The 4 Joys of Honkai Star Rail

In 2020, when Hoyoverse came out with Genshin Impact, it broke the internet. It has kept countless gamers company during the pandemic. It continued to drive a dynamic fandom dedicated to several characters, in-game lore, and the events Hoyoverse has put out to market the game. Lore has been continuously scattered across the game – from the items needed to level up the characters, the relics that fuel them, and the story quests they play. Another considerable part of the game’s charm was that it was an open-world game – enough to put a face against other open-world games, like Breath of the Wild.

In a few years, Hoyoverse came out with Honkai Star Rail, which has received polarizing feedback. Some might find the game boring.

However, it has some benefits and joys – especially if you want to be casual. 

Story

Hoyoverse loves scattering its lore – let’s bet it on online bingo Philippines! Story-wise, there are a few gaps. However, there is bravery that comes with the mechanics in-game. The story is quite immersive because the leading player (you) is the automatic Trailblazer. The Trailblazer has a significant role in the game as part of the Astral Express crew and is looking for Stellaron (remnants) across the vast universe. 

Lore can be explored, especially in the Xianzhou Luofu Arc. The storytelling, aside from being immersive, is fresh and straightforward. However, Hoyoverse does its storytelling best when it experiments and doubles the quality of its art, voice acting, and scripts – we see this best in the Penacony arc when we can play from Aventurine’s point of view, followed by the Trailblazer’s. 

Creative Direction

Most of all, Honkai Star Rail was able to craft its own identity that was separate from Genshin Impact. Passion and creativity indeed went into the crafting and development of the game – from its designs to its music. The localization, especially in its English dub, is excellent. The voice acting is stellar, with a special shoutout to the whole cast, especially Molly Zhang (Seele), Cameron Sudowski (Aventurine), Alejandro Saab (Jing Yuan), and Nicholas Leung (Dan Heng and Imbibitor Lunae). 

The dialog is realistic, believable – and is not afraid of poking fun at itself. Some moments indicate self-awareness and tongue-in-cheek moments. 

When it comes to gameplay, it is highly intuitive. Key binds are minimal but have weight and nuance, especially when facing teams. You must still master some skills to keep progressing, such as using and mastering support units that can debuff attacks from opponents. Most of all, team synergy and composition can save your butt in Honkai Star Rail, but equipment can help your team last a chance against more threatening foes. 

Challenges

Once you steamrolled and built your units, the game becomes more straightforward. However, seeing your units cheesing high-level boss enemies after grinding for nights and days to get the required equipment makes the game so satisfying. Difficulty also fuels you to keep grinding. You also have the option to keep the game in auto-play, especially if you’re tired from work. 

In comparison to Genshin, however, the challenge of the gameplay is quite different – especially because you have the option to put the game on auto-play and because of its turn-based nature.

Progression System

An unfortunate reality of the gacha system is the power creep. Thanks to Hoyo’s experiences in Genshin, the power levels at Honkai Star Rail are more polished. It also has set up endgame content mechanics, much like the Spiral Abyss in Genshin Impact. Most of all, with several endgame contents in place, it allows you to grind for in-game currency that gets you pulled – especially if you want to get 5-star items severely. It’s nice that Hoyoverse put “the end in mind.”

Unlike Genshin, however, Honkai Star Rail has elevated the gacha experience for those who have played for longer. You can catch up with older events at your own pace, and alongside the events and endgame content, farming for pulls is not as cumbersome as Genshin. The pity system is also quite forgiving, with a special in-store, particularly in the Standard Banner. 

Wrapping Up

We can attribute much of the more accessible gameplay in Star Rail to the previous experiences in Genshin Impact. However, you are a light gamer or looking for something casual. In that case, Honkai Star Rail will satisfy, especially with its immersive storytelling, auto-play function, and countless opportunities to obtain pulls. It’s undoubtedly a gacha worth remembering!