Those Xbox players among us who have been waiting to get their hands on open-world adventure RPG Genshin Impact, I have good news.

At this evening's Gamescom Opening Night Live, the team revealed Genshin Impact will be making its way to Xbox Series X/S and Game Pass on 20th November. It is available to wishlist now on the Microsoft Store.

The news was shared along with a new Natlan gameplay trailer (below). Earlier this year, Genshin Impact was once again accused of cultural appropriation from fans and voice actors in response to the reveal of its new cast of Natlan characters.

Read more

Zenless Zone Zero Update 1.1, also known as Undercover R&B, is the game’s first big update since release. HoYoverse’s newest game has been making waves, but it’s only just begun.  Undercover R&B promises a new Bangboo, Agents, W-Engines, story expansions, and tons of new game modes and events. Read on to find out when Update […]

The post Zenless Zone Zero Update 1.1: Release Date, New Agents, And Features appeared first on TopGamersGuide.com.

During GamesCom 2024, HoYoVerse released a new trailer for Honkai: Star Rail, teasing new character Feixiao and the upcoming Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works collaboration. More details on both will appear closer to the release date.

You can watch the Honkai: Star Rail GamesCom trailer here:

It’s also available in Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

The trailer starts with Guinaifen describing Feixiao’s exploits on the battlefield, though she can’t really remember everything. Feixiao actually appears to defeat a borisin about to attack, but she’s just asking for directions. Then, the trailer temporarily shifts to an anime style to show Pom-Pom, Caelus, March, and Dan Heng on the Astral Express. They hear a kind of explosion noise and though you can’t see who appeared on the train, it’s most likely to be EMIYA between his voice and the line he says.

The Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works collaboration event will come out some time in Summer 2025. At this point in time, we don’t know if the crossover will only be skins, or if we will actually get a playable character like how Aloy appeared in Genshin Impact. As for Feixiao, she will be a 5-star Wind Hunt character. Before her debut though, we have her subordinate Jiaoqiu coming out in the second phase of Version 2.4. He’ll be a 5-star Fire Nihility who specializes in a unique DoT.

Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. Feixiao will appear as a playable character in Honkai: Star Rail Versioin 2.5.

The post Honkai: Star Rail GamesCom Trailer Teases Feixiao and UBW appeared first on Siliconera.

During GamesCom 2024, HoYoVerse released a new trailer for Honkai: Star Rail, teasing new character Feixiao and the upcoming Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works collaboration. More details on both will appear closer to the release date.

You can watch the Honkai: Star Rail GamesCom trailer here:

It’s also available in Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

The trailer starts with Guinaifen describing Feixiao’s exploits on the battlefield, though she can’t really remember everything. Feixiao actually appears to defeat a borisin about to attack, but she’s just asking for directions. Then, the trailer temporarily shifts to an anime style to show Pom-Pom, Caelus, March, and Dan Heng on the Astral Express. They hear a kind of explosion noise and though you can’t see who appeared on the train, it’s most likely to be EMIYA between his voice and the line he says.

The Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works collaboration event will come out some time in Summer 2025. At this point in time, we don’t know if the crossover will only be skins, or if we will actually get a playable character like how Aloy appeared in Genshin Impact. As for Feixiao, she will be a 5-star Wind Hunt character. Before her debut though, we have her subordinate Jiaoqiu coming out in the second phase of Version 2.4. He’ll be a 5-star Fire Nihility who specializes in a unique DoT.

Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. Feixiao will appear as a playable character in Honkai: Star Rail Versioin 2.5.

The post Honkai: Star Rail GamesCom Trailer Teases Feixiao and UBW appeared first on Siliconera.

During gamescom 2024 Opening Night Live, HoYoVerse announced a Genshin Impact Xbox Series X release date. The game will come to the console on November 10, 2024, following the 5.0 launch on August 28, 2024.

The Xbox Series X version of Genshin Impact came up in the gamescom 2024 trailer for the title. For the most part, the video focused on the 5.0 update. We got to see the three new characters joining in August 2024 in action. These are the five-stars Mualani and Kinich and four-star Kachina.

This is the second Genshin Impact trailer to appear recently. On August 19, 2024, there was a Natlan-focused one. It highlighted certain areas we’ll visit and creatures we’ll encounter in the new region.

This announcement means Genshin Impact is only missing on one major console. The Switch version of the title was announced not long after launch. However, it’s since been absent over the years with no updates. It is unknown if this means it might not appear on a Nintendo platform until a Switch successor appears.

Genshin Impact is available on the PS4, PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the Xbox Series X release date is November 10, 2024. 

The post Genshin Impact Xbox Series X Release Date Set at Gamescom appeared first on Siliconera.

Genshin Impact will finally make it to Xbox later this year. HoYoverse revealed the free-to-play anime RPG will get ported in November, though a Switch version of the hit game remains MIA years after its release on smartphones and PS5.

Read more...

Greetings, Travelers! As Genshin Impact approaches its fifth year, we are excited to welcome the sixth major nation of Teyvat — Natlan, in the upcoming version 5.0 Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn going live on August 28. Known as the Nation of War or the Nation of Pyro where Saurians have lived alongside humans since time immemorial, Natlan and her people are distinguished from other nations not only by their unique tribal traditions and natural environments, but also by their agility and their unparalleled movement capabilities blessed by the power of Pyro. Today, we’ll share some useful tips to help you explore this new region like a local or in the form of a Saurian!

We would also like to invite all Travelers who have completed Archon Quest Prologue: Act III Song of Dragon and Freedom in Mondstadt to visit Natlan using an unlocked Teleport Waypoint located at its entrance. Travelers who reached Adventure Rank 28 or above who have completed the Archon Quest Chapter I: Act III A New Star Approaches in Liyue can move on to the Archon Quests in Natlan without having to first complete the prerequisite quests of other nations.

Become a Saurian

The dragons in Natlan are called Saurians, and they are the result of a long evolution and coexisting with humans. Located west of the Desert of Hadramaveth in Sumeru, Natlan has a varied panorama ranging from canyons and cliffs to flowing waters and hot springs, and even dangerous volcanoes. Version 5.0 will offer the opportunity to meet three of the six local tribes, the Children of Echoes, the Scions of the Canopy, and the People of the Springs, to discover how their members move in steep and difficult-to-cross landscapes thanks to their respective Saurians.

For reasons that are still unclear, Travelers are unable to unlock the power of the Pyro element upon their arrival in Natlan, but you will be able to transform yourself into a Saurian temporarily by indwelling them or their Spiritsconce to roam around during your adventure!

The first Saurian you may indwell is a Tepetlisaurus. They are faithful companions taken in by the Children of Echoes, the tribe known for its expert miners and talented dancers inside the canyon. Transforming into a Tepetlisaurus allows you to burrow underground and climb cliffs. By indwelling a Yumkasaurus, you will be able to move travel through mid-air swiftly, reach high places with ease, and experience for yourself why the Scions of the Canopy that hang from steep cliffs with ropes, adore these Saurians as extreme sports enthusiasts. If you approach the People of the Springs, a laidback tribe who is known for their hot springs, try indwelling the Koholasarus to take a dip in the water, hot springs, and even the flowing Phlogiston streams in the air.

Use a new resource

In the Nation of Pyro, the Pyro element can materialize as a unique resource known as Phlogiston. Phlogiston comes in different forms and can be utilized by the locals as a brand-new resource in movement or combat. Once you indwell a Saurian, you may notice that your skills will consume a separate Phlogiston bar located to the right of your Saurian form. Natlan’s characters also have a Phlogiston bar which appears above their HP bar. Throughout your journey, you may come across Phlogiston, either as harvestable resources, or useful tools such as the Spiritways of flowing Phlogiston, offering fast tracks to the Koholasarus and warriors from the People of the Springs to travel.

Warriors of Natlan can further enhance their abilities through the ancient ritual of Phlogiston Engravings, and thus gain the Nightsoul’s Blessing. Glowing patterns will appear on characters under the influence of the Nightsoul’s Blessing, granting them an advantage in combat.

Team up with local warriors

As the Nation of War, Natlan has experienced countless crises and dangers in numerous battles in which both locals and Saurians have fought valiantly. The Ancient Names of brave warriors are passed down from generation to generation to honor their legacy. At the Stadium of the Sacred Flame, each of the six tribes designates a Champion from among the greatest warriors who make up its ranks, and we will have the opportunity to recruit three of them from the Children of Echoes, the Scions of the Canopy, and the People of the Springs. Each of these Champions is distinguished by unique traits and abilities reflecting their tribe.

Our first companion from Natlan is Kachina, a four-star Geo polearm wielder from the Children of Echoes. Not only will we meet her from the very beginning of our journey, we can even recruit her for free as a reward for completing Act I of Natlan’s Archon Quest. Kachina is able to summon Turbo Twirly and ride it to scale walls and cliffs in daily exploration, and also unleash ground-slam attacks to deal AoE Geo DMG in combat.

Kinich, famous for his hunting skills in the Scions of the Canopy, is a five-star Dendro claymore warrior who wields the grappling hook expertly, so as to swiftly swing through the air and easily reach great heights, or link to enemies and perform Loop Shots to deal significant damage. Interestingly, Kinich is accompanied by the Almighty Dragonlord, Ajaw, who is capable of unleashing dragon-breaths at intervals to deal AoE Dendro DMG when Kinich casts his Elemental Burst.

If you’re visiting the People of the Springs, Mualani, the owner of a watersports equipment store and a renowned local tour guide, is your ideal companion. Fond of watersports including swimming, surfing, and beach volleyball, this five-star Hydro catalyst wielder can mount her Sharky Surfboard and quickly move across water, liquid Phlogiston, and flat ground. In combat, as Mualani surfs around on her Sharky Surfboard, she can mark enemies in her path and inflict Sharky’s Bites on them, dealing increased Hydro DMG after multiple hits.

Natlan’s three playable characters are able to locate and mark local specialties, which benefits their entire party while interacting with certain harvestable items: Kachina can restore Stamina, Kinich can increase Movement Speed, and Mualani can restore Phlogiston. In version 5.0’s Event Wishes, Mualani and Kachina will debut in the first phase along with Kaedehara Kazuha’s rerun, and Kinich’s debut will come with the Raiden Shogun in the later phase.

Try the Tribal Chronicles

To better unveil the history and heroic tales of each tribe, the Reputation System returns to Natlan through the Tribal Chronicles, a new series of three-act narrative quests for each tribe that weaves together traditions, stories, and people that replaces the Story Quests in Natlan. Visit each tribe’s Obsidian Totem Pole to unlock their Tribal Chronicles, as well as their Bounties and Supply Notices. Completing these Tribal Chronicles not only provides a deeper and immersive understanding of the customs and culture of different tribes but also earns Tribe Reputation EXP and rewards for the corresponding tribe.

In addition, World Quests, exciting stories, as well as Archon Quests await you in Natlan with many surprises and rewards. However, we will leave Travelers to explore all this new content at their own pace. The Sacred Flame burns with an incandescent glow, and ignites the hearts of the brave! We look forward to seeing you in-game when Genshin Impact version 5.0 goes live August 28!

V srpnu 2024 přichází do světa Genshin Impact jedno z největších rozšíření, které hráče zavede do nového, ohnivého regionu Natlan. Tento tajemný a nebezpečný svět plný nových výzev a možností slibuje nejen nové postavy, ale také hlubší herní zážitek díky inovativním mechanikám které jsme zatím neviděli. Vydáte se na dobrodružství, kde se tradiční hranice posouvají a každé rozhodnutí může ovlivnit váš další krok v fantastickém světě Teyvatu. Připravte se na nepoznané!

Ve verzi 5.0 se pro Natlan se objevuje zásadní změna v podobě nového systému „Tribal Chronicles“, který přebírá roli od tradičních příběhových questů. Místo předchozích lineárních questů, které byly založené na pevně stanovených úkolech a příběhových liniích, „Tribal Chronicles“ nabízí hráčům možnost interagovat s různými kmeny, čímž se vytváří živější a více personalizovaný zážitek. Každý kmen má své vlastní unikátní příběhy, cíle a konflikty, a hráči mohou ovlivnit vztahy s těmito kmeny prostřednictvím svých rozhodnutí a činů.

Součástí tohoto systému je také nový reputační systém. Ten umožňuje hráčům sledovat a ovlivňovat svůj vztah s jednotlivými kmeny na základě jejich akcí a interakcí. Zlepšení reputace u některého z kmenů může přinést výhody, jako jsou speciální úkoly, odměny nebo přístup k exkluzivním zdrojům, zatímco zhoršení reputace může mít za následek omezený přístup nebo dokonce nepřátelství.

Další významnou novinkou v aktualizaci je zavedení nových rychlostních a přepravních systémů spojených s „Phlogistonem“. Tento nový prvek umožňuje hráčům rychlejší a efektivnější cestování po rozsáhlém regionu. „Phlogiston“ funguje jako magická nebo technologická energie, což zahrnuje například speciální transportní zařízení, portály nebo jiné formy rychlého přesunu.

