Genshin Impact - Putting the World in Open World!
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- Опубліковано 22 чер 2024
- What does open world mean for gaming these days? I think Genshin Impact holds that answer. So why not join me as I waffle on about how Genshin's open world is the closest thing we may get to an actual open world!
Also, follow us on Twitter if you like! You don't have to, but it would be nice!
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Timeline:
What is an Open World? - 0:00
Genshin's Open World - 1:17
Buildings and landscapes - 1:41
Visuals - 3:44
Secrets, Mechanics and World Building - 4:22
Music and identity - 5:47
Conclusion - 7:35 - Ігри
The fact that this video doesn't even show Sumeru & Fontaine. Oh boy it only gets better.
Yeah I'm a slow boy when it comes to getting through games😅
@@FriendsAndGamingYTtake your time, this game is worth to be taken slowly for the best experience
@@FriendsAndGamingYTIt's fine bro take your time to enjoy the game
@@FriendsAndGamingYT Take your good time. While this game easily captive you to the world, this game is also notoriously empty when you actually rushed the game to get to the end game. This is its main drawback of Genshin. Most games in the gacha space are the opposite, empty in the early game because most of the contents are locked within the endgame.
@@FriendsAndGamingYT GREAT. Be slow, take your time, savour every moment. It's worth it. I only once decided to rush archon quest, to unlock a limited time event that was ending, and it was (minor spoiler) in a part where there was some loop, so I felt like I wasn't missing anything. And I didn't skip or anything, I just read everthing fast and oh...I do regret it. It killed a bit of the great thing in this game: immersion.
Sumeru and fontaine will blow your brain out.
I hope you mean metaphorically speaking!
@FriendsAndGamingYT - the open worlds of Sumeru and Fontaine will metaphorically blow your brains out. The Archon Quests of those regions, on the other hand, will _literally_ blow your brains out.
sumeru is peak
@@mijmijrmyeah sumeru in particular
😅😅
Sumeru yeh, Fontaine, not so much tbh
What I love about Genshin is Teyvat itself.
It is a combination of religious and culture references from our world, ecosystems with DnD and BoTW elemnts, a complex rich history and also eldrich elements.
Really need to get around to breath of the wild myself at some point! But yeah, genshin balances everything so well to create an amazing open world!
I agree and also how there is literally lore behind almost everything in the game.
This...this is what all the haters ignore. Genshin doesnt try to be combat focus game.
It's an end game isnt for you to isolate yourself in a far corner of the map to just fight none stop.
Its doesnt automate its systems so your characters are forced to.stay in one place.
Genshin builds a beautiful world as its endgame. So much stories are told just by exploring.
And you enjoy it the most when you take it slow, where you take time to absorb the story in slow.increments rather than rushing it all at once and burning yourself out. Its not a race to finish its a journey to relax and savor.
Very well put! It's probably the only open world that feels full of adventure!
@@FriendsAndGamingYT i get some people are busy hence why the rush, but I ironically found genshin to be one of those cames you shouldn't rush if you can afford to. Like when you play the world quests and actually take time to do and enjoy them, the game feels like an entirely different experience to the archon quests, like the Archon quests all deal with the cities and towns in teyvat, but the world quests, nah, those are like entirely separate storylines.
I get the archon quest is the main draw with all the characters but the world quests make the experience outside of them and entirely different thing.
not a wuwa hater but this is why genshin has stayed relevant for 4 whole years despite the hate. its the definition of open world games
@@Markeveli237 as someone that like wuwa more than genshin now as i'm more into gameplay when playing a game than anything else, i'm starting to appreciate the little detail that genshin offer which is the the voice actor, the world, and especially the music, it is something that not many games able to offer, including wuwa. the problem is that even if you add the things that genshin bad at (combat and endgame), it wont affect those aspect that genshin was known for, i think people criticize the lack of gameplay, reward, and endgame is a very fair criticism
@zard2341 I don't think the gameplay is lacking due to its sense of exploration, and the game is so big you could easily spend hundreds of hours just playing the story the have so far! So I don't think gameplay do be the issue. One could make the argument its simple combat can be stale and a bit more veraity and maybe combos could spice it up, but it's combat is sevicable and can be pretty cool when you mix up your party well! I can't speak on endgame stuff as I'm really faraway at this point from getting there, but with all the game offers to begin with, is that really a big issue?
Genshin's world has a certain distinctive charm to it that I've never quite been able to explain in words. Even when I'm all caught up and have little to 'do' in game, I find myself logging in, even if for a few minutes, just to spend some time in teyvat, and enjoy the scenery and music.
I have a tendency to read EVERYTHING in games, and in Genshin, it's super rewarding. This is because there are trivia and backstories for EVERY single location, name, and character, that all link together seamlessly, making the world feel all the more 'real' and lived in.
I'll have to read up on a few things in game then, always nice when games provide extra lore to expand upon a world!
The secret to great open worlds is to me a world that is dynamic and interesting without the player being there, a world where you feel like you see a distant country that could exist rather than a game, I can feel the culture, the bias opinions based on who says them, the shared history and history being shaped and all nations connected yet their own like in real life.
Yeah, the world in genshin just feels like it's full of life, which is just incredible to experience. Always recall seeing dragon spire in the distance when travelling about and thought it was so cool to get there and the always be able to see it from a majority of the map!
What made me love the game was that Liyue people scoffed at Monstadt for being a ''godless land''. Like it shows that each regions' people have their own opinions
What also stood out to me , was what feeling each place gave me. Mondstadt did feel like the place of freedom and peace. Liyue was covered in many scars of the past but still felt beautiful. And inazuma's unfriendliness could be felt almost everywhere. Not gonna say how the other places made me feel to not ruin your first impression . Will only spoil you that the next areas get even better in every way.
Man that's so good to hear! I'm real excited to play the new areas when I get to them and hearing there better is banging!
I will be forever scarred by Inazuma, and how it ACTIVELY tried to kill me compared to the other regions when I first played it
@@FriendsAndGamingYTGood, since natlan is coming, more experience for you
Would be great if Hoyoverse add past quest exclusive NPCs into the open world after you finish them.
Venti at tavern, Yae at her shrine, Chiori at her boutique. It would make them the actual citizens of Teyvat and not just a singularity
Would be cool to see the characters out and about, but I guess they didn't want the hassle if you have one of them on your team and bump into them
@@FriendsAndGamingYT well they do that for Star Rail, so I guess not quite.
And from the fashion event back in Chiori banner, they tried the dynamic NPC where they walk around and do their own thing in that area, example being Ayaka watching the robot couple skating. I really hope they will implement this someday, give us more reason to visit old locations, a bit more lively as well
That fashion event was by no means the first time they did it, that's pretty much always been a thing during events. So sadly, that probably wasn't a "test run" for things to come :/
Other normal open world games usually have gray-brown "realistic" enviroment colour scheme. Im glad Genshin is more colourful .
Yeah, though I do think that's changed a lot in recent years, just looking at games like ghost of Tsushima, The pathless and Gravity rush are really bloody stunning to look at!
