Genshin Impact will be released tomorrow, on September 28, on PC, PS4, iOS, and Android. We at MeinMMO will tell you 6 things you should know before the game starts.
What kind of game is it? Genshin Impact is a free-to-play cooperative RPG developed by the Chinese studio miHoYo. Visually, it resembles Zelda: Breath of the Wild, although there are significant differences, not only due to the co-op mode.
Therefore, in this article, we present 6 things you should definitely know before you want to play Genshin Impact. Everything about the release and preload can be found here.
Is Genshin Impact a pure Zelda clone?
No, even though both games have many similarities. Zelda and Genshin Impact both:
- rely on a similar art style
- feature an open world and many side quests within it
- dungeons and puzzles to solve
- various means of transportation like swimming or climbing
A significant difference, however, is the character system. In Genshin Impact, you can play more than just one character, as is the case with Link, but have more than 20 different characters to choose from.
Another innovation is the co-op mode, where you can defeat world bosses, complete dungeons, or solve puzzles together with up to 3 other players. This is particularly noticeable in the combat system, where Genshin Impact emphasizes an action-oriented play style and combos with other players.
In addition, Genshin Impact can be played on multiple platforms and offers crossplay between them.
The combat system is very action-oriented
Genshin Impact relies on a mix of action and tab-targeting. For some abilities, you have to aim precisely, but the auto-attack automatically selects the targeted target.
The RPG offers you 4 abilities per character:
- An auto-attack
- A chargeable attack
- An elemental attack
- A kind of ultimate
Although the number of abilities is manageable, Genshin Impact is designed to play quickly and dynamically – unlike Zelda.
You play multiple characters directly
In Genshin Impact, you have more than 20 different characters to choose from. From these, you can form a team of 4 different heroes, between whom you can freely switch without load screens.
You have to do this as opponents have different weaknesses and are, for example, more vulnerable to fire or water damage. Overall, there are 6 elements:
- Anemo
- Pyro
- Cryo
- Hydro
- Electro
- Geo
This creates a very interesting dynamic and constant switching between characters. The max level is level 80, by the way.
Why is it not a real substitute for MMORPG?
Genshin Impact offers many features that resemble an MMORPG, including daily quests and a crafting system with 4 different professions. Still, it is not comparable to MMORPGs, not only because you can only go on an adventure with a maximum of four players.
To unlock the co-op mode, you first need to reach adventure guild level 16. Moreover, the difficulty level is rarely truly demanding.
The biggest drawback, however, is that according to reports on reddit, players who help their friends in co-op get significantly less loot. They cannot loot monsters or open chests. Only resource gathering works in the friends’ game.
However, those who enjoy playing solo in MMORPGs might find fun in Genshin Impact. For others, we have gathered the best solo MMORPGs for you:
This is how equipment works in the game
In Genshin Impact, you can equip your character with potions, artifacts, and weapons. Weapons are the heart of the equipment. There are 5 different types of weapons:
- Sword
- Bow
- Polearms
- Two-handed sword
- Catalysts – magical weapons
However, each character can only carry one weapon. Moreover, each weapon comes in different strength versions, from 1 to 5 stars. Each weapon can also be upgraded up to 6 times at each level, making it stronger. From level 3, in addition to the normal attributes of a weapon, there is also a passive effect, which can vary widely.
- Weapons of the first 3 levels can be collected in the open world.
- Weapons of level 4 can be obtained through crafting or through wishes, a gacha system.
- 5-star weapons, the best you can get in the game, are only available through wishes.
Additionally, you can equip up to 5 artifacts. These also bring attributes and belong to specific types. The latter bring set bonuses, resulting in additional effects.
You can get a detailed overview of artifacts and bonuses in the Genshin Impact wiki.
Is Genshin Impact Pay2Win?
The co-op RPG is free to play, but relies on an item shop with cosmetic items and a gacha system reminiscent of loot boxes. Through these loot boxes, the strongest weapons and new characters can be unlocked.
Although you can also earn the premium currency, it can still be an advantage to invest a lot of money. However, a positive aspect is that the probabilities of success are stated exactly. Also, there is no PvP, which greatly reduces the appeal of strong equipment.
However, it will only be after the release that it becomes clear whether the gacha system is truly Pay2Win. You can find detailed information about the system and prices in this article.
