Genshin Impact

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2020 action role-playing video game

Genshin Impact[2] is a free-to-play action role-playing game developed and published by miHoYo.[3][4] The game features a fantasy open world environment and action based battle system using elemental magic, character switching and uses gacha game monetization for players to obtain new characters, weapons, and other resources.[5][6] The game is online-only and features a limited multiplayer mode allowing up to four players to play together.[7] It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Android and iOS on September 28, 2020,[8] and is also planned for release on the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch.[10]

Genshin Impact takes place in the world of Teyvat, which is home to seven distinct nations, each of which is tied to an element and ruled by a god associated with it. The story follows a twin, referred to as the Traveler, who travelled across many worlds but becomes separated from their other twin by an unknown god in Teyvat. They travel across Teyvat with their newfound companion, Paimon, in search of their lost sibling and become involved in the affairs of the world and its nations. The game received a generally positive reception, with critics praising the combat and open-world freedom, while some criticism was raised at its endgame. The game grossed over $250 million within a month, making it one of the largest mobile game launches in history.

Contents

Gameplay

Genshin Impact is an open world action role-playing game that allows the player to control one of four interchangeable characters in a party. Switching between characters can be done quickly and during combat to the player to use several different combinations of skills and attacks.[11] Characters may have their strengths enhanced in various ways, such as increasing a character's level and improving artifacts and the weapons that the character equips.[12] In addition to exploration, the player can attempt various challenges for rewards. Scattered across Teyvat are highly powerful enemies and domains that reward highly valuable resources, but claiming them uses up a currency called resin, which slowly regenerates over time.[13] Completing these challenges grants the player progress towards increasing their Adventure Rank, which in turn unlocks new quests, challenges, and raises the World Level.[14] The World Level is a measure of how strong the enemies within the world are and the rarity of rewards that defeating them gives.[15]

The player can control their character and perform actions such as running, climbing, swimming, and gliding which are limited by stamina.[16][11] Some characters possess abilities that can alter the environment, such as freezing water to create a path that can aid the player in traversing terrain.[11] Many teleportation nodes exist throughout the world that players can warp to, and some unique statues heal and revive characters as well as provide benefits such as increasing player stamina if the proper item is offered.[17] Items such as food and ore may be procured from the open world, while enemies and treasure chests drop other types of resources that may be used in enhancing a character's strength. Players can obtain food from hunting animals, gathering wild fruit and vegetables, or purchasing them from a store. Most ingredients can be cooked into a dish. Some meals regenerate characters' health, while others boost various statistics.[18] Mining can be done by attacking and destroying mining nodes to produce ore.[19] Ore can be refined and then used to enhance weapon strength or create weapons.[20]

Each character has two unique combat skills: an elemental skill and an elemental burst. The elemental skill can be used at any time except for the cooldown period immediately after use.[21] In contrast, the elemental burst has an energy cost, requiring the user to amass sufficient elemental energy by defeating enemies or inflicting elemental statuses.[22][23] Characters have control over one of seven natural elements: Cryo, Dendro, Pyro, Hydro, Anemo, Electro and Geo, which correspond to ice, nature, fire, water, air, electricity, and earth respectively.[24] These elements can interact in different ways; for example, if a Hydro attack hits a target, the enemy will be inflicted with the "Wet" status, and if they are hit with a Cryo attack, it will inflict "Cold."[24] These two statuses combine into the "Frozen" status, temporarily preventing the target from performing any actions or until the player deals enough physical damage to the enemy.[24] Switching between characters during combat and executing those skills allows those elemental interactions to take place.[25] Certain elemental abilities may be required to solve puzzles within the overworld.[11]

A multiplayer mode is available in the form of co-op. Up to 4 players can play together in the overworld and join domains.[26] Player matching can either be done by requesting to connect with another player.[26] If the player wishes to clear a domain with other players, they will be automatically matched up with others looking to tackle the same objective.[27] The game features cross-platform play, so players on any platform can play with each other.[28]