Another thing i realized recently that help genshin with its world is that it isn't entirely built from the ground up, the lands are like alternative history with their fairy tales brought to life.
So in a way genshin teaches about other cultures in our world and also doesn't have to EXPLAIN everything in its world to the player.
Yeah, we have the foundation of knowledge on our own world that can give us a grasp on the locations without it having to delve deep into worldbuilding!
When I said it in the past I got clowned on but genshin has one of the most unique and breath taking world in any other open world games and truelly understand the "world" part of the genre name !
The differences in music, cultures, aesthetics... npcs etc... its really good! Probably my top 5 world of any open world games. Just the world. Nothing else.
Great video 🎉
Yeah, I can't think of anything else quite like it, it really hits a sweet spot for me because of that, it feels more adventurous! Really excited to get seeing some of the new regions when I get around to them!
yep
'Just the world' 💀💀💀
Genshin's open world is a world that genuinely feels like a world imo. The part where you mentioned its real world inspirations and how people can draw from their real life experiences is also a big part of what makes it so nice, especially since a lot of lore nerds are able to create their own theories and speculations based off of reality. As much as i do have my gripes with the game and the company, i think the people that are developing and writing the world are genuinely creative and talented people.
Yeah people seem to have an issue with the company behind it from what I can tell, but that shouldn't put a damper on this game and how well crafted it is!
@FriendsAndGamingYT Agreed! I personally love the game to bits and criticism Hoyoverse gets is deserved but people are somewhat losing sight and not being constructive with their criticisms sometimes imo. The game is great and is just a bit rough around some parts imo
I have never left my birth country but i always dreamt of seeing what the world has to offer. Genshin satiated that desire during the pandemic, which helped so much understand cultures from miles away from me. It makes me wanna visit the world even more but also shows me that the world is so vast and different and beautiful that I need to push myself to see it whole.
Yeah, it's amazing how games can give us a slice of our real world, even with only the influences that genshin uses with real world locations! Also if you can go travelling bud you should! I've only recently been travelling to other countries and its a pure blast!
What i love is that every part of the world has a hole history that you can learn if you look deep enough. Like some mountains being ancient giant spears that morax threw during the war, or a cannyon contaminated with electricity being the result of the raiden shogun's attack to kill the serpent god. And those 2 being the most well known examples there are tons of smaller stories everywhere
Yeah, the world is littered with so much little secrets that you have to look for which is just such a fun time!
lol I would correct "hole" history but it's not even wrong becuse teyvat has a ton of holes with history. Chasm, enka entrance, durin's heart in dragonspine.
and a literal island that's made from an ancient giant corpse or the gate to meropede that's shaped like a guillotine
It’s so nice to see someone take about how good the open world is. I feel like that’s a part of the game that is very overlooked and underrated by the community of this game. For some reason everyone focuses on the characters and combat, completely ignoring everything else. I feel alienated sometimes. It feels like I’m playing a totally different game sometimes.
I’m so happy that the world is getting the recognition that it deserves. It’s my favorite part for sure.
I do think that's the beauty of gaming though. We all see games differently, and it affects us differently! But I'd also be more in love with this games world than anything else it can offer!
I don't think the world is underrated, I just think it is so seamlessly integrated into the game, its story, and brought out in the characters themselves, that people just feel like it is the most natural thing to be in. If you want a good example of this theory, look at how people reacted to that certain area north of Sumeru that you could tell was rushed out to fill the space south of the new island. It had nice scenery, but none of the puzzles, rewards, or monsters that made it seem like a living area. It stuck out like a swollen thumb, and heavily contrasted with the rest of the areas that were filled out (Im sure it will be fixed simply because you can tell the dev team has been feeling the crunch as of late).
A good open world is similar to UX design. An intuitive, simple, functioning, and aesthetically pleasing UI will never get the attention of the average players, because is is seamlessly integrated into the program, just like Genshin's open world. The moment you are taken out of that, be it in another game, or a flaw in the game itself, is when you realize just how good it truly is.
Is no one going to talk about traveler standing on the table in 5:01?
Had to throw that clip in for the giggles!
Agree completely. I am an explorer and Genshin has so much to offer. One of the reasons I started play over 3 years ago… Now we will have a new Nation to explore in a couple of months. I am very excited for that. Have done 100% exploration on all the current map. I love the story, lore and music.
Yeah it does sink its teeth into you! Fair play 100% each area!
Couldn't agree more. Genshin is the most diverse human-generated open world right now, where you can find tons of very different regions each with their own charm. No other game made the experience as fulfilling as genshin, but it's normal when you consider that the game is probably one of the most worked on game ever, because it is live service.
Yeah, the live service aspect that allows its world to expand is one of its big benefits with how its open world is made!
FRR im tired of procedural generated open worlds, literally other devs should take notes from hoyo and try to make smth custom instead of "auto generated fantasy landscape #332"
@@FriendsAndGamingYTFun fact, Genshin is the most expensive game ever made! More money has been put into this game than any other game. (So to all the people who say Genshin is just Hoyo’s cash cow, you are wrong)
@Melotaku just has a look and it's apparently 700 million that's Bern poured into the game which is pure mad!
@@FriendsAndGamingYTIt's actually far more. Altogether now, including development, marketing, servers maintenance and everything else, it's been a lot more than a billion dollars poured into it. And it's made more than 5 billion in profits.
I love thet fact that most world quests do affect the world, like an area that had storms for years but you came and solved it , you can change an area completely and it will be noticed by npcs and sometimes even in main stories and events. You do make an Impact anywhere you go
Yeah, I still think dragon spire is still the coolest when you solve the puzzle at top and just have some of the runes floating in the air and you can see it from miles away!
@@FriendsAndGamingYTin Sumeru, there’s an entire region locked and you have to finish a quest line which is longer than all of Liyue’s archon quests and requires many tutorials, at least for me
Finally someone with a brain. Genshin is one the games with the most beautiful open worlds I've ever seen that's completely free for you to play, with deserts, rivers, waterfalls, mountains and thunderstorms that if you don't watch out you can get hit and fall of a cliff if you attempt to climb one during stormy weather
While I might disagree with you on me having a brain! I agree with the rest!
explorer gang, golden naras, rise up
world quests from all the regions never miss tbh
I have a lot to catch up on it would seem! As those names just went over my head
A Golden Nara will have the perseverance to 100% even the desert!
I’m so glad I have found this video.
Everyone talks about what genshin does wrong, not enough people talk about what it does right. And you couldn’t have said it better!
Thanks for the good vibes!
Your very welcome bud! Yeah, I've been hearing that people are unhappy with certain aspects of the game. Mainly the high level players that can strole through all challenge and wanting more endgame content. But I think looking objrlectively at the game, with all the content it has, world, music, combat, story and visuals. It's pretty fucking good!
@@FriendsAndGamingYT yeah the game is truly amazing. I started playing right before inazuma and to this day i still enjoy playing it on a daily basis.
Most of the people complaining about the game are just bitter because they have pulled multiple copies of 5 star units and weapons and they wish the game had some mode where you can feel challenged despite having incredibly powerful units.
