If you asked me what I was doing two years ago, I would have to admit how I spent hours and hours, daily, in Genshin Impact. I logged in, explored the world called Teyvat, immersed myself in the story and just wanted to progress and see more. Perhaps I’m still more capable of explaining the lore of the game than revising some theories I was taught in university. The game has the ability to get you hooked and as someone who has played the game almost daily for over two years, I can stand behind my words.
In Genshin Impact you start as a traveller who has lost their sibling and then traverse through different nations, get involved in the story and explore the world. The traveller will encounter conflicts between and inside the nations and face mysterious forces interfering with the peace.
When you progress in the game you can obtain different characters who play their part in the story. In the game, you use a four-character team while exploring and fighting. Some characters are obtained through events and the story, while some need to be acquired from wishing on banners. Combat works with character rotation and using elemental powers for your benefit. For example, using a character to apply pyro (fire) and then swapping to a hydro character (water) means you get the reaction “vaporize” which deals more damage.
An example of what the game and some enemies look like while playing.
The story takes over fifty hours to complete, and it will not end there with all the side stories and quests the player can go through. The events take place in Teyvat, a seven-nation world which holds plenty of lore. The story is rich with different characters and events, intriguing plots and exciting. I’ve gone through different emotions with the plot twists and been amazed at how diverse and unexpected the story can be. Advancing in the story not only helps the players learn the secrets of Teyvat and the traveller but also provides resources critical for the game and opens the map for more exploration.
Currently, the game has five regions released and two are expected to come out in the following years. Every area has their distinct features and nature such as desert and rainforests, mountains and meadows, even underwater exploration is possible in a certain nation. The diversity broadens the possibilities for exploration and the player will find chests guarded by enemies, time trials and hidden objectives during their journey. As an explorer enthusiast, this game has kept me entertained. Sometimes it takes just a second to understand how to solve a certain puzzle and at other times it can take longer and need you to rack your brain to understand the mechanism.
The game has versatile terrain including lakes, mountains, desert, forests and underground areas.
Genshin is a gacha game, meaning the game involves players spending in-game currency or real money to get items and characters. Because of this it might put some players at a disadvantage but spending any real money is not required to enjoy the game. There is a possibility for new players to feel overwhelmed or unmotivated by the amount of content and mechanics to learn but it will become simple with time. I would recommend Genshin for anyone who wishes to find a game to keep them entertained for long, whether it is the lore, the team building or the exploration that attracts. Even if I don’t spend many hours daily in the game anymore, I have grown into this game and do not see a reason why it could not keep me entertained for another two years at least.
Basic info
Publishers: miHoYo, COGNOSPHERE PTE. LTD. D/b/a HoYoverse
Developers: miHoYo, Shanghai Miha Touring Film Technology Co., Ltd
Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Release Date: September 28, 2020
Genres: Action role-playing game, gacha game
PEGI: 12
Photos: screenshots from Genshin Impact, taken by the author
Exploration enthusiast who has a bad habit of speed-running new content to see it all. Preferably playing action-adventure RPG’s but sometimes she can be found arguing with friends in co-op puzzle games or trying horror games with eyes closed.
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