2020 saw the release of MiHoYo's Genshin Impact, and within a mere two weeks, the title became the most successful new IP by a Chinese developer. As a "gacha-style" action RPG that borrows its genius combat from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it's no wonder why this PlayStation, PC, and mobile release is so popular.
10 Longest PS4 JRPGs (& How Long They Take To Beat)
One of the reasons the PlayStation 4's dominance in the market was the focus they placed on RPGs, here are the longest JRPGs on the console.
With tons of characters to unlock and a map that regularly expands to include new regions, Genshin Impact isn't a game that can be fully enjoyed in a short time. However, some truly committed players may have already built the teams they want and achieved everything that they feel the game has to offer. So, for any Genshin overachievers, here are some titles that will help the comedown and scratch the same itch, whether that itch is for a mobile gacha RPG or a sprawling open-world console adventure. What are the best games like Genshin Impact?
Updated on May 15, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Genshin Impact is still going strong, but variety is the spice of life. Consequently, the following games should work as alternatives to MiHoYo's beloved free title.
Honkai: Star Rail
HoYoVerse's Turn-Based Sci-Fi JRPG
Honkai: Star Rail
- Released
- April 26, 2023
- Developer(s)
- HoYoverse (Formerly miHoYo)
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Stylish & High-Octane Turn-Based Combat
- Similar Gacha Mechanics To Genshin Impact
- Pretty Good Story
- Not Open-World
The uninitiated might be tempted to dismiss HoYoverse's new big free-to-play RPG as just sci-fi Genshin Impact, which would not be a terrible decision in and of itself; however, Honkai: Star Rail is very much its own thing, while nevertheless sharing a few common traits with the developer's popular gacha game. It is also a follow-up to Honkai Impact 3rd, which was the fourth game in the Honkai series. Star Rail is set up to be the first entry in the saga to fully blow up in the West in a way that might allow it to live alongside Genshin.
Released in April 2023, the game casts players as the Traveler, a being with a spaceship and a crew. Honkai: Star Rail's campaign is split across planets, each of which comes with a unique ecosystem, politics, missions, and enemies. At launch, players can visit two planets that are wildly different from each other, and together they provide a fair amount of initial content. Star Rail uses a dynamic turn-based combat system that is flashy and smooth, so while not real-time, battles are still a sight to behold.
Star Rail and Genshin Impact utilize essentially the same gacha system to unlock characters. The former emphasizes the importance of building a robust party that can adapt to different enemies depending on their vulnerabilities, so players will want to grind to increase their chances of unlocking characters.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink
Awesome Combat, Along With Great Visuals & Fun Story
Granblue Fantasy: Relink
- Fantastic Real-Time Combat
- Very Good Endgame
- Wide Roster Of Playable Characters
- Cannot Swap Characters In The Middle Of Fights
Starting on mobile devices before debuting on consoles and PC via a spin-off fighting game, Granblue Fantasy has had a strange life so far, although Cygames' franchise has been generally successful. While Granblue Fantasy Versus is quite good, Relink was the license's proper coming-out party, and the action RPG made an impeccable first impression that will hopefully lead to even more projects later down the line. Unlike Genshin Impact, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a traditional single-player experience rather than a live-service project, although it does support co-op for those who wish to play with a few people. While this major difference is not the only thing separating these two titles, Relink is nevertheless a stellar option for fans of miHoYo's beloved RPG.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Best AI Characters
Those playing solo in Granblue Fantasy: Relink will need to make use of the game's AI characters. Here are the best ones available.
If nothing else, Cygames' RPG is worth playing solely for its combat. Relink offers fast-paced action that is very satisfying, and the battle system does not lack variety either. Players can unlock a plethora of playable characters that have their strengths and weaknesses, and they come with unique playstyles that cater to different preferences. Similar to Genshin Impact, Relink allows players to build parties consisting of four playable characters, and a large part of the experience is finding compositions that complement each other. However, characters can be swapped on the fly in the middle of battles, so that element is not the same.
Tower Of Fantasy
Flashy, Weapon-Based Combat
Tower of Fantasy
- Released
- August 11, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Hotta Studio
- Decent Combat
- Weapon-Based Progression Is Interesting
- Beautiful Environments
- Underwhelming Writing
- Prepare To Grind
When Tower of Fantasy debuted, the free-to-play MMORPG naturally attracted comparisons to Genshin Impact. After all, they are both gacha-driven anime RPGs with hack and slash combat – a player would be forgiven for assuming they are essentially the same game. While certainly cut from a similar cloth, Tower of Fantasy does enough to differentiate itself from its more famous contemporary.
The sci-fi fantasy game allows players to create their own character, and they will then unlock new fighters called Simulacrum. The North American version currently has 15 playable characters, all of which have unique skills and preferences that set them apart. Rather than swapping between characters in combat, Tower of Fantasy focuses on weapons, allowing three items to be equipped at the same time. The combat system is flashy, fun, and accessible, while the open-world is lovely.