I understand where they’re coming from, but still, the game does so much and so much of it is done well, I think it would be silly not to admit how good it is.
yes !!!! i tout this aspect of genshin to my friends. almost every inch of teyvat is packed with puzzles, secrets, and most importantly *people*. npcs are a dime a dozen sure, but each ones little story is a pinch of flavoring, and some are straight up hidden gems. genshin impact makes you take your time and EARN your familiarity with the world, and i ADORE it
Yeah it's open world really is just something else! That sense of exploration and wonder that fills inside you to actually experience this world is like nothing else!
I feel like this is the most underappreciated part of the game. Everyone talks about story, characters, combat etc. etc. But exploration is rarely mentioned
That's mad that it's not talked about as much, as I really do feel that it is it's biggest strength over all else.
Everyone's so focused on the gacha and story overlooking the fact that Genshin is a free open world game that even triple A titles can't hope to match.
The world is pretty big ig for new and mid players right now enjoying it while it lasts 🤣
Oh I love the huge variety of areas in genshin's open world and how fontaine and natlan seem to be expanding on the possibilities one can do IN an open world game with underwater swimming and soon exploration using saurians in natlan with different abilities like swimming in lava, flinging in the air, and drilling into the ground to explore.
Not to mention the various quests in genshin that expand on the world's lore to make it feel more alive and meaningful like it has a huge history that even connects into an overarching story and history of teyvat and its regions.
And to top it off is the beautiful music that compliments each area that ive heard nothing of the like in other games makes it stand out extremely well.
Man those traversal methods sound class, even more excited now to get to them!
@@FriendsAndGamingYT all i'll say is the underwater is probably one of the best adaption of an underwater level in a game, seen alot of positive stuff on it.
maybe once you explore sumeru, fontaine and soon natlan you can make a sequel vid
As a person who has played since day 1 of Genshin, I gotta say I absolutely agree with you.
Even when I have already seen most of everything Teyvat has to offer currently, I still find the scenery of the many places beautiful.
From mondstat’s calm and inviting plains, Liyue’s old mountains, Inazuma’s beutiful and distinct islands, Sumeru’s rainforest and desert, all the way to the refined and cultured Court of Fontaine.
And with the new teaser about Natlan, released by Hoyoverse themselves, I am looking forward to exploring the lands of the god of war, the Pyro Archon.
The music in each region is also super memorable. I could easily identify which region each music in this video was used from, as it was playing in the background.
Say what you want about Hoyoverse as a company, but you have to agree that they put a lot of effort into their games’ aesthetics.
They just crafted a beautiful world full of wonder! I can't point to another game like this and that speaks volumes in my opinion! I'm real excited myself to catch up on new areas now!
the world goes pretty deep when you stop to appreciate it. there's even ruins from a unified civilization all over the world you can identify based on their unique patterns
Yeah, the more ancient ruins like on top of dragonspire and I know there's some around mid map in Liyue that are fun to look around!
I opened the doors of Teyvat back in October of 2020.. I played for 13 hours straight. I was a WoW player until that day, and I haven't played WoW since. There are sections of the Map I still haven't been to yet.💫
Yeah genshin be mighty addictive! I know the feeling with the map, be walking through somewhere random and you can find such cool shit just waiting to be explored!
Like you said, you only talked about the first 3 regions of the game.
And as a French guy, I can say that they even became better and better at developing the world in its finest details, based on the amount and level of details they've done in Fontaine.
If there's ever one fictional place I would want to live in, even though I already live in what inspired it, I would choose to live in Fontaine. Even just for the music, because at that point, you wouldn't be fighting them, you'd be dancing with them.
Yeah, I've had a bud share me some of the tunes from Fontaine and it sounds so good!
In Teyvat, no matter where you go, the place you visit always has history, no matter how small.
Stormterror's lair is where Old Mondstadt used to be, Musk reef was once the peak of a mountain, Guili plains used to be a battlefield, and the giant snake corpse on Tatarasuna once fought Inazuma's current archon, and so sooooo much more.
It's great. The world of Teyvat feels lived in and alive as a result.
Man the giant snakes corpse is so freaking cool!
Everytime I think about the world of Genshin, I always remember Sonic Unleashed a.k.a Sonic World Adventure in Japan.
The name it self described what the game is all about.
Although it is not open world, but it's worth noting bc they also accomplished this "Stylized Real Life" very well.
they put real world inspired but blend them with cartoonish pixar art style and using real instrument of that region for the music.
made in 2008 yet still look good even after a decades. Genshin is like a spiritual successor to that idea.
It's an achievement to blend those aspect, and Something like this turn out to be Timeless
I've been wanting to get around to sonic unleashed at some stage, it's always one I've been interested in as a sonic fan and a game as well!
At the start Genshin was incredible because combat was fun and challenging, the world was great to explore, the soundtrack is the most superb piece of art I ever know, and the characters hook you up with their personality. It REALY feels like you're part of that world, the characters being like close friends even if you hardly see the protagonist outside the cuscenes (cuz she sucks as a combat unit).
But now at the high levels...combat feels too easy in the overworld and exploration is already done. There are new areas always coming, ofc, and old mysteries that require a lot of time I don't have now to solve them through searching for easy-to-miss details or lore in books or artifacts, but still, there are amazing areas that I visited only once in the quest that required it. I wish there were repetables that got me back there.
But mind you guys...I've been playing religiously since 2.8 almost 2 years ago, and I still have a lot of unfinished quests and unsolved mysteries, it's just that I'm feeling a bit burnout, not by Genshin really, but because I want to do other stuff.
So far, this game is the one that gave me the most content. Maybe if they create a "Radiance System" like in Skyrim we can extend it even more, but its already a lot of content, and for free.
Yeah, when you get addicted to games like these, burnout can follow. I hope not to get to sucked into it again and keep it as a nice side hussle while I plat other games!
@@FriendsAndGamingYT I do log everyday for them freemogems and events though, they make a difference. It's for less than 15min while I'm lazy after lunch. Guess that's the worst thing in this game: either you're happy with few chars you win, or pay for them, or get extremely lucky.
But logging religiously since 2.8 gave me an account where the only chars I miss are Arlecchino, Jean and Nilou.
What I like in Genshin is that it makes me feel literally an explorer, not that it's just a decoration (that is not really bad thing), but I really feel that I'm exploring something myself and are entering even places where do I feel that I should not be there, like Indiana Jones. Last time I have that feeling was in Shadows of Colossus, no modern open world game was able to bring that to me.
Also Genshin tells story though the world, it's not just to be there to say that - it's an open world game!! - but to tell a story and lore though the world itself and uses open world for that, I barely remember the game which used that on such level.
P.S. - what is also very rare thing in games that Genshin achieved, open world of Genshin feels that it lives without Traveler being there, they also achieve that though telling stories of NPCs (that some players hate, but such approach makes world alive), but also world itself, it feels alive and not that world exists when player is there, but even without a player it still lives, even when in real it is just an illusion, but games are about illusions, and making world feel alive even without player is an achievement for me, cos this is very rare feeling in open world games, especially modern open world games.
