Genshin Impact
Creating a whole new free-to-play legend
An immensely fun, free-toplay open-world action RPG that takes all the right cues from Nintendo’s The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, Genshin Impact is presented like an MMO in its menus and mechanics, and although you can play it solo (or in co-op, if you want to play with a friend or three), it’s an always-online game.
Like most gacha-based games (think more focussed lootboxes), it features a slew of microtransactions with a degree of randomness that keeps you coming back for more. Cough up some cash and the game could give you a fantastic character or weapon you’ve been wanting – or the exact opposite. However, you don’t have to spend money at all. Genshin Impact is perfectly playable as it is.
Playing in co-op mode with up to three other people makes the game much more enjoyable. The biggest issue is that the mode takes quite a while to unlock. You can’t team up with pals right from the start, and we wish the journey to unlocking it were faster. Still, once you’re in, it’s a blast and works seamlessly. You can explore the world together or take on the many dungeons and battle monsters as a team, which make excellent use of Genshin Impact’s complex elemental system. Each character features an element like ice, fire, or nature, that can be combined with others for maximum efficiency. Hurl fire at someone’s wind tornado and bam! – fire tornado. It’s a satisfying and very deep combat system. Experiment to see what happens!
HABIT FORMING
Even if you decide to play by yourself, switching between controlling characters in your party of four, you always have to be online, which often leads to a slight delay when you interact with
GENSHIN IMPACT DOES A FANTASTIC JOB OF KEEPING ITS HOOKS IN YOU.
the world, and I’ve found I get random stutter at times, especially when there are numerous enemies on screen. It’s not a massive deal-breaker but it’s noticeable. The menus are a bit clunky too, and can feel frustratingly inefficient (though this could easily be improved with an update).
Genshin Impact does a fantastic job of keeping its hooks in you. As you take on monsters and hunt for secrets in the large world (big updates are already planned), you’re constantly unlocking new items, rewards, or currency to spend, which keeps you coming back for more. And that’s on top of wanting to get your mitts on more playable characters. Each day you log in, you get a bonus, and the constant stream of achievements to earn keeps you checking lists off throughout. This may be a gacha game, but there’s plenty of meat here.
VERDICT
Despite a handful of questionable design decisions, Genshin Impact feels great to play – especially for a free-toplay game. It keeps you coming back for more. Joseph Yaden