Honkai: Star Rail

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Honkai: Star Rail
Developer(s)miHoYo
Publisher(s)
Producer(s)David Jiang[1]
Composer(s)
  • Cui Hanpu
  • Cui Wei
  • Lin Yifan
  • Gong Qi
  • Wang Kexin
  • Wang Yujue
  • Wen Chi
SeriesHonkai
EngineUnity[2]
Platform(s)
Release
  • Windows, iOS, Android
  • April 26, 2023
  • PS5
  • October 11, 2023
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Honkai: Star Rail [a] is a role-playing gacha video game developed and published by miHoYo (with publishing outside mainland China under Cognosphere, d/b/a HoYoverse). It is miHoYo's first turn-based game, featuring the main character, who is referred to as the Trailblazer, travelling across planets through the Astral Express to help and connect the worlds while resolving disasters caused by "Stellarons" and other third-parties. The first closed beta test was launched on October 27, 2021. It was publicly released internationally on April 26, 2023,[3] for Windows and mobile devices. Additionally, the PlayStation 5 port was released on October 11, 2023. The PlayStation 4 version is still yet to be announced, as revealed at the latest Summer Game Fest with a trailer.[4] It is the fourth installment in the Honkai series, utilizing some characters from Honkai Impact 3rd and some gameplay elements from miHoYo's previous game, Genshin Impact.

Partially due to the popularity of Genshin Impact, the game had already received widespread expectations before its launch. It was nominated for the Most Wanted Game Award at the Golden Joystick Awards in 2022,[5] won the Best Popularity Award of World Science Fiction Game Annual Awards in 2023,[6] and Best Mobile Game Award in the Game Awards 2023.

Gameplay

A battle in Honkai: Star Rail, as character Acheron, showcasing its turn-based combat system

Honkai: Star Rail follows the gameplay style of classic Japanese role-playing games: players build up a lineup of characters and control a team of up to four in turn-based combat.[7][8] In addition to various stats that affect characters' strength, each character has a combat type that affects the kind of damage dealt to targets, a character class referred to as a Path (see Story and Setting § Setting) that defines their combat role, and a set of unique abilities called Traces used in combat.[9][10] Each character can equip a weapon known as a Light Cone, that has various effects that activate if the Paths of both the character and Light Cone match. Characters can also equip various Relics, similar to Artifacts in Genshin Impact.

Elements of open-world and dungeon exploration are present, with multiple mechanics, including the gacha system, carried over (with slight differences) from Genshin Impact.[7] Both games have gacha mechanics, in which players spend in-game currency that can be earned in-game or purchased with real money to receive new characters and weapons.

Plot

Setting

Honkai: Star Rail's major worlds
World Leader Governing Faction Aeon Path
Herta Space Station Herta —[b] — —
Jarilo-VI[c] Bronya Rand[d] Silvermane Guards Qlipoth Preservation
The Xianzhou Luofu[e] Jing Yuan Cloud Knights Lan The Hunt
Penacony Oti Alfalfa[f] The Family Xipe Harmony
Amphoreus TBA TBA TBA TBA

The game is set in a science-fantasy universe in which humanity and sentient non-human beings follow the Paths of god-like beings known as Aeons. Those who follow Paths are known as Pathstriders. Each Path espouses an ideal: for example, the Abundance is based on the view that immortality is a blessing and that healing and altruism should be valued as a top priority.[12] The Destruction believes that civilization is cancerous to the universe, and seeks to eradicate all of civilization through the spreading of various disasters, such as the Stellaron, an object known as the Cancer of All Worlds, which brings destruction to any planet it is placed on.[13][12]

Some Paths were led by Aeons who are now deceased, but continue to exist without the influence of their Aeons. The main character of the game known as the Trailblazer, a mysterious amnesiac possessing a Stellaron, follows the Path of Trailblaze, a Path created by the deceased Akivili. Pathstriders of Trailblaze seek to "explore, establish, and connect" among different worlds.[13]

Different Paths are portrayed as antagonistic, protagonistic, or neutral. The primary antagonist of the game is Nanook, who controls the Path of Destruction, along with the Emanators of the Path of Destruction.[12][13] Other Paths, such as the Path of Abundance, are not necessarily seen as antagonistic, but are involved in rivalries with The Hunt and other Paths, who view the immortality granted by the Path of Abundance as a curse.[12]

Aside from the Path of Destruction, the Stellaron Hunters are a somewhat antagonistic antihero group throughout the game, who search for and collect Stellarons across the universe and claim to be able to see the future.[13] The main characters are often in conflict with the Stellaron Hunters, though they more or less end up aiding each other on their journeys.[13]

Story

Mission TypeTitle(s)Release Date(s)
Prologue: Herta Space Station
Trailblaze MissionToday Is Yesterday's TomorrowApril 26, 2023[14]

The Herta Space Station is attacked by members of the Antimatter Legion, followers of the Path of Destruction. Amidst the chaos, two Stellaron Hunters, Kafka and Silver Wolf, infiltrate the station and steal the Stellaron that was being safely held within it. Kafka takes hold of the Stellaron and inserts it into the body of an empty vessel generated by Silver Wolf (whose gender and name are chosen by the player). The vessel (known as the Trailblazer in English and various other names in other translations of the game) awakens, after which Kafka erases their memory, informs them of the future that lies ahead, and leaves. They then fall unconscious.