First and foremost, love this comment bud! Yeah, it really is one of the few open worlds that just grabs your interest through a want of exploration on your own terms, unlike many other open world games.
Can definitely see where you're coming from with Shadow of the colossus, while I wouldn't say its open world made me want to explore like genshin, I can definitely see how it sets a tone through its worlds atmosphere, much like genshin in that regard
@@FriendsAndGamingYT Yea, when I mentioned SoC I meant atmosphere, to add more clearance I meant, that in SoC I felt like I'm in place where I should not be, like I entered restricted area and something is going on there, that I should not know, see or hear, in good way for entertainment product I mean.
There are many games who tried to do that, but not many were able to achieve that feeling, when you not see that there something bad going on or happen, but actually feel it, like Enkonomia or Chasm, especially it works with bright and shiny world around, and they even made me feel that in Sumeru, Realm of Farakhkert, it looks so beautiful, but you feel that something really terrifying happen there, not just see or told about, but actually feel it, when goosebumps run all over your body.
This was not that strong with Remuria, but it hits differently.
Tbh more accurate will be to compare this aspect of Genshin to An Inhabitant of Carcosa and SoC also had this feeling.
hehe genshin algorithm kicking in. welcome back to genshin even it it was just to get footage for the video. genshin is great at creating an idilic atmosphere when it comes to its world to suck you in and get you invested into the world. my fav part is the music. just looking at the numbers they are doing something right as Hoyoverse are not only good at whale hunting but even get the smaler fish. luring in so many casuals is one of their biggest strenghs imo. its very well crafted and a great experience if you dont get sucked into finacial trouble. it still boggles my mind that it is a mobile game aswell. an very interactive anime with rpg elements the regularly releases new content for free. exceptional high quality of worldbuilding and character design (subjectiv)in a gacha to milk as hard as possible. it just works.
Anyways enjoy your time and dig as deep as you feel bc there is alot to uncover but dont get to addicted. every journey has its final day. dont rush. even if thats kinda distant in the future for genshin. as a veteran it still brings me joy to watch travlers embark on their journey to this magical world and sharing how they feel and think about it. have a great time (no im not a bot :)
It's been a little surreal getting back into it! Probably hadn't played it in over a year and now it's claws are dragging me back in! As much as I would like to whale to get all the characters, I don't have the expendable income for that!
But I'm more than happy just working my way through the game without paying, it reminds me of older generations when you had to work to unlock stuff, which is pretty gratifying!
Yeah the music is bloody banging for each region! I do think Liyue has the best music so far from what I experienced!
Have fun exploring. You're in for a treat, I tell you. It's going to keep getting crazier.
That's what I like to hear!
When you get to one point of the map, you just can't help but feel like "Wow, this map is big" because you'll then be surrounded by multiple regions in one spot.
Yeah, the fact you can see so much and then go vist what you see is bloody insane. No other open world has evoked this amount of adventure in me!
Welcome to Genshin! I've been playing just over a year and I really enjoy the exploration for mechanics, visual esthetics, music, puzzles, and especially the story.
It has a very upbeat feel but under the surface it is a very dark world.
I'm really looking forward to Natan when it releases.
Thanks for the welcome, I did start like 2 years ago but took a long break, mostly down to the large updates and having real slow internet🤣 but I'm digging back into it now! Yeah it's a game that really captures the aspect of adventuring through the world!
I'd love to see you cover sumeru, fontaine, and even natlan when it comes out! Also the side regions like enkanomiya, the chasm, or the sea of bygone eras are absolutely stunning.
I'd have to see once I get to them, as i don't think it would be an engaging video if I'm reiterating my point, and from what I've gathered from chating in the comments, each new area continues on the idea of each region having identity unique to them.
I'll most likely find another talking point as this game has a lot to talk about. And when the games fully done and completely ill probably do a big massive review.
After I finished Breath of the Wild with its overpowering "What's over that hill?" endless pull to explore, I was glad to discover it again in Genshin.
I've been playing since day 2 of release so I'm pretty bored with it now and fed up with the developer, but I can't deny the premise of this video.
Congrats on your first breakthrough video btw. :)
Yeah, a lot of people seem to be unhappy with the developer! Thanks bud, appreciate the kind words! Hopefully more videos pick up in the future to!
genshin is one of 2 games (elden ring being the other) where i have on multiple occations just taken a break to look at the landscape. the exploration is so good in genshin, even if some might reduce it to just hunting for chests to open.
the first time i got to the big inn in liyue region, i saw a stone statue that i could interract with at the top floor. i walked around the inn and saw a mountain in the distance that was just like it. i knew at that point that genshin was made with a lot of love and care.
Elden ring is one on the bucket list to get round to myself. Yeah, it's so easy to get lost in genshins world and just go wandering about the place.
@@FriendsAndGamingYT you are in for a treat with elden ring. Exploring the world for the first time is just so magical
Honestly, I feel like Teyvat is genshin's best character, and the only one that continues to change.
I am a huge Tolkien nerd, and seeing a worldbuilding this in-depth reminds me of his world. If teyvat wasn't as interesting as it is, I probably would've stopped playing years ago.
Can totally understand that! Genshins world is just so enraputuring that it's easy to lose oneself in!
Teyvat (Genshin's world) its a character itself.
You feel it like a living thing. With its past and story. Like the cut that splits the ground that Raiden Shogun made when she killed Orobashi, or the inverted buildings found in the Golden Apple Archipelago placed there by Venti when he terraformed Mondstad... And lots of hidden gems around the world for you to discover.
Yeah, it's such a cool open world all around! The really bloody nailed it!
I'm not gonna lie, even though the hate this game gets doesn't affect me, it is nice to hear nice things from time to time. I've been playing since day 1. I love the world's dinamic, sometimes I just log in to walk and nothing more. I have all my maps 100% mind you. Sometimes I just take my character for photo shoots lol The open world and exploration its what I really appreciate in this game. And it's been a whole journey see how It gets better and better.
Waiting for Natlan ❤
Can totally see where you're coming from! it's really nice to just stroll around the map and take in the sights.
I agree! The world is what really gripped me about this game when I first played it. Every area really feels special.
That they do! It's mad other open worlds haven't tried something like this! But it's probably down to it being a game that is developed over time
Another point about music - it often follows the elemental theme of the region. For example, Mondstadt is the land of Anemo, so its OST uses lots of wind instruments. Fontaine is the Hydro nation, so its music uses instruments that incorporate water in some way (such as the glass armonica or a set of wine glasses filled with water to different levels, so they produce different notes). Sumeru is the most interesting, since it is the land of Dendro, as well as wisdom. One of the combat tracks cleverly incorporates the Fibonacci sequence, which can be often observed in nature.
I never though about it like that! The issue with this then comes from Liyue and Inazuma which both feel like stringed instruments are there stronger focus. So maybe I need to get to the other regions like you mentioned to get a better taste of it tieing into the element of the land!
