The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildis still widely considered to be one of the best games ever made, with a beautiful cel-shaded art style, a complex physics system, and a groundbreaking approach to open-world gameplay, and while countless titles have tried to imitate its excellence, few succeed.Genshin Impact, however, gets quite close. Afree-to-play open-world titlewith an anime art style,Genshin Impactquickly gained a name for itself upon its release in 2020. Though its monetization can put new players off,Genshin Impact’s satisfying combat mechanics and bright world can help to mask them.
As should be the case with every good open-world game,Genshin Impact’s story and settingis also one of its best features. Divided into seven major nations,Genshin Impact’s world of Teyvat has become overrun with various monsters and creatures, and it’s up to the player to find their missing twin amidst the chaos. Each ofGenshin Impact’s regions is brimming with exciting opportunities, along with a healthy amount of rich lore for the player to dive into.
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Genshin Impact’s Regions
The continent of Teyvat is divided into seven major nations, each of which praises a different god, and has their own defining element. Mondstadt is one of the first regions the player will come across inGenshin Impact. This nation worships the god Barbatos, known across Teyvat more commonly as the God of Freedom, one of the original members of The Seven, the pantheon of gods. Inspired by German culture and architecture, Mondstadt is filled with green plains, windmills, and cobblestone streets. Mondstadt is home to the Anemo element.
The most prosperous nation inGenshin Impact, Liyue is known for its bustling harbor and port area. Liyue’s citizens worship Morax, the God of Contracts, who was also one of theoriginal members of The Sevenalongside Barbatos. Liyue’s associated element is Geo, which grants in user rock-based powers. Where Mondstadt’s people revere freedom above all else, Liyue’s citizens are much more concerned with the concept of the contract, a legally binding promise.
Chapter 2 ofGenshin Impactsees the player enter Inazuma, a collection of small islands that create an archipelago. Inazuma’s people worship the God of Eternity, Raiden Ei, whopossesses the Electro element. Though Inazuma is only located 4km off the shore of Liyue, its people have decided recently to move towards isolationism, separating themselves from the rest of Teyvat. Inazuma’s governing body, the Kanjou Commission, have to give express permission for anyone to leave the nation.
The God of Wisdom,Lesser Lord Kusanali, is worshipped in Sumeru, another of Teyvat’s major nations. One of the biggest landmarks in Sumeru is its Akademiya, which acts as the center of learning for the entire continent. Sumeru’s biomes are as varied as the people within it, ranging from lush forests to dry deserts and everything in between. Sumeru’s defining element is Dendro.
The hub of culture and arts, Fontaine holds the element Hydro, and its people worship the God of Justice. As well as having some of the best entertainment facilities across Teyvat, Fontaine is also home to a mysterious energy system, though experts say that supplies of this fuel source are dwindling.
Natlan’s people worship Murata, who oversees the element Pyro, one ofthe most powerful and devastating elements across Teyvat. Inspired by Russian architecture are culture, Snezhnaya is the last of Teyvat’s major nations. Citizens of this region worship Tsaritsa, the holder of the Cryo element. Unlike the other gods, Tsaritsa is in control of their own army, the Fatui, a highly religious group that can verge on violence. Snezhnaya is locked in a state of constant winter, with blizzards that never cease.
Genshin Impactis available now on PC, PS4, Android, and iOS devices. A Nintendo Switch version is in development.