A now-amnesic Trailblazer wakes up and meets March 7th and Dan Heng. Both are traveling on the Astral Express, a large cosmic train that travels the universe along the eponymous "Star Rail". After eliminating the remaining threats from the Antimatter Legion, the Trailblazer meets Himeko, the Navigator of the Astral Express, and Welt Yang, an interstellar traveler originating from the world of Honkai Impact 3rd. In an attempt to discover their origins and eliminate the threats of the remaining Stellarons, the Trailblazer departs with the Astral Express crew.
Trailblaze ContinuanceCrown of the Mundane and DivineDecember 27, 2023[15]
Ruan Mei, a member of the Genius Society, asks the Trailblazer to clean up lifeforms accidentally created in a secluded zone of the Herta Space Station. Afterward, Dr. Ratio reveals that Ruan Mei cloned Skaracabaz, an Emanator of the Path of Propagation, which could destroy the station. The Trailblazer defeats Skaracabaz but returns to find Herta missing after an attack. Investigating, they uncover clues about Herta's disappearance and missing researchers. The Annihilation Gang, followers of the Path of Destruction, claim responsibility. The Trailblazer and Dr. Ratio defeat the gang members, rescue the researchers, and find Herta, resolving the crisis.
Chapter I: Jarilo-VI
Trailblaze MissionIn the Withering Wintry NightApril 26, 2023[16]
In the Sweltering Morning Sun
The Trailblazer, March, and Dan Heng arrive at Jarilo-VI. This planet has been mostly ravaged by the Eternal Freeze, an uninhabitable winter caused by the power of a Stellaron, and the Fragmentum. This phenomenon creates powerful monsters that work to injure or kill humans and destroy human-made creations. As the crew nears the capital city of Belobog to resolve the Stellaron affair, they are branded as fugitives by Supreme Guardian Cocolia, after the Stellaron tells her to accuse them of attempting to overthrow Belobog's government. They escape from the Belobog's Silvermane Guards and move to the Underworld below the planet, where they learn of the peacekeeping Wildfire led by Seele and their ongoing conflict with Svarog, the leader of the robots, who has repeatedly rejected peace talks. After battling Svarog and learning new intelligence about the Stellaron, the crew returns to the surface to face Cocolia, who merges herself with the Stellaron and attempts to kill the Astral Express crew. The crew defeats her, and Bronya, Cocolia's adopted daughter, takes her place as the new Supreme Guardian while announcing plans to bridge the Underworld and Belobog together.
Trailblaze ContinuanceJolted Awake From a Winter DreamOctober 11, 2023[17]
March 7th and the Trailblazer are invited by Bronya to the Solwarm festival in Belobog, where they discover that Topaz from the Interastral Peace Corporation (IPC) is trying to collect an expensive debt from hundreds of years ago. After failed negotiations, IPC workers invade the Underworld but are defeated by the Trailblazer and March 7th. Bronya considers letting the IPC take over Belobog but changes her mind after Himeko warns her of the IPC's poor track record. The Trailblazer and March 7th start to fight with Topaz but stop after an intervention from Bronya. After being shown the progress of Belobog's citizens in reconstructing their planet, Topaz leaves the planet and is demoted for her failure.
Chapter II: The Xianzhou Luofu
Trailblaze MissionWindswept WanderlustApril 26, 2023[18]
Topclouded TowerthrustJuly 9, 2023[19]
Karmic Clouds Faded, War Banners FoldedAugust 30, 2023[20]

The crew receives a signal from Kafka, who wants the crew to settle a Stellaron incident on the Xianzhou Luofu, a planet following the Path of The Hunt. When Welt, the Trailblazer, and March 7th arrive, they are not permitted to assist in Stellaron affairs but are instead tasked by Jing Yuan, the general of the Xianzhou Luofu army, to weed out Kafka and her Stellaron Hunter cohort Blade, as the presence of the Stellaron Hunters on the ship is deemed a threat. The crew finds and defeats Kafka in battle, after which she reveals she was sent to lure the Astral Express crew to the Luofu to fulfill the prophecy laid out by the Stellaron Hunters' leader, Elio.

