Genshin Impact Review — Worth Playing in 2025?

I still think the best part of Genshin was just exploring. You’re always running into puzzles, hidden loot, or side quests that spiral into bigger adventures.

Of course, the gacha side of things can be a drag, and sometimes the grind hits harder than it should. But I gotta give credit where it’s due: HoYoverse has kept the game alive with regular updates, new characters, and massive expansions.

So here’s the real question, is Genshin Impact in 2025 still worth your time? Let’s find out.

Quick Facts About Genshin Impact

Developer/Publisher	MiHoYo/HoYoverse
Platforms you can play it on	PC, PS5, Android, iOS, Xbox Series X/S, HarmonyOS 5
Release date	September 28, 2020
Genre/Mode	Action role-playing/Single-player, Multiplayer
ESRB/PEGI	Teen (T) for ages 13 and up/PEGI 12
Price	FREE
Get it here ↗️

Story & Setting in Genshin Impact

The Genshin Impact story is about the Traveler, who is separated from their twin sibling by a mysterious god-like being. The main goal is simple but powerful, reunite with your sibling but the journey takes you across different nations, each tied to an elemental Archon (basically gods of their regions).

What makes the story stand out is how each region has its own culture, politics, and problems. Each expansion ties into the bigger mystery behind the Traveler’s journey while adding more layers to the world.

With that being said, there were moments when some quests felt drawn out by side objectives or boring conversations and I was praying for a skip button which never appeared. But when the game delivers its big moments, like Archon Quests or cinematic cutscenes, it feels rewarding and worth the wait. 

My Original Thoughts on Genshin Impact 

I started playing Genshin Impact on its release day and played it pretty religiously for the next few months, until the release of Xiao. I had a lot of fun playing at the start since I was exploring every nook and corner, doing quests, collecting all sorts of materials, farming gear, and just discovering all secrets. I pretty much had all starting regions 100% explored. Which naturally led me into a place where I had nothing new to do and I was just farming for the sake of getting better stats on my artifacts. And that led to me taking a long break. Occasionally, I would return to Genshin, just to see what’s new but I never committed to sticking to it more than a day. At least until now. 

Genshin Impact Gameplay & Mechanics 

Combat

Genshin Impact’s combat is fast and heavily centered around elemental interactions. Switching between characters mid-combo is something that helps a lot during fights. Bosses and elite enemies can be challenging, but when you start combining team synergies, it can get easier. The team consists of 4 playable characters, where you usually want at least one good damage dealer, one healer, and other two either dmg dealers or some sort of support/buffer characters. 

Exploration

One of the most relaxing things in Genshin is exploration. Climbing mountains, gliding over valleys, and diving into secret caves is genuinely satisfying. Teyvat is packed with collectibles, hidden puzzles, and open spaces that make wandering around a joy. If you ever need a minute to relax and calm down, I suggest exploring Genshin.

Puzzles & Challenges

Puzzles range from simple elemental to more complex environmental ones that test your observation skills. They’re sometimes frustrating but mostly rewarding you with chests, resources, or experience points is what makes it up for. And in case you’re stuck on some puzzles, Youtube is filled with guides for it. 

Challenges vary from fighting waves of monsters to flying from point A to point B. Most of them are simple and fun. And there’s always a sweet reward once you complete them.

Crafting & Resources 

Crafting is mostly limited to potions, food, and weapon enhancement materials. It’s not super deep but ties in well with the overall progression loop. The resources you either get from quests, farm in an open world, and more valuable ones you get from defeating the bosses. Each character needs different materials for upgrading which means the grind is real. 

Player Progression

Leveling up your Adventure Rank unlocks new areas, quests, and features, while individual characters gain levels, talents, and constellations. Loot comes in the form of weapons, artifacts, and enhancement materials, which lets you fine-tune your team for elemental synergies. The progression feels satisfying, though RNG plays a big role in pulling your favorite characters and also what stats artifact gets. It takes some time until you get a good role on an artifact. 

Multiplayer / Online Features

Genshin Impact is mostly single-player, but you can co-op with friends for exploration and boss fights. Multiplayer adds a fun layer for tackling tougher content, though progression and story content remain primarily solo. If I had a penny for every time I heard players hoping for PVP mode, I would have at least a dollar. But it’s one of things that would already happen if they ever had intentions of doing it. But the game is fun nonetheless.

Controls & Interface

The controls are smooth and intuitive, whether you’re playing on PC, console, or mobile. Switching characters mid-combo feels natural, and the menu system is clean, though inventory management can get tedious if you hoard too many items. Nothing major to complain about.

