Gab Hernandez 
When it comes to the best gacha action games, Honkai Star Rail and Genshin Impact are typically at the top of the list, but which one is better and which one should newbies play?
Anybody who’s spent enough time on YouTube will likely have seen ads for Genshin Impact or Honkai Star Rail. The constant churn of trailers show off exciting anime action and a constantly growing cast of characters, waiting to be rolled by lucky players. Those unfamiliar with them may believe the two games play the same, just in different settings, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
While there are aesthetic similarities, Honkai: Star Rail and Genshin Impact are fundamentally different games, and people who like one may not like the other.
What is Genshin Impact?
Genshin Impact is a fantasy open-world action RPG developed by miHoYo for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, and Windows.
The game takes place in the fictional world of Teyvat, where the seven gods called Archons rule over the realm. The player takes on the role of Traveler, one of two siblings traveling between dimensions. After a long coma, the Traveler wakes up to find a changed world and their sibling missing.
Genshin Impact’s main gameplay loop revolves around exploration, inspired by Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Sprinting, swimming, climbing, and gliding are the core traversal methods in Genshin Impact, though the game isn’t just exploration. Genshin Impact has players fight foes in real-time, with each character having unique abilities.
What is Honkai: Star Rail?
Honkai: Star Rail is a sci-fi space opera fantasy RPG developed by miHoYo for iOS, Android, PlayStation 5, and Windows.
It is the fourth entry in the long-running Honkai franchise, following up Honkai Impact 3rd. The player takes on the role of Trailblazer, a humanoid vessel for the “Cancer of All Worlds” Stellaron.
After being awakened by Stellaron Hunters, the Trailblazer joins the crew of the Astral Express, a spaceship on its way home to Pegana. The adventure takes the crew across the stars, facing everything from random ruffians to the most epic cosmic horrors. Honkai: Star Rail is more linear than Genshin Impact, opting for large hub areas instead of a sandbox-style world.
Perhaps more importantly, Honkai: Star Rail is more akin to a JRPG, while Genshin Impact is more similar to a sandbox action-RPG. It drops the para-gliding and hack-and-slash in favor of highly stylized turn-based combat. This means Honkai: Star Rail is more akin to a sci-fi Persona 5, while Genshin Impact is more similar to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Should I play Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail?
Those who prefer exploration and real-time combat, play Genshin Impact. Alternatively, Honkai: Star Rail is better for gamers into sci-fi stories and turn-based combat.
Ultimately, it’s up to personal taste, though there are some other reasons to support one game over the other. Namely, many believe Honkai: Star Rail’s gacha mechanics are far more accessible and fair than those of Genshin Impact.
Regardless, both are free to play and neither absolutely requires money to be beaten. There’s ultimately no risk to downloading and trying out either game, then choosing one for yourself.