After Blade and Kafka are found and interrogated, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, a faction following the Path of Abundance, a rival Path to The Hunt, attack the Luofu in a conflict manipulated by Lord Ravager Phantylia, a leader of the Antimatter Legion. During this conflict, Dan Heng reveals that he is the reincarnation of a powerful exiled Vidyadhara criminal named Dan Feng during a battle with Blade, and assists the rest of the Astral Express and the Xianzhou Luofu army in fighting the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and defeat Phantylia, resulting in the temporary retreat of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and Antimatter Legion. After the battle, Jing Yuan formally creates an alliance between the Xianzhou and Astral Express and annuls the exile of Dan Heng's previous incarnation, granting him freedom onboard the Xianzhou Luofu. As a symbol of their alliance, Jing Yuan gifts the Astral Express a Jade Abacus that can be used to summon Xianzhou reinforcements in a time of need.

After the Trailblazer and March return to the Express, Himeko tells the Trailblazer that their next stop is Penacony, the Planet of Festivities. Formerly a prison planet used by the IPC to exile criminals, it had fallen under the control of Xipe, the Aeon of Harmony, some time ago, radically transforming the planet into a luxurious dream-like utopia. Himeko explains that the Family at Penacony issued formal invitations to many galactic factions for the first time in history and among the invited factions were the IPC and the Astral Express. Meanwhile, Luocha, a traveling merchant visiting the Xianzhou Luofu, and Jingliu, a powerful swordmaster, meet Jing Yuan at the Shackling Prison, proclaiming that they will put the Abundance in their grave.
Trailblaze ContinuanceA Foxian Tale of the HauntedNovember 15, 2023[21]
The Trailblazer receives a message from Guinaifen and returns to the Xianzhou Luofu, where Guinaifen and Sushang report encountering ghost-like heliobi. At Fyxestroll Garden, they meet members of the Ten-Lords Commission who warn them of the danger. Guinaifen disappears, and the Trailblazer gets trapped in a mirror by Cirrus, a heliobus. After defeating Furynox, Cirrus tries to take over the garden but is forced to retreat. The group then gathers escaped heliobi and rescues Huohuo, who was possessed. They return to find Cirrus attempting his plan again but defeat him with Jing Yuan's help.
Trailblaze ContinuanceFinest Duel Under the Pristine Blue (I)July 31, 2024[22]
The Express receives an invitation from Jing Yuan to join the Wardance on the Xianzhou Luofu. The ceremony becomes a hotspot of conflicts, including IPC ships docking after borisin attacks. Accompanying Yanqing, the Trailblazer helps mediate disputes at the Artisanship Commission. They fend off accusations from an IPC Specialist and face a swordswoman challenging Yanqing. Jing Yuan reveals the Wardance's purpose and the motives of the Zhuming and Yaoqing generals. March 7th earns a chance to participate in the Wardance, learning Xianzhou swordplay. In the Shackling Prison, the Trailblazer uncovers a conspiracy involving the borisin leader, Hoolay, who escapes and causes chaos. They manage to close the prison gates just in time to prevent further disaster.
Chapter III: Penacony
Trailblaze MissionThe Sound and the FuryFebruary 6, 2024[23]
Cat Among PigeonsMarch 27, 2024[24]
In Our TimeMay 8, 2024[25]
Farewell, PenaconyJune 19, 2024[26]

The Astral Express arrives on Penacony for the Charmony Festival, overseen by Sunday and his sister Robin. Penacony's luxury is the Dreamscape, a system of collective dreams. The Trailblazer meets various factions, including Aventurine from the IPC, Black Swan from the Garden of Recollection, and Acheron, a Galaxy Ranger. They uncover the dark reality of the Dreamscape and face off against the monster "Death," leading to Firefly's apparent death. Aventurine's betrayal and subsequent confrontation with Acheron reveal deeper conspiracies involving the Stellaron and the Family's control over the Dreamscape. Later when confronted with Sunday, Aventurine is caught swapping his Cornerstone (his source of power) with Topaz's and, in retaliation, Sunday uses his power to number Aventurine's hours. Plagued by visions of his past and future, Aventurine remembers he planned to get caught to lure Acheron and the Trailblazer. He reveals the Cornerstone belongs to his superior, Jade, and that he destroyed his own before arriving on Penacony. Aventurine then threatens to detonate the Stellaron within the Trailblazer, provoking Acheron to "kill" him.

Sam, revealed to be a surviving Firefly, explains to the Trailblazer and the Astral Express crew that "death" in the Dreamscape leads to the Land of the Exiles, guarded by Penacony's Head of Security, Gallagher. Gallagher "kills" Sunday, who reunites with Robin in the Land of the Exiles and reveals the Dreamscape is a Stellaron disaster controlled by the Family. Sunday realizes the Stellaron is at the Penacony Grand Theater and that the Dreammaster is involved. He betrays Welt and Robin, revealing their power comes from Order, and plans to use the Stellaron and Harmony's song to brainwash Penacony's inhabitants. The group learns of the Nameless' role in Penacony's liberation and, with Mikhail's help, connects with Harmony. They confront Sunday at the Grand Theater, seemingly defeating him with Dan Heng's aid, but Black Swan reveals it was an illusion. With help from Acheron, Black Swan, Robin, and Galaxy Ranger Boothill, the Astral Express crew escapes the illusion and truly defeats Sunday, restoring the Dreamscape and reality.

