Is Honkai Star Rail Related to Honkai Impact? Is it a Sequel?
by Alaguvelan M | Updated May 03, 2023
Is Honkai Star Rail Related to Honkai Impact?
Honkai Star Rail is not a direct sequel to Honkai Impact 3rd. Instead, it is referred to as a "spiritual sequel" by HoYoverse, which means that it shares themes, elements, and characters with Honkai Impact but is an independent video game title and only a sequel in concept.
The developers made it clear in an exclusive interview with ONE Esports that Honkai Star Rail is a new game for everyone and not a direct continuation of the previous game. With the exception of Welt, all of the previous characters in the series will appear in Honkai Star Rail with new identities, so players need not be concerned about its connection to other games.
Although it shares some similarities and characters with Honkai Impact, Honkai: Star Rail is not a direct sequel to any of the previous Honkai games. The game is set in 2023, eight years after the main storyline in Honkai Impact 3rd. The protagonist, Welt Yang, finds himself in a parallel universe and embarks on a new adventure.
The storyline of Honkai: Star Rail is set in the same Honkai universe, but it is not a direct sequel and has its own unique characters and elements. However, fans of the series can expect the same exciting experience that made the previous titles popular. The game has already gained significant attention, with 10 million registered users two weeks before its release, and its popularity has only continued to grow. Both long-time fans and new players can enjoy the game without having to play the previous titles.
Honkai Star Rail Explained
Honkai: Star Rail, also known as "Honkai: Star Dome Railway" in Chinese, is a role-playing game with gacha mechanics developed by miHoYo and published by miHoYo in China and by its subsidiary HoYoverse worldwide. The game was released on April 26, 2023, for both Windows and mobile devices, with plans for PlayStation 4 and 5 ports. While it is the fourth game in the Honkai series, it draws on characters from Honkai Impact 3rd and incorporates gameplay elements from Genshin Impact.
The game follows the classic Japanese role-playing game conventions where players build up a roster of characters and control a team of four of them in turn-based combat. The story takes place in a science fiction fictional universe where humanity follows godlike beings, the "Aeons", and struggles against a pervasive corrupting force, the "Fragmentum". The game has generally received favorable reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic.
Honkai Star Rail Gameplay
In Honkai: Star Rail, players engage in turn-based combat with a team of four characters, following the gameplay conventions of traditional Japanese role-playing games. The game also features elements of open-world and dungeon exploration. Many gameplay mechanics and the gacha system have been carried over from Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact 3rd, both developed by HoYoverse.
The game takes place in a science fiction universe where humanity follows godlike beings, the "Aeons", and battles against a pervasive corrupting force, the "Fragmentum". As players progress through the game, they build up a roster of characters and control a team of four of them in turn-based combat.
The game also features an open world where players can explore, discover chests, complete quests, and engage in combat against powerful enemies. Players are rewarded with loot, including weapons and character upgrades, which can be used to strengthen their team as they progress through the game. Honkai: Star Rail has been praised for its engaging gameplay mechanics, deep and complex storyline, and vast open world.
Honkai Impact 3rd Explained
Honkai Impact 3rd is a free-to-play 3D action role-playing game that was originally released as a mobile exclusive and later ported to Microsoft Windows. It was developed by miHoYo, published by miHoYo in mainland China and by HoYoverse worldwide. While it uses many characters from its predecessor, Houkai Gakuen 2, it features a separate story.
The game is known for its diverse range of gameplay genres, including hack and slash, social simulation, bullet hell, platforming, shoot 'em up, and dungeon crawling, across both single and multiplayer modes. It also incorporates gacha mechanics.
Honkai: Star Rail is a recent addition to the mobile gaming world, developed by miHoYo and published by HoYoverse. The game features turn-based combat mechanics and allows players to build a team of four characters from a roster of playable characters with varying abilities.
The game is set in a science fiction universe and follows the story of humanity's struggle against the Fragmentum, a pervasive corrupting force. The game's open-world feature allows players to explore various in-game locations, complete quests and engage in combat against powerful enemies. Honkai: Star Rail offers rewards that strengthen the team through loot drops like weapons and character upgrades. The game has been praised for its engaging gameplay mechanics, deep storyline, and vast open world.
Honkai Impact 3rd Gameplay
In Honkai Impact 3rd, players control a team of up to three characters, called Valkyries, in real-time combat against various enemies. Each Valkyrie has unique skills, including attack, evasion, switch, and ultimate skills, as well as a type, such as Mech, Biologic, Psychic, Quantum, or Imaginary. The game features a rock-paper-scissors-based system that determines the advantage or disadvantage of each type, depending on the enemy and the Valkyrie's type. Players can change Valkyrie stats and skills with weapons and equipment, which can be crafted or obtained through the gacha system.
The game offers various single-player modes, such as the Story campaign, Chronicles, and Open World, which provide stages, cutscenes, and storylines for players to explore. Honkai Impact was 3rd also includes multiplayer cooperative and competitive modes, such as Co-op Raid, Memorial Arena, and Abyss, where players can team up, compete, and progress through stages to obtain rewards and high scores.
The game allows players to join Armadas, groups of players that offer more opportunities for events and rewards, and interact with Valkyries and Stigmata characters through the Dorm mode. In Dorm mode, players can complete tasks, craft furniture, and design the layout of the dorm rooms to increase comfort levels and level up their dorm limits for more elaborate decoration.
Honkai Impact 3rd has various secondary gameplay mechanics such as minigames and limited-time seasonal events. Each Valkyrie can equip one type of weapon, with ten weapon types available. Stigmata can also be equipped to increase character attributes and can be obtained through various methods.
Players can enhance and upgrade their equipment to improve their attribute effects, and upgrade materials can be obtained through gameplay modes and events. The game features various currencies, including crystals, coins, and Asterite, which can be exchanged for supplies in specific shops.
Is Honkai Star Rail Related to Honkai Impact - FAQs
Honkai Star Rail is a spin-off game set in the same universe as Honkai Impact. It features some characters from the original game and expands on the lore of the Honkai universe.
No, the two games are separate entities and do not allow for any transfer of progress or items between them.
It's not necessary to play Honkai Impact to understand and enjoy Honkai Star Rail, but having some knowledge of the Honkai universe and characters may enhance the overall experience.
Honkai Star Rail features similar real-time combat mechanics as Honkai Impact, but it also includes new gameplay elements and mechanics unique to the game.