Krom toho, že podle pátečního livestreamu vývojaři slibují více primogemů které budeme dostávat za exploration a truhly se mění systém gacha.

První změna je úprava mechaniky 50/50. V této době platí, že pokud točíte na současnou eventovou postavu, máte šanci 50% získat vystavenou postavu. Pokud jste toto „padesát na padesát“ prohráli a vaše 5* postava byla ze stáleho banneru, měli jste při dalším pokusu šanci 100% a postavu jste vždy získali. Nyní se 50/50 mění, pokud nemáte garanci z prohraného rollu, hra při prohrání aplikuje ještě jednu novou záchranou mechaniku *Capturing Radiance* kdy máte dalších 10% na to získat bannerovou postavu. Tato mechanika má i novou vizuální úpravu, kterou ve hře uvidíte. Capturing radiance mění poměr ziskání postavy na 55/45 . Vývojáři doufají, že to zvýší štěstí pro hráče, kteří mají prostě smůlu a své šance pravidleně prohrávají.

Druhou novinkou v gacha je změna na banneru pro zbraně. Na banneru budou stále dvě zbraně pro dvě bannerové postavy, ale počet Fate Points se sníží na jeden. Takže budete mít šanci 75% na získání jedné ze dvou banner zbraní a 25% na jednu ze stálého banneru. Pokud nedostanete zvolenou zbraň v Epitomized Path, dostanete 1 faite point což se rovná garanci že další 5* zbraň bude ta, kterou chcete. Tahle změna je hodně příjemná, protože získat touženou zbraň ke konkrétní postavě se mohlo vyšplhat na hodnoty přes 200 pulls.

Hráči mají možnost získat tři nové postavy s různými elementárními schopnostmi a styly boje. Kachina, čtyřhvězdičková Geo bojovnice s kopím, která cestuje na svém vrtáku, je dostupná zdarma po dokončení prvního aktu Archon questu. Kinich, pětihvězdičkový Dendro bojovník, vyniká svými dovednostmi s grapplingovým hákem, a Mualani, pětihvězdičková Hydro postava, je mistrem vodních sportů, schopná rychlého pohybu na vodě a využívání svého prkna i v boji.

Region Natlan přináší také nový ekosystém, který zahrnuje pestrou řadu zvířat, která obohacují mapu. Budeme moci potkat například veselé kapybary, ohnivé lišáky, hořící želvy nebo celou škálu dinosaurů. V oblastech kolem sopky se v lávě koupou červi, v horkých dunách potkáme brouky pokryté žhavým popelem a v lesích se na nás snesou popelaví jestřábi.

Herní mechanika Saurian Indwelling hráčům umožní na sebe převzít formu některých zvířat a objevovat mapu či plnit úkoly v jejich podobě!

Na závěř nás vývojáři na streamu potěšili ukázkou hudby, se kterou se budeme setkávat. Na nahrávání si totiž pozvali domorodé umělce kteří hrají na tradiční nástroje. Tohle není poprvé, co u Hoyoverse tradiční nástroje doprovázející region inspirovaný danou kulturou vidíme, ale rozhodně to potěší všechny fanoušky videoherní hudby! Byť na jaře opustil hudební tým hlavní skladatel Yu Peng Chen, hudba je stále skvělá! Změna v hudebním týmu totiž také znamená novou krev a nové nápady, takže se velice těšíme na to, co Natlan přinese po naprosto epickém hudebním závěru Fontaine Archon questu!

Na závěř článku si ukázku Natlan hudby můžeme poslechnout.

Článek Genshin Impact 5.0: Natlan a nový pity systém! se nejdříve objevil na GAME PRESS.

Greetings, Travelers! As Genshin Impact approaches its fifth year, we are excited to welcome the sixth major nation of Teyvat — Natlan, in the upcoming version 5.0 Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn going live on August 28. Known as the Nation of War or the Nation of Pyro where Saurians have lived alongside humans since time immemorial, Natlan and her people are distinguished from other nations not only by their unique tribal traditions and natural environments, but also by their agility and their unparalleled movement capabilities blessed by the power of Pyro. Today, we’ll share some useful tips to help you explore this new region like a local or in the form of a Saurian!

We would also like to invite all Travelers who have completed Archon Quest Prologue: Act III Song of Dragon and Freedom in Mondstadt to visit Natlan using an unlocked Teleport Waypoint located at its entrance. Travelers who reached Adventure Rank 28 or above who have completed the Archon Quest Chapter I: Act III A New Star Approaches in Liyue can move on to the Archon Quests in Natlan without having to first complete the prerequisite quests of other nations.

Become a Saurian

The dragons in Natlan are called Saurians, and they are the result of a long evolution and coexisting with humans. Located west of the Desert of Hadramaveth in Sumeru, Natlan has a varied panorama ranging from canyons and cliffs to flowing waters and hot springs, and even dangerous volcanoes. Version 5.0 will offer the opportunity to meet three of the six local tribes, the Children of Echoes, the Scions of the Canopy, and the People of the Springs, to discover how their members move in steep and difficult-to-cross landscapes thanks to their respective Saurians.

For reasons that are still unclear, Travelers are unable to unlock the power of the Pyro element upon their arrival in Natlan, but you will be able to transform yourself into a Saurian temporarily by indwelling them or their Spiritsconce to roam around during your adventure!

The first Saurian you may indwell is a Tepetlisaurus. They are faithful companions taken in by the Children of Echoes, the tribe known for its expert miners and talented dancers inside the canyon. Transforming into a Tepetlisaurus allows you to burrow underground and climb cliffs. By indwelling a Yumkasaurus, you will be able to move travel through mid-air swiftly, reach high places with ease, and experience for yourself why the Scions of the Canopy that hang from steep cliffs with ropes, adore these Saurians as extreme sports enthusiasts. If you approach the People of the Springs, a laidback tribe who is known for their hot springs, try indwelling the Koholasarus to take a dip in the water, hot springs, and even the flowing Phlogiston streams in the air.

Use a new resource

In the Nation of Pyro, the Pyro element can materialize as a unique resource known as Phlogiston. Phlogiston comes in different forms and can be utilized by the locals as a brand-new resource in movement or combat. Once you indwell a Saurian, you may notice that your skills will consume a separate Phlogiston bar located to the right of your Saurian form. Natlan’s characters also have a Phlogiston bar which appears above their HP bar. Throughout your journey, you may come across Phlogiston, either as harvestable resources, or useful tools such as the Spiritways of flowing Phlogiston, offering fast tracks to the Koholasarus and warriors from the People of the Springs to travel.

Warriors of Natlan can further enhance their abilities through the ancient ritual of Phlogiston Engravings, and thus gain the Nightsoul’s Blessing. Glowing patterns will appear on characters under the influence of the Nightsoul’s Blessing, granting them an advantage in combat.

Team up with local warriors

As the Nation of War, Natlan has experienced countless crises and dangers in numerous battles in which both locals and Saurians have fought valiantly. The Ancient Names of brave warriors are passed down from generation to generation to honor their legacy. At the Stadium of the Sacred Flame, each of the six tribes designates a Champion from among the greatest warriors who make up its ranks, and we will have the opportunity to recruit three of them from the Children of Echoes, the Scions of the Canopy, and the People of the Springs. Each of these Champions is distinguished by unique traits and abilities reflecting their tribe.

Our first companion from Natlan is Kachina, a four-star Geo polearm wielder from the Children of Echoes. Not only will we meet her from the very beginning of our journey, we can even recruit her for free as a reward for completing Act I of Natlan’s Archon Quest. Kachina is able to summon Turbo Twirly and ride it to scale walls and cliffs in daily exploration, and also unleash ground-slam attacks to deal AoE Geo DMG in combat.

Kinich, famous for his hunting skills in the Scions of the Canopy, is a five-star Dendro claymore warrior who wields the grappling hook expertly, so as to swiftly swing through the air and easily reach great heights, or link to enemies and perform Loop Shots to deal significant damage. Interestingly, Kinich is accompanied by the Almighty Dragonlord, Ajaw, who is capable of unleashing dragon-breaths at intervals to deal AoE Dendro DMG when Kinich casts his Elemental Burst.

If you’re visiting the People of the Springs, Mualani, the owner of a watersports equipment store and a renowned local tour guide, is your ideal companion. Fond of watersports including swimming, surfing, and beach volleyball, this five-star Hydro catalyst wielder can mount her Sharky Surfboard and quickly move across water, liquid Phlogiston, and flat ground. In combat, as Mualani surfs around on her Sharky Surfboard, she can mark enemies in her path and inflict Sharky’s Bites on them, dealing increased Hydro DMG after multiple hits.

Natlan’s three playable characters are able to locate and mark local specialties, which benefits their entire party while interacting with certain harvestable items: Kachina can restore Stamina, Kinich can increase Movement Speed, and Mualani can restore Phlogiston. In version 5.0’s Event Wishes, Mualani and Kachina will debut in the first phase along with Kaedehara Kazuha’s rerun, and Kinich’s debut will come with the Raiden Shogun in the later phase.

Try the Tribal Chronicles

To better unveil the history and heroic tales of each tribe, the Reputation System returns to Natlan through the Tribal Chronicles, a new series of three-act narrative quests for each tribe that weaves together traditions, stories, and people that replaces the Story Quests in Natlan. Visit each tribe’s Obsidian Totem Pole to unlock their Tribal Chronicles, as well as their Bounties and Supply Notices. Completing these Tribal Chronicles not only provides a deeper and immersive understanding of the customs and culture of different tribes but also earns Tribe Reputation EXP and rewards for the corresponding tribe.

In addition, World Quests, exciting stories, as well as Archon Quests await you in Natlan with many surprises and rewards. However, we will leave Travelers to explore all this new content at their own pace. The Sacred Flame burns with an incandescent glow, and ignites the hearts of the brave! We look forward to seeing you in-game when Genshin Impact version 5.0 goes live August 28!

HoYoverse’s latest gacha game, Zenless Zone Zero has finally come. As of the time of writing this article, ZZZ has 17 playable Agents, not counting the main character, which you can’t use in combat. Obviously, one of the things people are trying to figure out first is which Agents they should aim to pull. And […]

The post Zenless Zone Zero: Agents Tier List (Zhu Yuan Included) appeared first on TopGamersGuide.com.

A 1/7 scale figure of Anby Demarra from Zenless Zone Zero is open for pre-orders in Japan. It will come out in July 2025.

The Zenless Zone Zero Anby Demarra figure is from Apex, which had worked on multiple figures for HoYoVerse games in the past. It costs 22,400 JPY, which is approximately $153.90.  AmiAmi has warned that the shipping costs may be on the pricier side for this figure, as it’s quite big and heavy.

Anby is looking like she’s ready for battle in this figure. She’s got a hand on her sword and her other one outstretched. Her expression is her usual neutral one. Apex seems to have put a lot of care into the sculpting, between all the details of her outfit and the way her skirt billows around her thighs. The stand for the figure looks like a film reel, with the welcome slogan for New Eridu on it.

Anby is the poster girl for Zenless Zone Zero (in that her face is on the icon like Paimon in Genshin Impact and March 7th for Honkai: Star Rail). When you start the game, you can get a copy of her for free. She’s a member of the Cunning Hares along with Billy Kid and Nicole. Though she’s usually very stoic and quiet, she has a bit of a silly side. For example, she sometimes conflates movies with reality.

Zenless Zone Zero is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. The Zenless Zone Zero Anby figure will come out in July 2025.

The post Zenless Zone Zero Anby Figure Will Come Out in July 2025 appeared first on Siliconera.

A new timed event for Zenless Zone Zero focused on unique coffee bonuses called Coffee Sorcery: Tuning is about to begin. HoYoVerse noted it will involve bonuses for drinking special event coffee in-game between August 7-12, 2024.

Two new coffee varieties will be available from Coff Cafe during the Zenless Zone Zero event, each of which will offer special bonuses. Ginseng Americano will allow players to obtain double Drive Disc rewards during Routine Cleanup missions. Meanwhile, Mint Espresso will award double Plating Agent drops in Combat Simulation missions. Due to the rewards on offer, the event will only be open for players who have unlocked the Routine Cleanup missions. As with all coffees in the game, only one coffee can be purchased a day, and its effects will last the whole day.

The "Coffee Sorcery: Tuning" event will run almost up until the release of the first major update for Zenless Zone Zero. The 1.1 Update will release on August 14, 2024 and feature new Agents Jane Doe, Qingyi and Seth Lowell. These Agents will feature heavily in a new storyline featuring the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team.

Zenless Zone Zero is out now for PC, PS5 and mobile devices. The "Coffee Sorcery: Tuning" event will run from August 7-12, 2024.