To cover up the incident, the Charmony Festival is rebranded as a smaller event on the Radiant Feldspar airship. Oti Alfalfa, the new leader of the Family, initially plans an IPO for Penacony but relents after Jade threatens to reveal that true death is now possible in the Dreamscape. The IPC becomes a significant shareholder with 30% equity, gifting 5% to the Nameless. During the festival, Sparkle's bomb threat turns out to be a fireworks display. The Astral Express honors Mikhail, Gallagher, and the former Nameless, and the Trailblazer bids farewell to Acheron. As the Express prepares to depart, Welt explains the fuel issue, and Black Swan suggests heading to Amphoreus, the Eternal Land. Meanwhile, Jade offers Sunday a deal to fulfill his and Robin's vow to create a true haven of peace.

Characters

Playable

The following table lists all currently confirmed playable characters in alphabetical order. All playable characters are associated with a specific world or faction, except cosmic characters, whose respective associated worlds are either unknown, dissociated, or extinct.

All characters wield one of 7 playable paths: Abundance, Destruction, Erudition, Harmony, the Hunt, Nihility, and Preservation, and one of 7 combat types: Ice, Wind, Fire, Lightning, Physical, Quantum, and Imaginary.

Astral Express

The Astral Express was released in April 2023.

Name Type Path Voice Actor Description Cits
Trailblazer (Caelus) Variable Changeable
The main protagonist of the game. An artificial body, in the form of a human being, that contains a Stellaron. Players can choose to play as either Caelus (male) or Stelle (female) as the Trailblazer and may enter their chosen name to be used throughout the story. After being awakened by Kafka and Silver Wolf in the Herta Space Station, they joined the Astral Express to eliminate the threats posed by the Stellaron. [27]
Trailblazer (Stelle)
Dan Heng Wind The Hunt
  • China Li Chunyin
  • United States Nicholas Leung
  • Japan Kent Itō
  • South Korea Kim Hye-sung
 A reserved young man who acts as the train's guard. He often spends more time in the Astral Express data archives than in his own bedroom. [27]
Himeko Fire Erudition
A scientist who fixed the Astral Express when it became stuck in her home world as a teenager. She later becomes the train's navigator and is the most senior active member of the Nameless. [27]
March 7th Variable Changeable
A cheerful girl with no memory of her past before the Astral Express crew rescued her from being encased in ice. She took the name "March 7th" as it marked the day of her rescue. [27]
Welt Yang Imaginary Nihility
The former Anti-Entropy Sovereign and the second-most senior member of the Nameless, whose true name is Joachim Nokianvirtanen. He traveled from the world of Honkai Impact 3rd, hoping to form new alliances to hold off future threats. [27]

Herta Space Station

Herta Space Station was released in April 2023.

Name Type Path Voice Actor Description Cits
Arlan Lightning Destruction
The head of the space station's security department. [27]
Asta Fire Harmony
An astronomer and the space station's lead researcher who comes from a wealthy family. Arlan often has to rein in her spending. [27]
Herta Ice Erudition
Member #83 of the Genius Society and the space station's true master. She is an Emanator of Erudition who appears as a bionic puppet modeled after her younger self. Her true form has yet to be revealed. [27]
Ruan Mei Ice Harmony
Member #81 of the Genius Society and a life sciences expert. A completely amoral scientist with dreams of becoming an Aeon herself in the future. [28]

Belobog

Belobog was released in April 2023.

Name Type Path Voice Actor Description Cits
Bronya Wind Harmony
The commander of the Silvermane Guards and Cocolia's adoptive daughter. She became Belobog's Supreme Guardian after Cocolia's death. [27]
Clara Physical Destruction
A young girl and a self-taught mechanic in the Underworld, a region in Belobog located underground. In most of the story and during combat, she is accompanied by the robot Svarog (Voiced by: China Wang Yuhang, United States D.C. Douglas, Japan Hiroki Yasumoto, South Korea Choi Nak-yoon). [27]
Gepard Ice Preservation
The dutiful captain of the Silvermane Guards, who is Serval's and Lynx's brother. He is the middle sibling of the Landau family. [27]
Hook Fire Destruction
The self-proclaimed boss of The Moles, a group of children who go on adventures and play pranks throughout Belobog's Underworld. [27]
Luka Physical Nihility
An Underworld fighter and a member of Wildfire, a grassroots faction based in the Underworld. He tries to support his friends and neighbors, even at his own expense. [27]
Lynx Quantum Abundance
A polar explorer who is Serval's and Gepard's sister. She is the youngest sibling of the Landau family, as well as a friend of Pela. [27]
Natasha Physical Abundance
An Underworld doctor and the true leader of Wildfire. [27]
Pela Ice Nihility
The intelligence officer of the Silvermane Guards. She is a friend of Lynx and the drummer in Serval's rock n' roll band. [27]
Sampo Wind Nihility
A notorious scam artist wanted across Belobog who ends up supporting the Trailblazer in his own way. He is a member of the Masked Fools, a group that worships Aha, the Aeon of Elation. [27]
Seele Quantum The Hunt
An Underworld resident and a spirited member of Wildfire. She grew up at the same orphanage as Bronya. [27]
Serval Lightning Erudition
  • China Mu Xueting
  • United States Natalie Van Sistine
  • Japan Aimi
  • South Korea Min-a
 A brilliant mechanic who is Gepard's and Lynx's sister. She is the eldest sibling of the Landau family and has an affection for rock n' roll. [27]

