Honkai Star Rail

About

Honkai Star Rail is a single player and multiplayer casual role playing game with fantasy, anime and science fiction themes. It was developed by miHoYo and was released on October 10, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

HoYoverse's cosmic adventure strategy RPG with over 100 million downloads!

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68%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,140 reviews

story308 positive mentions

grinding72 negative mentions

The game features stunning graphics, engaging storylines, and well-designed characters that keep players invested.
It offers a generous gacha system, allowing players to obtain characters and resources without needing to spend money.
The turn-based combat system is enjoyable and strategic, providing a refreshing change from other gameplay styles.

Power creep is a significant issue, making older characters less viable in endgame content and forcing players to pull for new characters.
The game can become repetitive, especially after completing the main story, with limited content and events to keep players engaged.
There are frequent technical issues, such as crashes and loading problems, which can hinder the overall gaming experience.

story
716 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
51%
6%
The story of the game is generally praised for its depth, engaging characters, and intricate lore, with many players finding it a significant draw. However, there are mixed feelings about the pacing and length of the dialogue, with some players feeling it becomes tedious and detracts from gameplay. While the addition of a skip button has been welcomed, many still express a desire for more concise storytelling and improved presentation to enhance the overall experience.
- “The story is pretty detailed, with in-depth lore and likable characters.”
- “The story is immaculate and the recent planet had plenty of plot twists and in-depth characters.”
- “The story is engaging and interesting, with a lot of lore that adds depth to the game.”
- “The current main quest is kinda boring and I stopped doing it because it's quite long.”
- “The story feels like it's purposely weakened to sell new characters.”
- “The story quality has also significantly reduced, most of the dialogue is pointless and feels more like it's dragging out without meaning.”
gameplay
213 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
50%
7%
Gameplay in the game is generally praised for its engaging turn-based mechanics, beautiful visuals, and character design, making it accessible and enjoyable for both casual and dedicated players. However, many users express frustration with issues like power creep, repetitive content, and the monetization model, which can detract from the overall experience. While the gameplay is often described as fun and strategic, concerns about resource gathering, character viability, and the complexity of mechanics have led to mixed feelings among players, particularly regarding the game's long-term sustainability and enjoyment.
- “I love the gameplay, graphics, character design, the cast, and the storyline!”
- “The gameplay is very fun, and you can go afk during battle which is nice.”
- “Breathtaking graphics, engaging story, standout OSTs, captivating character design, and a meticulously crafted turn-based gameplay experience.”
- “The gameplay quickly becomes boring and repetitive, and it takes way too long to gather resources.”
- “Devs have stopped caring about the player base, huge HP inflation, power creeping every character every single patch and genuinely make characters worse by the second. I really loved HSR but the devs seem hell-bent on alienating the player base with predatory pay-to-win gameplay, very disappointing.”
- “I used to be really invested and fond of this game, but lately it just feels less like genuine gameplay and more like a heavily elaborate marketing ploy.”
graphics
157 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
34%
2%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals, beautiful character designs, and impressive animations, making it a standout feature for many players. While some users report lag and crashing issues, especially on lower-end devices, the overall aesthetic quality remains a highlight, contributing to an immersive gaming experience. Many reviews emphasize that even at lower settings, the graphics still deliver a visually appealing experience, although optimization remains a concern for some players.
- “Stunning graphics, captivating story, & runs on even low-end devices.”
- “The graphics are amazing, I experience little to no lag and it's not boring at all.”
- “Breathtaking graphics, engaging story, standout OSTs, captivating character design, and a meticulously crafted turn-based gameplay experience.”
- “Even with the lowest graphics quality, there are a lot of lagging and crashing problems now.”
- “It's a really great game, but the main problem for me is the optimization and graphics; constant FPS drops during the majority of my time playing.”
- “The graphics quality is poor; whenever I change it to high or very high, even medium and low, the background goes white.”
grinding
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is a mixed experience; while some players find it manageable and appreciate the auto-battle feature that eases the process, many express frustration over the time-consuming nature of farming materials and character upgrades. The grind can feel tedious, especially at higher levels where obtaining necessary resources becomes increasingly difficult, leading to a sense of stagnation for some players. Overall, while the game offers engaging storylines and character designs, the grinding aspect can detract from the enjoyment, particularly for those who prefer a more casual gaming experience.
- “Farming takes a very long time (at least without spending money, I tend not to).”
- “It's frustrating farming relics for months and being in the same place you started.”
- “But not having reasonably good gear after a few months of grinding and still not being able to clear content is absurd, especially when my team is S tier and I spent a lot of money.”
music
71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
33%
4%
The music in the game is consistently praised as outstanding, with many reviewers highlighting its ability to enhance the overall experience and immerse players in the story. The soundtracks are described as captivating and well-composed, often elevating the emotional impact of cutscenes and gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal alongside its graphics and narrative.
- “The music is utterly divine, the story writing keeps on getting better and better.”
- “The characters are nice, well developed, each shines in his own way, the story is well written, the graphics are amazing, the music is marvelous, gameplay is progressive and entertaining, the difficulty is perfect.”
- “The world building is great, music is amazing, the characters are likeable and unique.”
- “My honest opinion: Hoyo doesn't know how to make a game. Besides the pretty character designs and music, they are basically clueless in game development.”
- “While I'm playing HSR on my phone, during battle the screen became black and the music continued. When I restarted the game, it got stuck while loading!”
- “The mechanics are easy to understand and get into, but the music and graphics are remarkable, and the characters and story are lovable.”
character development
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
34%
5%
