Genshin Impact: Repetition and Real Issues
Genshin Impact is a game that was released in 2020 and rose in popularity as quarantine continued. While it isn’t as popular now, many people found comfort in the gameplay and characters during a time when social contact was scarce. The game is known to have a lot of controversial fans and some believe the company that developed the game, miHoYo, encourages this. MiHoYo has reposted incest fanart on the official Genshin Impact X, formerly known as Twitter, official account. Many fans were rightfully disgusted by this and some even decided to stop supporting the game and company altogether. Some voice actors for the game have also claimed that they haven’t been paid for their work and many would argue they are the most important part of the game for bringing the characters so much life and depth. Genshin also uses a gacha system which means you have to gamble to get the items and characters you want so they can milk the most money from their majorly underage audience. However, Genshin Impact’s game design and character progression are the best parts of the entire experience.
Genshin’s storyline is what originally convinced me to download it, besides sheer boredom. The game begins with the player and their twin sibling arriving in the magical world of Teyvat. However, their arrival is interrupted by an Unknown God, who separates the siblings and sends the player plummeting to the land of Teyvat. The player awakens to find themselves in the care of a character named Paimon, who becomes their guide and companion. This, along with the loveable NPCs, is the main appeal of the game in my opinion. Each character has a unique personality, role, and contribution to the game’s story. A few of these characters include Jean Gunnhildr, Diluc Ragnvindr, Mona Megistus, Ningguang, and more. The vast majority of players have continued playing solely because of the diverse and engaging characters rather than the gameplay itself.
One of the most vastly discussed criticisms revolves around the game’s gacha-style system for acquiring characters and weapons. Some players have expressed frustration with the randomness and cost of obtaining desired characters, which can lead to a significant financial investment. I’ve spent close to $50 on the game’s gambling-style method to obtain characters and weapons that I rarely ever actually got. With Genshin Impact’s fanbase being majority underage, a lot of players have resorted to using their parents’ cards without their knowledge to gamble on the game’s gacha system.
Genshin Impact also launched with a mobile device version as well as PlayStation 4, and most commonly PC. Many would argue that “being available on mobile platforms makes Genshin Impact more accessible to a broader audience,” but that is not necessarily true because of the overwhelming amount of space it takes up. Mobile players have reported issues with the game’s lack of controls, making it challenging to fully enjoy the game. The game consumes a significant amount of storage on mobile devices, which a lot of players might not have. This makes it much more difficult to play and enjoy on the go.
Genshin also offers an online feature where you can play with other players if you would like. While this may seem like a fun idea, it causes many issues within the servers. Server congestion can lead to disconnections, long loading times, and other online-related problems. Players in different regions have reported varying degrees of connectivity issues, impacting the overall experience. Genshin Impact also does not have a player-versus-player mode, which may disappoint players who enjoy competitive multiplayer experiences.
Some players have expressed concerns about the lack of challenging endgame content. After reaching a certain adventure rank, all of the tasks become redundant and the storyline is halted until the next update. Redundancy in this context refers to content within the game that feels repetitive, similar, or unnecessary, leading to monotonous gameplay for some players. Players may find themselves repeatedly hunting down materials and defeating similar enemy groups for quests, which can make the gameplay experience feel repetitive and frustrating.
While Genshin Impact has gained a crazy amount of popularity and praise for its world design and gameplay, it is not without its share of criticisms. These criticisms largely revolve around its endgame content, repetition, and server issues. However, it is essential to recognize that the game continues to evolve, with updates that include player feedback.
