.jpg?q=50&fit=contain&w=1140&h=&dpr=1.5)
With the huge success of Genshin Impact, various games in development, and the opening of a Montreal studio (which indicates a North American expansion), Chinese developer miHoYo is making a name for itself among gamers. Though miHoYo's future in the gaming industry seems bright, there is still a large and prominent player base for Honkai Impact 3rd, a game originally released by the studio in 2016.
Honkai Impact 3rd has often received attention from Genshin Impact fans hungry for more content, especially since many characters from Genshin Impact are redesigned or revamped versions of Honkai Impact 3rd characters. As technology for gaming has advanced over the past six years, it begs the question if Honkai Impact 3rd is a game that new players would be interested in or if it is simply a way for fans of Genshin Impact to kill time while waiting for the next update. While it features similarities to Genshin Impact, including an anime-inspired art style and mobile playability, Honkai Impact 3rd has a lot to offer gamers, still feeling fresh and interesting years after its release.
Honkai Impact 3rd seems to have a reputation for its fantastic writing even among miHoYo fans, with rumors spreading on social media that Genshin Impact's latest Sumeru patch was written by Honkai Impact 3rd's creative team. Heavily inspired by Neon Genesis Evangelion, the game takes place on an alternate version of Earth plagued by "Honkai," a mysterious force that sends alien-like beasts to Earth. This force is even capable of turning humans into god-like individuals, who often become corrupted by their powers. As players make their way through the story, they are often impressed by the character development and well-developed storyline, which combines various elements from science fiction, drama, and political intrigue. The expansive story is intriguing, emotional, and gripping, and it's definitely one of the most attractive parts of the game.
Another interesting element of Honkai Impact 3rd is the gameplay. While some of its gameplay mechanics can feel outdated, the main storyline is perfect for gamers who enjoy hack-and-slash gameplay with both melee and projectile weaponry. The game also incorporates elements of various game genres such as shoot 'em up, platforming, and dungeon crawling as well as various alternate gameplay options, including several single and multiplayer modes. It doesn't feature an open-world map or the kind of resource collection that open-world RPGs often emphasize -- it instead offers a more streamlined approach for players who simply don't care for exploration and collection.
Similarly to Genshin Impact, Honkai Impact 3rd players are kept glued to the game through regular content updates, both for the main storyline and limited events. The game currently does not have an ending, which can be either a benefit or a drawback depending on a player's tastes, but it does have enough content to entertain players until the next update. Since it has been so long since the game was first released, Honkai Impact 3rd currently features dozens of hours of gameplay for new players with 30 chapters (and counting) of main storyline content ready for new players to jump into.
Honkai Impact 3rd also boasts an impressive collection of cross-media tie-ins with a slice-of-life anime series, multi-volume manga series, and more. These supplemental stories in the Honkai Impact 3rd universe are completely free. miHoYo has even held concerts for the original soundtracks from the game, combining singers, bands, DJs, chamber orchestras, characters from the games, and even fans, to create gorgeous visual and auditory experiences. Though players often complain about the predatory aspects of gacha games, these supplemental stories as well as the concerts are completely free.
Ultimately, players have nothing to lose by trying out Honkai Impact 3rd, which is free-to-play just like Genshin Impact (though many players choose to invest in battle passes). With its similarities, Honkai Impact 3rd offers a ton of content that would keep a Genshin Impact fan entertained, and it can even serve as a source for potential upcoming characters and storylines. However, its outstanding story, action-focused gameplay, expansive world, and multimedia content stand for themselves to make Honkai Impact 3rd fresh, fun, and engaging six years after its release -- even for players who have never touched another miHoYo game.