The post Coffee Sorcery: Tuning Event in Zenless Zone Zero Offers Special Limited Bonuses appeared first on Siliconera.

A new event focused on trashcan photography will appear in Honkai: Star Rail, and it is called The Self-Accomplishment of a Trashcan Photographer. It will run August 7-19, 2024, and HoYoVerse revealed the unlock requirements.

The event will take place across multiple stages in Honkai: Star Rail, and players must use their photography skills to capture trashcan pictures. The trashcans are special ones added for the event, with three varieties making appearances within the crowds. Bronze trashcans will award someone 100 Capture Points, silver 150, and gold 200, with the gold offering a bonus for capturing its special poses. These Capture Points can then be used to obtain rewards, including up to 500 Stellar Jades and leveling items.

To take part in the trashcan photography event, Honkai: Star Rail players need to be at least Trailblaze Level 21 and are recommended to have completed the mission "Penacony – Tales from the Golden Age”. The mission will be offered by a trainee doctor from Penacony hanging out in Starskiff Haven on the Xianzhou Luofu.

This is the latest timed event added as part of the Honkai: Star Rail 2.4 update. It will run alongside another timed event, Saga of Primaveral Blade: Swordsage Saga, which stars March 7th. This event is currently ongoing until August 9, 2024.

Honkai: Star Rail is out now for PC, PS5 and mobile devices. The "Self-Accomplishment of a Trashcan Photographer" event will run from August 7-19, 2024.

The post Honkai: Star Rail Trashcan Photography Event Begins Soon appeared first on Siliconera.

A 1/7 scale figure of Anby Demarra from Zenless Zone Zero is open for pre-orders in Japan. It will come out in July 2025.

The Zenless Zone Zero Anby Demarra figure is from Apex, which had worked on multiple figures for HoYoVerse games in the past. It costs 22,400 JPY, which is approximately $153.90.  AmiAmi has warned that the shipping costs may be on the pricier side for this figure, as it’s quite big and heavy.

Anby is looking like she’s ready for battle in this figure. She’s got a hand on her sword and her other one outstretched. Her expression is her usual neutral one. Apex seems to have put a lot of care into the sculpting, between all the details of her outfit and the way her skirt billows around her thighs. The stand for the figure looks like a film reel, with the welcome slogan for New Eridu on it.

Anby is the poster girl for Zenless Zone Zero (in that her face is on the icon like Paimon in Genshin Impact and March 7th for Honkai: Star Rail). When you start the game, you can get a copy of her for free. She’s a member of the Cunning Hares along with Billy Kid and Nicole. Though she’s usually very stoic and quiet, she has a bit of a silly side. For example, she sometimes conflates movies with reality.

Zenless Zone Zero is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. The Zenless Zone Zero Anby figure will come out in July 2025.

The post Zenless Zone Zero Anby Figure Will Come Out in July 2025 appeared first on Siliconera.

A new timed event for Zenless Zone Zero focused on unique coffee bonuses called Coffee Sorcery: Tuning is about to begin. HoYoVerse noted it will involve bonuses for drinking special event coffee in-game between August 7-12, 2024.

Two new coffee varieties will be available from Coff Cafe during the Zenless Zone Zero event, each of which will offer special bonuses. Ginseng Americano will allow players to obtain double Drive Disc rewards during Routine Cleanup missions. Meanwhile, Mint Espresso will award double Plating Agent drops in Combat Simulation missions. Due to the rewards on offer, the event will only be open for players who have unlocked the Routine Cleanup missions. As with all coffees in the game, only one coffee can be purchased a day, and its effects will last the whole day.

The "Coffee Sorcery: Tuning" event will run almost up until the release of the first major update for Zenless Zone Zero. The 1.1 Update will release on August 14, 2024 and feature new Agents Jane Doe, Qingyi and Seth Lowell. These Agents will feature heavily in a new storyline featuring the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team.

Zenless Zone Zero is out now for PC, PS5 and mobile devices. The "Coffee Sorcery: Tuning" event will run from August 7-12, 2024.

The post Coffee Sorcery: Tuning Event in Zenless Zone Zero Offers Special Limited Bonuses appeared first on Siliconera.

A new event focused on trashcan photography will appear in Honkai: Star Rail, and it is called The Self-Accomplishment of a Trashcan Photographer. It will run August 7-19, 2024, and HoYoVerse revealed the unlock requirements.

The event will take place across multiple stages in Honkai: Star Rail, and players must use their photography skills to capture trashcan pictures. The trashcans are special ones added for the event, with three varieties making appearances within the crowds. Bronze trashcans will award someone 100 Capture Points, silver 150, and gold 200, with the gold offering a bonus for capturing its special poses. These Capture Points can then be used to obtain rewards, including up to 500 Stellar Jades and leveling items.

To take part in the trashcan photography event, Honkai: Star Rail players need to be at least Trailblaze Level 21 and are recommended to have completed the mission "Penacony – Tales from the Golden Age”. The mission will be offered by a trainee doctor from Penacony hanging out in Starskiff Haven on the Xianzhou Luofu.

This is the latest timed event added as part of the Honkai: Star Rail 2.4 update. It will run alongside another timed event, Saga of Primaveral Blade: Swordsage Saga, which stars March 7th. This event is currently ongoing until August 9, 2024.

Honkai: Star Rail is out now for PC, PS5 and mobile devices. The "Self-Accomplishment of a Trashcan Photographer" event will run from August 7-19, 2024.

The post Honkai: Star Rail Trashcan Photography Event Begins Soon appeared first on Siliconera.

Zenless Zone Zero is one of the most impressive free-to-play gacha games to release this year so far in 2024. HoYoVerse is back at it again with yet another blockbuster third-person gacha adventure. The action is fantastic and the visual aesthetic is so appealing. This applies to the characters as well. Given how excellent HoYoVerse is at crafting brilliant characters, here are our picks for the best Zenless Zone Zero character based on their gameplay and just general design.

Siliconera Speaks Up: Our Picks for the Best Zenless Zone Zero Characters

I'm a huge fan of Rina in Zenless Zone Zero, and she's probably my best character so far due to her versatility. Yes, she's best with fellow electric and Victoria Housekeeping characters. However, per PEN buff really helps with taking down enemies early on, regardless of her party, and I love how ranged characters work in this game. -- Jenni

Are we talking best in terms of gameplay or looks? Because I usually pick my team based on how they look. Like Jenni, I like Rina a lot. But if I had to pick my favorite, I think Soldier 11 has an excellent design and solid utility as well. Fire is an element I often like in games and I appreciate Soldier 11’s somewhat unique fire-themed attack combo. She is pretty fun to play once you get into the swing of activating her Fire Suppression Core passive. -- Cody

Zenless Zone Zero is available right now for free for Android, iOS, PS5, and PC.

The post Who’s the Best Zenless Zone Zero Character? appeared first on Siliconera.

With the release of Honkai: Star Rail version 2.4, March 7th's transition into her new path gives players a brand new Hunt character to mess around with. It's an extraordinarily unique kit for the path, and perhaps worth checking out even if she's not your usual cup of tea.

If you're eager to build March 7th in Honkai's 2.4 update, here's everything you need to know to put together the best build for March 7th's Hunt path.

Strongest March 7th Hunt Build in Honkai: Star Rail

March 7th's Hunt path has many typical characteristics of your typical Hunt character, but, thanks to her kit, she can also play similarly to a Harmony character, though admittedly not quite as strong. The strange mesh lands her squarely in the Main DPS Support role, thanks to how her Basic Attack, Skill, Talent, and Ultimate function. Compared to five-star limited characters, March 7th is a little complex, so I need to talk more about her kit in detail for clarity.

The core of March 7th's Hunt gameplay revolves around using her skill, Master, It's Tea Time! This turns one of the members of her team into her 'Shifu' and rewards them with a decent speed buff. More importantly, depending on the typing of the character March makes her Shifu, she gains one of two potential extra effects:

• If Shifu is Erudition, Destruction, or The Hunt - March deals additional damage that matches the character's element.
• If Shifu is Harmony, Nihility, Preservation, or Abundance - March deals 100% more Toughness Reduction.

On top of these effects, when March 7th makes a target her Shifu, she gains their Element on top of her own, making March 7th a universal unit. If the Shifu is Topaz, March 7th becomes Imaginary and Fire simultaneously.

When her Shifu launches an attack, March gains one charge out of seven. At seven charges (her Talent), she immediately takes action regardless of turn order and can launch an Enhanced Basic Attack. March 7th damage budget is entirely in this Enhanced Basic Attack, and it also rewards her Shifu with 60% CRIT DMG, after it is activated.

March 7th Hunt gains all of her Eidolons for free just by playing her event. Her second Eidolon has a considerable effect on her gameplay, allowing her to launch a Follow-up attack after her Shifu launches an attack. This Follow-up does not deal much damage, but it does provide her with an additional charge for her talent. This is extremely important to be aware of when talking about team composition with March 7th. More on that later.

Finally, March 7th's Ultimate deals moderate damage to one target, but greatly improves the effectiveness of her next Enhanced Basic Attack. Generally, you want to ensure she uses her Ultimate before every Enhanced Basic Attack.

Best Relics for March 7th Hunt

March 7th focuses on Basic Attacks for damage, so she only has a few select options in terms of Relics. Her best-in-slot (BiS) is an old favorite, the Musketeer of Wild Wheat set. This set provides additional ATK%, SPD, and, most importantly, Basic ATK damage — the best stats for March 7th in all situations.

If you don't have that set ready to go, March 7th cares a lot about ATK% in general due to the nature of her kit, so any two sets that provide ATK% for their two-piece bonus are worth considering. You can also use two-piece Wasterlander of Banditry Desert for the additional Imaginary damage bonus.

For her Sphere and Rope set, I highly recommend you run with Rutilant Arena, as it provides March with additional CRIT RATE and a large 20% damage boost to her Basic Attacks as long as she is above 70% CRIT RATE. If you can't get a 70% CRIT RATE, then the universal Inert Salsotto set is always a competitive choice.

Best Team Comp March 7th Hunt

March 7th's Hunt kit is extremely versatile, and it allows her to be run with practically any team comp and be somewhat successful. However, thanks to her second Eidolon, March 7th gets a considerable amount of leverage out of supporting a DPS that can attack very often. With that in mind, the best targets for her Shifu are Topaz, Clara, Yunli, Robin, and Aventurine, all thanks to the frequency of their attacks. Any combination of these characters will make up the Follow-up team comp, her best team.

Topaz is likely March 7th's best teammate because of how her Follow-up attack interacts with Numby. Every time Topaz OR Numby attacks, March 7th gains a Talent charge. March also gains a charge every time she launches a Follow-up attack following Topaz's attack. All of this results in many Enhanced Basic Attacks for March, and a massive 60% CRIT DMG buff for Topaz and Numby.

Clara is also an extremely potent teammate for March thanks to the infinite number of attacks Clara can make, limited only by the number of attacks the enemy can land on her. Every single time Clara uses her Follow-up, March gains a charge.

Yunli is in the same boat as Clara for March, providing the same rewards and limitations on attacks.

Robin is a universal support, but buffs Follow-up attack comps more than others thanks to their attack frequencies. With Robin's Ultimate active, all of March 7th's attacks become threatening to the enemy, allowing her (and everyone else on her team) to dish out considerably more damage than normal. Also, 100% Advance Forward is a godsent for March.

Aventurine is highly versatile and can be included in any team composition, thanks to his powerful shielding, which significantly benefits March 7th. In teams that don't focus on Follow-up attacks, Aventurine becomes the optimal target for March's Shifu. Since Aventurine frequently uses Basic and Follow-up attacks, March continues to benefit from her Talent's Follow-up effect, while Aventurine gains a charge from her Follow-up attack. This synergy pairs March and Aventurine in virtually any team without sacrificing their effectiveness

Best Lightcone for March 7th Hunt in Honkai: Star Rail

March 7th has a few strong options in terms of Lightcone choice. Her best Lightcone is In the Night, which is Seele's signature. It provides her with a massive boost to CRIT Rate, and further provides DMG scaling for her Basic Attacks via SPD (Speed).

Another solid option for March 7th is Worrisome, Blissful, which is Topaz's signature cone. It provides March with an equally large boost to CRIT Rate, while also considerably boosting the DMG of her Follow-up attack. Most importantly, when March uses her Follow-up with this Lightcone equip, she will apply the Tame debuff on targets hit, allowing her allies to deal more CRIT DMG to targets afflicted.

The post Best March 7th Hunt build in Honkai: Star Rail appeared first on Destructoid.

After a strong launch, Zenless Zone Zero has revealed details for its first major content update. Here’s a summary of ZZZ’s 1.1 special programs, including new characters, events, and a whole new game mode! 

Zenless Zone Zero Version 1.1, titled "Undercover R&B," releases on August 14. It will continue Wise and Belle’s journey in New Eridu as they team up with N.E.P.S to take on the infamous Mountain Lion Gang. 

