Honkai Impact 3rd


Honkai Impact 3rd is a 2016 free-to-play 3D science fantasy action role-playing game developed and published by miHoYo. It is the spiritual successor to Guns Girl Z, using many characters from the previous title in a separate story. The game is notable for incorporating a variety of genres, from hack and slash and social simulation, to elements of bullet hell, platforming, shoot 'em up and dungeon crawling across multiple single and multiplayer modes. It features gacha mechanics. It was first released on mobile devices and later ported to Microsoft Windows.
A massive expansion of the game, titled Honkai Impact 3rd Part 2 was released on February 29, 2024. Built upon the existing game, the update marks the start of the second major story arc of the game, with new characters, reworked UI, an updated engine, and a shift from a mission-based structure to a limited open-world structure.
In addition to the game, the storyline of Honkai Impact 3rd spans multiple supplementary media including a series of animated shorts, multiple manhua series, and promotional videos.

Etymology

The word "Honkai", based on the Japanese 崩壊, pronounced "hōkai", is a direct translation of the Chinese 崩坏 used in the original Chinese title. The "Impact" part of the title is absent from both the Chinese and Japanese versions, and is only used in English marketing.
In-game, the term 'Honkai Impact' refers to a large-scale Honkai disaster that coincides with the birth of a Herrscher.

Gameplay

Honkai Impact 3rd has players control a team of up to three characters, known as Valkyries, in real-time combat against various enemies. During battle, players may freely switch between characters and move around the battlefield. Each Valkyrie has unique attack, evasion, switch, and ultimate skills, as well as a type. The three main types: Mecha, Biologic, and Psychic, are based on a rock-paper-scissors-based system, wherein types are advantaged and disadvantaged depending on both the enemy type and their own type. The two additional types, Quantum and Imaginary, are disadvantaged over each other, neutral towards the above three types, and advantaged over themselves. A third additional type, Stardust, is advantaged towards itself and neutral to all other types. Valkyrie stats and skills can be changed with various weapons and equipment, which can be improved by using in-game resources. New equipment, weapons, and Valkyries can obtained either through in-game crafting or through a gacha system.
Single-player game modes include the Story campaign, consisting of stages punctuated by dialogue in cutscenes and full motion videos ; Chronicles, a series of brief side stories that explore Valkyries' backstories or other aspects of the world; and Open World, allowing exploration of several large open-ended fields to gather materials and complete various challenge tasks, coupled with their own storylines.
The game features various multiplayer cooperative and competitive modes, such as Memorial Arena, where players compete against a set of bosses for the highest score across the server; Abyss, where players attempt to progress as far as possible through a gauntlet of battles to compete for high scores against others in a small group, etc. Players are able to join groups of other players, called Armadas, which allow for more opportunities for events and rewards. Armadas allow for limited requesting of materials and resources from other players in the Armada.
Outside of battles, Honkai Impact 3rd allows players to interact with the Valkyrie and Stigmata characters through the Dorm mode. Upon completing character-specific tasks, different characters may be able to move into the dorms, whereupon new character information and dialogues between those characters can be seen. Players can craft various pieces of furniture and design the layout of the dorm rooms to increase the "comfort" of the Valkyries and Stigmata therein. Greater comfort levels allow players to level up their dorm limits for more elaborate decoration. Players are able to visit and view each other's decorated dorm layouts.
Secondary gameplay mechanics include various minigames incorporating bullet hell, platforming, and shoot 'em up elements that allow players to gather various crafting and experience materials. Limited-time seasonal events may also include gameplay styles such as dungeon crawling and battle royale which are not normally seen in the main gameplay modes.

Weapons

Each Valkyrie can equip one type of weapon. The weapon types in the game are dual pistols, blades, heavy, greatswords, crosses, fists, scythes, lances, bows, chakrams, javelins, drive cores rapid-fire crossbows, rocket hammers, chained blades, and mechanical staffs.
Players can obtain weapons through shop purchases, crafting, and the gacha system, among other methods. After players obtain weapons, they can upgrade the weapons to improve their attribute effects.
After reaching player level 50 and weapon level 50, some weapons can be further upgraded into PRI-ARMs up to level 65, changing their design, attributes, and effects, provided that the weapon prerequisite is obtained. Upgrading these PRI-ARMs does not consume regular weapon upgrade materials, instead requiring a medley of Einstein's Toruses, SC Metal-H2, and Fluid Alloy Blocks. However, players will not be able to increase the maximum weapon level until reaching player level 81.

