Genshin Impact is widely known for its enjoyable exploration. Players are free to traverse sprawling regions, each with distinct terrains and landmarks. Exploration is then rewarded with chests, interesting World Quests, or even some secrets.
That said, many Genshin Impact players weren’t too happy with the exploration in Inazuma. After the picturesque hills of Mondstadt and the rocky yet tranquil terrain of Liyue, the land of eternity was a radical shift. Inazuma’s primarily stormy climate was already a bleak backdrop but paired with the Balethunder areas and the targeted lightning strikes, exploration soon went from enjoyable to tedious. Then came Sumeru.
The Sumeru Region of Genshin Impact Makes Exploration Fun Again
The newly unveiled region of Sumeru in Genshin Impact opens up a verdant rainforest for players to explore. Located west of Liyue, the land is filled with lofty trees, all-new creatures, and even new exploration mechanics. It’s brighter and more welcoming than Inazuma, which is why so many players have latched onto the new region so quickly.
One reason for Inazuma’s tedious exploration was the fact that some areas were actively trying to harm the player. The area around the Mikage Furnace, for example, caused the Balethunder status effect, draining players of their HP unless they summoned an Electrograna from a Thunder Sakura plant. The Balethunder effect could be removed permanently upon completion of the Tatara Tales World Quests of Genshin Impact. However, that questline often required the player to venture into the affected areas, so it still made for tedious exploration. The same issue applies to other Inazuma areas, such as Mt. Yougou, the center of Seirai Island, and Musoujin Gorge.
Most of the areas affected by Balethunder can be cleansed by completing specific World Quests, which, arguably, elicit a sense of achievement in players. However, these are lengthy quests, and they can be a turn-off to the more casual Genshin Impact players in the community. Moreover, HP-draining areas take away one of the things that made Genshin Impact so enjoyable: the chill and casual exploration.
Sumeru manages to fix these issues as most of the locations in the new region are easy to explore. And even though Genshin Impact update 3.0 introduced the Withering Zones – specific areas that continuously debuff players – these are much easier to get rid of. Any player with a decent team comp can clear a Withering Zone in a matter of minutes. Doing so also rewards them with a chest – not a bad deal.
Aside from implementing less tedious HP-draining zones, Sumeru also introduces new traversal mechanics. The most notable is the Four-leaf Sigil. When facing one, the player can press the right button combination and zip toward the Sigil. These icons are scattered all across the map, making it easier for players to get to hard-to-reach areas. There are also the Tri-Lakshana Creatures, like the Bouncy Mushrooms and Dendro Piles, which change when the Genshin Impact player applies either Dendro, Electro, or Hydro.
While it may take some time to get used to the new traversal mechanics and environmental Elemental Reactions, it’s definitely a breath of fresh air after Inazuma’s hostile climate. Sumeru’s terrain and interactable elements encourage players to explore the region, and that’s an improvement. Though it’s also important to note that the rainforest area isn’t Genshin Impact’s Sumeru in its entirety.
The community is still waiting for the region’s desert area, which is where Cyno of Genshin Impact seems to be based. It might be something akin to Dragonspine in Mondstadt, wherein the player is inflicted with a worsening status effect as they explore. While Dragonspine inflicted Sheer Cold, Sumeru’s desert area could cause something related to strong winds or sandstorms. This, however, is only speculation, and players will have to wait for HoYoverse’s official announcements until then.
Genshin Impact is available now on Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, and a Nintendo Switch version is in development.