Genshin Impact review: the free game that redefined open worlds

The verdict

Genshin Impact is the best free-to-play game ever made, full stop. HoYoverse built a console-quality open-world RPG and gave it away. Four nations, 80+ characters, and a combat system with genuine depth — all accessible without spending a cent.

What works

Teyvat is a world worth exploring. Each nation has a distinct culture, soundtrack, and visual identity — Mondstadt's rolling hills, Liyue's karst peaks, Inazuma's storm-swept islands, Sumeru's rainforests and deserts. The exploration loop of climbing, gliding, and puzzle-solving never gets old.

The elemental reaction system is the combat's secret sauce. Combining Hydro and Pyro for Vaporize, or Dendro and Electro for Spread, creates a team-building puzzle that rewards experimentation. Every character feels distinct, and free characters like Xiangling and Bennett are genuinely meta-defining.

The story is fully free. Archon Quests are voiced, animated, and rival paid RPGs in production value. You will never hit a paywall in the narrative.

What doesn't

The gacha is real. Pull rates hover around 0.6% for a 5-star, and the 50/50 system means you can lose your guaranteed character. F2P players earn roughly 80-100 pulls per patch — enough to be selective, not enough to get everything.

Resin gates your endgame farming. You get 160 per day, and artifact grinding can feel like a second job. The game respects your time in the story but not always in the endgame.

Should you play it?

Yes. If you've never played, start now — the first 40 hours are some of the best free content in gaming. If you bounced off the gacha before, remember: the story and exploration are completely free. The gacha only affects how fast you collect characters.

Score: 9/10 — Must-play.

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Genshin Impact is free on PC, PlayStation, iOS, and Android. Read our beginner guide for 10 tips to start right.