By completing quests to advance the story, the player can unlock three additional playable characters,[29] and other characters can be obtained via a gacha mechanic.[30] Several premium in-game currencies, obtainable through in-app purchases, and playing the game, can be used to obtain characters and weapons through the gacha system.[31]

Story

Setting

Genshin Impact takes place in the fantasy world of Teyvat, which is divided into several major nations, which are Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine, Natlan, and Snezhnaya, with these regions themselves are split into several regions. Additionally, there is Celestia, a mysterious floating island allegedly home to mortals who have ascended to godhood through performing great, heroic feats. Currently, players can only visit Mondstadt and Liyue. Mondstadt, known as the city of freedom, worships Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, and sits on an island in the middle of a lake. Mondstadt's region occupies the northeastern half of the map, and in the southeastern half of the map lies the nation of Liyue, which worships the Geo Archon Rex Lapis and is the largest market harbor in Teyvat. Each country takes inspiration from a real-world region, incorporating regional aesthetics. Mondstadt uses central European influences while Liyue uses many common Chinese elements, such as the Stone Forest.

Each nation is associated with and worships an Archon, of which there are seven. Each Archon is tied to one of the game's elements, reflected in their nation's aspect. Barbatos, Rex Lapis, and Tsaritsa are archons of Mondstadt, Liyue, and Snezhnaya, respectively. An Archon's strength is tied to how firmly they control their region. Specific individuals chosen by the Archons are given a Vision — magical gemstones that give their bearers the ability to command an element. Vision wielders become an allogene, someone with the potential to ascend to godhood. In gameplay, each playable character (except the Traveler) is a Vision wielder.

Characters

The player's character is referred to as "Traveler", and is one of a pair of twins who was separated from their sibling by an unknown god. Though the character's name and gender is chosen by the player, the other sibling's name is revealed to be "Aether" if the sibling is male and "Lumine" if the sibling is female. The Traveler's companion is Paimon, a small floating being who acts as a guide for the Traveler, and is depicted as the mascot for the game. As the Traveler and Paimon journey throughout Teyvat, they meet many individuals and factions.

The Knights of Favonius are an order of knights tasked with protecting Mondstadt and its citizens. The Knights of Favonius are led by acting grand master Jean Gunnhildr, as the current grand master, Varka, embarked on an expedition. Other notable members of the order include Amber, an energetic and hardworking Outrider; Lisa, a lazy but powerful magician; Kaeya, a charming Captain; and Klee, a young explosives expert. The Traveler is also joined by Diluc, a local winery owner, and Venti, whose true persona is that of the Archon Barbatos, as they try to stop Stormterror Dvalin, one of the ancient guardians of Mondstadt known as the Four Winds. While in Mondstadt the Traveler can also meet an astrologer named Mona, and Barbara, a deaconess and an idol singer.

Liyue is presided over by the Liyue Qixing, a group of business leaders. Ningguang and Keqging are a part of this group, and employ Ganyu as their emissary. Adepti are magical beings who also reside in Liyue, who are similar to gods but are not worshipped. After the death of Rex Lapis, Liyue's Archon, the Traveler works with an eccentric but well- learned funeral parlor consultant named Zhongli to prepare for the funeral of the fallen archon. The Traveler can also meet a variety of other characters from Liyue, including Xiangling, a passionate chef; Xingqiu, the book-loving younger son of one of Liyue's business magnates, and Qiqi, an undead pharmacist.

Mondstadt and Liyue have a tense relationship with Snezhnaya, whose malicious delegation of diplomats named the Fatui maintain a friendly appearance while using more underhanded methods behind closed doors. The Fatui are led by the Tsaritsa, Snezhnaya's Archon, and the Eleven Fatui Harbingers, individuals given extraordinary powers without the use of Visions instead use treasures called Delusions given by the Tsaritsa. Amoung the Eleven Harbingers include La Signora and Childe, who are respectively the eighth and eleventh members. In addition to the Fatui, the other sinister faction in the game is the Abyss Order, a mysterious, but powerful army of monsters that seeks to destroy all of humanity. They are led by Traveler's missing sibling, referred to as 'prince' or 'princess'.

