Is Genshin Impact Good? (Review for Android and iOS)

Perhaps Genshin Impact is one of the most ambitious mobile games released today. Even with the popular gacha games like Fate/Grand Order or Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius, Genshin Impact will surely make a new wave of fans and players all around the globe. Fans of gacha and roleplaying games will surely dive into the hype of this game. Anime lovers will also feel like they have warped into the game’s fantasy world because of its immersive graphics, challenging gameplay, and exhilarating team play. It is even touted as the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for PC, Android, iOS, and PS4. But does Genshin Impact live up to this moniker?

In this article, we will dive into the most hyped fantasy game of 2020. We will check on what to expect from the game and reveal more information about this latest gacha game.

What Is Genshin Impact?

Genshin Impact is a free-to-play gacha, action fantasy, open-world game made by MiHoYo. They are the same developers that made the successful roleplaying game (RPG) Honkai Impact 3. This game is currently out for PC, PlayStation 4, iOS, and Android devices. The game is also planned to be released for Nintendo Switch, though there is no exact release date yet. The developers said this game was three years in the making. So this game is expected to be truly worth the wait.

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We’ve repeatedly mentioned the term gacha, but what does it mean? To give you an idea, the objective of gacha games is to collect as many random loots as you can to enhance your characters. There are daily quests and monthly events that you can participate in that can give you more loot for your characters. In Genshin Impact, you can collect shards.

Meanwhile, an open-world game is a free-to-explore game where you can dive into as many quests and explore a vast world. Genshin Impact lets you explore the expansive world of Teyvat.

Combine these two genres and you will get a vast open-world full of random loots. Since this is an open-world, action-fantasy RPG, expect that you’ll play for hours and hours with this game. Exploring the world of Teyvat will surely consume lots of playtime on your phone. We recommend that you keep your phone use in check with a helpful screen time management app for Android.

Gameplay Overview

The start of your journey begins with a fight with an unknown god. You will choose between Aether (male) or Lumine (female) as your main traveler. The main aim of the game is to find your lost sibling cursed and trapped by the unknown god. As you try to fight the god, you are also cursed and have unconsciously been thrown away into the vast world of Teyvat. You will sojourn throughout Teyvat, from Mondstadt to Liyue Harbor, and retrieve powers that will equip you to fight against monsters and bosses.

You are not alone in this journey. First, you will have the lovely Paimon who will assist you in every way possible. As you journey throughout the world of Teyvat, you will unlock more characters. Controlling these characters is crucial in fighting your enemies. You must switch these characters when you need to. Switching them is instantaneous, so you don’t need to worry about switching them on save portals.

You will also gather up a party of four in fighting your enemies. Team gameplay is unlocked once you reach Adventure Rank 16. Each character has their own unique characteristics, and even if these characters are under the same elements, they still have their own unique attributes. The combination of characters is crucial in winning, so you have to choose carefully who to bring in every fight. When you are out of HP, just approach any campfire and cook food. You’ll need to master this cooking by stopping at the right time indicated by an orange bar.

What a way to find the whereabouts of your sibling, isn’t it?

Genshin Impact Review

Let’s now debunk those comparisons, shall we? For the meat of this article, we are diving into what makes Genshin Impact a good or a bad game.

Pricing: A True “Freemium” Game

Perhaps the most adorable feature of this game is its free-to-play feature. This game is free for PC, PlayStation 4, Android, and iOS devices. With all the immense graphics and smooth gameplay of this game, you will definitely want to pay a hefty price for this game just to compensate for the development of this game. There are some in-game add-ons you can purchase, however.

If you want to contribute to the developers or to get ahead from the rest, you can buy a Starter Pack for $9.99. The package includes experience sheets, special items, and food items. You can also buy additional Genesis Crystals that can be converted into Primogems. These Primogems can then be used to buy premium items in the game.

Graphics: Immersive or Imitative?

With the teasers and screenshots shared by miHoYo, many have clamored that this game is just a lost child of the well-known Nintendo game Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. And we can attest to it. Admittedly, the graphics are truly immersive. The details of the grass, the castle at Mondstadt, and the intricacy of the dragons are anime-like. Your enemies on this game look very similar to the Breath of the Wild. The animations are also on point.

