Finally, the time has come and the new sci-fi RPG from HoYoverse “Honkai: Star Rail” is being released. MeinMMO editor and fan of Genshin Impact Marie Friske was immediately captivated by the trailers and believes that the game studio will achieve its next success with Honkai: Star Rail.
On March 24, 2023, there was a major livestream where Hoyoverse revealed new information about the upcoming space fantasy RPG Honkai: Star Rail.
During this, the exact release date of the game was announced: On April 26, 2023, the sci-fi adventure will launch – as a big Genshin Impact fan, I am incredibly excited.
In Honkai: Star Rail, players explore the galaxy with the Astral Express. You discover different worlds, meet various characters along the way, and uncover the secrets of the universe.
Strongest elements from Genshin Impact adopted
One of the most important aspects of Genshin Impact is the interesting and diverse characters you encounter on your journey through Teyvat. In addition to their aesthetic design, I appreciate their complex personalities and exciting backstories.
It is precisely here that Honkai: Star Rail comes in and piques my interest. From the mysterious “Kafka” to the lively girl “March 7th” and the calm senior member of the crew “Welt”, a variety of personalities have already been introduced, and their stories have been teased.
March 7th is a cheerful person who always jumps around with a camera and spreads good cheer among the crew members. However, the mystery lies in how she became part of the crew.
The girl was found frozen in a massive block of ice, floating through space. She was rescued and taken to the Astral Express, where she started a new life without any memories of the past events. The name March 7th, which is March 7, is the date she awoke on the express.
It is exactly such backstories and the exploration of what is behind them that attracts me to games like Genshin Impact. I want to get to know different personalities, only to be surprised the next moment when another facet is revealed.
The special program for Honkai: Star Rail keeps throwing me small hints about who the characters seem to be – but the rest I have to discover myself as a player, and I am looking forward to that.
In addition to the interesting characters, the new sci-fi game promises an exciting plot that immediately reminds me of the Archons, the deities in Genshin Impact, with its many eons.
Moreover, many mysteries, puzzles, and exploration opportunities await the players. All of these elements are aspects that made the multiplayer title Genshin Impact so good for me:
New setting for Genshin Impact fans
However, Honkai: Star Rail is different enough not to simply be a Genshin Impact clone. I can easily imagine playing this new RPG as a complement to my current evening program.
The sci-fi setting is located in the already known universe of “Honkai Impact 3rd.” As a Genshin Impact player, it is a completely new world for me. It is said to offer different locations, such as the ice planet Jarilo-VI or the Herta Space Station, where the journey begins.
Differences in gameplay compared to Genshin Impact
One of the biggest differences lies in the game mechanics. Honkai: Star Rail relies on a turn-based combat system. In a battle, you control a team of 4 characters who take their actions in turns — just like the enemies.
The quicker a character acts, the more actions can be performed within a certain time period. Additionally, certain skills enable multiple attacks in quick succession.
Like in Genshin Impact, characters in Honkai: Star Rail have special abilities. Additionally, they belong to one of seven “Paths” that bring certain properties:
For example, Jing Yuan is a character from the “Path of Erudition” and deals a significant amount of AoE damage. In his ultimate, he summons a “Golden Spirit” named “Lightning-Lord” that attacks multiple enemies simultaneously.
Welt, on the other hand, belongs to the “Path of Nihility.” Characters of this type weaken enemies. Through his abilities, Welt can immobilize opponents and reduce their speed.
Although Genshin Impact players may find the mechanics of special character abilities familiar, Honkai: Star Rail delivers a completely different gameplay experience through the turn-based combat system.
In Genshin Impact, I frantically type and switch through characters at lightning speed to create elemental effects. In contrast, Honkai: Star Rail places an even greater focus on strategy and planning. It’s less about reacting quickly and more about getting the most out of a turn and playing effectively.
I see the game principle in combination with the focus on single-player as a welcome change from Genshin Impact, which could especially appeal to strategically focused players.
Honkai Star Rail is already highly anticipated
Honkai: Star Rail seems to build on familiar and beloved games like Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact 3rd by relying on proven elements and an established setting. This could especially attract the already existing HoYoverse player base – this is already evident before the release.
Interest in the sci-fi game is already massive internationally. As Axios reports, there have already been more than 10 million pre-registrations for Honkai: Star Rail – 2.5 million of which are from outside China:
At the same time, players can also start the sci-fi adventure without any prior knowledge, which could attract new interested players. Furthermore, like its predecessors, the game is completely free to play.
The only thing that might deter some players would be the gacha system. However, if Honkai: Star Rail is as enjoyable as Genshin Impact without costs, I see no problem with it.
The sci-fi setting in the RPG genre could work particularly well to attract a new player base. The genre-typical fantasy theme, as seen in Genshin Impact, is already explored by numerous other games.
In comparison, there are significantly fewer RPGs set in a futuristic world. This could allow Honkai: Star Rail to establish itself more easily in the market and appeal to different players than, for example, a sequel to Genshin Impact.
The new RPG will be available on April 26 for PC, Android, and iOS. A PlayStation version will follow later.
My excitement for Honkai: Star Rail is already immense, and I can hardly wait to start my journey with the Astral Express.
Until April 26, I will shorten my waiting time with Genshin Impact. Here comes the next update with Baizhu, finally one of my absolute favorite characters as a playable figure:
Genshin Impact 3.6 Banner: The new characters Baizhu and Kaveh and their abilities
