Genshin Impact has quickly become one of the most popular open-world action RPGs since its release by HoYoverse in 2020. With its breathtaking visuals, immersive storytelling, and expansive gameplay, it has captured the hearts of millions of gamers across the globe. For new players stepping into the fantasy world of Teyvat for the first time, the experience can be a bit overwhelming. There’s a lot to absorb, from elemental combat and character roles to exploration mechanics and in-game currencies. This guide is designed to simplify that first journey, giving beginners a structured overview of what Genshin Impact offers and how to make the most of their early adventures.
Understanding the Basics of Gameplay
The core of Genshin Impact revolves around exploration, combat, and character progression. You play as the Traveler, a mysterious figure searching for their lost sibling across the vast land of Teyvat. The game begins with a tutorial in Mondstadt, the City of Freedom, where you’ll learn basic mechanics like attacking, dodging, and elemental abilities. As you progress, you’ll unlock additional characters, each with unique abilities tied to one of seven elements. Your primary objectives include completing story quests, exploring the open world, collecting resources, and leveling up your Adventure Rank (AR) to unlock more content.
Weapons, Artifacts, and Resources
In Genshin Impact, progression heavily relies on collecting and upgrading weapons, artifacts, and crucial resources. Each element plays a critical role. Strong weapons amplify your characters’ damage output, while well-rolled artifacts can drastically improve performance. Acquiring high-quality gear and necessary materials often requires a significant time investment or primogems for pulls and resin refreshes. That’s why many players choose to top up their accounts, as it can be a reliable way to get more Genshin Crystals when aiming for limited-time banners or needing resin refills. Balancing grinding with occasional top-ups ensures smoother advancement, letting you focus more on exploration, combat, and enjoying Teyvat’s expansive world.
Gacha Mechanics and Earning Primogems
One of the most unique features of Genshin Impact is its “Wish” system, a gacha mechanic where players use a currency called Primogems to obtain new characters and weapons. Primogems can be earned by completing quests, opening chests, participating in events, and achieving exploration milestones. These are then used to purchase Fates, which allow you to make Wishes on character and weapon banners. While it may be tempting to spend all your Primogems early, new players should be strategic, as saving for limited-time character banners or guaranteed 5-star drops can greatly improve your team.
Building the Right Team
Your party in the game can include up to four characters at a time, and strategic team composition is vital. Each character is associated with one of seven elements: Anemo (Wind), Geo (Earth), Electro (Lightning), Dendro (Nature), Hydro (Water), Pyro (Fire), or Cryo (Ice). Mastering elemental reactions, like combining Hydro and Electro to trigger “Electro-Charged,” adds depth to combat. Early on, you’ll be given free characters like Amber, Kaeya, and Lisa, who introduce basic elemental interactions. As you progress and obtain new characters through quests or the gacha system, you’ll want to build a balanced team that complements your playstyle.
Adventure Rank and World Level
Your Adventure Rank (AR) is one of the most important progression markers in Genshin Impact. It determines your access to quests, events, and game features. As your AR increases, so does your World Level, which boosts the strength of enemies and the quality of rewards. Higher World Levels mean tougher challenges, so it’s important to prepare adequately by leveling up your characters and weapons. To raise your AR, focus on daily commissions, domains, world exploration, and completing quests.
Exploration and World Events
One of the most rewarding aspects of Genshin Impact is its open-world exploration. Teyvat is divided into several regions, each inspired by real-world cultures and filled with hidden chests, puzzles, domains, and secrets. Unlocking teleport waypoints and Statues of the Seven allows for faster travel and stamina upgrades. Players are encouraged to roam freely, climb mountains, swim across rivers, and glide off cliffs, to uncover hidden areas and collect valuable items like Anemoculi or Geoculi. Seasonal events and limited-time challenges frequently pop up, offering special rewards.
Stepping into the expansive universe of Genshin Impact can be thrilling and overwhelming for newcomers, but with a little guidance, the experience becomes much more manageable and rewarding. From mastering elemental reactions and building a balanced team to exploring Teyvat’s vast landscapes and managing resources, each aspect of the game adds to its depth and charm. This beginner’s guide aims to smooth out the learning curve and inspire players to embrace the adventure ahead. As you progress, you’ll find that Genshin Impact offers an engaging game and a living, breathing world full of wonder and discovery.