Xianzhou Alliance

The Xianzhou Alliance comprises six flagships: the Yaoqing, the Zhuming, the Yuque, the Fanghu, the Xuling, and the Luofu.[29] The Xianzhou Luofu was released in April 2023.

Name Type Path Voice Actor Description Cits
Bailu Lightning Abundance
A Vidyadhara doctor of the Alchemy Commission on the Xianzhou Luofu who often tries to escape her responsibilities. She is the heir apparent to the Imbibitor Lunae, the title of the leader of the Vidyadhara race in the Luofu. [27]
Dan Heng • Imbibitor Lunae Imaginary Destruction
  • China Li Chunyin
  • United States Nicholas Leung
  • Japan Kent Itō
  • South Korea Kim Hye-sung
 Dan Heng's true Vidyadhara form, whose appearance closely resembles to his previous incarnation and the former Imbibitor Lunae, Dan Feng. Despite his name, he does not hold the title of Imbibitor Lunae, as this was intended for Bailu. [27]
Feixiao Wind The Hunt
One of the seven Arbiter-Generals and the general of the Xianzhou Yaoqing who bears the title "The Merlin's Claw." [30]
Fu Xuan Quantum Preservation
The head of the Divination Commission on the Xianzhou Luofu. [27]
Guinaifen Fire Nihility
A street performer who resides on the Xianzhou Luofu after the Antimatter Legion destroyed her home planet. Her true name is Guinevere, but Guinaifen is the local name chosen by her friend Sushang. [31]
Hanya Physical Harmony
A judge of the Ten-Lords Commission on the Xianzhou Luofu. She is Xueyi's younger sister. [32]
Huohuo Wind Abundance
A trainee judge of the Ten-Lords Commission on the Xianzhou Luofu. She has a fear of inhuman beings, but ironically attracts them due to a heliobus she calls "Mr. Tail" (Voiced by: China Liu Beichen, United States Aaron Veach,[h] Japan Takeshi Hirabayashi, South Korea Han Bokhyun) sealed in her tail by other judges of the Ten-Lords Commission. [35]
Jiaoqiu Fire Nihility
A counselor and a foxian healer of the Alchemy Commission on the Xianzhou Yaoqing. He loves cooking dishes with heavy amounts of spice, even using spices in combat. [36]
Jing Yuan Lightning Erudition
One of the seven Arbiter-Generals and the general of the Xianzhou Luofu who bears the title "The Divine Foresight." He summons the Lightning Lord to aid him in combat. [27]
Jingliu Ice Destruction
The leader of the now-defunct High-Cloud Quintet who bore the title "Transcendent Flash." She was the sword master of the Xianzhou Luofu and Jing Yuan's mentor until she succumbed to Mara, a curse that causes its host to become insane, and began attacking her former allies. [27]
Lingsha Fire Abundance
A Vidyadhara healer and the Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission on the Xianzhou Luofu. [37]
Luocha Imaginary Abundance
A foreign trader who is often seen carrying a huge coffin. His true background is a mystery, but Jing Yuan suspects him of having smuggled a Stellaron onboard the Luofu, and Welt Yang suspects him of being linked to Void Archives from his past. [27]
Moze Lightning The Hunt
A Shadow Guard of the Xianzhou Yaoqing. [40]
Qingque Quantum Erudition
A librarian and a diviner of the Divination Commission on the Xianzhou Luofu. She prefers spending her time slacking off and playing Celestial Jade rather than working. [27]
Sushang Physical The Hunt
A young Cloud Knight who wields a large sword and yearns to become a legend. A friend of Guinaifen, she assists in some of her acrobatic stunts and almost always appears in her livestreams. [27]
Tingyun Lightning Harmony
A Foxian Amicassador of the Sky-Faring Commission on the Xianzhou Luofu. It is revealed shortly before she snaps her neck that she is the vessel of Lord Ravager Phantylia. Her current status is unknown, as the Nameless questioned whether Phantylia used her true body. [27]
Xueyi Quantum Destruction
A judge of the Ten-Lords Commission on the Xianzhou Luofu and Hanya's older sister. Her natural body was destroyed, but she was resurrected into an ingenium puppet body. [41]
Yanqing Ice The Hunt
The lieutenant of the Cloud Knights on the Xianzhou Luofu and Jing Yuan's retainer who seeks to become the Luofu's sword master. [27]
Yukong Imaginary Harmony
The head of the Sky-Faring Commission on the Xianzhou Luofu and a former pilot during wartime. [27]
Yunli Physical Destruction
A sword hunter from the Xianzhou Zhuming and the granddaughter of its general, Huaiyan. [42]