Plot

The game begins as a pair of twins, named Aether and Lumine, traveling across the stars and visiting different worlds arrive in Teyvat. They find that it is ablaze with war, and as they attempt to leave, they are stopped by a mysterious god. At this point, the player chooses the twin to play; the unknown god captures one of the twins and seals away the other one. Some undisclosed amount of time later the sealed twin, referred to as the "Traveler", awakens and meets Paimon while fishing. Two months later the pair decide to travel to Mondstadt, the closest city, in an attempt to find the Traveler's missing twin. Along the way, Paimon brings the Traveler to a Statue of the Seven, which grants them elemental abilities corresponding to the archon it depicts.

Paimon and the Traveler arrive at Mondstadt with the help of a local knight named Amber. A dragon named Stormterror attacks the town soon after they arrive, and with the help of an unknown entity (later revealed to be Venti) the Traveler fends off Stormterror's attack. After saving the city the Traveler meets Jean, the acting grand master of the Knights of Favonius, and joins the Knights to help restore the region's balance, which was upset after Stormterror's attack. The dragon's true name is revealed to be Dvalin, and that he was once a guardian of Mondstadt. The Traveler encounters a bard named Venti, whose true identity is Barbatos, the archon presiding over Mondstadt. Venti develops a plan to quell Dvalin's rage—steal a holy lyre and play it to Dvalin to calm his anger. However, they are beaten to the lyre by a member of the Fatui, a group of diplomatic agents from the nation of Snezhnaya, and are framed for the robbery. The Traveler and Venti take refuge with bar owner Diluc, reuniting with Jean, who works unofficially with the group to avoid damaging diplomatic relations with Snezhnaya and the Fatui, who wish to see Dvalin killed. The group retrieves the lyre from a nearby Fatui hideout and repairs it. Venti plays the lyre to summon Dvalin, but it is revealed that Dvalin is under the influence of the Abyss Mages, sorcerers who are a part of the Abyss Order that despise humanity. The group pursues Dvalin to his hideout and frees him from the Abyss Mages' influence. After returning the lyre, the Traveler and Venti are ambushed by a group of Fatui and their elite envoy, La Signora. Venti's Gnosis, a conduit that allows him to use magic, is stolen.

The Traveler resolves to meet the other six archons to find their sibling's whereabouts and the unknown god. Venti advises the Traveler to travel to Liyue next to meet Rex Lapis, the archon presiding over the city. However, Rex Lapis is assassinated during a ritual, and the Traveler is suspected of killing them and tries to escape. The Traveler is assisted by a member of the Fatui who reveals himself to be named Childe who is. Childe, like La Signora, is a member of the elite envoy known as the Harbingers, individuals granted powers and absolute executive authority by the archon presiding over Snezhnaya, Tsaritsa. The Traveler, at Childe's behest, goes to petition the adepti, spiritual guardians of Liyue, for help. When they return to Liyue they discover that the body of Rex Lapis has been hidden away for unknown reasons. Childe arranges for the Traveler to meet with Zhongli, a consultant at a funeral parlor, whom the Traveler aides in helping prepare the funeral for the fallen archon in order to see the body. After making preparations they receive an invitation to meet Ningguang, who oversaw the ritual and is one of the commerce leaders within Liyue.

Development

miHoYo, revealed Genshin Impact in June 2019 at E3 2019.[32][33] Between the announcement and release closed beta tests were held, allowing invited players to explore and interact with the open world.[34][35] The game's developers sought to create a game that was distinct from Honkai Impact 3rd in terms of its quest and combat systems as well as its random events and mode of exploration.[36] Genshin Impact was designed as a cross platform title, developing the game on PC and PlayStation platforms allowed the developers to raise graphical fidelity for the game, such rendering realistic shadows.[37] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is held in high regard by the development team, and is cited as one of the main inspirations for Genshin Impact.[37] The game had a development and marketing budget of around $100 million.[38] The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Android, and iOS on September 28, 2020, and features cross-platform play between them.[39] The game will also be playable on PlayStation 5 on November 11, 2020,[40] improving graphics and loading times over the PlayStation 4 version.[1] The game will also be released for Nintendo Switch, but no release date has been announced.[10]

