In June, Chinese developer MiHoYo announcedGenshin Impact, a forthcoming open world action game that appears to be influenced heavily byThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Some fans feel that MiHoYo has gone too far in its borrowing fromBreath of the Wild, and Sony’s recent support of the title has led to some controversy, with aplayer smashing a PS4 in protest ofGenshin Impactat ChinaJoy 2019.
That said, the similarities betweenGenshin ImpactandBreath of the Wildwill certainly not feel problematic to everyone, and some may even consider these similarities amongst the most appealing aspects ofGenshin Impact. Regardless of a player’s position on this matter, though, it is now more possible than ever to see MiHoYo’s game in action, as approximately 24 minutes of off-screen gameplay footage have emerged from the ChinaJoy expo.
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When watching this footage, the influence thatBreath of the Wildhas had onGenshin Impactwill become immediately apparent. From the art design, to the paragliding, to the climbing, and beyond, it is clear that Nintendo’s open worldZeldagame is a point of reference for MiHoYo in its development of this new title. However, there are some differences to be seen in thisGenshin Impactgameplay footage from ChinaJoy 2019 as well.
For instance,Genshin Impactfeatures multiple playable characters, and the off-screen gameplay shows fans swapping between them at will. Furthermore, each of these characters appears to have their own combat focus, with one using magic while another relies on a sword. It seems then that part ofGenshin Impactwill be determining what character is most suited for any particular situation that is encountered.
Additionally, as players get their hands onGenshin Impact, it is likely that the game will distinguish itself even further fromBreath of the Wild. Sony’s recent announcement thatGenshin Impactwill release on PS4also means that even more players will get a chance to experience the game first hand. While some may be wary of the title, to the point that they smash a console in outrage, others are certainly looking forward to diving into the world ofGenshin Impact.
Genshin Impactis scheduled for release in 2020 on PC, PS4, and iOS.
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