The new area Penacony was introduced in Honkai: Star Rail version 2.0. Now the story around the planet of dreams has reached its phenomenal finale in 2.2. MyMMO editor Marie Friske believes that the story surrounding the mysterious deaths, the gambler Aventurine, and the sibling duo Robin and Sunday is the best of the entire game so far.
I love abstract, dramatic stories filled with symbolism and references. This is one reason why Death Stranding by Hideo Kojima is one of my absolute favorite games.
From the moment the main story began on the surreal dream planet Penacony in version 2.0, I believed it could be the best story in Honkai: Star Rail so far.
Now the current version 2.2 “Then Wake to Weep” has delivered the finale of the area and topped everything once again. While a few tears streamed down my cheeks in the last cutscenes, fitting the version title, I knew: I HAVE to write about this.
She is a huge fan of HoYoverse games and spends way too much time grinding for her anime waifus and husbandos.
Why the story in Penacony was so strong and offers the perfect incentive to give the game a chance – especially if you like good stories – I will explain to you in this article.
But beware, even though I try to reveal as little about the content as possible and mainly refer to things you could already glean from the trailers and official livestreams of Honkai: Star Rail, you will encounter spoilers.
Here you can see a trailer for the current version 2.2 “Then Wake to Weep”:
What is the story of Penacony about? In Penacony, you dive into a collective dream, similar to the film Inception, which is under the supervision of the powerful “Family”.
However, a series of murders cloud the seemingly perfect dream world, and you must uncover the mystery of “Death”.
I experience the story not just as a Trailblazer, but also as an antagonist
I thought I knew exactly who the character Aventurine was. An arrogant manager of the IPC Strategic Investment Department and a gambler who walks around with a self-satisfied grin on his face, choosing his “friends” only strategically to extract the greatest profit for himself.
But when I then slip into Aventurine’s peacock garb within the context of the Penacony story and see the events from his perspective, I quickly find out otherwise.
Not only do I discover a surprising and genuine friendship between him and the otherwise emotionless Dr. Ratio, this character also turns out to be one of the most tragic in the whole game, having endured a painful past full of loss and suffering.
It is not just Aventurine’s background that is revealed. Penacony is brimming with characters with wishes, ideals, and sad pasts, each one more touching than the last. Yet it is often the complex and tragic characters that tell the best stories.
No matter how nice I want to be, the consequences are devastating
In order to understand the actions of the main antagonist particularly well, we are tasked with listening to his story and then deciding how we would have acted in those situations.
With the intention of acting morally exemplary, I make my decisions. And indeed, I would have acted the same as my opponent two out of three times, hoping to have done something good – only to have the character in the next moment tell me about the depressing and devastating consequences of his (and my) actions.
The story of Penacony is profound because it is not about the struggle between good and evil, but about different ideals and approaches. Even the antagonist is, in the end, just a character who wished too much that the dream of a perfect idyll would never end.
Trust no one in Penacony
Many different characters and their factions are involved in the story of Penacony. We have the Trailblazers as the protagonist group, then the Family, with Sunday acting as a sort of mafia boss.
Then there are the IPC and the Intelligentsia Guild, which try to profit from Penacony as external groups.
Each character seems to be pursuing their own plans. I can’t really trust anyone. There are also surprising plot twists that turn everything I was previously convinced of on its head, such as knowing the nature of “Death” in Penacony.
This means I never know what will happen next, often sitting with wide eyes when another secret is revealed. Especially a plot twist at the very end of the chapter catches me off guard.
Until now, I didn’t want to continue playing in any area as quickly to finally know how the story unfolds.
Gigantic finale that amazes both visually and emotionally
A magnificent theater full of faceless mannequins with a life of their own is the setting for the final battle, creating a mysterious, slightly eerie atmosphere. Additionally, wonderfully abstract bosses and dungeons breathe new life into the dream-like experience.
My absolute highlight is the final boss fight of Penacony, where the biblical elements come fully into play. They have repeatedly emerged through the angelic beings, the Halovians, Sunday, and Robin.
Accompanied by epic background music, I battle the final boss: a statue-like golden figure with wings on its face.
As the boss starts a countdown in the final phase based on the creation story, while the figure itself shines brighter and brighter, I simply get goosebumps. A phenomenal finale for a thoroughly successful story!
Penacony’s story is the best in Honkai: Star Rail so far
Especially since Penacony is a dream city, it is natural to experiment with abstract themes and symbols here more than ever. And in my opinion, HoYoverse has succeeded fully.
If you are considering giving Honkai: Star Rail a chance or have lost the desire to continue playing in between, then it is more worthwhile than ever to (re-)dive in to experience the Penacony story for yourself.
Because through the different perspectives, the various mysterious figures, and the emotional depth, Penacony delivers the best chapter of the entire game yet. Even if you might end up staring at the screen as an emotional wreck just like I did when the chapter comes to its conclusion.
But even the most beautiful dream will eventually come to an end, and so it must also say in Honkai: Star Rail someday: “The night is still too short […] The dream is over.” More about the game: Honkai: Star Rail takes itself less seriously than Genshin Impact – but is just as lovable
