I
f you told me that
one of my favourite
games in 2020
would be a free-to-
play RPG with ‘gacha’
microtransactions, I’d never have
believed you. Yet here I am,
approaching what is close to my
60th hour in Genshin Impact. It’s a
brilliant game – so long as you
aren’t overly offended by some
sketchy in-game purchases.
It’s easy to forgive that stuff, though,
because Genshin Impact is genuinely
a joy to play. It ditches the modern
trend of big open worlds littered
with icons and instead takes a more
intuitive approach, forcing you to
use your faculties to find hidden
treasures, collectibles and loot that’ll
power up your party of four
characters. I’m constantly skeptical
of the environment around me- suspiciously unlit torches might
be a little puzzle in disguise, or a
peculiar arrangement of rocks might
actually be a subtle sign that there’s a
hidden treasure chest nearby.
LOST AND FOUND
It’s a simple idea elegantly executed,
making the world of Teyvat aSTEVEN MESSNER
THIS MONTH
Poured over every nook and
cranny in Teyvat.ALSO PLAYED
League of Legends, World of
Warcraftpleasure to explore as you detour
from one puzzle to the next, kicking
over stones and stopping to fight
monsters along the way. It’s the kind
of game that has mastered a short
and sweet reward loop that makes
hours melt away, which is the perfect
remedy after a year that’s forced most
of us to spend our free time indoors.
If you love exploring vibrant worlds,
this is the game for you.
Since it launched, I’ve been
obsessed with exploring every inch of
Teyvat, which currently comprisesGENSHIN IMPACT is near-perfect JRPG comfort food, even if it’s a little shady
“If you love exploring vibrant worlds,
this is the game for you”
SINCE IT LAUNCHED, I’VE BEEN
OBSESSED WITH EXPLORING
EVERY INCH OF TEYVATCONTINUED ADVENTURES IN GAMING
EXTRA LIFE
It’s easy to lose track of time
just wandering around.