The Gacha-style game has been something the west has denied for a relatively long time, mostly existing as niche mobile games. Gacha games are free-to-play games where the player is presented with a very complicated role-playing game that is heavily dependent on the type of character they’re using. These characters are then raffled off to the player in a lottery, usually requiring real money to spin and giving them very slim odds of getting the one they’re after. Some notable games include “AFK Arena” and the infamous “Raid: Shadow Legends.”
“Genshin Impact” carries this concept but stretches it out to a triple-A experience and features a much more modern design philosophy. “Genshin Impact” provides a very well-presented story with fully animated cutscenes and colorful characters that seem to go the extra mile, even when it’s not necessary. The player is only able to choose their character’s sex before finding themselves in a strange world with a dragon to slay. The premise is simple yet captivating, as the game chooses to keep its exposition fairly lowkey. This same care can be extended to the visuals. The game world features a lot of large vistas with a selection of popping colors and calming music, whether the player is in the city of Mondstadt or in the mountains of Liyue.
The combat is simplistic. The player is given four characters to choose from at any time. Each one has a basic set of attacks, one special ability that recharges after a few seconds and an ultimate attack that needs to be charged up over a lengthy period of time. This is mostly bolstered by an elemental system. Every ability has an element attached to it and these reliably act in any way one can imagine. If an enemy is on fire, using a wind blast will cause the fire to grow and spread onto other nearby foes.
This also factors into the best part of “Genshin Impact,” which are its traversal mechanics. The best reference one could draw to is “The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild,” where players can glide off of cliffs and climb pretty much every surface. The elemental system stays just as prominent here, as one can freeze water to act as a bridge or drop rocks to create a step ladder.
This flow stays relevant up until the ending moments of the game, where “Genshin Impacts” starts to weasel its players down to finally spending money. It limits the dungeons one can explore in a day without spending some extra cash. There are also some very important story characters that the player must win from the magic slot machine. If one has a good amount of willpower, they’ll find a really solid game that will provide them just enough before monetization comes for their patience. Though perhaps in some cases “Genshin Impact” is worth your money, even if it doesn’t demand it.
Image from IGN via YouTube
