Honkai: Star Rail throws you into the physique of an amnesiac protagonist with unknowable hidden powers who has been woke up from a deep slumber by somebody known as Kafka. This girl is one thing of a thriller and appears to have a aptitude for the dramatic as she kicks off the entire sport by taking part in an invisible violin alongside to the basic Baroque epic Pachelbel’s Canon as large, intergalactic monsters invade a spaceship.
It’s an extremely cool opening, the form of factor that John Wick would watch to get pumped up earlier than, nicely, John Wick-ing far and wide. It’s fairly clear that Kafka isn’t a hero, however they’ve woken you up, and because you’ve bought no reminiscences, you have to be one of many good guys. This setup feels acquainted, however there are sufficient modifications to make it really feel new and get the blood totally pumping.
Truly, that’s principally what Honkai: Star Rail does very well. It’s filled with tropes that we’ve all seen earlier than, but it surely tweaks them simply sufficient to make them really feel revitalised and attention-grabbing. Whereas the story continues to be in its early phases for the time being, it’s possible one thing that’s going to be price investing in. Plus, Star Rail is free, which makes the preliminary hurdle somewhat simpler to leap – but it surely’s additionally a gacha, which brings with it some baggage.
Gacha video games are just about designed to benefit from folks like me, who’ve garbage impulse management, ADHD, and no time to get outdoors anymore as a result of I’m too busy cleansing up cat poop or being attacked by my children. Regardless of that, I play a number of them, and I went from having briefly tried Genshin Influence upon launch to not having missed a day since final July after I fell again into it.
Now, Genshin is free-to-play friendly-ish, but it surely largely serves low-level spenders who don’t thoughts forking out on the battle go, together with whales who get every little thing they need and hold the lights on at miHoYo. From what I’ve performed of Honkai Star Rail up to now, I’m assuming the identical is true right here too, which is nice information for low-spenders.
![A group of three characters from Honkai Star Rail that call themselves the jarilo trailblaze team.](https://assetsio.reedpopcdn.com/honkai-star-rail-team.jpg?width=690&quality=80&format=jpg&auto=webp)
I additionally really feel just like the story goes to develop in the identical manner as nicely. The principle premise right here is that you just and the opposite Trailblazers of the Astral Specific, a spacefaring prepare, must search out Stellaron. Often called the ‘most cancers of all worlds’, Stellarons have been strewn about by Nanook the Destroyer, an Aeon (god) who’s going to have a number of fan artwork product of them. The principle character has one among these implanted in them, and it appears to attract them in direction of different Stellaron.
Trying to find objects to avoid wasting the universe isn’t new, simply as a lot as being a selected one with one thing evil inside them isn’t new. Nonetheless, the people you meet and the mysterious Aeons that appear to manage every little thing will assist pull story-focused gamers by the sport. Take Bronya, for instance, who’s the daughter of the supreme guardian of the primary planet you land on and is pushed by obligation and her mom’s orders. She’s a stone-cold badass, and probably the greatest items within the sport up to now, however her story evolves in a genuinely touching manner, and her interactions with different characters evolve as she steps additional out of her consolation zone.
The factor that’s fascinating right here is the potential. Genshin’s story is secretly probably the most heartfelt and devastating on the market, but it surely didn’t begin like that. The primary few story beats have you ever saving dragons and different fantasy gubbins, however the newer tales are concerning the fact of the world, whether or not the previous could be modified, and a lot trauma. I’ve full religion that Honkai: Star Rail will obtain the identical stage of storytelling and – if Bronya’s mommy points are something to go by – particularly on the trauma.
![A battle between the team and crystallised aliens in Honkai: Star Rail](https://assetsio.reedpopcdn.com/honkai-star-rail-battle.jpg?width=690&quality=80&format=jpg&auto=webp)
![The character detail screen showing the character Strife in Honkai Star Rail](https://assetsio.reedpopcdn.com/honkai-star-rail-character.jpg?width=690&quality=80&format=jpg&auto=webp)
![A Honkai: Star Rail screenshot showing a crystal god](https://assetsio.reedpopcdn.com/honkai-star-rail-aeons.jpg?width=690&quality=80&format=jpg&auto=webp)
Outdoors of that’s the precise gameplay, which I am completely satisfied to report can also be unbelievable. Honkai: Star Rail is a turn-based RPG, not an motion one, and whereas I used to be somewhat nervous about that, they’ve accomplished a stellar (hur hur) job of creating it attention-grabbing, regardless of additionally being extremely easy on the face of issues.
Every character has a traditional assault, a particular ability, and an final to make use of. Regular assaults generate ability factors, particular expertise use these ability factors, and ultimates cost up as characters take their actions. It’s all easy sufficient, however beneath that simplicity lies a lot depth to discover, if you wish to. That is partially as a result of pace of the characters. You see, there’s a flip order right here, however there are characters and skills that may let you take a number of turns earlier than the enemy does something.
On prime of that, every final can really be activated at any time. This lets you fiddle with flip orders and sequences, helps you to hit enemies whereas they’re susceptible, or be sure you heal or defend earlier than a giant boss assaults. Every character is from one among seven completely different components, and hitting an enemy with an elemental weak spot means that you can break them, which can push them additional again within the flip order and normally do some bit extra injury.
“It’s all easy sufficient, however beneath that simplicity lies a lot depth to discover”
Most characters have their very own mechanics of some kind to handle, whether or not that’s stacking sport tiles to tug off enormous injury or the flexibility to counterattack if a personality is shielded. The depth comes from manipulating the flip order, but in addition constructing your groups to work collectively seamlessly and play off of one another.
You possibly can construct a number of groups, and since completely different conditions typically require completely different components it’s a good suggestion to have a number of groups with completely different focuses. Clearly, that’s a ploy to be sure you try to get extra characters, which then makes miHoYo cash, however you’ll even be glad to listen to that the free characters that Honkai: Star Rail offers you aren’t simply useable, however really fairly sturdy.
![The team gets attack and critical damage boots in Honkai: Star Rail](https://assetsio.reedpopcdn.com/honkai-star-rail-buffs.jpg?width=690&quality=80&format=jpg&auto=webp)
All the content material that’s within the sport for the time being could be crushed with the free characters – and somewhat little bit of technique – which could be very reassuring. There are additionally a number of methods to earn free and premium in-game currencies, like finishing each day duties, particular achievements, and through occasions that may come additional down the road.
There’s a roguelike mode too, the place you battle by a simulated universe so as to discuss with Aeons, and as you accomplish that, you choose up completely different buffs that may work collectively that can assist you clear it. It’s a enjoyable option to check out new groups, check your luck, and earn premium forex all on the similar time. On prime of that, there are bosses to battle, little dungeons to stumble throughout, chests to seek out, aspect quests to take pleasure in, and login bonuses as nicely. Oh, and yet another factor, there’s each a speed-up and an auto-battle operate, which makes grinding much more pleasant. There’s a number of sport in Honkai: Star Rail – whilst a Genshin Influence fan and all of the similarities between the 2, it’s so much to absorb.
Honkai: Star Rail continues to be in its early phases but it surely’s extremely good enjoyable to play. With the promise of extra planets to return, extra characters to fall in love with, and extra twists and turns than anybody can see coming, that is one prepare that’s price driving.
This assessment relies on a assessment construct of the sport offered by the writer miHoYo.