In June 2019, Chinese game developer and publisher, miHoYo, introduced its newest role-playing game (RPG) project titled Genshin Impact. Genshin Impact Reviews also received a variety of responses. Positive responses were tweeted by fans of anime-style RPGs or those who are familiar with Honkai Impact 3rd, the action-RPG game also developed by miHoYo.

Then, what about gamers outside that category? Most of them think this game is too similar to Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in terms of visual style and gameplay. In fact, this resemblance sparked controversy and anger from loyal fans of the original Nintendo Switch game. Some of his fanatical fans in China even demonstrated at the Genshin Impact booth at the 2019 ChinaJoy Convention.

After going through a beta test period, miHoYo finally released Genshin Impact officially on September 28, 2020. This game was released for free for PS4, PC, and mobile platforms (Android & iOS)

It must be admitted, the presence of Genshin Impact indirectly makes the writer feel interested and also can’t wait to play it. Because, apart from the controversy, miHoYo’s reputation with Honkai Impact 3rd as one of the mobile games with the most beautiful visuals also invites curiosity.

From the issues above, a question arises that is quite intriguing about this game. Which direction will Genshin Impact take, is it in the negative direction because it is only considered a complete imitation of Breath of the Wild? Or is this game actually able to set a high standard for RPG on the mobile platform?

List of Genshin Impact Reviews

“Followers” Who Successfully Find Yourself

As previously discussed, the resemblance to Breath of the Wild (BOTW) is one of Genshin Impact’s biggest issues. If you’ve ever played or at least watched a BOTW trailer video, you’re guaranteed to feel the same feeling when playing this game.

The most noticeable resemblance lies in the visual style, especially in the landscape, the monster characters, and the environment. Even with the elements in the gameplay such as climbing cliffs, flying with gliders, element systems, to the use of the surrounding environment to defeat enemies.

Seeing the resemblance, it would be natural for those of you who have played BOTW to feel that Genshin Impact is a copycat. However, it is very wrong if you think this game really imitates its predecessor. Because there are several elements that make this game has its own characteristics and identity.

The most striking difference is of course the character selection. If you can only use Zelda in BOTW, in Genshin Impact there are dozens of characters with different play styles that you can use.

There are a total of 23 playable characters that you can use during your adventure in the world of Treyvat. All of them have their own characteristics, from roles, abilities, and elements, like the class system in RPGs in general. For example, there is Traveler, the main character who uses a sword like a fighter class, then there is Lisa, a lightning-elemental magician, and Amber, an archer who uses the fire element.

Unfortunately, you can’t choose these 23 characters right the first time you play. Like BOTW or The Witcher, Genshin Impact has the main characters, namely the Traveler twins, who are directly related to the main story. That’s why you can only play 22 other characters by getting them randomly in the “Wish” aka gacha system.

The obvious difference between this game and BOTW is the combat system. Genshin Impact carries a party system with a maximum of four characters. When fighting, you can change characters freely. Overall, the system is similar to Final Fantasy VII Remake.

The use of this party system also makes Genshin Impact more varied in terms of combat. Because this is where some aspects of BOTW will feel more leverage. Call it an element system that becomes more tactical because you are required to determine the best strategy according to the character you choose in the party.

This is a Real (Mobile) RPG!

Apart from the resemblance issue, the positive side that can be obtained by Genshin Impact is the very epic, immersive, and very detailed gameplay. In this game, you will really feel the role-playing game that you may rarely find. Especially from the aspect of adventure that is very much felt.

Nothing feels useless when you explore the vast world of Treyvat. Because, in it there are many interesting elements that you can enjoy, ranging from dungeons, puzzles, searching for treasure, cooking, collecting natural resources, to secrets hidden in the map.

This aspect the author considers as one of the plus values ​​of Genshin Impact. Because there are not a few open-world RPG games that make you bored because the world is too wide but lacks challenges. Well, in this game, you won’t feel like exploring an empty planet.

The world of Treyvat also feels like it continues to tempt you to explore it with its visual beauty. If you play on a “sultan” class cell phone, keep Genshin Impact very pleasing to your eyes. With typical anime-style visuals, the graphics displayed are cute, beautiful, and very detailed at the same time.

The author also gives an appreciation for miHoYo’s intention in working on sound effects. Almost all the characters in the game have their own voice actors. When you talk to characters, even NPCs, they won’t just mumble, but actually have a dialogue. More interestingly, Genshin Impact also provides four language choices for character voices, namely English, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin.

The fighting system is also the main attraction. Conceptually, the mechanism is fairly simple because you can only use two active skills. However, it is the element system that makes everything more interesting. Because this is the key to your victory when fighting against enemies.

In comparison, the element system must feel familiar to the one in Pokemon. Each element has its own advantages and disadvantages. With the party system, you can also swap characters to launch combos so you can defeat enemies quickly by utilizing the element system.

Carrying a hack and slash format when fighting, the element system also requires you to play tactically. Because the enemies in the game have a variety of element types. In the end, the complicated and simple combat system makes everything feel easy but still doesn’t make you bored easily.

The simplicity of the gameplay is also quite felt in the leveling system. Indeed there are many options that you can take to increase the level. Moreover, the level that must be increased is also different. There is an option to level up overall on Adventure Levels, there are also special levels to improve character abilities.

Even so, everything still feels simple and easy. To increase the level of Adventure, you will be busy with a series of quests given. Meanwhile, the character’s level, including weapons and artifacts, can be increased by collecting special items.

The leveling system may feel unfriendly at first. However, miHoYo guides you gradually to understand everything in the game with its leveling system. Moreover, later there will be special features that you can only get after reaching a certain level.