Penacony

Penacony was released in February 2024.[43]

Name Type Path Voice Actor Description Cits
Black Swan Wind Nihility
A mysterious Memokeeper from the Garden of Recollection, a memory-collecting faction that follows Fuli, the Aeon of Remembrance. She later accompanies the Astral Express in traveling to Amphoreus. [44]
Boothill Physical The Hunt
A cyborg cowboy and a member of the Galaxy Rangers who seeks revenge on the IPC for destroying his home planet and his daughter despite the enormous bounty they placed on his head. [45]
Gallagher Fire Abundance
A security officer of the Bloodhound family who also works as a bartender. His existence is the result of the amalgamation of traits from all Family members put together. [46]
Misha Ice Destruction
A bellboy at the Reverie Hotel. His existence is a reflection of the true Watchmaker, Mikhail Char Legwork. [47][48]
Rappa Imaginary Erudition
A member of the Galaxy Rangers who identifies as a ninja. [49]
Robin Physical Harmony
An elegant Halovian singer (Song vocals by: Chevy in all languages) and Sunday's sister who has secretly gone missing at the start of the Penacony story. [50]
Sparkle Quantum Harmony
A member of the Masked Fools who can shapeshift into anyone, taking on whatever identity she finds interesting at a given moment. [51]

Stellaron Hunters

Name Type Path Voice Actor Description Cits
Blade Wind Destruction
A swordsman who abandoned his body to become a blade and a former member of the now-defunct High-Cloud Quintet who went by the name Yingxing. He is cursed with immortality after a failed ritual resulted in him becoming Mara-struck. [27]
Firefly Fire Destruction
A young girl clad in a mechanical armor called SAM (Voiced by: China Gan Ziqi, United States Adin Rudd, Japan Jun Kasama, South Korea Jang Seo-hwa). She joined the Stellaron Hunters in the hopes of finding the meaning of life and a way out of her doomed fate. [52]
Kafka Lightning Nihility
A soft-spoken woman who is incapable of feeling fear. She personally implanted a Stellaron into a body now known as the Trailblazer during the opening events of the game. She is one of the first two people, along with Silver Wolf, that the Trailblazer met. [27]
Silver Wolf Quantum Nihility
A master hacker who has excelled in a skill that alters reality called "aether editing." She is one of the first two people, along with Kafka, that the Trailblazer met. [27]

Interastral Peace Corporation

The Interastral Peace Corporation (IPC) is a megacorporation that manages the economy across the entire cosmos.

Name Type Path Voice Actor Description Cits
Aventurine Imaginary Preservation
A senior manager of the Strategic Investment Department and one of the Ten Stonehearts, whose true name is Kakavasha. His Cornerstone is "Aventurine of Stratagems." [53][54]
Jade Quantum Erudition
A senior manager of the Strategic Investment Department and one of the Ten Stonehearts. Her Cornerstone is "Jade of Credit." [55]
Topaz & Numby Fire The Hunt
A senior manager of the Strategic Investment Department and one of the Ten Stonehearts, whose true name is Jelena. Her Cornerstone is "Topaz of Debt Retrieval." Her partner, the Warp Trotter "Numby" (Voiced by: Lu Minyue in all languages), can locate treasures within a particular radius. [56][57]

Cosmic

Name Type Path Voice Actor Description Cits
Acheron Lightning Nihility
A cosmic drifter who lacks a sense of direction and claims to be a Galaxy Ranger, earning the ire of Boothill, who points out she's an imposter using their name. She is an Emanator of Nihility, whose true name is Raiden Bōsenmori Mei. She carries a long sword reminiscent of an ōdachi. [58][59]
Argenti Physical Erudition
A cosmic drifter and a Knight of Beauty who travels the cosmos performing heroic deeds like an old-fashioned knight-errant, hoping to one day see the reappearance of Idrila, the currently missing Aeon of Beauty. [60]
Dr. Ratio Imaginary The Hunt
A narcissistic Intelligentsia Guild member who often conceals his appearance with an alabaster head. [61][62]