You can adjust your graphics of up to 60 fps on your console or PC. You cannot tweak the frame rate on your mobile phone, though. Hopefully, they can make this possible with our mobile phones.

But still, the resemblance of these two games is just unreal. Just look at these sample screenshots from Genshin Impact and Breath of the Wild:

So what do you think? Does it look any different from the popular Nintendo game? You’ll be the judge.

Cross-Platform Gaming: Yes!

Your overall experience of Genshin Impact will heavily depend on what device you are using. We recommend that this game be played on a PC, but it is also playable on Android and iOS devices. The good news is, you can bring and play your saved games anytime, anywhere. This means that this game is cross-platform. So if you are on a vacation and you’re far from your PC, you can still play and save your game on your iPhone, iPad, or Android phones.

PlayStation cross-saves and cross-plays are not yet available, though. So if you only play Genshin Impact on your PS4, you cannot play your saves on your mobile phones. Hopefully, miHoYo will support cross-platform play on PS4 (and Switch) soon.

Touch Controls: Good But We Need a Mobile Controller

The controls are what we expect in a role-playing game. You’ve got your joystick on the bottom left, movement controls (attack, sprint, dodge, cast spells) at the bottom-right corner, camera controls in the middle, the minimap at the top-left, and other menus at the top-right. The touch controls are responsive enough for the gameplay. Too bad these controls cannot be remapped yet. So if you’re used to your joystick at the right, tough luck.

Hopefully, mobile controllers will be supported in this game as well. For now, mobile controllers for the game are still not compatible with Android and iOS devices. Many people find comfort in using actual controllers even for mobile games, so it would be better if they supported mobile controllers for Genshin Impact.

Gameplay: Breath of the Wild Rip-Off?

Just like what we have already mentioned, many of the initial impressions on Genshin Impact is its odd similarity with the famous Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. From its graphics to its gameplay, it is said that miHoYo copied everything from the famous series of Legend of Zelda. But is this allegation true?

Developers do not deny that they have taken inspiration from Nintendo’s famous series. Taking a look at its gameplay and graphics, you might think that miHoYo has definitely ripped off Nintendo. But no, it did not.

Link sojourns on his own on the Legend of Zelda series. Meanwhile, Aether or Lumine, after some time and grinding, will take a lot of characters with them on the journey towards your brother or sister. You’ll also switch these characters at the needed time. At least, you have got a lot of friends on your journey to finding your sibling. This is the most significant difference between Genshin Impact and Breath of the Wild. Single-player games will heavily depend on your dexterity and wit.

So if we are to be asked, is Genshin Impact really a rip-off of the Breath of the Wild? We will definitely answer no for that. The game mechanic itself makes the game distinct from the Legend of Zelda series.

Genshin Impact System Requirements

Genshin Impact is surely the talk of the town even before its launch. With over 10 million pre-registrations worldwide, there is no doubt that many gamers will immediately download this game, from their PCs to their mobile phones.

Before you download this game, make sure that you’ve got a phone that can handle high graphics. You should also have adequate space on your phone so you can play Genshin Impact on your phone. If you need an updated phone, here is a list of the most impressive gaming phones to date.

Here are the minimum and recommended requirements so you can play Genshin Impact on your phone:

If you are using an old iPhone with iOS 9 and above (e.g. iPhone 7), the App Store might still let you download this game. But we suggest that you upgrade your OS version. Some users report that Genshin Impact won’t play on their phone because of compatibility issues. They report only a black and white startup screen without the game itself booting up.

Final Verdict

Genshin Impact is definitely a game that will change the way we look at gacha and action fantasy games. Its distinct gameplay and high-quality graphics will make you drool for more. Its cross-platform ability will also let you play this game more, not only on your high-powered devices but also on your phones.

This game does not isolate gaming in consoles or PC anymore. If you are a fan of Legend of Zelda, you should give this one a try. You will definitely relive the memories of playing the series with an added twist to its game mechanics.