In addition, Genshin Impact is not like a typical mobile MMORPG that uses the auto option. So, you have to control everything yourself. That is, instead of having to grind, completing missions and stories is the best option for leveling up in this game.

Because it’s not an MMO, you certainly won’t find other players while exploring the world of Treyvat. However, miHoYo provides the option of a co-op feature after the Adventure level has reached level 16. This feature will certainly feel fun if you have friends to play with.

Some Neatly Hidden Weaknesses

Keep the gameplay of Genshin Impact not without flaws. This game is still suffering from the recurring “disease” of RPG and MMORPG mobile games in general, namely a story that is actually interesting but tends to be ignored by players.

The premise is about a demigod who loses his twin after a battle against a god. The main character called “Traveler” is also on an adventure to find the missing twin. In addition, Traveler also has a mission to find the truth about the primordial gods in the world of Trevyat.

miHoYo is actually trying to make the story enjoyable for players by removing the skip option. The premise offered is actually quite interesting. The dialogue is also filled with light humor. Unfortunately, the overall story lacks motivation. It’s no wonder that later players prefer to shorten the dialogue.

For the record, the author has just completed several story chapters in the game. That is, there are still many pages of stories that have not been revealed. So, there is still a possibility that the story offered will be more epic in the final chapters of the story.

In addition, the author feels a little disturbed by the control mechanism. Several times the characters that the author controls fall and die in vain because the pace of the characters is difficult to stop. So, when you run and stop, the character you control doesn’t stop immediately. If you don’t stop at the right time, don’t be surprised if your character “slips”.

However, it must be admitted that the above shortcomings are actually hidden thanks to the very epic gameplay. If you only focus on gameplay, it might be lacking in terms of story and control that won’t really affect the playing experience.

Fairly Friendly Gacha System

Like mobile games, especially MMORPGs and collectible-based action-RPGs, in general, Genshin Impact applies a microtransaction system that is none other than gacha. In this game, the gacha system is termed as “Wish”.

Like the “brother”, Honkai Impact 3rd implements a collectible system. Most of the 4-star characters and weapons and above can only be obtained randomly after spending in-game currency in the form of Acquaint Fates and Intertwined Fates (premium currency), and Primogem which can be purchased with Genesis Crystals. Meanwhile, you can get Genesis Crystal through transactions using money.

The gacha system is actually very common for a free-to-play game like Genshin Impact. Because this is where miHoYo as a developer gets income to improve the quality of the game. Well, the question that makes you curious is, how much influence do gacha and its content have on the experience and enjoyment of playing?

The content offered from gacha is arguably very interesting. Because some overpowered characters and weapons can only be obtained randomly from Wish. Call it Venti or Diluc who is currently considered the strongest character in the game. The possibility to reach it with 10 gacha pulls is also very difficult.

Fortunately, miHoYo was kind enough to apply the guaranteed one-draw mechanism (4-star and above) on the x10 draw. That is, there is still a chance to get good items. In addition, you can also collect Primogem from quests and missions on the map.

After all, the presence of microtransactions in Genshin Impact is more of a “recommendation” than a “coercion”. You can still enjoy the game as a whole without gacha with the characters you have. The varied exploration and mission elements can also make you forget about gacha.

The Highest Standard of Mobile RPG Today

RPG is arguably the most complicated and complex when compared to other genres. It’s not uncommon for RPGs to create their own standards to determine the quality of a game. Developers are also competing to get recognition as the best by creating a “new world” in their games.

It should be noted that the above for now only applies to AAA tier RPGs released on PC or console platforms. What about mobile, a platform that is still “young”, but is already loved by many people?

Ironically, the mobile platform is still underestimated by AAA class developers. The existing RPG games cannot be equated with consoles or PCs. The number is indeed a lot, but the quality is like heaven and earth.

Especially when it comes to unlimited repetition and the very vicious practice of microtransactions in today’s MMORPGs. Even if there is a quality RPG, it’s very rarely seen on the surface. The reason is either due to lack of promotion from the publisher or indeed the game is basically not of high quality.

The presence of Genshin Impact can be said to answer these negative issues. Indeed, conceptually, this game is still the same as RPG and MMORPG mobile in general. However, when it comes to complexity, Genshin Impact can already be compared to its brothers on console and PC platforms.

Indeed, conceptually, RPG (conventional) and MMO can not be equated to apple-to-apple. However, miHoYo deserves thumbs up for his extraordinary efforts to create Genshin Impact. With everything that is offered in it, this game can be said to quench the “thirst” of mobile RPG game fans who have felt betrayed by most MMORPGs.

Of course, this is a very positive thing for the development of the next RPG and MMORPG on the mobile platform. Because miHoYo managed to set a high standard for an RPG with Genshin Impact. So, it is not impossible that in the future mobile game developers will compete to create games that are just as epic or at least have the same standards.

Copycat Zelda: BOTW? You have the right to think that way. However, you also need to know that overall Genshin Impact is able to find its identity with innovation from various aspects. After all, it is a matter of pride for miHoYo because they have succeeded in creating a game that is almost equal to BOTW’s success on the mobile platform which is still underestimated.

***

Genshin Impact is likened to an oasis in the midst of the aridity of quality mobile RPG games. Its presence seems to be an ultimatum for other developers that this is the standard for a real quality RPG game. Moreover, you can get this game for free or for free.

Even though it’s free, you’ll get everything you’ve only been able to get in AAA-tier RPG games. You will get a typical RPG playing experience in this game, starting from adventures full of challenges, exciting battles, the beauty of the fantastic world, to the incomparable aesthetics. The good news is, you don’t have to be an otaku to enjoy this game!

Indeed, this game is a bit less friendly with “potato” smartphones. However, as long as you have a capable smartphone and can play it, don’t delay in getting happiness by adventuring in the magical world of Genshin Impact!