ZZZ 1.1 Polychrome code

There was one redemption code revealed during the stream: UNDERCOVERRNB. Redeem it either in-game or on the official redemption page. Make sure you’re logged in on the correct account, and act fast! This code expires on August 4 at 10:59 a.m. CT.

New characters in 1.1

There are three new playable characters coming to ZZZ in Version 1.1: Qingyi, Jane Doe, and Seth Lowell. 

Qingyi is an S-Rank Electric Stun agent in Zhu Yuan’s security squad. We met her as an NPC during the main story missions, and now, she will be playable. She appears to be a melee unit, striking quickly to build up Daze in an AoE. When she deals Electric damage, Qingyi gains stacks of “Flash Connect Voltage,” which allows her to use stronger attacks.

Jane Doe is a high-ranking member of the Mountain Lion gang, though her introduction card enigmatically says “Faction Unknown.” She is an S-Rank Physical Anomaly unit who unleashes a flurry of quick strikes to build up her Attribute Anomaly on enemies. Jane will use a Passion Stream mechanic to enter the Passion State, allowing her to unleash a series of fast attacks.

Seth Lowell is another member of Zhu Yuan’s security squad. As an A-Rank Electric Defense unit, Seth confers a shield to his teammates, preventing them from taking damage. He can also strike enemies with a sword, though, dealing Electric damage. He protecc, but he also attacc.

There will also be a new Bangboo in ZZZ Version 1.1: Officer Cui Bangboo. When there are two or more N.E.P.S officers in your team, Officer Cui will perform follow-up attacks as part of your attack chain. Officer Cui will be added to the Bangboo lineup on the Signal Search page, where you can select him as your targeted rate-up Bangboo. 

ZZZ Version 1.1 banners

The first half of ZZZ Version 1.1 will feature the Qingyi (S) with her signature W-Engine Ice-Jade Teapot (S).

The banners in the second half will feature Jane (S) and Seth (A). Their respective W-Engines will also be available for Signal Searches: Sharpened Stinger (S) and Peacekeeper Specialized (A).

ZZZ Version 1.1 events

The Camellia Golden Week event will feature a variety of minigames and puzzle levels. Delve into a new Companion Hollow to earn Polychromes and an event-exclusive A-Rank W-Engine: Camellia.

First-Class Customer Service is another event that focuses on the video store. Complete a series of QTE-type activities to help customers tune their video players.

Daily Life of a PubSec Officer takes players through, well, the daily life of a Public Security Officer. Talk to the citizens of New Eridu and take on a series of small commissions to help them out.

Scene One, Shot One! is a photo-taking event. Pose yourself and other characters, apply new filters, and get the perfect shot. 

Login events - free pulls

There will be two login events in the upcoming Version of ZZZ. The first, All-New Program, awards a total of 10 Encrypted Master Tapes over a series of seven days. The second, “Eh-Nah” Into Your Lap, awards a similar 10 Boopons over seven days. In total, we will receive 20 free pulls just for logging into the game.

New game mode: Inferno Reap

A new game mode called Inferno Reap will be available starting with the 1.1 update. It looks to be a challenging boss fight where Proxies take on Nineveh directly. There’s no TV-screen Hollow navigation, just pure combat. To access Inferno Reap, you need to have cleared the Withering Garden stage in Hollow Zero. There’s no limit to how many times you can take on this challenge, so pick your favorite teams and put them to the test!

The post Everything new in Zenless Zone Zero 1.1 – banners, characters, and free pulls appeared first on Destructoid.

HoYoVerse announced the 1.1 Zenless Zone Zero release date and confirmed the characters that will appear in the version update. The patch will show up on August 14, 2024, and the new Agents being introduced are the S-rank Jane Doe, S-rank Qingyi, and A-rank Seth Lowell. 

The first banner in the update will feature Qingyi as the focus Electric Stun Agent affiliated with the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team. The A-Rank Billy and Corin units will appear more often as well. Qingyi’s signature Ice-Jade Teapot S-rank W-Engine will also be the focus for the weapon banner. 

In the second part of the update, Jane will be the focus unit. She’s a Physical Anomaly character. The two A-rank units featured on her banner are Anby and newcomer Seth. The W-Engine banner in that phase will introduce Sharpened Stinger, which is designed with Jane in mind. 

Some of the highlighted events were noted too. There will be login events that guarantee you 10 Encrypted Master Tapes and 10 Boopons. Some of the activities coming in this update include the Obsidian: Strategic Partner commission, Inferno Reap, Shiyu Defense - Special Operation, Camellia Golden Week, a First-Class Customer Service Random Play event, and Daily Life of a PubSec Officer.

Here is the teaser trailer for 1.1, which focuses heavily on the Zenless Zone Zero characters Qingyi, Seth, and Jane Doe and upcoming Criminal Investigation Special Response Team storyline.

You can watch the full August 2024 Zenless Zone Zero Special Program below. An English translation is available for us, but closed captions must be turned on first.

Finally, there is only one code from the Zenless Zone Zero Special Program. Entering UNDERCOVERRNB nets you 2 Senior Investigator Logs, 3 W-Engine Energy Modules, 300 Polychromes, and 30,000 Dennies. 

Zenless Zone Zero is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the release date for 1.1 is August 14, 2024.

The post 1.1 Zenless Zone Zero Release Date and Characters Shared appeared first on Siliconera.

HoYoVerse shared a new Genshin Impact trailer for the Natlan region that seems to show a baby Geovishap referred to as “Lil’ Buddy” accompanying the Traveler. After it steps away from Aether and Paimon, it walks around the new region and gives the viewer a chance to see notable places that will debut in 5.0. 

The Genshin Impact “Natlan Preview Teaser - Lil’ Buddy” begins with the new character standing behind Aether and Paimon as they sit on a platform overlooking some cliffs and a valley. It’s distinguished from other, enemy monsters by the red and yellow bow on their tail. After being distracted by a bird, it follows it and goes on a brief journey through a cavern with ruins and crystals, a place alongside a river, and a small settlement in a valley and beside a lake. 

After burrowing underground for a bit in the same way a Geovishap Hatchling does in Genshin Impact, Lil’ Buddy encounters one of the Natlan enemies. It looks like some sort of Elemental Lifeform, with a green color that suggested it could be a Dendro element one. After Lil’ Buddy roars at it, the opponent turns around. This causes Lil Buddy to turn around and run away. 

Here’s the full teaser trailer:

We should learn more about Lil’ Buddy and other elements soon. HoYoVerse will hold the 5.0 Special Program for the game on August 15, 2024. 

Genshin Impact is available for the PS4, PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the 5.0 update is expected to arrive at the end of August 2024. 

The post Genshin Impact Natlan Trailer Introduces Lil’ Buddy appeared first on Siliconera.

Zenless Zone Zero producer Zhenyu Li revealed in a recent interview with Eurogamer (via an interpreter) that AI generated content is used in the game "program-wise" to "better smoothen the game progress."

No specific programming examples were provided, as Li is "not a tech person," but he did stress that AI "only consists of a small part of the programming [in Zenless Zone Zero], mostly to help the programming team to smoothen the production process, to actually make our work more efficient."

Something we do know is that the game's signature vibrant, urban art style that sets it apart from miHoYo's other titles, Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, is not something made with AI generation. Li says the team wants to "create something from our own mind" when it comes to art related content, and in a later statement provided to Eurogamer to clarify some comments, it was added that this is "something the whole team believes in."

Read more

A new trailer for Zenless Zone Zero is out, focusing on Rina. As a reminder, Rina, or Alexandrina Sebastiane, is a member of Victoria Housekeeping.

You can watch the Rina Zenless Zone Zero trailer:

It’s also available in Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

The trailer stats with a scared-looking Bangboo wandering around a facility before Rina informs it of how it’s in a forbidden area. As she lists off the rules about the area, she scares it so much that it passes out. Then, it shows off how Rina fights by puppeteering two little robots. It then ends with her acting like a normal maid to the Bangboo. However, despite her profession, she’s a horrible cook.

Like other members of the Victoria Housekeeping faction, Rina is based on a combination between a normal housekeeper and a Western horror trope. In Rina’s case, she appears to be a combination of ghosts and the idea of haunted puppets. Other members of Victoria Housekeeping include Corin, Ellen, and Von Lycaon. Of the housekeepers within this faction, it seems that Ellen is the only one who’s willing to give Rina’s cooking a try.

Zenless Zone Zero will come out on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices from July 4, 2024.

The post Zenless Zone Zero Rina Trailer Shows Her Scaring a Bangboo appeared first on Siliconera.

The Ruan Mei re-run banner appeared in the first phase of Honkai: Star Rail Version 2.3. While I’m sure lots of people want to pull for the game-designated girlfriend Firefly, I highly suggest that players who don’t have Ruan Mei pull for her instead. She is one of the best characters in the game (in terms of her kit) and can make all the difference in the world when it comes to your ability to clear difficult content.

Let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room first. Ruan Mei is, objectively, kind of an awful person. One could go as far as to call her a monster. In our first meeting with her, she drugs us against our will and we see all of her adorable little creations crying for her to give them even a scrap of acknowledgement. Though she’s not completely emotionless, her inability to comprehend love and her pursuit of knowledge have her abandoning the creations on Herta Space Station. My friend jokingly calls her a cat abuser and refuses to get her for this exact reason. As a character, she is very interesting! But I can also understand people feeling uncomfortable with her due to her neglect of the Creations and her almost sociopathic behavior.

Some people may only want to pull for and use characters they like. That’s fair! It’s not fun playing gacha if you don’t like the characters, after all. But for players who care about the meta and who want to have an easier time clearing endgame content such as the higher difficulties of Simulated Universe, Ruan Mei is almost a must-pull. Your quality of life post-Ruan Mei will never compare to what it was like pre-Ruan Mei. If I have to name one thing that is bad about Ruan Mei, it’s that for all of her genius, she wasn’t able to clone a second Ruan Mei to use in Forgotten Hall. Robin exists though, so at least you can use her.

In order to understand why Ruan Mei is such a must-pull, we need to look at her kit and how she compares to similar characters. Her passive Talent increases the party’s SPD and her Skill increases the party’s DMG and Weakness Break Efficiency. This Weakness Break Efficiency buff is one of the best parts of Ruan Mei’s kit, as no other character is capable of this as of Version 2.2. Her Ultimate also increases the party’s All-Type RES PEN and delays their action after a Weakness Break. Ruan Mei’s buffs are so universal she can run on all teams, including DoT teams. She can also fit on either a hyper-carry or a double attacker team. While other limited 5-star Harmony characters like Sparkle and Robin are fantastic, they’re far more Crit DMG focused, which can limit their usage.

That’s not to say that they’re bad. In fact, part of Ruan Mei’s initial appeal is that you can run her with another Harmony or support character. Back when she debuted, one of the best Harmony units was Bronya. But Bronya has a glaring issue with SP. Aside from her and your attacker, your team has to be SP positive or neutral. You can run her with Asta, who only needs her Ultimate. But Tingyun and Yukong are out of the question because you need to conserve your SP for Bronya and your attacker. Of course, depending on the battle, you might want to leave some for your sustain as well. Ruan Mei’s buffs last for three of her turns and they affect the whole party, meaning that she can run with more SP-hungry Harmony or Nihility characters without affecting the way they play.

Since the beginning of the game, I’ve been adamant that you can skip attackers, but you can’t skip support characters. While some must-pulls like Luocha and Silver Wolf have fallen behind in the ever-shifting meta (Huohuo and Aventurine made Luocha obsolete if you have them, and Silver Wolf’s niche is no longer as necessary due to most people having more character variety). Ruan Mei’s universal buffs make her a staple on any team. She came out during the Destruction era but remained relevant even during the DoT renaissance (Black Swan), the follow-up attack era (IP3, Robin), and the current Break Effect (Firefly, Boothill) era. And she’s sure to remain a top-tier support no matter what meta changes the future brings.

Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. You can only pull for Ruan Mei in Honkai: Star Rail when the “Floral Triptych” banner is up.

The post Ruan Mei Is a Must Pull for Any Honkai: Star Rail Player appeared first on Siliconera.

Dear Trailblazers, greetings from the Honkai: Star Rail dev team. Today, we are excited to share the details of Honkai: Star Rail version 2.3, Farewell Penacony. This update introduces the highly anticipated Stellaron Hunter, Firefly, as well as a significant figure from the IPC, Jade. Additionally, under the guidance of Mr. Screwllum, the new update in the Simulated Universe – Divergent Universe – will be unveiled as well.

After inheriting the Watchmaker’s Legacy and embarking on the new Path of Harmony, Trailblazers awaken in the real world following the climactic battle with Mr. Sunday. Now, the abrupt termination of the Charmony Festival has left The Family’s reputation in tatters, with numerous delicate issues urgently demanding attention. In response, aside from the Oak Family, the major lineages are preparing their strategies to address the aftermath. In the version 2.3 Trailblaze Mission, the Express Crew will be invited aboard the Radiant Feldspar, soaring into the skies above Penacony to witness crucial Family discussions firsthand.