@@FriendsAndGamingYT With Liyue and Inazuma the associated values are "contracts" and "eternity" respectively, so it would be difficult to represent them in music. I guess the Electro element could be symbolically represented with electronic instruments, but that would clash with the whole traditional Japanese aesthetics they were going with. Speaking of electronic music - Albedo's trailer music uses synthesizers a lot, making that track very unique. And it makes perfect sense once you learn more about him and his origins. I won't say more on that since it might be a spoiler (I have no idea if you've done his sidequest already since it isn't required for story progress).
I'm sure you'll love Sumeru and Fontaine.The sights and sounds there are truly breathtaking. The good thing about those areas is that they aren't gated by any quests. Once you're able to freely travel the map you can get all the way to Fontaine without even finishing Mondstadt's chapter. So far the only region locked by story progress is Inazuma.
Excellent video!
We really lack these types of Essay-like videos in the fandom (most are either focused on gameplay, and occasionally lore) so I hope you do more in the future to share your thoughts with us and fill that small niche of content that's neglected by most Genshin CCs. I'm so happy to finally see someone do justice to the open world (the lore and map are deeply intertwined and are my fav part of the game) Thank you!
I'm not sure if I'll be making much content on Genshin Impact, I usually just do videos that interest me. So if something else pops up in genshin that I feel would make for an interesting or fun topic to talk about I will!
The game also give you a k(c)amera to search for perfect views, with a fish eye lens, blurry background, no character, or poses, all you could like if your'e an photography enthusiast, for me catching the perfect light moment of the day with a nice pose it's just so satisfying, getting that famous cat shaped cloud in Inazumas cat temple, or the starry nights in dragons spine, the sea of clouds at the top of the Celestia's nail, look for fossils in the Chasm, or just having the impulse of looking for the tallest place in every city, just lousing yourself is the nicest experience getting chests along the way with curiosity being rewarded.
It's funny, I do like photography in real life but I've yet to really get into it with games! But agree with always trying to find the tallest points in areas, always so cool to get an overlook of everything!
Oh boy just wait until you get to Fontaine or Sumeru or Natlan later this year. It only gets better.
That's what I've been hearing from all the comments so far! It's getting me real excited!
The world is amazing. And the music with the world gets you and makes you feel nostalgic the next time you hear it, but its also very much grinding, and so much repeated things could have better mechanisms. And it dosent really consider older players into account anymore. And so much unskippable long dialogues without voice. I dont feel like playing it these days. But i surely enjoyed it a bunch unlike anything else when i started it .
Yeah, its world and music are kust so freaking good! Well I guess gacha games in general are grindy, which is a valid criticism
The world of Genshin is definitely one of the main reasons I play it so much.
I tried getting into HSR, which on paper should have captured me even more, with it's space train theme, but I keep getting constantly annoyed by not being able to climb a simple ledge, as if I was a Pokemon trainer, and loading screen between each area. It would have been so much more fun if Belabog was one big map instead of a collection of half a dozen smaller maps.
Even Penacony, which I was excited about couldn't keep me excited enough to keep me playing.
I guess that's fair! But I could see tighter more linear maps being more suitable to something like Star Rail with its turn based combat
@@FriendsAndGamingYT I dunno, recent Pokemon titles feel quite open-worldy and they can pull off turn-based combat.
I think it is more about the nature of the puzzles that are made to prevent us from reaching some areas. If we could climb, jump and glide everywhere, those puzzles would be moot point.
@TakeruDavis I played legends arceus and it was a pretty barren and uninteresting world, not sure that's a formula others should follow
@@FriendsAndGamingYT Ironically Legends Arceus is one game I didn't have a chance to play yet, I was playing Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Violet
@TakeruDavis one could heavily argue that pokrmon sword isn't an open world game! It was quite disappointing in all honesty can't talk about scarlet or violet as I've yet to play
I really love how the world is so fleshed out that you can see "subcultures" in different regions. In Inazuma alone you'll have already seen the contrast that is Saganomiya Island and the mainland where the Castle of the Shogun is. It's even more pronounced in the Indian/Arabian themed Sumeru where the 2 subcultures in the same region are extremely distinct (and will definitely placate anyone looking for representation of their own IRL culture in the game!).
"Erm actually the actual name is Watatsumi Island!" 🤓☝️
@@PeruvianPotato yes dammit, sometimes I just forget the names of places I've completed the world quests for... X.x
It builds culture so well through each region, I'm excited to see this more subculture like areas as i dive deeper into Inazuma and beyond!
@@FriendsAndGamingYT Heck, it even extends into the craftable food. Every single dish in the game short of character specialties does exist IRL in some form! Even that questionable Poissonchant Pie. (The Stargazy Pie exists). Tho I have to question the logic of Fish & Chips, a British dish, in French-inspired territory when Mondstat is the one with such a slant.
I for one can't wait to see what they'll do for Natlan, which should have an African/South American slant.
3 years into the game and I'm still finding small nooks and crannies I somehow missed in my exploration. As a 1.0 player, I've taken breaks from this game but will always be back to play when a new region drops
Yeah, it's mad how you can stumble upon things that you missed. One of the reasons it's so fun to explore!
i already reached fontaine but i can't count the number of times i got distracted just exploring the game. i might just stumble on something new and find myself pouring half an hour into nothing before i notice the quest pointer. Genshin's world is absolutely gorgeous
Yeah, the secrets you can stumble upon are so freaking cool and can completely take over a game session. It just has that sense of adventure and wonder that other open worlds lack!
Getting lost... it often happened to me in Sumeru's underground tunnels. With modern quality of life features it should be easier, but back in the day, we didn't have any kind of map for underground tunnels.
Still, it was a fine adventure. Like back in the old days.
The more people explain sumeru the more I get excited to explore!
Genshin Impact’s exploration is the main reason Ive stuck with the game. Even though Ive had periods where Ive taken a break from it, I always know I’ll come back to it eventually because I love exploring the world and finding everything I can.
And I dont blame you, it's world is just brilliant!
@@FriendsAndGamingYT It should be taken as the standard of how to do open world right, especially with how it’s able to fit so many secrets and puzzles into every nook and cranny
YES! It's so good and refreshing to see someone appreciate Genshin again. Nowaday people only think about the endgame, the endgame, and more endgame... But what keeps me playing is Teyvat. Truly the best open world I have played so far. I still remember when I first started playing and how I was stunned this is A FREE GAME.
Sumeru and Fontaine really surpassed all my expectations. Now that Natlan is right around the corner, I can't wait to see what they're cooking this time.
Yeah, the endgame seems to be an issue for people, though quite frankly with how much game there is, I think it's a little harsh to say that. Like just the content from Liyue, Monstade, and dragonspire alone is ridiculous!
@@FriendsAndGamingYT Yep! It will take you A WHILE to catch up If you're crazy like me and go for 100% on everything xD
And I won't even mention achievement hunting, If you're into that hahahha
An update to the video after catching up to every area would go hard.
I'm not sure I'd do an update as I feel it would be repeating the same point which as a video idea sounds a little dull when this video exists. But I will probably cover them in some form in the future.
