Honkai: Star Rail Review: A turn-based RPG-inspired title from Hoyoverse

Honkai: Star Rail is a free-to-play mobile game developed by HoYoverse. With beautifully-designed characters, amazing storytelling, and awe-inspiring animations. The game is set to deliver some of the greatest mobile game quality from the studio that gave us Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact 3rd. In this article, we will review and look into Honkai: Star Rail and share how well it does base on its overall gameplay and quality.

Explore Distinct Worlds alongside a Gripping Storyline

Honkai: Star Rail is a strategy-RPG game within the Honkai series, where players embark on an exciting cosmic adventure through the vastness of space. Join the Astral Express and explore a boundless galaxy full of thrilling experiences and captivating adventures.

Honkai Star Rail is set in a far-off future where humanity has made remarkable advancements in scientific and astronomical fields. The story starts with the main character known as the Trailblazer that has a strange connection with a thing called the “Stellaron” being put inside the character’s body. In the main character’s journey to uncover the truth about the Interastral World, players are set to uncover the truth and mysteries about the world alongside the Astral Express.

As a member of the Astral Express, players will be exploring the astronomical world and traveling to different planets with their own histories. The deeper you delve, the more mysteries you uncover about the various truth about the special world. Along the way, you’ll interact with an intriguing cast of characters, each with their own unique personalities and motivations.

Together, you’re set to take on various missions and strive to save the world from the destruction of the various threats that the Stellaron and Aeons possess. Honkai Star Rail is an action-packed Sci-fi adventure that offers an immersive storyline, thrilling combat, and a rich world to explore. The story is engaging enough that will keep those in tune to be on the edge of their seats.

Experience Stunning Visuals and Immersive Audio

The game is filled with vibrant colors, detailed character designs, and breathtaking animations that make every battle feel like an Epic showdown straight out of a high-budget Anime Studio. The Graphics in Honkai: Star Rail as with every game the Hoyoverse put out to us are top-notch and offer a visually stunning experience that is hard to believe are Mobile games.

The Audio is also equally impressive, with a powerful soundtrack that matches the game’s intense battles and adds more flair to the dramatic story alongside the immersive and intense combat sequences.

Honkai: Star Rail UI and Controls

The Honkai: Star Rail’s UI and controls feature a variety of choices for players to use. It is available on Mobile and PC, and it is expected to be coming soon in PS5 by the 4th Quarter of 2023. Despite the delay on the Playstation Platform, Honkai Star Rail has full controller support and it is possible to use a controller when playing the game. Players can just plug their controllers into the platform.

No third-party programs are required and the game seamlessly switches to the controller. The control and response rate while playing the game were also flawless from a personal perspective. The touch is smooth on mobile and the buttons were easy to tap and most contents can easily be controlled. On PC, players can personalize their settings and choose the desired buttons for specific actions in the game.

Overall, the controls were easily accessible and only lacks the controller support for the Mobile version so far. Players are expecting HoYoverse to release the controller support to mobile for players to enjoy.

Engage in Thrilling and Tactical battles with Honkai: Star Rail

Starting the Honkai: Star Rail review, it is a fast-paced action game that is brought to life by HoYoverse and is very much inspired by the Anime art style that Hoyoverse has been employing in most of its other games. The game puts players in control of various characters, each with their own unique abilities and combat styles.

Players will engage in a turn-based battle, using a combination of abilities and unique skill sets. The game also features element-type gameplay alongside unique character combat Paths. The game offers different game modes that players will enjoy as they progress throughout the game.

Unlock more Game Content as you progress

Honkai: Star Rail is an RPG game that offers players the ability to upgrade their Characters and unique Traces as they progress through the game. It can be done with upgrades and level-ups of characters alongside unique ascensions. Players will unlock more game content such as free characters and story progress.

Players will also be able to participate in various events when reaching certain Trailblaze levels. Additionally, challenging end-game contents like the Forgotten Hall and Simulated Universe can also be unlocked when players progress later on in the game and challenge these game modes.

The most important part of the game however, is that it also offers a Gacha system the same as its sibling games such as Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact, where players are able to use in-game currency or real money in order for them to acquire their desired new Characters and Light Cones in a luck-based system where they pull and hope for the best which really just adds up to the entire user experience.

Exploit your enemy’s weakness in Epic Turn-based Combats

Honkai: Star Rail offers a turn-based combat system that requires strategic thinking, providing a sense of satisfaction when you successfully achieve victory. Each character in the game is a unique combination of a path (class) such as a damage dealer or support, and an elemental affinity, adding depth and variety to the gameplay.

• Battle Order: At the start of each battle, the turn order of each character is determined based on their speed and other factors. Characters with higher speed stats usually act first.
• Action Points: Every character has a set number of action points that they can spend each turn to perform various actions such as attacking, using skills, or ultimate abilities.
• Skill System: Each character in Honkai Star Rail has a unique set of skills they can use in battle, which can range from damage-dealing abilities to healing skills and buffs/debuffs. However, these skills also require action points to activate.

• Turn End: When a character has used up all their action points or decides to end their turn, their turn will end, and the next character in the turn order will take their turn.
• Strategy: To succeed in battles, players must strategically manage their characters’ action points and skills to defeat enemies while minimizing damage. They must also consider the turn order and position of their characters to maximize their effectiveness in battle.

The game promotes its Gacha mechanics but there is always scope for F2P grinders

Honkai: Star Rail uses popular gacha mechanics like Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact 3rd where players can obtain new Characters and Light Cones through a draw system called the Warp. This requires Stellar Jade as its currency. Stellar Jade can be obtained by playing and exploring the game or by purchasing it with real money.

While the Gacha system may make it difficult to obtain desired items, the game provides several opportunities for players to progress without spending money, such as a stamina system, daily login bonuses, events, and missions. Players can use their acquired Stellar Jade to access the Standard Warp or Limited-time Warp by exchanging them for Star Rail Passes or Star Rail Special Passes.

Honkai: Star Rail maintains a balance between utilizing Gacha mechanics and being F2P friendly as the free rewards are generous enough. While keeping the balance of player experience, some are still feeling tempted to spend money to obtain limited-time event Characters and Light Cones.

Comparison with other games from HoYoverse

Hoyoverse developed three popular action RPGs known as Honkai Star Rail, Genshin Impact, and Honkai Impact, each with unique gameplay, settings, characters, multiplayer modes, and monetization methods. Honkai Star Rail stands out with its rhythm-based combat system while Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact use real-time combat systems. Here are the detailed differences between Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail to know more about the two games.

Honkai Star Rail is set in a futuristic world, Genshin Impact in a fictional world, and Honkai Impact 3rd in a world with supernatural threats. The game developers have created distinct character designs in each game, with Honkai Star Rail emphasizing futuristic and space-themed aesthetics, Genshin Impact having an anime-inspired art style, and Honkai Impact featuring supernatural and magical elements.

Final Verdict

From a review perspective, Honkai: Star Rail is an impressive mobile game that provides players with an immersive and engaging experience. Its fast-paced action, stunning visuals, and powerful audio design all work together to create an unforgettable adventure that fans of visually-stunning action games should not miss.

While the game may not be entirely unique, it still has some distinct features that make it stand out from other mobile games. Overall, Honkai: Star Rail is a fantastic addition to the mobile gaming world, offering players an exciting and unforgettable experience. If you’re in the market for a game that’s action-packed, visually stunning, and with great controls, then Honkai: Star Rail is definitely worth checking out!

What are your opinions on the game Honkai: Star Rail and its review of it? Do let us know in the comments below!

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