Meanwhile, aboard the Radiant Feldspar, a new project within the Simulated Universe, Divergent Universe will be conducted under the guidance of Mr. Screwllum, utilizing technology from his home planet to bring gameplay improvements. For instance, the Arithmetic Mapping function in the Divergent Universe testing removes character download limitations. If a character’s level is below the current Equilibrium Level Cap, it will automatically increase to meet the cap. The update also introduces the Equation feature, where combining buffs from two different Paths grants corresponding combat abilities once the required amount is achieved. Additionally, when facing defeat in the Divergent Universe, Trailblazers can now restart challenges without needing to force-stop the game. With the new Restart Challenge option, players can regroup and give it another shot.

In the upcoming version, Origami Birds will also make their way onto the Radiant Feldspar, bringing a new mini-game. In this arcade challenge, Trailblazers must achieve eliminations within a set number of moves to boost the birds’ Combat Power. During the Origami Bird Clash event, Trailblazers can not only participate in Story Challenges, but also freely battle friends from across the universe!

After venturing alongside the Trailblazers for a time, we will uncover more about Firefly in version 2.3. Firefly is a member of the Stellaron Hunters, originating from the long-destroyed world of Glamoth. Once a prosperous and expansive empire, Glamoth was left thrashed and devastated by the calamity brought on by the Swarm. Firefly, a young girl encased in mechanical armor known as SAM, was created as a weapon against the invasion. Unfortunately, she suffers from Entropy Loss Syndrome due to genetic modification. Driven by the quest to find meaning in life and to defy fate, she joined the Stellaron Hunters to further her goals and calling.

As a 5-star Fire-Type character, Firefly possesses an immense power. After using her Technique, she can summon her SAM armor and leap into the air, moving freely, with SAM attacking all enemies within a set range to enter battle. Each wave of enemies can have Fire Weakness forced upon units without Fire Weakness, lasting for a set number of turns. In the heat of battle, SAM will be operating in two forms. In the initial form, using her Skill consumes HP but simultaneously replenishes her Ultimate energy. The less HP Firefly has, the less damage she sustains. Furthermore, when activating her Ultimate, SAM transforms into its second battle form — the dazzling Complete Combustion state! Alongside more potent Basic Attacks and Skills, her Speed and Weakness Break efficiency are also heightened. The Break DMG dealt by SAM is increased until the countdown for Complete Combustion ends. An aspect worth mentioning is that this state not only displays SAM’s might, but also provides players with a unique perspective from within the cockpit of the SAM mech. In this perspective, Firefly’s unwavering gaze is an embodiment of her fiery spirit, capable of setting the starry seas ablaze.

Another Quantum-Type 5-star character, Jade, is set to make her distinguished debut. As a senior manager in the IPC Strategic Investment Department and one of the Ten Stonehearts, she is recognized by her Cornerstone, Jade of Credit. Cold and elegant, Jade is a skilled moneylender with a keen understanding of the human heart. Her personal hobby, Bonajade Exchange, highlights her patience in waiting for high-value acquisitions through accepting pawning of assets and her ability to extract value from seemingly destitute clients.

​​Jade’s Skill allows her to forge a binding agreement with a single ally, making them her Debt Collector and bestowing upon them enhancements. Interestingly, if she selects herself as the Debt Collector, the only part of the enhancement will be applied. Each attack launched by Jade or her Debt Collector accumulates Charges for Jade. Once fully charged, Jade unleashes a follow-up attack against all enemies. Her Ultimate, however, enforces the terms of the agreement with unyielding precision, dealing damage to all enemies while also enhancing her follow-up attack.

It’s worth noting that the limited 5-star characters — Ruan Mei and Argenti — will make their appearances in event warps during the first and second halves of version 2.3, respectively. Their formidable strength ensures they will remain powerful allies in your future adventures.

That wraps up our insights on Version 2.3. While there are still more surprises in the wings, we’ll keep this update brief and delightful. We hope you’re enjoying your cosmic adventures, that Firefly and the new Simulated Universe will bring surprises to everyone, and look forward to rendezvousing with you in the next one.

Dear Trailblazers, greetings from the Honkai: Star Rail dev team. Today, we are excited to share the details of Honkai: Star Rail version 2.3, Farewell Penacony. This update introduces the highly anticipated Stellaron Hunter, Firefly, as well as a significant figure from the IPC, Jade. Additionally, under the guidance of Mr. Screwllum, the new update in the Simulated Universe – Divergent Universe – will be unveiled as well.

After inheriting the Watchmaker’s Legacy and embarking on the new Path of Harmony, Trailblazers awaken in the real world following the climactic battle with Mr. Sunday. Now, the abrupt termination of the Charmony Festival has left The Family’s reputation in tatters, with numerous delicate issues urgently demanding attention. In response, aside from the Oak Family, the major lineages are preparing their strategies to address the aftermath. In the version 2.3 Trailblaze Mission, the Express Crew will be invited aboard the Radiant Feldspar, soaring into the skies above Penacony to witness crucial Family discussions firsthand.

Meanwhile, aboard the Radiant Feldspar, a new project within the Simulated Universe, Divergent Universe will be conducted under the guidance of Mr. Screwllum, utilizing technology from his home planet to bring gameplay improvements. For instance, the Arithmetic Mapping function in the Divergent Universe testing removes character download limitations. If a character’s level is below the current Equilibrium Level Cap, it will automatically increase to meet the cap. The update also introduces the Equation feature, where combining buffs from two different Paths grants corresponding combat abilities once the required amount is achieved. Additionally, when facing defeat in the Divergent Universe, Trailblazers can now restart challenges without needing to force-stop the game. With the new Restart Challenge option, players can regroup and give it another shot.

In the upcoming version, Origami Birds will also make their way onto the Radiant Feldspar, bringing a new mini-game. In this arcade challenge, Trailblazers must achieve eliminations within a set number of moves to boost the birds’ Combat Power. During the Origami Bird Clash event, Trailblazers can not only participate in Story Challenges, but also freely battle friends from across the universe!

After venturing alongside the Trailblazers for a time, we will uncover more about Firefly in version 2.3. Firefly is a member of the Stellaron Hunters, originating from the long-destroyed world of Glamoth. Once a prosperous and expansive empire, Glamoth was left thrashed and devastated by the calamity brought on by the Swarm. Firefly, a young girl encased in mechanical armor known as SAM, was created as a weapon against the invasion. Unfortunately, she suffers from Entropy Loss Syndrome due to genetic modification. Driven by the quest to find meaning in life and to defy fate, she joined the Stellaron Hunters to further her goals and calling.

As a 5-star Fire-Type character, Firefly possesses an immense power. After using her Technique, she can summon her SAM armor and leap into the air, moving freely, with SAM attacking all enemies within a set range to enter battle. Each wave of enemies can have Fire Weakness forced upon units without Fire Weakness, lasting for a set number of turns. In the heat of battle, SAM will be operating in two forms. In the initial form, using her Skill consumes HP but simultaneously replenishes her Ultimate energy. The less HP Firefly has, the less damage she sustains. Furthermore, when activating her Ultimate, SAM transforms into its second battle form — the dazzling Complete Combustion state! Alongside more potent Basic Attacks and Skills, her Speed and Weakness Break efficiency are also heightened. The Break DMG dealt by SAM is increased until the countdown for Complete Combustion ends. An aspect worth mentioning is that this state not only displays SAM’s might, but also provides players with a unique perspective from within the cockpit of the SAM mech. In this perspective, Firefly’s unwavering gaze is an embodiment of her fiery spirit, capable of setting the starry seas ablaze.

Another Quantum-Type 5-star character, Jade, is set to make her distinguished debut. As a senior manager in the IPC Strategic Investment Department and one of the Ten Stonehearts, she is recognized by her Cornerstone, Jade of Credit. Cold and elegant, Jade is a skilled moneylender with a keen understanding of the human heart. Her personal hobby, Bonajade Exchange, highlights her patience in waiting for high-value acquisitions through accepting pawning of assets and her ability to extract value from seemingly destitute clients.

​​Jade’s Skill allows her to forge a binding agreement with a single ally, making them her Debt Collector and bestowing upon them enhancements. Interestingly, if she selects herself as the Debt Collector, the only part of the enhancement will be applied. Each attack launched by Jade or her Debt Collector accumulates Charges for Jade. Once fully charged, Jade unleashes a follow-up attack against all enemies. Her Ultimate, however, enforces the terms of the agreement with unyielding precision, dealing damage to all enemies while also enhancing her follow-up attack.

It’s worth noting that the limited 5-star characters — Ruan Mei and Argenti — will make their appearances in event warps during the first and second halves of version 2.3, respectively. Their formidable strength ensures they will remain powerful allies in your future adventures.

That wraps up our insights on Version 2.3. While there are still more surprises in the wings, we’ll keep this update brief and delightful. We hope you’re enjoying your cosmic adventures, that Firefly and the new Simulated Universe will bring surprises to everyone, and look forward to rendezvousing with you in the next one.

HoYoVerse offered more details about the Honkai: Star Rail Apocalyptic Shadow and Divergent Universe early access that will be present after the 2.3 update. The short of it is, after the new version arrives, people at Trailblaze Level 21 or higher can immediately access certain modes they normally would need to unlock via other means.

This is due to Finality’s Vision. It can be found in the Travel Log. Once you go there, a Honkai: Star Rail player who meets the Trailblaze Level minimum can head into the Divergent Universe Simulated Universe mode or take part in the new Apocalyptic Shadow feature. 

Both of these new elements are going to be new to the 2.3 update. Divergent Universe is a Simulated Universe mode not unlike the Swarm Disaster or Gold and Gears ones currently present in Honkai: Star Rail. Meanwhile, Apocalytic Shadow is a different mode that is along the same lines as Memory of Chaos and Pure Fiction. Like those two, it will have rotating phases with new challenges. The first is confirmed to last for six weeks.

Honkai: Star Rail is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the 2.3 update appears on June 19, 2024.

The post Honkai: Star Rail Apocalyptic Shadow and Divergent Universe Early Access Detailed appeared first on Siliconera.

Zenless Zone Zero has secured itself a release date.

The upcoming free-to-play RPG from the Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail team is set to release across Android, iOS, PC and PS5 on 4th July. This date was previously suspected, when Apple's App Store on mobile said the game was "expected" on 4th July here in the UK.

"Dear Proxy, Thank you for your ongoing interest in and support of Zenless Zone Zero," the team shared on social media platform X earlier today. "We look forward to meeting you on Sixth Street when entry to New Eridu is granted."

Read more

HoYoVerse shared a June 2024 calendar wallpaper for Honkai: Star Rail, and for this month the calendar stars Himeko and Pom-Pom. It is designed to work with mobile devices.

Here's the latest Himeko and Pom-Pom calendar for Honkai: Star Rail for June 2024.

You can download the Honkai: Star Rail June 2024 calenadr from the Pom-Pom Twitter (X) account. Its size makes it easy to use on devices like your phone. In the picture, we can see Himeko and Pom-Pom admiring some hydrangeas. Pom-Pom even has a magnifying glass that they’re using to observe the flowers. There’s also a rainbow in the background, looking like it just finished raining. Like how people tend to admire sakura blossoms during hanami season (usually April), June is the time of hydrangeas. There are quite a few tourist sites that focus on introducing the best locations and gardens to check out these colorful flowers.

When HoYoVerse releases calendars for Genshin Impact, they usually choose who the featured character is based on who has a birthday in that month. For example, Wanderer and Thoma appeared on the January calendar, and they both have birthdays in January. Zhongli and Ganyu, who have December birthdays, starred in the December one. However, the Honkai: Star Rail characters do not have birthdays and the calendar doesn’t seem to use their debut date either. Himeko was in the game since launch, which was in late April 2023.

Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices.

The post Honkai: Star Rail June 2024 Calendar Shows Himeko With Hydrangeas appeared first on Siliconera.

HoYoVerse shared the release date for the Honkai Impact 3rd 7.5 update. It will arrive on June 6, 2024, bringing with it a new chapter for the story, new events, and the Lantern Lone Destruction: Shadowchase Battlesuit. 

As one might expect due to recent events and Battlesuits, the 7.5 Honkai Impact 3rd story and events all have to do with the Seven Shus and Lantern.  The new story questline is called “A Crime Foretold” and deals with the seven individuals awakening again to deal with Langqiu and Oxia’s troubles. Lantern will be playable as an S-rank character, and the Lantern Against Shadows event goes into her background. 