Character development in the game is widely praised for its stunning character designs, engaging lore, and captivating animations, which contribute to an immersive experience. Players appreciate the depth of character personalities and the strategic elements of the turn-based combat system, although some express concerns about power creep and the need for more unique character designs. Overall, the combination of beautiful visuals, compelling storytelling, and well-crafted characters makes for a highly enjoyable gaming experience.
- “The character designs, writing, and animations are utterly beautiful, and as someone who never enjoyed turn-based combat before, it has captivated me. I love building my characters to their absolute max. Highly recommend it if you want to get lost in a work of art!”
- “I haven't actually given the game a star review and feedback even though I've played for a year and a half. To this day, it is still my favorite game due to its amazing stories, especially Penacony and Amphoreus, the incredible character designs, and their gameplay kits, along with the visual effects.”
- “Breathtaking graphics, engaging story, standout soundtracks, captivating character design, and a meticulously crafted turn-based gameplay experience.”
- “Can't get myself to enjoy the story; every gacha developer should learn what good dialogue and pacing are, and please have some creativity, especially in character design. Learn to create something original.”
- “I really liked the gameplay, animations, mechanics, and character designs, but I can't help but wonder why I feel like each character model is the same. There are still some things I have issues with.”
- “Then I took a 6-month break from this game. Absolute flop. I can't even start with the power creep in this game. Usually, I don't mind that; I was just there for the character design, but it's a problem when the developers are just releasing 5-star characters while completely forgetting about the 4-stars!”
humor
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
16%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its relatability and wit, with many players enjoying the funny dialogue and engaging character interactions. While some find the humor can become tedious at times, the main character's comedic charm and the inclusion of pop culture references contribute to a lighthearted experience. Overall, the game balances humor with an intriguing storyline, making it both entertaining and immersive.
- “The main character is likable and funny, not completely silent, and regardless of the gender you choose, the story works.”
- “The mc is hilarious and the world exploration was very engaging with all the little easter eggs (the trash can lore and the wanted posters were great) scattered throughout.”
- “I love the funny content it has, even if it can be dark at times, but things become light again!”
- “The game updates shift to such a meta perspective that it loses its humor.”
- “The jokes feel forced and often miss the mark, making it hard to find anything genuinely funny.”
- “The humor relies too heavily on clichés and doesn't bring anything new to the table.”
monetization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
45%
33%
The monetization in the game has drawn significant criticism for being predatory and increasingly aggressive, particularly since version 3.0, with many players feeling pressured to make in-app purchases to remain competitive in the gacha system. While some appreciate the absence of ads and the ability to grind without immediate paywalls, the overall sentiment reflects disappointment over the game's shift towards cash grabs and power creep, detracting from the enjoyment and quality of gameplay. Despite these issues, a few players still find the game enjoyable if approached with the right mindset regarding character development.
- “Yes, monetization can get quite out of hand, but it doesn't necessarily stop you from enjoying the game.”
- “The story is good and the monetization is unobtrusive; you only spend money because you want to, the game doesn't make you feel like you need to.”
- “I'm not a huge fan of their gacha monetization, but it is what it is. Just go into it with the mindset of building around what you pull and not a specific character, and you'll be fine.”
- “Constant new means of introducing predatory monetization to milk the players of their wallets without making the game better.”
- “Ever since version 3.0 onwards, the game has become a blatant cash grab with devs refusing to address players' feedback and concerns.”
- “The powercreep, the aggressive monetization, the stagnant gameplay and lazy difficulty through HP inflation, the ever dropping quality of the main quest filled with dull, mind-numbing rambling repetitive dialogue.”
stability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players experiencing frequent glitches, crashes, and issues with logging in, particularly error code 1001_1. While some users report a smooth experience on both mobile and PC, others face significant gameplay interruptions, especially during battles and cutscenes. Overall, despite the game's appealing graphics and storyline, the stability issues detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “I've already tried reinstalling the game and done some other troubleshooting steps, but none seem to work.”
- “Also, it is very buggy; suddenly enemies are out of the map, crashing frequently.”
- “Now it has even more glitches and would even crash when I log in to the game.”
emotional
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its deep lore and character development, fostering strong connections with players through impactful dialogue and story quests that evoke genuine feelings. While many players appreciate the touching and sometimes heartwarming narratives, some express frustration over perceived monetization tactics that detract from the overall emotional experience. Overall, the game successfully elicits a range of emotions, from joy to sadness, though it faces criticism for its approach to player engagement.
- “It is deep, very interesting, and emotional.”
- “The lore is amazing; in the newest planet, Amphoreus, each of the Chrysos heirs feels 'alive,' and the game makes us form an emotional bond with them through dialogue, and I love it.”
- “It's kind of embarrassing the number of times I ugly cried during a story quest or side quest because of how emotional and well thought out it is.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
Overall, user reviews indicate mixed feelings about the game's optimization. While it runs smoothly on high-end computers, many players experience significant performance issues, including lag and FPS drops, particularly on older mobile devices. There is a strong demand for better optimization to enhance gameplay, especially for those using lower-end hardware.
- “On a computer, however, it runs smoothly and easily on the highest settings.”
- “It is very optimized, like really.”
- “I want better app optimization, and a much smoother experience on mobile.”
- “The lack of performance on the story quests, it's just a bunch of reused animations and black screens.”
- “It's a really great game, but the main problem for me is the optimization and graphics, constant FPS drops in the majority of my time playing.”
- “If possible, users like me need more optimization for lower-end devices even if the graphics aren't that great.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers highlight that the game's generous gacha model, quality content, and recent quality of life improvements significantly enhance its replayability, making it more engaging and enjoyable for players.
- “Finally, I feel compelled to give 4 stars for the current content, quality, and generous gacha model. The good quality of life improvements and the addition of limited characters make the game more playable, which is a great enhancement.”
- “That will definitely boost the replay value immensely.”