Non-player characters

  • Pom-Pom (Voiced by: China Jiang Li, United States Christine Sposato, Japan Miki Nagasawa, South Korea Yoon Ah-yeong). The conductor of the Astral Express who is unable to leave the train.[63]
  • Cocolia Rand (Voiced by: China Mufei, United States Heather Gonzalez, Japan Misa Katō, South Korea Unknown). The eighteenth Supreme Guardian of Belobog and the adoptive mother of Bronya.[64] Later revealed to be the main antagonist of the Belobog story, with the Stellaron's influence turning her away from the Path of Preservation.
  • Screwllum (Voiced by: China Zhao Yang, United States Steven Kelly, Japan Yūya Uchida, South Korea Kim Min-kyu). Member #76 of the Genius Society.[65]
  • Duke Inferno (Voiced by: China Meng Xianglong, United States Bob Johnson, Japan Teruyuki Tanzawa, South Korea Lee Joo-seung). The leader of the Ever-Flame Mansion, whose true name is Ifrit.[66] He was later assassinated by Acheron.[67]
  • Sunday (Voiced by: China Xu Xiang, United States Griffin Puatu, Japan Takeo Ōtsuka, South Korea Kang Seong-woo). A Halovian who is Robin's brother and the head of the Oak Family on Penacony.[68] Later revealed to be the main antagonist of the Penacony story, hoping to usurp the Charmony Festival to revive Ena, the Aeon of Order, and turn everyone on Penacony into mindless puppets under their power.

Development

...we felt that the turn-based combat system was something we have not done before in the company yet, in all our previous games. It's still a viable genre to base the game on, and we felt that it's something that we would really like to give it a try, our players are really feeling for it, and that's why we developed something like that.

And for sci-fi, in reality, our developers felt that it's something that provides hope, and it's very inspiring for younger generations to really look forward to. Sci-fi represents something classic, and sci-fi plus turn-based RPG is something that we would like to give a try. Yeah, that's how the game came to be.

Michael Lin, HoYoverse Global Business Development team member[69]

Honkai: Star Rail began development in 2019 with the goal of "exploring new directions for the Honkai series". The production team has about 500 people, most of whom are fans of science fiction works and turn-based role-playing games.[69] This project is HoYoverse's first attempt at a turn-based combat mechanism game. The team has stated that this genre is very popular in the game market and can lower the difficulty threshold for players to get started. In previous surveys conducted by HoYoverse, many players expressed that they enjoy this type of game. There were concerns about whether this type of game is too retro, but the production team believes that as long as the quality of the game is enjoyable, it can attract players.

Like other works in the Honkai series, it is in no way "too hard-core science fiction". The setting of Honkai Impact 3rd is Earth, but the plot mentioned that there were other planets in this worldview. Therefore, the production team of Honkai: Star Rail decided to expand on this concept of "a universe". The basic setting revolves around taking a train and traveling around the major planets in the universe. The production of each planet in the game takes around one year. The production sequence is to first determine the worldview and theme of the planet, then create the characters and detailed setting information, and then finally write the plot. The design of the planet "Xianzhou Luofu" is based on East Asian fantasy, and has been described as "silkpunk".[69]

In terms of combat mechanism, producer David Jiang said that this game adopts "command-based combat." He said that Honkai Impact 3rd and Genshin Impact were heavy on the role-playing aspect, but they did not include command-based and turn-based combat. In addition, some players reported that Honkai Impact 3rd was too action-oriented and too difficult to operate. Therefore, Honkai: Star Rail pays more attention to strategy than the player's operational skills. Persona 5 was the team's inspiration when deciding to develop a turn-based role-playing game.

Producer David Jiang hopes that Honkai: Star Rail can achieve the immersive feeling of "as if you are in the world of the work", and create a "playable animated series".[70] In order to enhance player immersion, the production team integrated artificial intelligence technology into the behavior patterns of non-player characters.[71]

Distribution and promotion

Astral Express model in Xujiahui, Shanghai

The game was revealed in October 2021 at the end of the Honkai Impact 3rd online concert, Starfire Sonorant, then later on the game's official YouTube channel.[72] On October 27, the game launched its first closed test[73] and its second closed beta test on May 25, 2022.[74] On August 15 of the same year, the game received support from the "Special Fund for Cultural Development" issued by the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Xuhui District, Shanghai, where the developer is located.[75] On August 23, 2022, a game story trailer was unveiled on the opening night of Gamescom 2022.[76]

On January 17, 2023, the mobile version of the game received the game version number approved by the National Press and Publication Administration, and the game was approved for distribution in mainland China[77][78] On February 10, 2023, the game conducted its third closed test[79] On the same day, the Apple App Store page revealed that the official launch date of the game was April 26.[80] In the international market, miHoYo launched more than 2,000 sets of ads on Google Play one month before the public beta of the game. The main advertising channel was Google AdMob[81] and the main advertising areas were Japan, Hong Kong, the United States, Vietnam, and Thailand.[82]

