Honkai: Star Rail, the newest game from Genshin Impact developer miHoYo, manages to avoid the most obnoxious problem of Genshin Impact right off the bat. Honkai: Star Rail is set in the same universe as another prior miHoYo game, Honkai Impact 3rd, although the team has taken care to emphasize that the new title is ultimately a brand-new experience. As a space fantasy RPG, Honkai: Star Rail mostly abandons the medieval influences of Genshin Impact's fantasy world for a futuristic sci-fi setting. Honkai: Star Rail also leaves behind the most irritating character in Genshin Impact, allowing players to jump into the game without facing the same annoyances.
Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail take very different approaches to leading the player into the game and narrative. Genshin Impact opens with a quick cutscene allowing the player to pick between male and female versions of the Traveler for the game's protagonist and showing the separation of the siblings. The game then skips to the chosen Traveler in the starting location of Mondstadt, accompanied by a small fairy-like companion of unknown origin named Paimon. Honkai: Star Rail opens instead with an extended story and gameplay setting focused on a character named Kafka before setting up the Trailblazer, its protagonist equivalent to the Traveler.
Honkai: Star Rail's Pom-Pom Is Less Annoying Than Paimon
Although Genshin Impact does jump into the gameplay quickly, not all players are in love with its opening moments. While Paimon might be endearing to some, the fairy's personality could easily be called more annoying than cute - and she only gets worse over time. Honkai: Star Rail similarly employs a mascot character, but its inclusion of a rabbit-like conductor named Pom-Pom has much less potential for irritation than Paimon. Pom-Pom works aboard the Astral Express, the space-faring train that gives the game its name. Although Pom-Pom shares some aspects with Paimon, particularly in size and vocal tenor, he is both more endearing and less omnipresent.
Honkai: Star Rail Handles Pom-Pom's Presence Well
The biggest improvement with the implementation of Pom-Pom comes from his placement in the game. Genshin Impact players who want to mute Paimon aren't allowed the luxury of much alone time, with Paimon accompanying the Traveler throughout the story and frequently inserting herself into conversations. Pom-Pom, on the other hand, is busy with his work aboard the Astral Express, allowing players to interact with him frequently but also providing them with some independence. When players do talk to Pom-Pom, he has plenty of engaging conversation to offer, sharing anecdotes about other engers of the Astral Express and representing his own duties with a seriousness that can be comical.
Many players embarking on the journey of Honkai: Star Rail will likely be pleasantly surprised by the transition from Paimon to Pom-Pom. Genshin Impact has been a huge success in the marketplace, with newcomers frequently ing the many loyal players who have followed its updates since launch, but the game has never been perfect. The release of a new game offers miHoYo an opportunity to improve on some areas where their prior titles have fallen short. Thanks to Pom-Pom and his general charm, Honkai: Star Rail has already fixed Genshin Impact's most irritating issue.
Source: Honkai: Star Rail/YouTube
