you need to uncover areas of in the later game. But if it's as deep as a puddle sometimes, then I kind of do have a problem with it.
< There's Multiplayer >
This game has co-op mode. If you play with one friend, you can switch between only two characters. 3 people co-op means host gets to pick two characters while the rest are stuck with one each.
Though, there are restrictions. You can do abyssal domains(dungeons), clear out creeps, take out bosses, take commissions from daily quests and go on hunts. You cannot do story missions, use shops, use the 7 statue for upgrades or open chests.
But, the co-op mode has crossplay across all platforms which is really neat.
< Presentation >
There's obviously a bit of minimalism found within the artstyle even if its shiny cell-shaded anime textures and characters. Still, the game shines especially for an F2P. It is brimming with good lighting, water physics, textures, post-processing, visual effects, illumination, etc. Not only that, but the game isn't taxing on the hardware to get all these gorgeous visuals, even on a mobile phone.
The music and sound design are great, there's nice whimsy and cartoonish personalities found within both. The soundtrack is harmonic with nicely toned melodies to fit the themes of the game and is good accompaniment overall throughout the playthrough.
< Summation >
This is me telling you this is a derivative version of a lot of games that is actually trying to do something. But I hoped it got a better treatment as a triple AAA game would instead. There's been a lot of incredible JRPGs that has released throughout half of this decade like Valkyria Chronicles, Ys Lacrimosa, 13 Sentinels which recently got out, and Persona 5. Yes, this game is F2P but then again, so is Fate/Grand Order and that game has redefined how RPGs should be played for mobile devices.
This game has good enough microtransactions with the addictive Gacha mechanics to keep it going. But what it really needs is to look at better examples and see where it could have fitted in instead of where it is now.
Pros
- Streamlined RPG gameplay that is fun
- Wholesome anime characters and great-looking waifus
- Writing and story is pretty engaging, only for awhile
- There's so much you can do in here
- Gorgeous visuals and smooth performance
- Stellar voice acting
Cons
- Game philosophy and design feels shallow and kind of derivative
- Yeah, it is a semi Zelda clone.
- Co-op is kind of restrictive