A gacha strategy-RPG from the designers of Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail resembles a classic JRPG, with limited exploration and turn-based combat.
Easy to Play
Great Characters
Great Graphics/Art
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Story & Themes
Honkai Star Rail is set in a fantastical sci-fi universe, where the player character is mysteriously awakened by a powerful force aboard a space station, becoming the Trailblazer. The Trailblazer soon meets allies, fights off the attackers, and joins the Star Rail, an intergalactic space-faring train that travels between worlds.
Like Genshin Impact, Star Rail is a free-to-play, gacha-based RPG, where characters earn (or buy) "pulls" to try and get the characters, items, and upgrades they want. It features HoYoverse's excellent anime character designs, art, and animation.
Unlike Genshin, Star Rail is not an open world adventure. Planets and space stations feature limited exploration, while combat shifts to a turn-based combat format, like a traditional JRPG. Four characters are assigned to a party, each with their own elements, abilities, and passives. Players can follow the story and chapters as they roll out, as well as engage in frequent events, missions, and daily challenges to earn rewards.
Save Points
As an online-only game designed for mobile, Honkai Star Rail cannot be manually saved, but progress is constantly auto-saving in the background.
Difficulty
There are no traditional difficulty settings. However, once players reach a certain Trailblaze level, they can optionally increase the difficulty to get more rewards.
Heads Up!
Violence Players and enemies take turns attacking with melee weapons, guns, and other sci-fi and fantasy weapons in flashy turn-based combat. The cartoon violence is similar to Genshin Impact, though the slower turn-based combat make it less impactful.
Sex & Nudity Honkai Star Rail features many female characters with revealing outfits and deep cleavage, though nothing overtly sexual.
Consumerism Gacha games are among the most insidious of free-to-play titles. Instead of purchasing what they want, players earn (and purchase) "pulls" that offer chances at getting the characters and items they want. As with many freemium games, players can gradually earn premium currency by completing many in-game activities. Star Rail does start players off with a full, balanced team that can complete the entire story.
Online Community
As a free-to-play gacha game, Zenless Zone Zero must be played online and constantly synced with the game's servers. Players can add friends' characters as supports
Conversation Starters
- As a free-to-play gacha game, how does Honkai Star Rail compare to a traditional JRPG?
- Who are your favorite characters in Honkai Star Rail, and what's your dream team look like?
- Do you feel like you would have to spend a lot of money to get the characters and upgrades you want?
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