Back in September of 2020, when the world was deep in the throes of the pandemic, a mobile game called Genshin Impact came out of nowhere and instantly became a smash hit — seemingly overnight — with 20 million downloads and a gross of $60 million in the first week. The first week!
Suffice to say the game has only gotten more and more popular since then, which is especially impressive considering it was initially labeled a Zelda: Breath of the Wild clone. Once people got wind of how good it was, those impressions changed.
Here are some other games to play that have shades of Genshin but are great in their own right.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
We’re starting with the most obvious choice because this is the game everyone initially thought Genshin was ripping off. Breath of the Wild is an expansive, brutally hard (in the beginning) open-world game where, basically, the only limits are your imagination.
You can go anywhere, do anything and, besides a few objectives, you’re basically left to your own devices. It’s absolutely the best entry in a series that’s been around since the late ’80s. Weapons break, environments that are too hot or cold require special armor and there are some hilarious things you can do with physics.
The incredible freedom and sense of adventure that seeps out of this thing is uncanny. You could play the game for 50 hours straight and still not have seen or done everything this masterpiece has to offer.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
Endwalker is the latest expansion of this huge online multiplayer epic, but the game has been out since 2013, so it actually predates Genshin. It’s essentially a continuation of the 2010 version of the game, which is weirdly one of the lowest-selling Final Fantasy games ever.
Endwalker marked the completion of what developer Square Enix started in 2013, so there’s a complete narrative arc to uncover and explore. In fact, there’s probably never been a better time to get into the game than right now.
It’s also a game that knows when to slow things down. Endwalker, in particular, has a number of quests that simply involve finding people to talk to in a village. This sounds easy, but it’s surprisingly difficult to track everybody down.
What started from a commercial failure has morphed into one of the most profitable Final Fantasy games of all time. There are about 24 million people playing the game at any given time, and if you’re new to the series, you have four expansion packs to get through: Heavensward (2015), Stormblood (2017), Shadowbringers (2019), and Endwalker (2021).
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
The beauty of Dragon Quest 11 lies in its expansive world. There’s so much to see and do that simplifying this game by calling it a dungeon crawler is an insult. Also, you probably recognize the Luminary from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Unlike some other RPGs, there are no random encounters on the open world, making things notably less frustrating when you’re trying to move from point A to point B. Initially, it seems like it might be a claustrophobic, repetitive affair, but that eventually gives way to an expansive game that keeps on giving.
Ironically, that simplicity enables such an expansive experience. The combat especially is fine-tuned to the point where usually static turn-based encounters carry a real sense of tension. There’s also so much gear, and it’s satisfying to find because it’s usually hidden in some place out of the way.
This is a game that’s pure, knows what it’s doing and knows how to get there.
Tales of Arise
The Tales games have a long and storied history dating back to 1995 and the Super Famicon. Arise is the latest in the franchise and it’s an incredible return to form. The great thing about a Tales game is storytelling, and it feels like Arise takes everything to a new level — something that’s not easy to do when there’s so many games that came before it.
In addition to the stakes inherent in the gameplay, Arise also has some of the best interpersonal relationships of any game ever. Here’s an example: the protagonist is named Alphen and he can’t feel pain, and Simone is a slaver who can’t be touched or else magical thorns sprout from her body.
These two go from enemies to reluctant partners to friends, and it’s just so satisfying to watch. The combat is also a lot more fluid than previous entries, with a more action-oriented approach than a turn-based one.
The Alchemist Code
Like Genshin, The Alchemist Code is a free-to-play mobile game. It’s a turn-based tactical affair where players can summon other characters and build a battle party, and honestly, that description doesn’t really do the game justice. Battles are presented on 3D terrains on a grid and play out very strategically.
As for story, the two main characters, Logi and Dias, have a shared goal of using alchemy to save the world.
The gameplay is deceivingly simple but there’s actually a lot of planning needed to win. For example, some types in your party deal more damage to other specific types of enemies, and you also get an attack bonus based on whether you attack someone from behind or above on the playing grid.
Add weapons and stats into the mix and you have a game that’s engrossing and fun. If you’re into that sort of thing, that is.
Tales of Vesperia
Anyone familiar with the Tales series knows that this is one of the standout entries. Originally released in 2008, this one definitely stands up to the ravages of time. The story involves an energy source called “aer” regulated by devices named “Blastia” devices.
The protagonist is Yuri Lowell, a former soldier who forms the guild Brave Vesperia to help a woman named Estelle. The story goes from there, with a number of factions trying to take over and control Blastia. There’s a lot of strategy involved with magic, health and a number of different stats that grow with Technical and Learning points.
It’s also worth mentioning the anime art style that really immerses you in the world.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
This action-adventure title has one of the more approachable storylines of this list. You play as Fenyx, a winged demigod tasked with saving Greek gods like Zeus and well-known beasts like the Minotaur. The story involves a curse affecting all of the Gods with Fenyx as the last hope for survival.
The picturesque setting and distinctive art style all make for a unique gameplay experience. The game is also peppered with a healthy amount of humor while retreading themes that will sound familiar to anyone knowledgeable about Greek mythology.
However, the way it approaches these stories is unequivocally unique. The combat is refreshingly balanced as well.
Darksiders II
Darksiders is a hack and slash adventure epic that tells the story of Death and his mission of clearing his brother’s name. That brother is War. War was blamed for wiping out humanity and it’s up to Death to save the day.
This was one of the most expensive video games ever made at the time it was released in 2012 with a budget of around $50 million. Death can swim, jump, run along walls and climb on special pegs scattered throughout the world.
As Death gets more powerful, he gains new abilities like a grappling hook as well as things that help him control other characters to solve puzzles. The combat is also fun and fluid, and God of War players will feel right at home with Death’s airborne and slash attacks. Fans of Genshin will find a lot to like with this one.
Windbound
Windbound is a beautiful game. You play as Kara, a shipwrecked warrior who gets caught in a fierce storm and then gets separated from her homeland. She washes ashore on the Forbidden Islands; a paradise with a lot of secrets.
This survival simulation starts you on a remote island with nothing but a knife and your wits. The painting-like aesthetic really sells this one but it’s also pretty brutal and bare-bones gameplay-wise. However, if you’re into solitude and a punishing learning curve, this one’s for you.
For a real challenge, choose the Survivalist difficulty, which punishes you every time you die by stripping your inventory and taking you back to the beginning. Tough!
Honkai Impact 3rd
This free-to-play role-playing game was originally a mobile exclusive, just like Genshin. The cool thing about Honkai Impact is the way it skirts genres. Some parts are hack and slash while others are more platforming or shoot ’em up style.
This variety makes this one of the more fun RPGs out there. This would be fine on its own, but the story takes the game’s objectives to surprising narrative heights. You control up to three characters called Valkyries in real-time combat. Players move the character around the battlefield while utilizing each Valkyries’ unique abilities and skills.
There’s a lot of strategy hidden under the hood, and a story that will keep you invested for a long time.
