Summer has a different meaning for Genshin Impact players and it’s because you won’t see us outside touching grass. It’s around this time of the year that the game has its biggest update and introduces a brand new region.
With both Monstadt and Liyue being available from launch in September 2020, we’ve since been privy to exploring the worlds of Inazuma, Sumeru and Fontaine. During an exclusive hands-on at Gamescom 2024 in Cologne, GamesHub was able to experience Genshin Impact 5.0 and the upcoming world of Natlan.
Of culture and pixel art dragons
In typical Genshin fashion, a new map doesn’t just denote more of the same areas to explore. Each in-game region is inspired by the history and culture of real world places. Everything from the terrain you wander through, to the character designs, to the lore – it’s all distinct, and Natlan is no different. The upcoming fire nation is said to take cues from indigenous cultures from around the world, including Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and certain parts of Oceania. From the flora that look like baobab trees to the Natlan OST sung in Swahili, it’s clear that the references aren’t just skin deep.
During the hands-on, we were introduced to three of the six tribes that make up the region of Natlan – each with their own personalities. The Children of the Echoes are a tribe of miners who represent the Geo element, while also being dance battlers with a penchant for hip hop. The People of the Springs are a Hydro tribe who love water, as evidenced in the way the upcoming 5-star character Mualani is adept at catching a wave. Scions of the Canopy are Dendro-based, and seem to love extreme sports.
While these personalities can seem a bit random, the way they’re woven into the tribe’s inspired cultures, and then incorporated into game exploration, brings a freshness to Natlan that we’ve yet to see in Genshin Impact thus far.
It’s these modern interest pieces – like the deep bass music, graffiti art, and the fact that Kinich’s elemental burst includes a pixel art dragon – that switches up what has been very much pure fantasy. If anything, it feels like Genshin Impact has taken cues from other Hoyoverse title, Zenless Zone Zero, on how to incorporate urban aspects and a mish-mash of art styles while still feeling cohesive.
Read: Zenless Zone Zero has me wishing I could be like the cool kids
Traversing in new ways
Genshin Impact never forgets that it’s an open world game. Each major update also brings new ways for players to explore and interact with the environment. We saw in-air traversal via Thunder Spheres in Inazuma, and the ability to dive deep into the waters in Fontaine. Natlan goes one step further, with what the developers are calling ‘interconnected design aspects’ – weaving movement into the characters’ design, skill and personality.
For the hands-on, we’re given Kachina, Mualani and Kinich to try out. Kachina is a Geo polearm character but she can also summon Turbo Twirly, a kind of mining cart that can attack while also being her mode of transportation. Mualani literally surfs anytime and anywhere, whether on water or on the ground as you’re battling enemies, buffing her Movement Speed and Interruption Resistance stats at the same time.
Of the three, Kinich was the most interesting, with a grappling hook skill that lets him deal Dendro damage while spinning around enemies on a tether – kind of like if you were wakeboarding while attached to a spinning top. This skill can then be translated into in-air traversal too.
On top of being cool new characters, having these new ways of moving feels like a strategic move on Hoyoverse’s part. A lot of the combat-based content at this point is clearable with most teams, however only these new characters are capable of doing what they do in moving throughout the overworld.
The aforementioned Natlan tribes also have their own Saurian – dragons that the humans co-exist with and are treated like family. Players will be able to ‘indwell,’ which means occupying the body of a Saurian to take advantage of their unique exploration mechanics. So far, we’ve been introduced to Tepetlisaurus who burrows through the ground, up the walls and can help clear paths through caves. There’s also Yumkasaurus, who can traverse through the air; and Koholasaurus, who swims near the surface with its little fin sticking out like a prehistoric shark.
How new-player friendly is Natlan?
As someone whose journey in Teyvat began on 10th October 2020, I’m no stranger to how the fundamentals work. These new mechanics are layers built on top of years of muscle memory and even if I don’t play daily anymore, I still feel very comfortable jumping into Genshin Impact on a whim to clear content when I feel like it.
But for a player starting Genshin Impact in 2024, some of this could feel overwhelming, especially as not all mechanics are transferable throughout the regions. For example, you can only dive underwater in Fontaine, but you can swim on the surface with help from a Saurian in Natlan. Everywhere else in Teyvat? You’ll just be treading water to the mercy of your stamina bar.
With the rapidly growing roster of characters, brand new players may also end up pulling Natlan characters while still being locked in somewhere like Monstadt or Liyue. This will prevent them from accessing the resources they need to upgrade characters.
The Genshin Impact team have implemented quality of life solutions to help new players, such as shortcut waypoints to bring you to new regions (as long as you complete the Archon Quests for Monstadt and Liyue). However, I believe that the best way to experience Genshin Impact, particularly its story, is to play in the intended chronological order. Which means the further we go into the story, the harder it will be to pick up from day one.
I’m as excited as ever for a new Genshin Impact region. As one of the most immersive open-world action RPGs right now, the opening of Natlan feels like a new vacation destination that I’ll be able to visit soon. While the hands-on didn’t give me a sneak look at the Archon Quest, the last few arcs in Fontaine and Sumeru have been some of the game’s best written stories which gives me a lot of confidence for what’s to come next.
If you’re an existing Genshin Impact fan, Natlan’s new exploration mechanics, inspired setting, and crisp new characters will make it one of the most content-rich regions yet. And if you’re new and curious, now is always the best time to pick the game up.
