Developer Hoyoverse is the subsidiary developer of miHoYo that created Genshin Impact, and the team participated in Summer Game Fest to showcase two new titles. One game will take place in a futuristic city and offers combat similar to Genshin Impact, while Honkai: Star Rail features a science fiction setting, and battles unfold in a drastically different way from the popular action roleplaying game.
Hoyoverse released the debut trailer for Honkai: Star Rail at Summer Game Fest, which primarily highlights the sci-fi setting for the strategy roleplaying game. Although Honkai: Star Rail seemingly features currently unknown characters, some of them resemble memorable Genshin Impact heroes, like Shikanoin Heizou, Halfdan, Yae Miko, and Zhongli. Because the new Hoyoverse game is a strategy RPG, it's likely that it will differ significantly from Genshin Impact despite any visual similarities displayed in the initial trailer.
Honkai: Star Rail's galaxy is full of worlds with unique landscapes and stories according to Hoyoverse, suggesting that there will be various biomes included in the upcoming title. Players will explore the sci-fi locations using the Astral Express in a pending Honkai: Star Rail closed beta to learn more about "Aeons," mysterious universal incarnations that can freely travel between the countless worlds using a primitive force that will be discovered as players progress through the story. Hoyoverse has teased that players will embark on this journey with a group of passengers, but it's currently unclear if Honkai: Star Rail fans will be able to swap party members around like in Genshin Impact.
The Honkai: Star Rail trailer shown off during Summer Game Fest doesn't show how combat will unfold in the game, but it highlights futuristic enemies that would look out of place in the fantastical Genshin Impact. Each Honkai: Star Rail character offers a unique look and most of them are seen wielding unexpected weapons like one hero that's notably playing an electric guitar. The variety in personality between the Honkai: Star Rail characters may suggest that different heroes will use their own fighting styles as they cut down foes on the battlefield.
Some Genshin Impact fans have already dubbed Honkai: Star Rail Genshin "Space" Impact on social media, given the similarities in character models to the already successful ARPG from Hoyoverse. Many Genshin Impact fans are celebrating the addition of another game to Hoyoverse's catalog with Zenless Zone Zero, given the developer only had a couple of games under its belt before the creation of Genshin Impact. Just like the aforementioned ARPG, Honkai: Star Rail will be available for mobile and PC after a beta test that has already been confirmed.
Honkai: Star Rail is currently in development.