MeinMMO editor Jasmin was able to play several hours in the testing phase of Honkai: Nexus Anima. She wondered how another monster-collecting game will survive in the current market. She found the answer during the beta.
In the realm of monster-collecting games, there are already some big hitters. Palworld, for example, lets us collect monsters in a survival game, while in Pokémon you catch your pocket monsters in a turn-based role-playing game.
In addition, there are many smaller games like Temtem or Nexomon. Many games follow a similar principle, and there are only minor differences in which they distinguish themselves.
That’s why I was initially a bit skeptical when HoYoverse, the creators of Genshin Impact, announced their new game Honkai: Nexus Anima. Because this is also about collecting monsters, just with a gacha mechanic.
But when I was finally able to play the beta myself, I realized how this game differs from other monster-collecting games and why it has its right to exist.
Honkai: Nexus Anima brings a refreshing combat system
At first glance, the gacha game feels like any other monster-collecting game. You need to collect different creatures and strengthen them. You can either fight the monsters in the open world and then catch them with threads or pull them via the gacha system.
The big difference shows in combat. From other games like Pokémon or Palworld, we already know different concepts such as turn-based or action-oriented combat systems.
In Honkai: Nexus Anima, a more tactical component is added. You have to place the monsters on hexagonal fields to attack the opposing monsters from there. Different elemental monsters can harmonize with each other and grant better bonuses for the entire team.
Therefore, it’s important to consider which type you want to go with. There are not only the classic elements like fire, ice, or lightning, but also types like beauty or saturation. But that’s just a minor detail.
What’s much more important is that you can also use character cards that provide special effects in combat. This way, you can heal your monsters in battle or boost their attack.
These cards have special types and varying cast times. Therefore, you have to carefully consider where and when to use them.
I found the combat system so refreshing that it was a lot of fun for me during the testing phase. I don’t know how much fun the combat system would still provide if I invested a three-digit number of hours in the game.
However, most gacha games are designed to be played in phases. And if you take a break from the game for a few months, I can imagine that you quickly get back into it, and it could be really fun again.
Overall, I find Honkai: Nexus Anima to be another great opportunity for fans of monster-collecting games to try something new. You just have to get used to it,
The anime style and the story, which hits the gas right from the beginning, also contribute to my interest in the game – even if that might not be the most important thing for many monster-collecting fans. After all, it’s primarily about the creatures, isn’t it?
Competitor Aniimo, by the way, we could also get hands-on in the first testing phase. What we liked most was the natural behavior of the monsters: Aniimo played in the closed beta: Yes, the Pokémon-like looks as good as in the trailers, but the stars are the monsters
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