Honkai Star Rail 4.0’s livestream reveal originally of February involved gamers, together with me. A discount within the variety of events–being changed with extra minigames–the absence of an impressively produced music-video-style trailer, the already disappointing 3.X part of the sport, and the model being cut up throughout two worlds–Planarcadia and Astropolis–led to the reveal feeling a little bit underwhelming. Nevertheless, having spent a while in 4.0 now, I can swallow my pleasure and say my apprehensions have been for nothing. This replace is probably the most enjoyable I’ve had in Honkai Star Rail for a very long time.
Planarcadia as a world leans into the lighthearted facet of Honkai Star Rail. HSR has lengthy blended severe narratives with funnier ones, however the earlier setting of Amphoreus was largely the previous. Planarcadia is instantly charming, humorous, and drew me in from the off. It’s a sprawling metropolis with a number of completely different areas filled with superior know-how, however doesn’t resemble 2.0’s Penacony regardless of additionally being a metropolis setting.
Totally different new characters caught my eye and added to the humorous side of the narrative, too. Caustide–a giant boss with open-neck purple shirt, fur-lined jacket, outsized shades, and pink quiff hairstyle–is the right depiction of a mobster villain, solely he’s a rooster. The “Narrator” is a tiny cross-eyed monkey who banters with the opposite characters in an endearing but nonetheless comical method.
It helps that the story is one among HSR’s easier-to-follow plotlines, too. After 3.0’s heavy narrative, which featured a variety of early lore dumping that led to heartbreaking moments, 4.0’s story is a breath of recent air. It’s genuinely good, and it’s lengthy sufficient that I didn’t blast via it multi function sitting, both. After the comedic elements of the early story, 4.0 nonetheless leans into the intense facet of Honkai Star Rail at its conclusion with a plot twist, however it’s not such a leap that it feels disjointed.
The minigames I used to be involved may really feel too easy are literally fairly advanced with out getting confusing–almost the right steadiness. They’re really enjoyable, and really feel extra fleshed out than any minigames earlier than. The occasions are one thing I used to be involved about forward of the brand new model’s launch, however that’s primarily due to the aforementioned apprehension across the minigames seemingly changing them. There are literally extra occasions than I anticipated although, they usually’re definitely extra various. There are seven occasions to date, giving something from free Star Rail Particular Passes to a free 5-star character of your alternative.
One thing I significantly love are the completely different tales which can be adopted. It’s not simply the participant following the Trailblazer–we’re additionally accompanying Dan Heng, Pearl, Silver Wolf, and extra. It helps to present us the bigger image of the narrative, as a substitute of being restricted by one perspective.
The character improvement of Sparkle is one other side that actually gave me pleasure. Beforehand, Sparkle simply type of … existed. She didn’t get a lot consideration, however in 4.0 we see her fears and needs. She appears like a well-rounded, relatable character now, as a substitute of a determine within the background.
Alternatively, Evanescia–who was initially said to be a Japanese cherry-blossom-themed character–now has extra of a schoolgirl vibe happening, which upset me since I used to be actually enthused about her unique aesthetic. This may occasionally have one thing to do with the Chinese language and Japanese political conflicts which can be ongoing, because the timber that I anticipated to resemble Sakura timber are instantly orange. Whereas these grievances have existed for a few years, they have been exacerbated extra not too long ago by Japan’s reported condemnation of a possible Chinese language assault on Taiwan. China apparently retaliated in opposition to these feedback with economic pressure, instituting new export controls. As miHoYo–the father or mother firm of HoYoverse–is a Chinese language-based firm and Sakura timber are a distinguished function of Japanese tradition, that political conflict may very well be the explanation their look has modified within the sport.
The brand new Elation gameplay path is attention-grabbing and interesting. The extra Elation characters in your celebration, the extra “Punchline” you’ll achieve. Aha–the Aeon of Elation–is seen within the motion bar, and his pace will increase primarily based on the variety of Elation characters in your workforce. When he takes his flip, your Punchline is consumed, all ally debuffs are eliminated, and all Elation abilities are triggered. If there are not any Elation characters in your celebration, Aha will deal harm to everybody on the sphere. It’s a refreshing twist on fight that I actually take pleasure in manipulating to see simply how a lot affect I can power Aha to have.
When it comes to adjustments from 3.X to 4.0, there are greater than I initially thought, together with some quality-of-life enhancements. Now you can change the placement of the help characters in your workforce, which means you possibly can higher plan and line up synergies. Equally, you possibly can change character positions from the Fast Lineup display screen. Previously hidden subsidiary statistics for non-upgraded Relics are seen by default, supplying you with a bigger and extra correct view of them.
Perception Mode is now out there within the Divergent Universe–this mode means that you can obtain double Synchronicity Factors and buffs that result in clearing the phases extra simply. Any Hint Supplies you will have left over may be transformed into Elation Hint Supplies for a restricted time, with a most transformed quantity of 120. These can be utilized to improve character skills.
Arcana stacks are gathered quicker with a view to improve your workforce’s harm and reduce the enemy’s defence. Mixed with elevated Ability Factors restoration, elevated ally harm, and quicker Power regeneration, this may subtly alter the best way a battle performs out. I used to be anticipating it to have extra of an affect, however realizing concerning the change definitely impacts the alternatives I make in fight.
There are smaller adjustments too–the Categorical Phonograph now has the choice to play white noise, there’s a free Plumbossom Letter outfit for Ruan Mei, and new Vim and Vigor Trailblazer outfits–although these must be bought from the Present of Stardust Retailer. The Ever-Gloriosus Magical Lady Relics set reeks of Madoka Magica inspiration, whereas the Diviner of Distant Attain Relics are beautiful cloud-themed equipment.
My favourite side of the replace although must be the cutscenes. Previously, Honkai Star Rail cutscenes have been reserved for a very powerful lore moments–the scenes that HoYoverse actually needed us to concentrate to. This time round there are much more cutscenes. It’s attention-grabbing in a extra environment friendly approach than partitions of lore-dumping textual content, as HoYo has been responsible of up to now. Sparxie has a selected cutscene the place she is extremely expressive, feeling a variety of completely different feelings, they usually’re actually plausible because of the top quality of the cutscene. Hopefully this continues via the remainder of the 4.X updates.
Following the three.X lore dumping, presentation points, and neglecting some characters, my judgment was clouded. The 4.0 launch has none of these problems–more characters get their time within the highlight, the lore dumping is all however gone, and the cutscene amount and high quality is much improved–but head into the replace and expertise it for your self.