Genshin Impact Gameplay First Look and Beginner’s Guide

Hey guys, how are you doing today? Have you watched our Genshin Impact gameplay first look below yet? Do you see that warning down there? Yes, the one that says, “Not indicative of the final product.” Let me tell you right off the bat – screw that. Kill that warning with fire. If this closed beta isn’t indicative of the final product, does that mean the game is going to get even better? Are they going to send someone over to our house to rub our shoulders while we play? Because this closed beta is so exciting, so fun, so charming, it gets better and better as you play, I really don’t see how this test version shouldn’t be indicative of the final version. Heck yeah, it should be indicative that Genshin Impact is a real gem, a wonderful game that is going to be one of the big games of 2020 and 2021.

Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel!

No, this video is not sponsored, nope, sorry to burst your bubble. I just love this game to bits, and I can’t stop exploring every little corner of the map, activating every waypoint, progressing on the story to unlock new playable characters. This beta is so polished and finetuned that it feels like a build close to release, but I guess developer MiHoYo is still adding more content to the game – heroes, dungeons, cities… That probably takes a lot of time, hence the late 2020 release on PC, PS4, Switch, Android, and iOS. Sorry, Xbox One friends, nothing is confirmed for you yet, but don’t lose hope.

This beautiful game is also coming to mobile, another sign that we are finally about to enter an age where this platform is getting some real games. Dragon Raja is a pretty good MMORPG for portable devices, and this is another unmissable game, an open world anime action RPG with cooperative elements.

First impressions are jaw-dropping thanks to the impressive visuals and art style. Sure, Zelda: Breath of the Wild this and that, but that comparison is old, stale, and quite frankly, stupid. Not every cartoonish open world game is Zelda, so why don’t we compare it to another amazing open world game, the underrated Outward? There are tons of similar games out there, but after a few hours of playing, it’s easy to see that Genshin Impact can be quite unique.

Combat, for instance. Each playable character fits into one of several elemental visions, providing different reactions according to the main element of their enemies. For example, Amber excels at Pyro attacks, setting wooden shields on fire, to the dismay of her foes. She can also set grass on fire, creating a blazing inferno that burns every poor creature standing on it. Take advantage of the fact that when it rains, it pours, getting everyone wet and turning them into perfect electricity conductors. The joy of discovering character combos and overcoming seemingly impossible challenges is a great part of the game, as you charge an enemy with an Electro Attack and then switch to a character with Pyro abilities to overcharge the target and create a massive blast is a… well, it’s a blast. There are so many possibilities that you’re going to spend days considering the options.

You can have a full party of four characters at any given time, and you’re not stuck with the Traveler, your main character – feel free to switch him or her for anyone else. Right now, there are over a dozen characters to control and more are being announced every month. Apparently, the goal is to have over 30 characters, but I’m not sure if these are launch figures or the total planned.

As you have seen already, Genshin Impact looks amazing. It’s so bright, cheerful, everything feels so lively and cute in this sprawling open world. One of the things that impressed me the most is the view distance – just look at the detail in the background. If you see a mountain peak, you can go there, it just takes some effort and cunning. This is the PC version, so I’m super curious to see how the game performs on mobile.

Another thing that I really love is the cities that are dotted across the open world. It could use a few more points of interest here and there, but whatever there is, is good enough to keep you motivated, especially with the handy teleport waypoints. Discovering a new city is a remarkable moment, and during the March 2020 closed beta there were two – Mondstadt and Liyue Harbor. The former is a wonderfully quaint city with medieval fantasy tones, with windmills serving as towering guardians. But Liyue Harbor is an entirely different beast and a complete jaw drop – what a wonderful city, a triumph of design and art! Its Eastern-inspired theme is a delight to see and explore as you would in any Assassin’s Creed game, but when the night comes and every lantern lights up and floats in the sky, the view is beyond belief. It truly is a gorgeous thing to witness and is surely going to be the subject of many in-game photographs – I’m not sure if Genshin Impact has an in-depth photo mode planned, but it needs one right now!

I don’t think I need to go into details of the survival mechanics here, as these are standard nature, although very competent as well. Grab everything that nature provides and use it to cook delicious and invigorating meals, craft items, and so on. Soaring the skies by gliding is a delight, and climbing every surface allows you to plan your own routes, no hand holding necessary.

All this goodness comes at a price, but a very reasonable one at that. Genshin Impact is a free to play game and one of the ways to monetize it is via a gacha system. This gacha can reward you with gear, but also with playable characters that aren’t essential for the story, but recruiting a new member is always a remarkable achievement – I managed to draw Noelle, Beidou, Xiangling, Kaeya, Xingqiu, and Razor in a few days, so if nothing changes, the drop rate isn’t bad.

There’s also an in-game shop which will likely sell items to speed up progression, but since there’s no PvP in sight – that’s not a priority for the devs –, it’s up to each player to use it at their discretion.

I’m going to leave you with some tips to get a good start on the game – think of it as a Genshin Impact Beginner’s Guide of sorts.

Explore the world – run everywhere, as much as you can. Find those teleport waypoints and the next time you’ll just be able to teleport to distant regions.

Use the Gacha – Unlocking a new character is both a joy and useful. Try your luck as much as you can.

Gather Ingredients and Materials – Collect everything that you find, you’ll need it to cook, craft, and level up your characters.

Master Elemental attacks – Take your time to learn how every elemental works and how you can create the best combos.

Switch, Enhance, and Refine – Always use the high tier weapons and enhance it with inferior material. Refine your weapon to improve your stats.

Complete daily quests – Do not ignore even the smallest bit of experience points. Complete every daily commission or world boss event to improve your Adventurer Rank and earn some extra materials.

Try your hand at coop play – Because Genshin Impact is a lot of fun, but occasionally having a few friends along for the ride makes it even better. After all, it’s all about enjoying your time in this wonderful world.

Genshin Impact gets two thumbs up from us and is shaping up to become one of the big hits of the year. Get it on your list right now and get ready for a magnificent adventure. See you next time!