On April 25, miHoYo released the game's opening theme animation "Star Travel".[83] The game was officially launched globally on April 26.[3] On April 28, miHoYo held its first theme exhibition "Galaxy Gathering" in Xujiahui.[84] From April 29 to May 13, miHoYo undertook train advertisements on Xiamen Rail Transit Line 1 and jointly issued NFTs to promote the game.[85] On mid-May, HoYoverse began to put up ads for the game in Japan, which are prominently displayed in Akihabara in Tokyo, as well as collaborating with Chichibu Railway in Saitama Prefecture to launch a special steam train service, which ran for a month. [86] On July 13, miHoYo launched a high-speed train named "Star Dome Railway High-speed Railway Brand Special Train" with an uncertain route, used to promote the game.[87]

Reception

Honkai: Star Rail received "generally favorable reviews" according to review aggregator Metacritic.[88]

Eurogamer recommended the game for its "delightfully goofy humour, charismatic voice cast, and truly magnificent combat", despite the writers' tendency to "give one sentence explanations for important details, yet spend eight paragraphs overexplaining the simplest plot twist".[97] Rock Paper Shotgun called the game "still in its early stages but (...) incredibly good fun to play", comparing it to "Star Ocean, but if everyone was hotter and you could gamble". The reviewer praised the combat system for being deep yet approachable, and noted that, like in Genshin, spending money was not necessary to progress, as all content in the game could be cleared with the characters players receive for free.[98] PC Gamer appreciated Star Rail's "impeccable visual style and strategic depth" and its "elastic tone, which fluctuates from the heroic optimism of a space opera, to the dark comedy of a Nier game, with a lot of Final Fantasy 14's soap opera storytelling mixed in". To the reviewer, the game's main draw was its "sheer creativity" and that it "distills what's most satisfying about turn-based RPGs: tactical, team-based decisions."[99]

However, some people have criticized the character designs, saying that they lack creativity, especially those of female characters, saying the outfits worn by female characters in Genshin Impact had more variety.[100]

Popularity

On the eve of the game's launch, the number of pre-registered players in mainland China reached 22.98 million, and 10 million outside of mainland China.[101] On the day of pre-download on April 23, 2023, the game topped the App Store's Top Free Apps list in more than 113 countries and regions,[102] and ranked first in the overall list in mainland China, the United States, Japan, and South Korea.[101] After the game was launched globally on April 26, it topped the best-selling list of the App Store in mainland China within 5 hours, and was in the top ten of the best-selling list in 42 countries and regions. On April 28, 2023, HoYoverse announced that the game downloads exceeded 20 million.[103]

Accolades

Year Award Category Result Ref.
2022 Golden Joystick Awards Most Wanted Award Nominated [5]
2023 World Science Fiction Game Annual Awards Best Popularity Award Won [6]
Google Play Awards Best Game Won [104][105]
Best Story Won
Best for Tablets Won
App Store Awards iPhone Game of the Year Won [106]
The Game Awards 2023 Best Mobile Game Won [107]
2024 13th New York Game Awards A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game Won [108]
27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Mobile Game of the Year Nominated [109][110]

Notes

  1. ^ Chinese: 崩坏：星穹铁道; pinyin: Bēnghuài: Xīngqióng Tiědào; lit. 'Collapse: Starry Sky Railway'.
  2. ^ The Herta Space Station lacks a clear governing faction. Although the inhabitants of this world are followers of Herta,[11] an Emanator of Erudition, they do not necessarily adhere to any specific Aeon and Path.
  3. ^ The leader, along with the governing faction and its Path on this world, is confined to Belobog.
  4. ^ Cocolia Rand led Belobog throughout In the Withering Wintry Night and most of In the Sweltering Morning Sun. After her death, her adoptive daughter Bronya succeeded her as leader.
  5. ^ Chinese: 仙舟：罗浮; pinyin: Xiānzhōu: Luófú; lit. 'Immortal Ship: Luofu'.
  6. ^ Gopher Wood, also known as the Dreammaster, led Penacony throughout The Sound and the Fury, Cat Among Pigeons, and In Our Time. After Sunday's defeat and the subsequent confirmation of his demise, Oti Alfalfa, the head of one of the branches of the Family, succeeded him as the de facto leader.
  7. ^ In the English version of the game, Huohuo was originally voiced by Courtney Lin. However, due to unspecified reasons, she was replaced by Shipman.[33]
  8. ^ In the English version of the game, Tail was originally voiced by Adam Michael Gold. However, due to unspecified reasons, he was replaced by Veach.[34]
  9. ^ In the English version of the game, Moze was originally voiced by Chris Niosi. However, due to backlash after his past abuse allegations resurfaced, he was replaced by Balmaceda.[38][39]
  10. ^ In the English version of the game, Argenti was originally voiced by Adam Michael Gold. However, due to unspecified reasons, he was replaced by Warburton.[34]

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