Here is the full launch trailer for the Honkai Impact 3rd 7.5 patch’s additions. It started with the look at Lantern and the new story chapter. After that, it offered some overviews of upcoming events. It shows how there will be a Lantern Against Shadows event, which includes a Magic Academy Uniform for the Sirin Miracle Magical Girl Battlesuit. After that, the Theresa Apocalypse Lunar Vow: Crimson Love Till Death Do Us Part Battlesuit outfit appeared. A login event with Fprged Light Stigma and 12 Equipment Supply Cards will run too. It ends with a teaser for things to come.

While the story is firmly going over the Part 2 characters and events, merchandise is still covering people from Part 1. A Seele and Veliona figure is in development, for example. 

Honkai Impact 3rd is available for PCs and mobile devices, and the release date for the 7.5 update is June 6, 2024.

The post 7.5 Honkai Impact 3rd Update Gets June 2024 Release Date appeared first on Siliconera.

Good Smile Company will release yet another Nendoroid of Dan Heng from Honkai: Star Rail. This time, he’ll be a Nendoroid Doll and he wears his modern outfit from past promotional material when he arrives worldwide in 2025.

Pre-orders will close on June 26, 2024. Those in Japan will have to pay 11,000 JPY for the Dan Heng Nendoroid Doll (Express Travel Version) and he’ll come out in April 2025. Meanwhile, those in North America will have to pay $64.99 and he’ll come out some time in Q3 2025. Due to geographical licensing restrictions, Good Smile Company only ships to Canada and the United States.

If you don’t want to purchase the Dan Heng Nendoroid Doll but like his outfit, you can also purchase it separately. The doll will come with a black t-shirt, pants, his outerwear, his camera (with a strap), a necklace, bracelets, a socks, shoes, hand parts, and a dragon horns hair band. Purchasing from Good Smile Company will also give you a button of Dan Heng’s key visual and a fabric version of the dragon horns hair band. Because he’s a Nendoroid Doll, if you have other Nendoroid Dolls or outfits, you can also dress him up for photoshoots or special occasions.

Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. The original Dan Heng Nendoroid from Good Smile Company will come out soon, with Japan getting him in June 2024 and Q4 2024 for North America.

The post Honkai: Star Rail Dan Heng Nendoroid Doll Looks Modern appeared first on Siliconera.

In the vast Wuthering Waves-shaped shadow that has descended across gaming comes an announcement from HoYoverse, publishers of quite large gacha gubbins 'em up, Genshin Impact. The studio's follow-up Zenless Zone Zero is now set to release on July 4th. For anyone who hasn't yet heard of the bright cyberpunk character action game, I guess now's your chance to look at the slick anime visuals in the new trailer below and go "hmmm", with either a songful note of eye-widening interest or the suspicious rumble of a free-to-play skeptic. Your choice.

Read more

Alhaitham is a 5-star Dendro DPS character in Genshin Impact. From his signature Light of Folar Incision to the budget-friendly Harbinger of Dawn, here are the best weapons and artifacts to make Alhaitham a formidable DPS.

Best weapons for Alhaitham

Light of Foliar Incision

Light of Foliar Incision is Alhaitham’s signature 5-star Sword and his best-in-slot. However, its advantage over other 5-star weapons is fairly small. I only recommend pulling for this weapon if you don’t have any of the other 5-star Swords below and don’t want to use a 4-star option.

Primordial Jade Cutter / Uraku Misugiri

These two 5-star Swords are almost as good as Alhaitham’s signature if you happen to have them already. They offer high CRIT stats and passives that are at least somewhat usable. Consider a Geo teammate if using Uraku Misugiri, particularly Zhongli.

Mistsplitter Reforged / Haran Geppaku Futsu / Splendor of Tranquil Waters

These 5-star Swords perform fairly similarly. They each have desirable CRIT stats, and Alhaitham can generally make use of their passive effects. Splendor of Tranquil Waters requires an HP-draining teammate to trigger its passive consistently. Furina is currently the best teammate for this purpose.

Wolf-Fang / The Black Sword

Both of the 4-star Swords from the Battle Pass are useful for Alhaitham. Wolf-Fang is the better of the two, especially with Refinements. At Refinement Rank 5, Wolf-Fang can perform better than some of the 5-stars above. This does, however, require you to buy the Battle Pass five times. You should weigh whether the $50 fixed cost is worth it for you.

Toukabou Shigure / Iron Sting

Toukabou Shigure and Iron Sting are the free-to-play 4-star options. Despite being obtainable for free, they’re not bad at all. Toukabou Shigure was a past event weapon, but Iron Sting can still be crafted for free using billets. Iron Sting Refinements improve Alhaitham’s damage by a small amount; there’s no need to use precious billets on them unless you want to.

Harbinger of Dawn

Harbinger of Dawn is a 3-star Sword, but it still provides value with its hefty CRIT stat and useful passive effect. Harbinger of Dawn is only worth using if you can consistently keep Alhaitham above 90% HP. If you can keep the passive up, Harbinger of Dawn can perform better than the 4-star options above. However, this may not be feasible with Furina or in Bloom-based teams.

Best artifact sets for Alhaitham

4pc Gilded Dreams

Gilded Dreams is Alhaitham’s best artifact set for his personal damage, assuming he has a teammate who can hold 4pc Deepwood Memories. This set gives a variable amount of Elemental Mastery and ATK, depending on his teammate composition. Luckily for Alhaitham, both of those stats are useful to him.

4pc Deepwood Memories

If Alhaitham is the only Dendro character on the team, or if no one else can hold 4pc Deepwood Memories, then Alhaitham should hold it himself. Alhaitham needs the Dendro RES shred from the 4pc effect.

2pc combos

While you’re still farming for a 4pc set, you can make do with 2pc combos with beneficial stat bonuses. Focus on sets that grant Elemental Mastery and ATK.

Artifact stats to prioritize for Alhaitham

Alhaitham will need about 120-135% Energy Recharge to Burst every rotation, as long as he has a Dendro teammate to feed him energy. With Nahida or Yaoyao, you can stay in the lower end of this range. With Baizhu or Collei, though, you may need more. I recommend putting a Favonius weapon on a teammate if possible.

As for other stats, Alhaitham should focus on CRIT stats, Elemental Mastery, and ATK, in that order of priority. Try to shoot for a 1:2 ratio of CRIT Rate to CRIT DMG.

The post Best Alhaitham builds in Genshin Impact appeared first on Destructoid.

Bucket and Shovel have opened up pre-orders for a resin statue of Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae from Honkai: Star Rail. The figure costs $60 to pre-order and will ship out in Q4 2024, and there is a limited (188) supply.

The statue is a 1/6 figure, and it’ll come with a base as well. It depicts him in his Imbibitor Lunae form while holding Cloud-Piercer. The stand is a lotus and he has the Long-like dragon he creates surrounding him. The $60 is the pre-order price and the statue itself is much more expensive. It costs $499.86 for the standard version, which is what you see below. There is also a "nude" variant for $171.43. There is no prototype yet but we can see from the art that it shows what Dan Heng might have looked like during his time in the Shackling Prison.

There are instructions on the website as to how to pre-order and purchase the statue. Bucket and Shovel does not offer refunds. However, there is a replacement service should you received a damaged statue. 

Though not from YY Studio, Bucket and Shovel has other Honkai: Star Rail figures for sale as well. There is an Acheron resin statue from Jigenworld and a Robin resin statue from LoveHolic Studio. As a reminder, these are not official pieces of merchandise from HoYoVerse.

Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices.

The post Honkai: Star Rail Dan Heng Statue Shows His Imbibitor Lunae Form appeared first on Siliconera.

HoYoVerse has uploaded a new EP for Honkai: Star Rail, with the song this time being “Hope Is the Thing With Feathers” featuring vocals by Chevy. As a note, both this article and the video itself contain major spoilers for the Version 2.2 Trailblaze Mission.

You can watch the “Hope Is the Thing With Feathers” Honkai: Star Rail EP here:

The video shows scenes from the latter half of the Honkai: Star Rail Version 2.2 Trailblaze Mission. This includes the Watchmaker’s death, the showdown against Sunday, and the final shot of Robin giving Sunday a hug. In-game, “Hope Is the Thing With Feathers” plays in the third phase of the fight against Sunday. You can hear it from Echo of War: Salutations of Ashen Dreams as well.

Chevy is the singing voice for Robin in all four languages of the game. Earlier this week, HoYoVerse released an EP for “If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking,” which was one of the first Chevy songs we heard in Honkai: Star Rail. You can also now stream “Inside,” which is the ninth soundtrack album featuring the three Chevy songs for Honkai: Star Rail.

Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices.

The post New Chevy Honkai: Star Rail EP Features Lots of Spoilers appeared first on Siliconera.

The Honkai Impact 3rd Flying to Oxia event began on May 11, 2024, however some people reported issues starting and playing it. HoYoVerse confirmed it fixed the issue and released a trailer going over the event.

The problem that came up with the event is people who should have been able to start it, couldn’t. They would keep getting a message that said, “Event not yet available.” While an early “fix” involved switching the PC time zone or going to an Android or iOS device, it is now officially fixed for everyone. People who experienced the problem will get 60 Crystals for the inconvenience in their mailboxes.

As for the Honkai Impact 3rd Flying to Oxia event trailer, it goes over how it works with the Part 2 heroine Senadina. This basically involves a temporary match-3 minigame, and the character explains how to play and what people get for it.

There is another opportunity that is live in-game at the moment. Players can register to be a tester for the 7.5 game update. To take part, you need to read the announcement that comes up while playing on a PC or mobile devices, then take the survey. You could then be picked to test out the new version and battlesuit on the test server.

Honkai Impact 3rd is available for PCs and mobile devices, and the Flying to Oxia event is live in-game now.

The post Honkai Impact 3rd Flying to Oxia Event Fixed appeared first on Siliconera.

The 7.4 update for Honkai Impact 3rd just appeared at the end of April 2024, and now HoYoVerse opened recruitment for test server testers for the 7.5 update. People can only find the survey to sign up in-game right now.

Here’s how you can register to potentially take part. To gain access to the Honkai Impact 3rd Test Server for 7.5, you need to go to the information section where you can see details about Events, Announcements, and News. There will be a headline that reads, “v7.5 Test Server & New Battlesuit First Access.” Clicking that brings up the message about the team recruiting testers. It then includes a link to complete a survey to be considered as a tester for it.

Here’s the official announcement showing how that message will look in-game. The announcement also confirms that the featured 7.5 battlesuit in Honkai Impact 3rd will be Lone Destruction: Shadowchaser for the Shu of Destruction, who is named Lantern. 

Previously, the 7.4 updated added a playable version of another member of the Seven Shus. Thelema’s Mad Pleasure: Shadowbringer is available now. 

Honkai Impact 3rd is available on PCs and mobile devices, and players can sign up in-game for the Test Server tester recruitment until May 15, 2024.

The post 7.5 Honkai Impact 3rd Test Server Recruitment Starts appeared first on Siliconera.

Part of the way HoYoVerse introduces Zenless Zone Zero characters is with in-game ads and flyers, and the latest looks at the Belobog Heavy Industries faction. It’s set up as a “project log” for the construction company.

The leaflet begins by explaining the mission of the Belobog faction in Zenless Zone Zero. It notes that it constructs buildings and works on infrastructure for the city. There’s an image of heavy machinery on the front. It also confirms there are four active employees. 

The second page focuses on the Zenless Zone Zero Belobog characters and discusses their roles in the company. Koleda Belobog is the president, who is mature, but also impulsive. Ben Bigger is the asset management director. Grace Howard is the crew’s technology specialist. Finally, Anton Ivanov is a regular employee. 

The final page goes over a current project they are working on. It is a reconstruction project, and the log at the bottom of the page features commentary from all four characters to offer an idea of each person’s personality.

Here’s the full Zenless Zone Zero Belobog Heavy Industries pamphlet looking at the group’s characters: 

Zenless Zone Zero will come out in 2024 for the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. The 2024 Amplifying Test and Technical Test are running now. 

The post Zenless Zone Zero Belobog Pamphlet Highlights Characters appeared first on Siliconera.

HoYoVerse uploaded the EP of “If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking” from Honkai: Star Rail. The video itself features some spoilers from the Penacony story quests.

You can watch the EP here:

It features the full version of “If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking” from Honkai: Star Rail, with singer Chevy providing the vocals. You can hear the entire song in-game if you have the track for the Phonograph and you set your parlor car's coach music as it. No matter which YouTube account you watch it from, the song will be in English and with multiple subtitle tracks. Because 2.2 came out only a day or so ago (as of the time of writing), the EP does not feature any scenes from there. But if you’re behind on the 2.0 and 2.1 story quests, you might not want to watch the video, as it includes key scenes from those patches.

Chevy sang all of the songs Robin sings in Honkai: Star Rail. You can hear her singing in all versions of the game. She performs all of Robin's songs, including “Sway to My Beat,” which what she performs in-game when you use her Ultimate. You could also hear this song in one of the trailers HoYoVerse released prior to the official playable debut of Robin.