Putting aside the grinding, microtransactions and power creep, what this game truly rewards is *curiosity*, curiosity about the world and its lore. I have been playing Genshin Impact almost since 1.0, maybe missing a few months here and there because work, but I keep getting back because of how rewarding it is to explore the regions and find lores. Very often you will see new plot developments and realize, damn, they've foreshadowed this some dozens of versions ago! And this is because the writing team writes the lore with the entire world and arc in mind. They already have the general outlines of at least 8 nations foreshadowed in their "Travail" overview video, since its very launch! It only gets better and better. My favorite regions lorewise are Dragonspine (although exploration was a pain), Enkanomiya, and the recent Remuria region under that tiny island off Fontaine (it's the very recent update, the lore was not too long and super neat, and the exploration was very comfy, loved it). Can't wait for the new nations.
Curiosity is a good word to describe its appeal. Yeah,you can tell they had it planned out well, which is always good to see!
Curiosity is a good word to describe its appeal. Yeah,you can tell they had it planned out well, which is always good to see!
Would love to watch a follow up video in a few months once you have experienced sumeru and fontaine. Those two nations are so game changing for the openworld
Like I'll have to wait and see when I play them, as if it's just me reiterating my point from this video I don't think it would be a fun video to watch. But I definitely will probably cover them at some point in some shape or form!
@@FriendsAndGamingYTCould go about tree able of how much they improved over the releases, even an already amazing over world.
If I'm ever bored or depressed I hop on genshin and just run around the world enjoying the sights. BTW wait till you get to the desert itself exploring and puzzles are fun.
I've been hearing that a lot in the comments and it has me excited!
I think u r the second person that notice this the other video that i watch who also notice this has 1 hour video essay on it lol, my point is its crazy how little people talk about how diverse the game is its like people take it for granted for me who plays ton of game the lvl of immersion is so high even Zelda BoTW the game they took inspiration upon feels feeble and i want people to recognize this as a whole different package that need acknowledgement besides their song, lore, and combat
Yeah, it's not something I've heard brought up much in talks about the game, but I guess since a lot of elements are tied to what makes it world special, people can still appreciate it on an subconscious level
100%! I can't believe people talk about exploration so little! It feels like im playing a different game
That video you mentioned seems interesting. Could you link it ?
@@zr1L can one link videos in comments?
@@FriendsAndGamingYT yup u just copy paste it really is that simple
What really stand out to me are the motion capture performances in cutscenes and each characters’ animations and the unprecedented amount of content updates that rival even MMO’s
The animation for cutscenes are fantastic! But yeah, one thing that makes its world so great is the constant updates and the expanding world!
I hope you cover the rest of the world in the future, not because for us,but atleast for you as an experience.your mind will blow away for sure.
(since sumeru has lush rainforest and sandy deserts and oases while fontaine has half submerged cities and an entire submereged civilization under water)
Man the way people have been talking about the next regions has me utterly excited to see what's in store for me! I'll probably cover it in some shape or form at some point!
@@FriendsAndGamingYT while we're talking, they're already planning to drop another region around August so more stuff to see 😂
@spymadmax584 I probably won't catch up on time for the latest region, as I will be choping away at the backlog as well, hopefully finish Inazuma and whatever region comes after by the end of the year, I feel genshin is gonna be my side hassle between games!
@@FriendsAndGamingYT as I said before, it's not necessary to rush everything, the game's not going to end anytime, they still have clear road of content for next 3 years. You can play the game on free time, like most of this game's players do.
@spymadmax584 well its all gonna come down to how addicted I get to the game! But yeah your right, no need to burn myself out on a game, taking the time to appreciate it more at my own pace should suit me fine!
Nothing beats 3+ years ago when I saw Wangshu Inn in the distance for the first time. Honestly it's comparable to the first time I saw Siofra Well in Elden Ring.
Wangshu Inn is such a beautifully crafted place, especially when you see it in the distance for the first time and make your way to it!
Yeah, I know that feeling! I remember walking to Liyue during the Archon quest and it was so amazing seeing the city for the first time spreading out below. This sense of exploration and discovery within a game is really great
I seen a guy on discord who spent over 100k on this game 😂
God dam, that's mad! Though I suppose when you spend that much you'll at least have every unlockable character and the highest gear!
@@FriendsAndGamingYT its addiction
@@GameNastyit's addiction if the guy spending 100k to a game without the means to do so, but if that guy is a millionaire I won't see him being an addict 😅😅😅
Good video , easy to understand not bad quality you could be big
Why thank you my friend!
I've lately been losing interest in Genshin, BUT all this amazing open world exploration is mostly the reason what keeps me here. Also Natlan is coming soon, very curious to explore this area!
Nothing like a big update to drag one back in!
This is such a great explanation of something I never could quite put my finger on! ❤
I've been playing WuWa the last few days and while I'm certainly having fun, I just couldn't explain why the exploration didn't feel as satisfying to me as Genshin's.
That moment when I climbed over a hill after milling around Mondstadt for a while and seeing there was an entire different country to explore (Liyue) was so magical when I started the game. I genuinely think Genshin struck gold by releasing the first two regions together, because it gave us these two intensely unique cultures and landscapes and history right from the get-go, invoking a sense that, as you said, this isn't just a snippet of a world, it IS an actual fully realized world, and any further regions are gonna be just as unique as those first two are from each other (and so far, they have very much delivered on that unspoken promise). If the game had started with JUST Mondstadt but bigger (and I love that region, don't get me wrong), I genuinely think it would have been much less popular.
I didn't even know Liyue came out on release. I played it when it came to the ps4, so I assumed that by that stage the already had added Liyue in! Nice little tibit I didn't know there so thank you!
@@FriendsAndGamingYTIt was only because Mondstadt was completed and playtested a year before release. You can find videos on UA-cam detailing the various differences, they're pretty neat.
Alot of games in the genre fill their world with uninteresting bullshit mini games to scratch off a list, but in Genshin I feel excited and hyped to turn every single stone over.
I played so many open-world games, but it was the only one that scratched the same itch as the Fallout series did. Cyberpunk is also all the way up there, but the way Genshins world feels so alive and the eco-system and culture is depicted is so unique. Many areas and bosses here and there reminded me of the amazingely crafted pseudo-biology of the Monster Hunter series as well. Environmental storytelling is sometihng they've done very well on a large scale as well, it feels like the perfect mixture of everything that makes a game world feel alive.
Genshin has its bullshit mini games to, I remember when they threw the fishing mini game in which just made me sigh, seems every bloody rpg needs a fishing mini game for some reason!
Mini rant aside though, I agree with ya, it's a world that just begs you to explore it without having been told to do so!
Fantastic video, Pat! This is something I'd love to play in the future, hopefully it comes to Switch 2!
Thanks bud! Here's hoping! But with how powerful the switch is rumored to be it probably will get a switch 2 release!
What i find absolutely baffling is how much planning they do ahead of making something. Like for example u can read the description of thundering fury which was in mondstat(released with the base game) and it hints towards a place that u go at fucking inazuma at 2.2 almost a year and half later and that isnt even the most impressive example. There are so many ways the game ties the world together that it is so rewarding to go through all of them.