Stigmata

Each Valkyrie can equip three Stigmata. Players can increase their characters' attack, defense, critical chance, and other attribute effects while those characters wear various Stigmata. Stigmata are usually tailored to the specific uses of the character.
The Stigmata system can be divided into three types: top, middle, and bottom, which correspond to the types of attack, defense, and auxiliary. Players can also activate different set effects when wearing two or three Stigmata of the same set. Players can obtain Stigmata through the gacha, stage completion, events, and crafting. After players obtain a Stigmata, they can enhance, upgrade, and refine it to improve the Stigmata's stats and effects.

Item enhancement

Players can enhance Valkyrie stats by enhancing weapons and Stigmata. Stigmata level up requires a different EXP item type than weapons. Upon enhancement, the equipment can get a better attribute effect bonus.

Item upgrading

Players can improve the attribute effect of equipment by upgrading weapons and Stigmata. All weapons or Stigmata can upgrade the star level through an upgrade. After upgrading, the maximum level limit increases, allowing stronger effects. More advanced weapons and Stigmata require more advanced upgrade materials. Players can obtain upgrade materials by challenging stages, pulling in the gacha, and purchasing in stores.

Currency

The main currencies are crystals and coins, which have various non-premium obtaining methods. Asterite is a currency obtained from various miscellaneous sources throughout the game and can be exchanged for supplies in specific shops. Many of the game's gameplay modes and events each have their own corresponding currencies and shops.

Setting

Honkai Impact 3rd is set in an alternate version of Earth, plagued by catastrophes resulting from the Honkai. The Honkai is largely viewed as a malevolent force with a will of its own. It has the ability to corrupt humans, create various monsters, and imbue certain individuals with god-like powers, enabling them to trigger apocalyptic events. These super-powered humans are known as Herrschers. The Honkai is a cyclical phenomenon, returning to test civilization on Earth each time it gets too advanced.
The game takes place in the year 2015 of the Current Era, with the more technologically advanced Previous Era having been destroyed by Honkai 50,000 years prior. In the Current Era, various global factions exist to combat or take advantage of the power of Honkai. These include Schicksal, a European-based peacekeeping organization that deploys human warriors known as Valkyries to combat the Honkai; Anti-Entropy, formerly the North American branch of Schicksal that objected to the use of human soldiers in favor of mechanized robots; and World Serpent, a shadow organization that has been manipulating world events since the end of the Previous Era.
Three Herrscher awakenings have already occurred in the Current Era by the start of the series: the Herrscher of Reason, who became the leader of Anti-Entropy instead of fighting humanity; the Herrscher of the Void, who was defeated by Schicksal and Anti-Entropy in 2000; and the Herrscher of Thunder, who was successfully prevented from fully awakening and sent to train as a Valkyrie at Schicksal's St. Freya Academy.

Characters

St. Freya Academy

  • Kiana Kaslana K-423
  • Raiden Mei
  • Bronya Zaychik
  • Fu Hua
  • Theresa Apocalypse
  • '''Murata Himeko'''

    Schicksal

  • Otto Apocalypse
  • Durandal '/ Bianka Ataegina /' Kiana Kaslana
  • Rita Rossweisse
  • Cecilia Schariac
  • Shigure Kira
  • Susannah Mannatt
  • Ana Schariac
  • APHO Protagonist '''Adam
  • Carole Pepper
  • Siegfried Kaslana
  • Kallen Kaslana
  • Li Sushang
  • Erdős Helia'''

    Anti-Entropy

  • Welt Yang '''/ Joachim Nokianvirtanen
  • Frederica Nikola Tesla and Lieserl Albert Einstein
  • Seele Vollerei
  • Liliya Olenyeva
  • Rozaliya Olenyeva'''

    World Serpent

  • Kevin Kaslana
  • Misteln Schariac Hare
  • Chen Tianwu Owl
  • Natasha Cioara '''Raven'''