For exploring landscapes, character stories and elemental combat.
Things to considerOpen-world exploration rather than short, self-contained stages.
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For character stories and turn-based team building.
Things to considerTurn-based planning rather than real-time dodging and combos.
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| Before you jump in | Genshin Impact | Honkai: Star Rail |
|---|---|---|
| A good fit if… | For exploring landscapes, character stories and elemental combat. | For character stories and turn-based team building. |
| Things to consider | Open-world exploration rather than short, self-contained stages. | Turn-based planning rather than real-time dodging and combos. |
| Controls & combat | Real-time movement and elemental combinations. You explore and fight directly. | Choose your team's actions in turn-based battles, combining characters and their abilities. |
| Exploration & story | A connected open world, with climbing, gliding, puzzles and character stories. | A story-led journey between worlds, with areas to explore and turn-based encounters. |
| Starting out & daily time | Encounter Points can replace up to four Daily Commission rewards per day. With Long-Term Encounter Points stored, each 30 Original Resin spent lets you use them for one commission reward. First-week and daily minutes remain unmeasured. | No reliable play-time data SourcesDaily and first-week play time has not been measured. Story, exploration and optional activities add different amounts of time. |
| Automatic battles | Automation not confirmed SourcesManual action combat; general auto-battle is not confirmed. | Supports auto-battle; available modes and unlock conditions are not fully confirmed. |
| Social play | Co-op is available, but active quests can block access and some NPC interactions require solo mode. Do not assume every story step can be completed together. | The 4.6 announcement lists friend invitations to co-op spaces and Astral Slammers Squad (Trailblaze Level 21 or above). This does not make all story or combat co-op; availability in later versions remains unverified. |
| Progression & catching up | No verified returning-player guide SourcesCatch-up time is unconfirmed. Check unlock requirements before joining a limited event. | Finality’s Vision offers early access to some stories and events, with different prerequisites. Check event dates separately; catch-up time remains unmeasured. |
| Purchases | Includes purchases and random items. | Includes purchases and random items. |
| Device & storage | Official support lists Android 10+, 4 GB RAM, Snapdragon 660 / Helio G88 or above; iPhone 8 Plus / X or later, iOS 14+. Mobile free space: 40 GB supported, 60 GB recommended (2025-11-11). The US listing instead says iOS 13+: follow the stricter support guidance and check your device. These are published requirements, not measured installed size or frame rate. | The US App Store requires iOS / iPadOS 13.0+, matching the 3.8 notice. Store download size excludes additional in-game resources. A current complete Android hardware requirement and full installed size were not confirmed in this review; check official requirements before installing. |
| Your first steps | Follow an introductory quest, explore one nearby landmark, then try one elemental interaction. | Follow the opening story, watch Skill Points for a round, then understand one upgrade before spending resources. |
Sources
Based on the sources below; not a hands-on review of the current version.
Genshin Impact:
- App Store · US · developer description
US listing: gameplay and purchases; not an installed-size test.
Source checked - HoYoverse · Genshin system requirements
Published mobile requirements; storage can grow with updates.
Source date · Source checked - HoYoverse · Encounter Points
Commission-reward mechanism, not measured daily play time.
Source date · Source checked - HoYoverse · Co-op access
Quest-related restrictions on co-op access.
Source date · Source checked - HoYoverse · NPC interaction in co-op
Some NPC interactions require single-player mode.
Source date · Source checked - App Store · JP · developer description
Developer description used to check basic combat and world terminology for this translation. Not evidence of regional prices, device performance or current event availability.
Source checked - App Store · KR · developer description
Developer description used to check basic combat and world terminology for this translation. Not evidence of regional prices, device performance or current event availability.
Source checked - App Store · DE · developer description
Developer description used to check basic combat and world terminology for this translation. Not evidence of regional prices, device performance or current event availability.
Source checked
Honkai: Star Rail:
- App Store · US · developer description
US listing: gameplay and purchases; not an installed-size test.
Source checked - HoYoverse · Star Rail 4.6 update
Version 4.6: auto-battle adjustments and social activities.
Source checked - HoYoverse · Star Rail 3.0 update
Historical introduction of an early story-access route; check current unlocks in game.
Source date · Source checked - HoYoverse · Star Rail 3.8 update
iOS requirement and examples of event-specific unlock gates.
Source date · Source checked - App Store · JP · developer description
Developer description used to check basic combat and world terminology for this translation. Not evidence of regional prices, device performance or current event availability.
Source checked - App Store · KR · developer description
Developer description used to check basic combat and world terminology for this translation. Not evidence of regional prices, device performance or current event availability.
Source checked - App Store · DE · developer description
Developer description used to check basic combat and world terminology for this translation. Not evidence of regional prices, device performance or current event availability.
Source checked - HoYoverse · 星穹铁道 4.6 中文公告
Official Chinese announcement, read through indexed text: co-op spaces and the Chinese activity name. Version-specific reference, not a live service check.
Source date · Source checked - HoYoverse · 星穹鐵道 4.6 繁體公告
Official Traditional Chinese announcement, read through indexed text: co-op area and activity names and the level requirement. Later availability is unverified.
Source date · Source checked