Starrail and Genshin Impact. Which HoYoverse game is cooler?

Recently, a new project from the HoYoverse studio was released – Honkai: Star Rail. And many players immediately expressed judgment only after seeing the first shots: “Obviously, another copy of Genshin.” We decided not to start such statements right away and spent more than a week comparing the new product with its older sister – Genshin Impact. Below we will dwell on the main aspects of both games, making a direct comparison of the mechanics, graphics, donation system and world order.

All the gameplay differences of both games stem from their genres. Genshin Impact is a classic open-world RPG in which the player can move to any distance and is not restricted in any way by an aircraft. And Honkai: Star Rail is a tactical turn-based action RPG where the player moves within the same location and height. Because of this, there are differences in the behavior of the characters and the combat system.

In Honkai: Star Rail, there are practically no ways to change planes or go where your eyes are looking. There are no glides or steep wall climbs, not even jumps. The only option to change the height is stairs and elevators. And moving between locations is usually done using a teleport. In Genshin Impact, the picture is completely different. That’s why it’s an open world game. The player can explore it up and down, climb mountains, swim, fly and just walk wherever they want.

The difference in genres has also had a strong impact on the combat system – in both games it is strikingly different. Genshin Impact has open and free battles with the ability to switch heroes at any time. During the battle, the player controls the main character and the rest of the team members provide support in the form of buffs and combinations. There is currently only one character on the battlefield, who can move freely and attack from any convenient position.

In Honkai: Star Rail, combat is tactical. The player finds the enemy, attacks him and after all the characters throws him into a conditional battle arena with a strip of time and moves. Just like with D&D. Only the order of steps follows not from the roll of the die, but from the parameter of the characters – their speed. At the same time, while the battle is going on, no one can move freely and leave the location. The battle will continue until one of the sides is killed.

In Genshin Impact, a character has a specific set of skills. In fact, most often the player simply presses the “E” or “Q” key: the first is responsible for the elemental ability, and the second for the explosion, that is, the ult. Sometimes an auto-attack is associated with this, as well as a few passive skills.

In Honkai: Star Rail, the system is similar, but there are genre differences. In addition to the standard attack and ult, a technique has appeared that is activated by the “E” key. This ability is used before entering combat to strengthen the character, apply regeneration, or simply attack the enemy. The effect depends on the chosen hero.