by Honkai: Star Rail‘s second closed beta phase ended on Thursday (June 15) after being active for three weeks.
From what I’ve seen of the game during the closed beta, there’s a lot to get excited about. Honkai: Star Rail once it is fully released.
We’ll be doing this overview of the Honkai: Star Rail closed beta spoiler-free, but feel free to look up streams and play if you want to see what the developers are telling beta testers about the game’s plot so far. .
For those who are not familiar, Honkai: Star Rail is the last installment of the Hong Kong series of games made by HoyoVerse.
Although it exists in the same shared universe as its predecessor, Honkai Impact 3rd, star rail it is its own narrative driven by a desire to explore the universe.
And you can see from the start that star rail is in fact its own story, while retaining the spirit of the Hong Kong Serie.
Weather star rail‘s Stellaron is a serious threat similar to the titular Honkai of Honkai Impact 3rdthe difference is that the Honkai is a cyclical natural phenomenon destined to restart the universe.
In contrast, Stellaron is a ‘Cancer of All Worlds’ threat with an unknown origin destined to destroy said universe.
Plot aside, there is also a sense of awe that you can get from the shocking images that star rail has to offer that wasn’t quite there in the previous Hong Kong games.
The vast expanse of outer space and the great universe beyond are easily seen through star railThe home screen of , where the titular Astral Express sails serenely against a beautiful backdrop of a planet floating in a sea of stars.
Do not misunderstand, Honkai Impact 3rdThe ‘captain on the bridge’ splash screen will remain iconic forever. But I can’t deny that star train’The home screen quickly grew on me.
HoYoverse’s signature anime style is also welcome in star rail that makes it feel familiar and not too strange to Hong Kong either Genshin Impact players like me who were interested in the game.
I was also happy to see familiar Honkai Impact 3rd characters incorporated into the game.
Although they are not really my dear valkyries, but another version of them in this universe, it felt bittersweet to see Himeko again.
Seele and Bronya were also present and in different characterizations, while Honkai Impact 3rd NPCs like Sushang and Welt Yang are now also part of the roster of playable characters to choose from.
The setting is also amazing.
The first city I found in the game called ‘Belobog’ is a visual spectacle.
It is like Genshin ImpactIt’s Mondstadt if Barbatos were like Rex Lapis. Cobblestone steps and sprawling European-inspired architecture are reminiscent of Liberty City, but larger and more technologically advanced.
You might even see a streetcar go by (and if you’re wondering, no, you can’t get hit).
Although the maps are not as explorable as in Genshin Impactinteracting with objects can lead to comical interactions between your characters, or even rescue some hidden treasure at the bottom of a trash can.
You can also get materials through breakable boxes and treasure chests, with some chests locked behind puzzles that aren’t hard to do.
But what took the cake for me were the impressive designs of the enemies that I faced during the time that I was able to play the beta version.
The aliens from the Antimatter Legion (where the enemies come from) were reminiscent of the angels you would have seen in the cult classic anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, which served as the inspiration for Honkai Impact 3rd – or even the shadows of Atlus’ Person Serie.
But this fits perfectly with the type of game. Honkai: Star Rail Namely, the literally otherworldly and awkwardly unnatural design gives the game its trademark sci-fi feel.
Another aspect of the game that deserves a lot of praise is the definitive character animations.
Since the turn-based mechanics mean that the battles in the game are systematic and, personally, a bit restrictive (a far cry from the practical gameplay we’ve become accustomed to). Honkai Impact 3rd Y Genshin Impact), it’s safe to assume the developers have more than made up for it with ult’s impressive animations.
and difference Honkai Impact 3rd Y Genshin Impacteach character in star rail gets to have a definitive animation, even the main character. Aether and Lumine must be plagued with jealousy.
and speaking of star railThe turn-based mechanics are not really difficult to understand.
The mechanics are similar to other games that employ it, and honestly, it would be a bit bland if there weren’t definitive animations.
Think of it this way, the mechanics are the cake, and the ultimate animations are the exquisitely detailed icing decoration on top.
General, star railThe second closed beta of was great.
HoYoverse never disappoints when it comes to its rich story-building and incredible game design, and the music was pure ear candy as well.
I’m safe playing Honkai: Star Rail once it’s officially released (although HoYoverse hasn’t announced a release date yet) and will recommend it to fans of the Hong Kong series or Genshin Impactand even for gamers looking for a new turn-based RPG experience.
Yan Ku is a full-time dog parent, a part-time gamer (gacha), and a part-time writer.
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