Replayability

The replayability factor is high thanks to frequent updates, seasonal events, and the allure of unlocking new characters. Combat never feels boring because you’re always experimenting with elemental combos. And if you commit yourself to getting perfect artifacts for your characters/teams, it’s going to be awhile until you manage to complete that. All in all there’s a ton of things to do in Genshin, it all depends how long until you fall into the routine that you find boring. 

Graphics, Art & Sound

The Genshin Impact world is colorful, the character designs stand out, and the elemental effects give every battle a flashy, polished look. The closest comparison would probably be The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but with a heavier focus on flashy character combat and gacha-driven flair.

Performance depends a lot on where you play. On PC and PlayStation 5, the game runs smoothly with high frame rates and quick load times. On mobile, it still looks great but can struggle on older devices, with occasional frame drops or longer loading screens. For a game this big and constantly updated, the optimization is surprisingly solid across platforms.

The music is another highlight. Every region has its own soundtrack that fits perfectly with the atmosphere, whether it’s the peaceful strings in Mondstadt or the dramatic orchestral themes of Inazuma.

Voice acting and localization are also handled well, with options in multiple languages. English voice work has improved over time, but many players swear by the Japanese or Chinese versions for more consistency. I’m using English voices and I must admit that there were some issues in the latest version where the characters voices are out of sync or missing.

Monetization & Microtransactions

As you already know, Genshin has a gacha system which leans more to the P2W side. But it’s sort of a thing where it really doesn’t matter if you ask me. Because most of the content can be cleared by characters that you have at your disposal. If you play smart and build your teams properly, you’ll have no problem clearing anything. This comes from someone who is also F2P. 

And in case there’s a character that you really want, the best thing would be to save summons for it. They have a pity system implemented and collecting enough summons for it should be no problem with all the quests and events that they have going on.  

Games Like Genshin Impact (Genshin vs. Alternatives)

Genshin Impact is basically the poster child for modern gacha-style open-world RPGs. There are stunning anime visuals, an addictive elemental combat system, and more characters than you can reasonably build in one lifetime. But if you’ve spent hundreds of hours in Teyvat and you’re looking for something fresh, here are some games to consider: 

• Wuthering Waves — Think of it as the “next-gen” Genshin challenger. Wuthering Waves doubles down on fluid combat with flashy combos, tight dodging, and a more kinetic feel overall. The world leans darker and more post-apocalyptic than Genshin’s whimsical landscapes, but exploration is still front and center. If Genshin hooked you with elemental synergies, Wuthering Waves might just reel you in with its skill-based, movement-heavy fights.
• Tower of Fantasy — Tower of Fantasy takes the anime gacha RPG formula and throws in MMO-lite systems. There’s a bigger emphasis on multiplayer. You’ll run into other players in the open world, and co-op is more baked into the experience than Genshin’s relatively optional co-op mode. It’s not as polished visually, but it makes up for it with a sci-fi spin and the ability to customize your own character, something Genshin stubbornly refuses to allow.
• Honkai: Star Rail — This one trades Genshin’s open-world action for a more strategic, turn-based RPG format. It’s set in the same broad universe (miHoYo/HoYoverse loves to keep everything connected), so you’ll notice familiar vibes and presentation. If you like Genshin’s story-driven pacing and character writing but want a combat system that’s more about planning than twitch reactions, Honkai: Star Rail is the perfect cousin game.

Genshin Impact Pros & Cons

Genshin impact has a ton of fun stuff to play with. It’s worth playing if you love balanced open-world games with great visuals.

Pros

• Stunning Visuals & World Design 
• Dynamic Combat System 
• Regular Updates & Events
• Free Game

Cons

• Gacha RNG 
• Inventory & Resource Management
• Limited Multiplayer

Final Verdict 

I had a lot of fun revisiting Genshin Impact. For now, my focus is on exploring all the new regions fully and improving my teams even further. And who knows, I might get lucky and pull new characters to add to my roster. 

If you love open-world adventures, character collecting, or action-RPGs, this game is right up your alley. Even if you play casually, you can enjoy just wandering around the world and completing quests. And if you become hardcore obsessed, you can dive deep into optimizing builds and mastering elemental reactions.

The game offers tons of content for free, and even if you don’t spend a dime, there’s enough to keep you coming back. Replayability is solid thanks to regular updates, events, and the lure of unlocking new characters.

All in all, Genshin Impact is a must-play for anyone who enjoys stylish, exploratory action-RPGs. Even if gacha isn’t your thing, the world and combat alone make it worth your time.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.5 out of 5)

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