Honkai: Star Rail is readily available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices.

The post Chevy Honkai: Star Rail EP Is “If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking” appeared first on Siliconera.

HoYoVerse announced that the 5.0 update for Genshin Impact will make it look prettier on some platforms, however that will also mean a visual performance hit for ones like the PS4. It didn’t offer examples or details, but said all PS4 models will be affected.

HoYoVerse specifically said Genshin Impact will look different on the PS4 and select Android and iOS devices after the update. While the overall improvements being made for 5.0 mean all PS4 versions are affected, only people with Android and iOS phones and tablets with certain processors will notice any negative changes. So A12 iOS devices like some iPads, iPad Airs, and iPad Minis, the iPhone XR, and the iPhone XS models will all be included. If someone has an Android device and it uses a Dimensity 1200 (8050), a Kirin 9000SL, a Samsung Exynos 1080, or a Snapdragon 865, the game won’t look as good there. 

The announcement also noted specific examples of how it could look different. Here is what HoYoVerse said to expect:

When playing the game on the devices mentioned above, the resolution of some image details and smaller objects will decrease, the effect range of some special effects will decrease, etc.

Genshin Impact is available for the PS4, PS5, PC, and mobile devices. There’s no release date for the 5.0 Genshin Impact update just yet. The 4.6 update appeared on April 24, 2024, and HoYoVerse already started teasing the 4.7 characters like Sigewinne the Melusine. 

The post Genshin Impact PS4 Visual Performance Will Drop in 5.0 appeared first on Siliconera.

From the second the mysterious swordswoman Acheron was revealed in Honkai: Star Rail, fans had an inkling that there was more to her than developer HoYoverse was letting on. The release of version 2.0 in February confirmed they were correct, showing her to be a semi-amnesiac who barely knows herself. But with the…

Read more...

The Iridescent Arataki Rockin’ for Life Tour de Force of Awesomeness is the flagship event for Version 4.6 of Genshin Impact. Since this is a multi-part event, here are some tips to quickly breeze through each activity and earn all rewards, including the 4-star character Gorou.

To start the event, complete the associated quest. You should have received it automatically when you logged in. Head over to Watatsumi Island and engage in some dialogue to unlock the Iridescence Tour event activities.

The Iridescence Tour event lasts until May 27, 2024. Be sure to complete it and claim all of your rewards by then!

Xtreme Carnival Ensemble

The Xtreme Carnival Ensemble is the rhythm game portion of the Iridescence Tour event. There are seven stages in total. You’ll need to attain at least 80% accuracy on Pro mode to earn all rewards. Here are some tips that might help make it easier:

Use Cascade mode. Open the Settings menu in the upper right side of the event screen. Under the Basic menu, select Interface Styles and tweak things to your preferences. We found Cascade mode the easiest to see.

It’s easier on mobile. If you have a phone or tablet capable of running Genshin Impact, and you’re having trouble with the keyboard or controller inputs, try playing the rhythm game stages on a mobile device. The stages are designed for two thumbs, and the touchscreen is a more intuitive interface for a game like this.

Trillion Trinket Trawl

The Trillion Trinket Trawl is a series of open-world objectives. Here’s everything you’ll need to do and how to get them done quickly.

1. Defeat three types of Ruin machines. Teleport to the south teleporter in Araumi on Narukami Island. Glide north and defeat the dormant Ruin Hunter at the top of the cliff. Glide down to the east and defeat the dormant Ruin Grader.  Finally, defeat one of the three triangular Ruin Cruisers patrolling the Araumi area. If you stay near where the Ruin Grader was, they should eventually make their way to you.
   • 

2. Defeat two types of Primal Constructs. Teleport to the entrance of The Mausoleum of King Deshret in the Sumeru desert. There are two Primal Constructs just inside the mausoleum. Defeating both of them counts toward this objective.
3. Defeat three types of Clockwork Meka. Teleport to the teleporter northeast of the Central Laboratory Ruins in the northernmost region of Fontaine. There are two Meks on the shore to the south. Defeat them and follow the beach to the west to find two more Meks. As long as you defeat three different types, this objective is complete.
   • 

4. Photograph two types of birds. Teleport to the Statue of the Seven in the Liffey region of Fontaine. There’s a red finch and a blue finch right when you spawn in. Don’t move; just pull out your Kamera from your Paimon menu and snap two photos of the birds. The Kamera gadget will not work; you must use the Kamera from your Paimon menu.
5. Photograph two types of dogs. Teleport to the Adventurer’s Guild in the Court of Fontaine. Follow the street around to the southeast, and you’ll find two dressed-up poodles on the right side of the road. Snap a photo of them through your Paimon menu (not the Kamera gadget!).
6. Photograph two types of cats. Teleport to Asase Shrine on Seirai Island in Inazuma. There are plenty of cats here. Photograph two cats with different colors using the Kamera in your Paimon menu.
7. Gather three Sango Pearls. Teleport to the north teleporter on Watatsumi Island. Glide south and drop down to a series of small waterfalls. There are several Sango Pearls at the base of the falls.
8. Gather three Starconches. Teleport to the Domain of Guyun in Guyun Stone Forest in Liyue. Head west to find three Starconches sitting on the beach.
   • 

9. Gather three different green plants. Teleport to the Statue of the Seven at Windrise in Mondstadt. There’s a Mint to the left of where you spawn in, several Windwheel Asters scattered around, and some Calla Lilies on the riverbank.

A Meeting of Melodies

These are a series of music note puzzles where you must select the correct notes to finish the melody. Notes can be one of three clefs: treble (𝄞), alto (𝄡), and bass (𝄢). The answers to each puzzle are below.

Venue Decorations

Completing various objectives in Trillion Trinket Trawl and A Meeting of Melodies will unlock various venue decorations. Just do the open-world tasks and music note puzzles, report back to Dvorak, and ask to decorate the venue. Unlocking more decorations progresses the event story.

The post Genshin Impact Iridescence Tour event guide appeared first on Destructoid.

After much anticipation and excitement, the beloved superstar Robin has finally debuted in Honkai: Star Rail. Crafting the optimal build for her is a straightforward task, thanks to her unique kit.

Strongest Robin Build in Honkai: Star Rail

Robin is a Physical Harmony character whose main role on any given team is to buff the DMG% of her allies through her Skill. Uniquely to Robin, and her primary counterpart Ruan Mei, she can buff her whole team instead of just one ally, which is uncommon for Harmony Supports.

What sets Robin apart from the rest of the Harmony roster is her Ultimate, which provides a staggeringly powerful team-wide Advance Forward when activated. This allows teams with Robin on them to perform some truly creative strategy not available anywhere else in the game.

Robin's Ultimate has a second significant mechanic attached to it after activation. While her Ultimate is active, when any teammates launch an attack, Robin provides a secondary instance of Physical Damage to one of the struck targets. This mechanic has no attack limit meaning Robin plays best with characters that can attack very often.

Best Relics for Robin

Despite being a Harmony character, an archetype notorious for needing various groups of stats to perform well, Robin really only needs ATK% and nothing else. You read that correctly. Robin doesn't need, HP%, DEF, or any other stat other than ATK%, as everything she does scales off it.

While Robin doesn't need Speed, due to her SPD stat being fixed during her Ultimate, getting her to 120 SPD is ideal as it allows her to use sets that require that amount. As you can see, though, Robin is straightforward to build. With this in mind, the best Relics for Robin will be any combination that provides ATK%.

You can use a 2-piece Prisoner in Deep Confinement and 2-piece Musketeer of Wild Wheat as both Relic set bonuses provide unconditional ATK%. Additionally, if you'd prefer your Robin to be more supportive of your team, you can run a 4-piece Messenger Traversing Hackspace for the teamwide speed boost, though you will be losing out on damage for both your team and Robin.

For Robin's Sphere and Rope set, use the Space Sealing Station set with an Energy Regeneration rope. You want to make sure your rope has Energy Regeneration as its core stat because her Ultimate is one of the most expensive Ultimate costs in the game. Also, make sure your Robin has 120 SPD so she gets the additional ATK% buff that comes from the secondary portion of the set bonus.

Best Team Comp Robin

Like Ruan Mei, Robin can fit on any team comp in need of Harmony Support due to the potent buff she provides with her Skill. However, Robin's best Team Comp is a Follow-up one for a few reasons.

Thanks to her Talent, Impromptu Flourish, Robin provides an additional 25% CRIT DMG (Critical Damage) to Follow-up attacks. Pretty straightforward. The other reason is due to her steep Ultimate energy cost. Thanks to her other important Talent, Tonal Resonance, Robin gets a small amount of Energy back every time an ally launches an attack, making frequent attackers more useful to Robin. With that said, Topaz and Numby, Dr. Ratio, and Aventurine are Robin's best teammates.

Topaz and Numby attacks more often than any other character in Honkai: Star Rail, making her the ideal teammate for Robin. Robin buffs up Follow-up attacks, making them completely compatible with each other.

Dr. Ratio often attacks in conjunction with Topaz and Numby, making him a frequent attacker as well. Every attack he launches restores Energy to Robin, allowing her to maintain her Ultimate longer. Finally, Robin's specific buffs toward Follow-up attacks make him an ideal teammate for her.

Aventurine's Follow-up mechanic is tied to the number of Follow-up attacks his teammates launch, as well as, how often they are hit while his shield is active. Aventurine attacks almost as often as Topaz and Numby thanks to this, so, naturally, Robin gains all the same benefits from him as well.

Should you get Robin's Lightcone in Honkai: Star Rail?

Without a doubt, Robin's Lightcone, Flowing Nightglow is the ideal Lightcone for her playstyle. Not only does it greatly boost her own damage, but also provides additional buffs to the rest of her teammates. However, what's really important about this Lightcone is the Energy Regeneration it provides Robin. The point of using Robin is to make sure her Ultimate is up and active as much as possible. Without the extra generation of this Lightcone, Robin will struggle to maintain uptime on teams that do not have Follow-up attacks on them.

That said, Robin does have a strong alternative Lightcone. But the Battle Isn't Over is Robin's second-best Lightcone because it also has Energy Regeneration on it. At Superimposition 2, it is nearly equal to Robin's signature Lightcone in terms of Energy Regen. If you don't have But the Battle Isn't Over, I recommend you pull Flowing Nightglow to make full use of your Robin.

Best Eidolons for Robin in Honkai: Star Rail

At E0, Robin is a powerhouse of a character, and her Eidolons do not greatly impact the functionality of her character. As with all characters though, her Eidolons do make her stronger. If you're interested in grabbing her Eidolons, the best stopping point would be E1. For your reference, here are her six Eidolons.

• Land of Smiles (E1) - While her Ultimate is active, all her allies get All-Type RES PEN increased by 24%. This is strong for all teams, but stronger for teams fighting off-element enemies. Strong Eidolon.
• Afternoon Tea for Two (E2) - While her Ultimate is active, all allies gain 16% SPD, and Robin regenerates an extra point of Energy per attack, equally three Energy total. Decent, but hardly required
• Inverted Tuning (E3) - Skill and Ultimate Level increases by two. Stronger buffs, more damage. Not required.
• Raindrop Key (E4) - When her Ultimate is activated, she dispels all debuffs from your team and provides a 50% Effect Resistance buff. Extremely lackluster Eidolon as dispels should be covered by your sustainer anyway.
• Lonestar's Lamet (E5) - Basic ATK and Talent Level increase by two. Basic ATK is useless on Robin and the Talent buff is nice, but not noticeable enough to matter.
• Moonless Midnight (E6) - Her first eight additional attacks during each use her Ultimate, get 450% CRIT DMG. This Eidolon is stupidly strong and is worth it if you can get it. Robin will easily out-damage all of your DPS with this Eidolon.

The post Honkai: Star Rail Best Robin Build appeared first on Destructoid.

HoYoVerse offered insight into how the 2.2 update for Honkai: Star Rail will allow people to share more with and see what people on their friends list are up to. Everyone’s Trailblaze Profiles, as well as Forgotten Hall and Pure Fiction areas, will offer more insights into what you and your fellow players are doing. 

The new Trailblazer Profile update will give us the option of showing what we’ve done or experienced lately in Honkai: Star Rail with people on our friends list. If you opt into it in the Settings Socialize section, then anyone who visits your profile will see what you’ve done. In addition to being able to accept friend requests or show your Collection, you can choose whether or not to show your Trailblaze Status, Battle Records, and Treasures Lightward clearance lineup. The example screenshot’s Trailblaze Status section showed the sample player got a Night on the Milky Way five-star Light Cone and went through Simulated Universe: World 9 “three days ago.”

As for the new friends options in Forgotten Hall and Pure Fiction, they’ll show their teams in Honkai: Star Rail. If they choose to show clearance lineups in Settings, then you can see how many stars they earned and which characters they used to get that rating. 

