WhenGenshin Impactwas first released, it was bombarded with criticism for being too similar toThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. However, the popular gacha game has since set itself apart with its innovative mechanics and interesting story. Now, the tables have turned, and players are wary of any titles that seem likeGenshin Impactrip-offs.
One popular title that has recently been labeled as aGenshin Impactcopy isTower of Fantasy. Developed by the Chinese company, Perfect World,Tower of Fantasycame out just this month, and players are already comparing it toGenshin Impact. While this isn’t without reason, it’s worth looking a little deeper into what the new gacha game brings to the table.
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Comparing Tower of Fantasy and Genshin Impact
Theopening cutscene toTower of Fantasysets itself apart fromGenshin Impactwith its visuals. WhileGenshin Impactleans into fantasy aspects,Tower of Fantasyhas a more sci-fi look. However, the distinctions end there as the player is prompted to choose between a male and female “Wanderer.” Like Lumine and Aether, the two look similar, suggesting that they’re twins. The rest of the introduction then plays out, teaching the player about combat and character movement. Another similarity crops up by the end of the scene as the player’s chosen Wanderer gets their memory wiped, and their twin is nowhere to be found.
So far,Tower of Fantasyseems to have a very similar narrative presented with a different backdrop. This lends credence to players accusing thegame of copyingGenshin Impact. Even so,Tower of Fantasydoes have other distinctions, primarily in its character creation and gameplay mechanics. Though whether these justify the seemingly copy-pasted story remains to be seen.
For one,Tower of Fantasyallows players to customizetheir Wanderer. So, while they start with the default look at the beginning of the game, they can style their character with different hairstyles and outfits. This is why there are so manyimages ofTower of FantasyMCs looking likeGenshin Impactcharacters. Another thing worth noting is that the Wanderer seems to have more voice lines in the story compared toGenshin Impact’sTraveler. As such, the Wanderer might play a more active role in the events of the story, voicing their opinions rather than letting a mouthpiece – that is, Paimon ofGenshin Impact– do the talking for them.
As for thecombat ofTower of Fantasy, it’s been called out for utilizing combos and attack skills similar to that ofGenshin Impact. However, it adds a new layer with the inclusion of aerial combos and quick-time events. Moreover, instead of switching through a team of characters, the Wanderer can quickly equip a variety of weapons – the focus being longer combos rather than elemental reactions. But admittedly, the similar attack patterns are questionable, as they do makeTower of Fantasyappear like aGenshin Impactrip-off. Even the cool new traversal features, like mounts, jetpacks, and more aren’t enough to setTower of Fantasyapart from its more popular predecessor.
A Genshin Impact Copy?
At the end of the day, the criticisms againstTower of Fantasyare pretty justified. Its prelude and many of its animations are far too similar toGenshin Impact’s. However, the game still has time to set itself apart. In fact, it’s already implemented features thatGenshin Impactplayers have wanted for a long time now. First, it’s a shared open-world, meaning more than four players can play in the same world at a time. Additionally, its gacha system is far more generous compared toGenshin Impact’sWish and Pity System. These factors alone are convincing enough to get people to try the game.
While it’s hard to justify whyTower of Fantasyseemingly copy-pasted so manyelements fromGenshin Impact, perhaps the game still has some things up its sleeve. Maybe the next two or three updates will showcase its innovative storyline or some new combat mechanic that will change the game. Until then, however, it looks likeTower of Fantasywill be viewed as a pretty decentGenshin Impactclone.
Genshin Impactis now available on mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5. A Switch version is in development with no confirmed release date.
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