If there’s something we can all agree on, it’s that 2020 wasn’t the best year of them all. Thanks to the gods of entertainment, though, we survived. While many consider Animal Crossing their savior — and I must admit that I got kind of obsessed too — there’s another 2020 release that made things better. Genshin Impact was released last September by the Chinese videogame developer and animation studio miHoyo. The game hit us with beautiful anime-style graphics, an open world to explore, and engaging storylines. While the game is very well produced, it’s still a pretty good choice for those who just started playing videogames or don’t know where to start. Here’s why:
- It’s a free, multi-platform game
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Genshin Impact has the quality of a paid open-world game — and prices range from $40 to even $120 for a new game — but it’s totally free. Even though there are in-game purchases, you don’t even have to pay a dollar to enjoy the totality of it. In-game purchases are for those who wish to acquire new characters faster (but truth be told, you get a full team at the beginning of the game).
Also, every time you finish a quest, you’ll get Primogens which are used to get new characters. So, really, you’re not required to pay for any aspect of the game. Even better, what’s cool about Genshin is that you can play it on basically any device.
- It starts soft
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There are some games out there that can start kind of rough — I’m looking at you, Skyrim — by giving out a lot of information and enough quests to make my anxiety cry. This might be just the regular for an experienced gamer but not the best for a newbie. Genshin Impact, though, starts slowly. It’ll give you only the right amount of information and quests, and the world has a chill soundtrack and pretty beaches. You could enjoy a Sunday afternoon by farming some Slimes, gliding over the mountains or enjoying the lovely landscapes. By the time things get hard, you’ll be a Genshin Impact expert already.
- You can play solo or co-op
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Something hard to find is a role-playing game (RPG) that has a good, private co-op mode. Some of them will force you into a public server, and some others will make the second player feel like an assistant and not like a real asset for the quest. This is why I like Genshin Impact’s co-op mode. It allows you to set up a private party with only your friends and allows for team-work to happen. Besides, people don’t have to stick together. If you invite your friends over, they can freely explore your map whether you’re with them or not.
Basically, you can enjoy most of the game’s features along with others. And if you don’t actually enjoy group gaming, there’s good news for you. The game is meant to be played primarily alone, so it works both ways.
And there you have it. Genshin Impact is a good, entertaining game for both new and old gamers. What’s better, since it’s free and multi-platform, it’s the perfect sample for those who aren’t sure if they really like video games. To top it off, since it has an online co-op, you should have a nice multiplayer experience with your friends. And, honestly, who doesn’t love cute fictional characters?