The other quality of life adjustments had to do with things like teams, Trailblazer characters, and Relics. For example, Lineup Overview will let people name teams and switch. We can favorite characters we use most often. The Trailblazer will now have different equipments for their Paths, so you can keep your Light Cone and Relics for, say, Destruction and Preservation set and immediately have them equipped when you swap. Relics will also be able to be sorted by Main Stat. 

Honkai: Star Rail is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the 2.2 update arrives on May 8, 2024.

The post 2.2 Honkai: Star Rail Update Shows More Information to Friends appeared first on Siliconera.

KFC in China will have yet another collaboration with Honkai: Star Rail. The crossover event will start on May 2 and end on May 4, 2024.

The last time KFC had an Honkai: Star Rail event was back in 2023. This time, the event will be at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. You’ll be able to find it in Building 6.1. There will be a KFC stand designed to look like it was from the Luofu, with an illuminated maple tree to its side. Dan Heng and March, wearing the collaboration outfits, are next to it.

During the event, you’ll be able to get various prizes or participate in some activities. If you order the collaboration meals, you’ll be able to get a KFC collaboration Pom-Pom fan. If you make a Weibo post using the #HelpMeColonelSanders or #StarRailCarnival and then perform the Crazy Thursday commercial song, you’ll be able to get an acrylic stand featuring Dan Heng and March. If you don’t want to sing, you can also get the stand if you can catch the KFC promoter, pick a card, and then strike a pose like the character’s Skill and yell, “Help me, Colonel Sanders!” Finally, a mysterious guest may show up.

Honkai: Star Rail is now available on the PS5, Windows PC, and mobile devices. Version 2.2 will go live in Honkai: Star Rail on May 8, 2024.

The post Honkai: Star Rail KFC 2024 Event Detailed appeared first on Siliconera.

HoYoverse showcased the gameplay mechanics for the upcoming Honkai: Star Rail character Robin with a character preview and a new video in the "Keeping Up With Star Rail" series. Robin is a Physical element character walking the Path of Harmony, and she is set to arrive in update 2.2.

Both the character preview on HoYolab and the video preview go over Robin's kit, though the latter features extra input from her brother Sunday. He's voiced by his English voice actor Griffin Puatu. Robin's abilities revolve around buffing allies' damage, especially on follow up attacks. Her Skill Pinion's Aria applies a team-wide damage boost for three turns, while her Tonal Resonance Talent boosts allies' crit damage and regenerates her energy when they attack. This allows her to charge her Ultimate quickly, which then grants allies immediate actions and bonuses to their damage based on Robin's attack stat. Interestingly, Robin herself cannot act while her ultimate is active and its duration is not affected by her speed stat.

You can watch the Honkai: Star Rail gameplay preview for Robin below:

HoYoverse also recently released an animated short to advertise the Honkai: Star Rail 2024 Music Concert. The game will also feature in an Ichiban Kuji lottery by Bandai Spirits with 7 different kinds of prizes available, including a mug shaped like a trash can.

Robin is set to become available in Honkai: Star Rail with the arrival of Update 2.2, scheduled for release on May 8, 2024. The game itself is readily available on PC, PS5, and mobile devices.

The post Honkai: Star Rail Robin Gameplay Explained appeared first on Siliconera.

HoYoVerse’s drip marketing teased the 4.7 Genshin Impact characters, and they include Clorinde, Sethos, and the playable Melusine Sigewinne. There’s no exact release date for their debuts yet, but we get to see art and details about their visions.

Clorinde is a character who we’ve seen in the Genshin Impact Fontaine storyline since it kicked off in 4.0. She’s known as the Champion Duelist, and her Constellation is Rapperia. She is going to be an Electro character. While her weapon type isn’t confirmed, her appearances so far showed her with a sword and gun. 

Here’s her official art and short description from social media:

While Sethos isn’t in Genshin Impact yet, we do know he’ll appear in the latest Cyno character quest chapter in version 4.6. He’s a Desert Envoy with an Electro vision like Cyno. His Constellation is called Basileos Delta. His weapon type wasn’t mentioned, but he’s shown wielding a bow in the official art. 

Here’s his official art and short description:

As for Sigewinne, she is a Melusine like many of the NPCs we have seen in Genshin Impact since coming to Fontaine, only playable. She’s known as the Fortress of Meropide Head Nurse, and her Constellation is Nereides. Her art shows her wielding a gun of sorts. She has a Hydro vision and, given she is a nurse working in a clinic, she appears to be the latest healer for the game.

Here’s her brief story introducing her.

The next new character we’ll see in Genshin Impact is Arlecchino. She debuts when 4.6 starts on April 24, 2024. Lyney, Wanderer, and Baizhu will also return in this next version. 

Genshin Impact is available for the PS4, PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and Clorinde, Sethos, and the Melusine Sigewinne will be playable in 4.7.

The post 4.7 Genshin Impact Characters Includes Playable Melusine Sigewinne appeared first on Siliconera.

HoYoVerse announced the 2.2 Honkai: Star Rail Special Program will appear at 4:30am PT/7:30am ET on April 26, 2024, and the image is already teasing Robin. As usual, people can watch on YouTube and see which characters and events will show up when the new version of the game releases.

The image for the Honkai: Star Rail showcase shows Robin, for one. This makes sense, as back in March 2024 the company confirmed she would be a playable character in the game. Boothill is not present, though we know he will be added to the game as part of this update as well. The other hosts include Black Swan, who debuted alongside the 2.0 update, and Aventurine, who launched in 2.1. The final person is Owlbert, the IPC spokesperson and general host for these sorts of videos and events.

Here’s the placeholder for the Honkai: Star Rail Special Program 2.2 showcase:

While there’s no confirmed date for the 2.2 release yet, odds are we’ll see it on May 8, 2024. This is because the Aventurine and Jingliu banners both end on May 7, 2024. It is unknown if the Robin or Boothill banner will be the first to appear.

Honkai: Star Rail is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the Special Program for 2.2 airs at 4:30am PT/7:30am ET on April 26, 2024.  

The post 2.2 Honkai: Star Rail Special Program Features Robin appeared first on Siliconera.

It’s been a while since we last heard about the Genshin Impact anime. It’s presumably still in the works, but the wait has been unbearable. Thankfully, even if there isn’t an official anime yet, the fanbase has us covered.

There are a lot of talented animators out there, and some of their work was featured in the latest HoYoFair exhibit. I encourage you to check out the presentation in full, but here’s a highlight of some of my favorite segments!

1. Progenitor: The Surface

Progenitor is an animated Genshin project from DillonGoo Studios. Dillon Gu, director and head of the studio, is a former animator for RWBY, and the influence shows in his unique 3D anime style. 

Progenitor takes Genshin characters and places them in a dystopian cyberpunk setting. I won’t spoil the story for you, but I’m blown away by the detailed environments, fluid fight choreography, and unique takes on Genshin character designs.

If you want to check out the Progenitor series in full, I suggest starting with episodes 1 and 2. I also enjoy The Last Bakery, which features Neuvillette, Xiangling, and Navia in a similar futuristic setting.

2. Ranked Daycare

Ranked Daycare is an animated short by No_Tables, following Lumine and Klee as they fight their way through mobs of enemies in a ranked game mode. Unlike the usual Genshin combat with swords, spears, and elemental abilities, though, Lumine and Klee are equipped with a vast arsenal of elemental firearms.

I love the fresh character designs and how elemental reactions are worked into the gunplay. The animation is a joy to watch, especially with Klee’s adorable giggles as she sets off massive explosions. 

If you want to see more Genshin with guns, check out No_Tables’ previous HoYoFair entry titled Times…Changed?

3. Domain 404

If you prefer a hand-drawn anime style, Domain 404 has you covered. Directed by LucHD, Domain 404 perfectly portrays the chaotic fun of Genshin co-op. A group of four players takes on a domain, but soon find that the game isn’t behaving as they expect.

I thought it was fun to see 5-star characters from Genshin Impact playing the game with different characters. They were playing an actual meta team too, indicating that the creators know the meta. I loved seeing Genshin’s unique co-op combat system portrayed in an animated format. If you’ve ever played co-op in Genshin, you know the pain of realizing that someone brought their C6 Bennett.

4. Moonlit Bamboo Forest

Moonlit Bamboo Forest has a gorgeous painted art style. This short, produced by Passion Paris and directed by David Pagaille, takes place in the forests of Liyue. The story follows a boy setting out on a journey from his hometown, only to run into some strange forest spirits.

It’s stylistically stunning and a real treat for the eyes. Even better, it’s an adaptation of in-game lore that you’ll only come across if you buy a book series from an NPC. When’s the last time you sat down to do some reading in Genshin?

5. Titanslayers: Edge of Oblivion

Created by KIERU, Titanslayers: Edge of Oblivion is an epic fight between some of my favorite Genshin characters and a mysterious beast from the Primordial Sea. As an added bonus, it also features a sweet moment between Beidou and Ningguang.

The short that premiered during the HoYoFair presentation actually appears to be a work in progress. KIERU has commented that, in order to stay true to their original vision, the full short will be released next month. The version we’ve seen looks fantastic already, so I can’t wait to see what the finished animation will look like.

The Song Burning in the Embers

Unlike the others on this list, The Song Burning in the Embers is an official animated short from HoYoverse. It provides a glimpse into Arlecchino’s backstory and how she became the Father of the House of the Hearth. I love everything about it, except the fact that it’s not part of the official Genshin Impact anime series.

I’m glad there’s plenty of animated Genshin content to enjoy, whether it comes directly from HoYoverse or from a myriad of talented creators. The wait for the Genshin Impact anime series continues, but in the meantime, we’re being fed well. I just hope the anime doesn’t end up floating around forever, like the potential Nintendo Switch version of Genshin Impact.

The post The Genshin Impact anime isn’t out yet, but fanmade anime might just tide us over appeared first on Destructoid.

Two new artifact sets are coming to Genshin Impact Version 4.6: Unfinished Reverie and Fragment of Harmonic Whimsy. Let’s take a look at the new gear and see if they’re worth farming for any of your characters.

Fragment of Harmonic Whimsy effect explained

Fragment of Harmonic Whimsy’s 4pc effect grants up to 54% DMG bonus when a character’s Bond of Life increases or decreases.

Bond of Life is a debuff that prevents a character from receiving a certain amount of healing. Any healing they receive will reduce their Bond of Life bar instead of replenishing their HP. Bond of Life must be fully cleared before they can begin filling their HP bar.

Bond of Life can be applied by certain enemies (like Fatui Operatives) or from certain weapon effects (some Fontaine craftables). Unless a character can apply Bond of Life to themselves, they are unable to activate Fragment of Harmonic Whimsy’s 4pc effect.

Who can use Fragment of Harmonic Whimsy?

As of Version 4.6, there’s only one character in Genshin Impact who consistently uses the Bond of Life mechanic: Arlecchino. Fragment of Harmonic Whimsy is tailor-made for Arlecchino, and is likely to be her best artifact set. However, Gladiator’s Finale or Echoes of an Offering are also good artifact sets that may be easier to farm. Both sets can be obtained through artifact strongboxes.

Since few characters can use either Fragment of Harmonic Whimsy or Unfinished Reverie, it might be better to farm for an alternate artifact set for Arlecchino, even if it’s not her best-in-slot.

Unfinished Reverie effect explained

The 4pc effect for Unfinished Reverie has several parts to it:

• Gain 50% DMG bonus when out of combat for more than 3 seconds.
• When you start combat, if there are no Burning enemies nearby, this buff starts to decrease.
• If there are Burning enemies nearby, this buff increases up to 50%.

Note that the buff caps out at 50%. Having Burning enemies nearby doesn’t double the buff; it just maintains it at 50%.

Being on-field or off-field doesn’t matter. The text specifies “in combat,” which means enemies have noticed you and you hear battle music.

Who can use Unfinished Reverie?

As of Genshin Impact Version 4.6, I don’t recommend pure Burning teams in general. Burning has a lot of potential for self-damage and there are other reactions that make better use of Dendro.

That said, Unfinished Reverie might have a niche use in Burnmelt teams. Burnmelt uses Burning to establish a Pyro aura, then triggers Melt with a Cryo DPS character. You could, in theory, use Unfinished Reverie for Burnmelt Ganyu. However, this locks Ganyu to Burnmelt teams, and she would be better off with Shimenawa’s Reminiscence or Wanderer’s Troupe instead.

Are the new artifacts in 4.6 worth farming?

As of Version 4.6, Fragment of Harmonic Whimsy and Unfinished Reverie are not worth farming for. Fragment of Harmonic Whimsy might be worth it for Arlecchino if you’re intent on getting the absolute best gear for her, but there are more efficient places to spend your Resin.

This may change in the future as Genshin Impact adds new characters, weapons, and mechanics. But for now, you can skip the new domain.

The post Genshin Impact’s new artifact sets for 4.6, explained appeared first on Destructoid.