I hope you find catching up enjoyable and very excited to see your thoughts on the next area u go to which is my favourite.
Yeah,it's build up of its world is fantastic, I think my favorite part is characters and NPCs from different regions before you even stumble upon said regions! There's something about that which makes the world feel traveled and alive to me!
@@FriendsAndGamingYT yea that too is really good, i wonder if u found the Inazuma npc who escaped to liyue before u went to Inazuma that npc was there before Inazuma released or the sumeru scholar in mondstat or the sumeru shop keeper in Inazuma. They all give information about their region and their condition and it's fascinating.
@shan_2933 yeah, I found them. Really enjoyed the story of the one who escaped Inazuma
A video praising Genshin? In 2024!? Hopefuly the haters don't find the video.
People hate genshin? Like I could see arguments for the combat being on the simple side, but the game is soild all around, I could see it not being some peoples cup of tea. Hate seems like a strong word towards such a competent game.
@@FriendsAndGamingYT Yeah. 99% of the haters want the game to be something that is not. And because the game focused more in the world and exploration, beeing chill and relaxing, instead of a sweaty, hardcore game, they hate it, and trash on the game and people that like it.
That seems like an extreme take!
@@Kyle81290 Don't forget that people who've never played but somehow has a lot of negative things to say about it wich is unimaginably stupid.
And it keeps getting bigger.
Sumeru and Fontaine are more complex in comparison with they're underground shenanigans.
So I've heard, and that really excites me to no end!
I have returned to Genshin after two years break and now have all of Sumeru and Fontaine to explore. I so cherish the fact that you can explore at your own pace though for some areas, world quests will unlock certain features that you need for exploring further. But you can decide when to just explore or when to do quests. So for now, I have done the Sumeru archon and major world quests and just take my time exploring the beautiful areas. Some world quests may feel really lengthy but imo, they add to the specific area and give you a better understanding.
So yes, I totally agree with you - Genshin is an open world game worth exploring because of its diversity and with each area so beautifully created with its distinctive style and the matching game sound track and the quests adding a depth to each region
I'm much like you, I'm returning after being away for a long while, super excited to be getting to the new regions at some point!
The world in Genshin tells its own story, stories which neither the Traveler or us,players, were there to witness but still can learn about. And one thing it does this is through not lore dumping the history of each region in the main quest. Main quest usually sticks to whatever plotline demands,nothing more. When you explore the world then only you stumble upon side quests and hidden lore that explains everything to you. Like why a certain island in Inazuma is always under lightning attack or why Tsurumi island is in under constant fog and is cut off from the rest of Inazuma. It feels things were happening here BEFORE we even stepped foot in Tevyat.
Another reason why the world feels so fresh and living is that you do absolutely everything in this world. From catching fish to fighting monsters to collecting treasures, everything is there to be done just when you are exploring. The game UI design also helps in that, the game does not have any "home" UI or starting screen, whenever you start or continue you are always somewhere IN the world. So your mind immediately goes "ah I was doing this,now I am supposed to do that"- and all those tasks are there in open world.
Also the NPCs are not mere plot devices. They have their own stories,background,aspirations and opinions. They get affected by the events of the world(most common example is to see two Fatui operatives in Monstadt discussing current politics). We see these NPCs grow and evolve right through our eyes.For example the brother/sister duo who wish in night and day respectively near the Monstadt fountain to solve their sibling's problems, and we see that happen through a series of daily quests.
All in all its open world feels worth putting my time and effort into, even when I have completed most of it as a day 1 player.
Yeah, it's the little touches that really help push the worlds life and something I probably should have focused more on in this video. Love the comment man, big ones like these always make my day!
This game ages like fine wine, it’s only around 3 years old but it gets even better and better month by month. It’s worth a try especially for those who love the lore and story in games as Genshin has thousands of years of history in every region that you can explore bit by bit. The open world is truely amazing, and the music is next level
Yeah it's defo earth a try with it being free, you having nothing to loose with giving it a go. And by golly is it worth a spin to see it's world!
I 100% agree i have never been so invested in exploring an open word than i have with teyvat. I have put so many hours just exploring the world finding as many secrets as i can. Mondstat, liyue, and inazuma are amazing regions in there own unique ways, but sumaru, and Fontaine takes it up multiple notches from exploring the vast desert of sumaru and its pyramids, and Fontaine and its breathtaking underwater world. And Natlan looks to take it even further
Yeah, everyone has been hyping up the other regions I've yet to explore and I have to say, it has me really bloody excited to get around to them!
This is exactly what ive been saying for the past 2 years. Maybe you come for the combat or you come for the characters. Maybe you like the story or you enjoy being a lore hunter but genshins biggest selling point is its world
In teyvat the stars will always have a place for you
Yeah, to me anyway, it is its strongest selling point by far. If the world wasn't as fascinating as it is, I don't think I would have sticked around!
I've also always really appreciated the city design in these games, there's a lot of detail there that most peope don't touch on, but they do a great job of designing cities in such a way that you can see the culture and values of its inhabitants at a glance. It uses both scale and elevation to highlight things in a city's design that showcase that nation's values. Like in Monstadt where the church sits at the highest point in the city while the knights are tucked away in a corner of the city, communicating Monstadt's independence while also highlighting how revered the Anemo archon is to the people of Monstadt. In Liyue you have the Golden house, which is almost as large as the entire city, and you have the Jade Chamber literally floating above the city, along with the port being one of the most prominent things there. This communicates the value their people place in trade and the economy, how important the mora they produce is to the rest of Teyvat, and the power held by the Liyue Qixing. In a really cool detail, the Rite of Descension took place at the highest point in the city, but the Jade Chamber sits high above that, giving a visual implication that Liyue was beginning to place less importance in the worship of the gods, and sought to run the nation through their own power.
Aside from that, the game's use of landmarking is also in a league of its own, and is part of what makes exploration as interesting as it is.
I think that's a running theme, while I'm not sure how Inazuma story ends, with Liyue and monstade it's clear people are turning towards themselves rather than there gods
@@FriendsAndGamingYT While that theme is there in a lot of regions, Inazuma's take on things ends up being a bit different. Sumeru and Fontaine's stories also go in a bit of a different direction. Not wanting to spoil anything there so I won't give details.
There are about 3 big things that connect the stories of each region, but I don't want to spoil those, in case you aren't at the point in the Inazuma archon quest where those things become apparent.
Nice video essay! Just a quick feedback, I felt that the thumbnail wasn't very clear that it was a video essay over a playthrough video or something, and the text wasn't immediately clear as it was overlayed on top of the "genshin impact" text. Also instead of a focus on a genshin character in the thumbnail with a solid color background, I think the thumbnail would be more catchy to other viewers with an actual picture of the world landscape in the background.
I had originally planned to put a landscape from genshin in the thumbnail, but I could never get happy with any I used so I abandoned that idea, I know I probably should have sticked at it a bit more but it was annoying so I went for an easier thumbnail to make and just slapped a character on there! As for the text I can see your point, kinda always forget that it's gonna be smaller in thumbnail size rather than large like when making the thumbnail😅 thanks for the feedback bud, I'll have to try up my thumbnail game from here on out!