Yu-Peng Chen of HOYO-MiX composed the game's original score, which was performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.[41][42] A soundtrack album featuring music from the Mondstadt chapter of the game, "City of Winds and Idylls", was released digitally on October 15, 2020.[43] "Jade Moon Upon a Sea of Clouds," a soundtrack featuring music from the Liyue region, was released digitally on November 6, 2020.[44]

Shortly after the launch of the game, miHoYo announced a schedule for content updates over the following months.[45] These content updates are planned to be implemented into the game every six weeks.[45] Additional patches in the future will add more events and new areas of Teyvat.[46][1][47]

Genshin Impact was released in several languages, with voiceovers in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and English.[48][49] Genshin Impact takes a different title in Chinese, Japanese and Korean, being simply shortened to the first word of the international title (i.e., Yuánshén 原神 in Chinese, Genshin 原神 in Japanese and Wonsin 원신 in Korean). The different pronunciations reflect the local way of pronouncing the original Chinese title, which means "primordial gods".[citation needed]

Reception

Genshin Impact received "generally favorable reviews" according to review aggregator Metacritic.[51][52] The open world of Teyvat drew praise; IGN's Travis Northup described Teyvat as "a world that is absolutely bursting at the seams with possibilities."[25] Game Informer describes the game as an incredible experience, noting that "the gameplay loop of collection, upgrading, and customization is captivating and compelling",[53] Destructoid's Chris Carter called the combat system "one of the most interesting things about Genshin Impact".[11] The game's similarities to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sparked controversy at 2019's ChinaJoy convention among some fans of Breath of the Wild.[58] In contrast, The Washington Post wrote that the game wore its inspiration from Breath of the Wild "proudly".[59]

Most of the criticisms about Genshin Impact come from the endgame aspects of the game, particularly the resin system.[60] Paul Tassi of Forbes noted that to progress past a certain point one must "spend an absurd amount of money to get around the last few timegates of the game."[61] PC Gamer said that playing the endgame becomes "a slog", and that the resin system "feels so unnecessary".[62] Some criticism was aimed at the monetization model, GameSpot remarking that Genshin Impact is "hampered a bit by the restrictions its free-to-play model imposes."[16]

Revenue

Prior to its release the game saw 21.3 million registrations, 16 million of which being China. According to some, Genshin Impact was the biggest international release of any Chinese video game.[38][63]

During the week of its release, Genshin Impact saw over 17 million downloads and grossed approximately $60 million from mobile platforms.[63] Within two weeks, that figure rose to over $100 million, recouping its development and marketing budget.[64] Its largest revenue came from China, Japan, South Korea, and the United States.[65] Within a month, sales from mobile platforms had risen to over $250 million, making it one of the largest mobile game launches in history.[66][67]

Controversy and censorship

When the game was released to the public, players discovered that the game's kernel-based anti-cheat system would remain active after the game was closed or uninstalled,[68] which raised concerns that the game had installed spyware.[69] Some Japanese players using iOS devices also observed that the game read the contents of players' clipboards while starting up.[70] MiHoYo announced that both issues have been addressed and fixed.[71]

On October 6, 2020, journalist and Twitch streamer Kazuma Hashimoto published a video on social media site Twitter demonstrating how Chinese political terms such as "Hong Kong" and "Taiwan" are censored within the in-game chat.[72] As the developer of the game, miHoYo, is based in China, they are subject to China's censorship policy, which includes complying with a relatively large list of banned words that cannot be used in game or via chat.[72] Other terms not related to Chinese politics are banned as well, such as "Putin", "Hitler", and "Stalin".[73] Several threads on the game's subreddit discussed the censorship, with various users noting that innocuous terms such as "enemies" and "words" were also being censored.[74]

References

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