Great video! Love the discussion
Thanks bud! Glad you enjoyed it!
That’s another reason why I love genshin: beautiful graphics and awesome soundtrack
Yeah, it's soundtrack is sensational!
If you still didn't get to get to Enkanomiya, you literally "didn't scratch the surface" in Inazuma!
Yeah, like I'm literally not that far into it, and I can't help but explore most places to see if anything is hiding in plane sight on its islands, so its taking me awhile.
I think one of its main charm that it perfectly combines the brainrot design of Ubisoft open worlds with the classic one found in Morrowind, so you have both internel and external motivation to explore. Combat being relatively wasy also contributes too, Elden Ring is a good game, but I hate exploring a world where I can die at any step.
Yeah, I feel like it has the best of most open worlds, it has waypoints for those who just want to jump into stuff, but if you go exploring you can find some really cool areas off the beaten path!
Rarely do I play an open-world game where if I can see it, I can travel to it. Very impressive for a game made free.
It's mad to think this game is free!
excellent video
Thank you very much bud! Glad you enjoyed!
The world truly is the best part about Genshin, even in it's loading screen it says "Teyvats has it's own "laws"" and we get to uncover all of those and leanring how the world is structured bit by bit.
Not hello this is open world XY , here is a text you can read why it is so special, now lets kill sth
Yeah, the fact that each region has its own rules that the people follow is so cool!
Waiting for the follow-up after this guy plays Sumeru, Fontaine, and Natlan.
I'll probably cover them in a different way, as I don't want to be saying the same point in a second video!
In the versions 1.6, 2.8 and 3.8 there were events with limited time areas, story, puzzles and even side missions. Fischl's domain music in 2.8 still stands out to me. It's crazy how much effort was put into those events and how a lot of players aren't even aware those areas existed
Also, you can unlock Enkanomiya, the inside of the Chasm and the Sea of Bygone Areas by progressing in the story! And soon Natlan will be released, so there's all that on top of Sumeru and Fontaine, and possibly even another limited time area in 4.8
Genshin really does feel magical sometimes, specially Fontaine, I just wish there was a way for enemies to not aggro on you so you could just chill and explore sometimes
Well you could always kill said enemies then chill and explore!
Man the battle theme in fischl’s domain (die mittsommernacht fantasie) was ridiculously good! One of my top favorite soundtracks for sure!
Ah yes very immersive, I always stand on the dinner table to show dominance as well aether😂 5:00
Being seated is for the weak! Standing on the table is for the strong!
I agree with everything you said. Love this video and your accent
Thank you! Glad my silly little accent was to your liking bud!
I admit at first i didn't think highly of genshin due to being a gacha game, start playing it since people say its a open world rpg and... can say their depth of worldbuilding is a pleasant surprise. Since i've played terraria before move to genshin, the changing environment & bgm when you go to new area isn't much a surprise to me. But genshin doing step further by adding the lore to it, or.. how certain area have unique conditions that directly affect the player (for example dragonspine). You will never forget the first time visit dragonspine, or certain islands in inazuma 😂
In general, it's such a treat when the game dev took the worldbuilding seriously in their openworld games. Currently exploring fontainne area through world quest, so i'm close to 'finished' the game. After this i plan to play my time at sandrock, another open world but with post-apocalypse desert vibes. Maybe also trying to imagine how natlan going to be :p
Yeah it really nails it's world building through its introduction of characters from lands we've yet to visit and it's story. I think the strong point of the music is the fact that each area feels unique with the use of instruments to reflect its identity! Yeah first time in dragon spire is definitely a memory!
I recommend you try Breath of the Wild, the game Genshin took inspiration from. You will love its open world too... probably.
Yeah it's in my ever growing backlog! I'll get around to breath of the wild some day!
The moment that blew my expectations was when I first discovered Wangshu Inn and later Liyue. This video already explains why, but the biggest selling point for me is actually the people. Not only are they visually different, but they also have different cultures and mindsets.
The first NPC I talked to in Liyue city is literally disrespected Barbatos and boasted about how their Archon always guides them.
Later, we experience how the people of Liyue live and think, which makes us realize that the archon ideals (freedom, contract, wisdom, etc) are not just titles. They shape their culture, government, and the way their people think.
Yeah, it's little things with NPCs and other characters that help flesh out the world and gives each region its foundation and identity.
Oh boy wait till you get to Sumeru! That nation really is peak Genshin in terms of putting the "world" in open world imo. Fontaine is up there but it's more story-focused (which I love) when compared to Sumeru, where they really went all out on the world building and making you feel like you were truly *adventuring* and exploring the land and discovering secrets from ancient civilizations. I'm very excited for you to experience it!
Yeah, everyone has been hyping it up anfmd it has me real bloody excited to get around to it!
Looking forward to future videos about what you haven't seen yet. From what you showed, it even seems you haven't yet seen some great parts of Liyue and Inazuma. But considering you are already quite convinced with the early experience, you'll probably love what's coming next.
When the game released, I was also already impressed by the world and I was already starting to feel the nearly infinite potential it could offer, especially when they released Dragonspine as the first map extension after Liyue. But then I wondered if they would actually continue to impress me further, or if it would be just more of the same. And they did continue to impress me, sometimes in ways that I wouldn't have thought. But the most curious part is, even then it still feels far from perfect. At times it could feel disappointing but it's also exciting because that means this limitless potential really feels limitless, and we can't know what they might be cooking for us next.
Also I hope you're playing mostly blind, it's certainly the best way to catch up. Us veterans get trailers and dev streams, it can be very good teasing and the hype around the release of new content is also very enjoyable, but having so much content to play blind must be a very special experience as well.
I've only started back up on it recently and came back to get footage, now I'm addicted again! I haven't been keeping up with genshin, the only thing I heard is how people have been hyping up the other regions I've yet to get to!
Just an upgrade of Zelda, breath of the wild. But your positivity deserves a praise
I've yet to play breath of the wild, one that's in the never ending backlog of games that beg to be played!
Just wait till you reach Sumeru
I'm getting real excited to do so! You guys are really building it up!
i would love to see your reaction to Sumeru and Fontaine!
I'll have to wait and see after I finished them, I feel it would be a bit redundant to do a second video if it's just me repeating the same points I made in this video on the new areas. So I'll have to see if I can find something else to discuss on them when I get around to exploring them!
And that's just three out of five current Nation. With sixth one being less than half a year away.
You should also try to play Honkai Star Rail.
Same company but totally different vibe. Given you like turn based game of course.
Yeah I have so much to catch up on! Kinda scared to start Honkai Star Rail, already addicted to Genshin, don't need to add another addiction on top of that😅
@@FriendsAndGamingYT understandable.
I'm like already four different Gacha deep.
@Phantom_Zone they really dig their claws into you!
Theres only one thing i regret in genshin removing the permanent thunderstorm in inazuma i wish i could have it back
@@zulzineloso7531 guess it stops after a certain story event?