Honestly way too short but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The new location introduced was the coolest thing in the game so far and there was some good music too. Excited to see what's next.
mixed feelings on this patch because the story is very obviously rushed and has a lot of issues but in terms of events and the characters that got added i was a big fan
the half star is for kafka
dan heng carry
Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2
On the one hand, I agree with a lot of people that Topclouded Towerthrust was rushed, and didn't feel earned. Then I look at the other additions, mainly the companion missions of Kafka and Yukong, and honestly they are some of the best or at least interesting companion missions in Honkai: Star Rail to date.
Topclouded Towerthrust I feel is kinda just a sad victim of a live service game. By all means, it really did have everything there to be an interesting chapter in our trailblazing story, but it just feels like it wants to end everything fast and get rid of any connection that the Xianzhou chapters had previously been building up. From the fast reveal of a certain betrayer to certain missions both being a soft requirement to continue yet nothing was used from it. There is just a weird disconnect from where this chapter beginnings and ends with no middle to be found. On top of that, the number of reveals that happen all feel unearned to a degree that felt like it robbed the emotional weight they could have had. From sword boy, Yanqing, showing up without an introduction to Dan Heng's reveal to the enemy bigger bad we face at the end that kinda just teases at us. I understand that world building is not something that should always be explained to us, but the fact that everything is so glanced over and halfheartedly explain after isn't the way to do it either. And as much as I love the baddie at the end of this chapter, it really doesn't save her from just being someone that overtook a more interesting villains spot and left to no fanfare as well. It's certainly not the worst story I experienced, but if people can tell you sent out a rushed product then don't send out that rushed product.
Yukong's companion mission however, and to a degree Kafka's mission are an absolute highlight to this patch. I'm always consistently impressed with how much content, character growth, and effort is given in Honkai: Star Rail's companion missions, and I honestly think Yukong's is my favorite so far. While these companion missions have a tendency to be light in combat, the world building and story go places that the main story just doesn't bother enough with, and I'm so thankful it does. Yukong's companion mission feels like such a well thought out, bitter sweet, and proper characterization for her that not only do we learn more about her, but it feels like it's own proper narrative and story. Kafka's companion mission however is interesting in the sense that we are consistently teased about her past, and are always given a choice when dealing with her. The fact that you can just skip her companion mission altogether is an interesting choice that I also hope pays off later. That being said, Kafka is sadly the weaker of the two, but both of them I honestly enjoyed more than the trailblazing mission in this update.
If Honkai: Star Rail can at least keep delivering consistently good story through it's companion missions, I honestly don't think I'll mind so much when it comes to rushed main story updates. Hopefully this doesn't become a trend though as I do feel the story and characters are ultimately what hold my interest the most, least Fate Grand Order be indicating as such. Maybe the story here will get smoothed out later or maybe the world building here can pay off in another update; either way I'm still enjoying my time with it.
Topclouded Towerthrust I feel is kinda just a sad victim of a live service game. By all means, it really did have everything there to be an interesting chapter in our trailblazing story, but it just feels like it wants to end everything fast and get rid of any connection that the Xianzhou chapters had previously been building up. From the fast reveal of a certain betrayer to certain missions both being a soft requirement to continue yet nothing was used from it. There is just a weird disconnect from where this chapter beginnings and ends with no middle to be found. On top of that, the number of reveals that happen all feel unearned to a degree that felt like it robbed the emotional weight they could have had. From sword boy, Yanqing, showing up without an introduction to Dan Heng's reveal to the enemy bigger bad we face at the end that kinda just teases at us. I understand that world building is not something that should always be explained to us, but the fact that everything is so glanced over and halfheartedly explain after isn't the way to do it either. And as much as I love the baddie at the end of this chapter, it really doesn't save her from just being someone that overtook a more interesting villains spot and left to no fanfare as well. It's certainly not the worst story I experienced, but if people can tell you sent out a rushed product then don't send out that rushed product.
Yukong's companion mission however, and to a degree Kafka's mission are an absolute highlight to this patch. I'm always consistently impressed with how much content, character growth, and effort is given in Honkai: Star Rail's companion missions, and I honestly think Yukong's is my favorite so far. While these companion missions have a tendency to be light in combat, the world building and story go places that the main story just doesn't bother enough with, and I'm so thankful it does. Yukong's companion mission feels like such a well thought out, bitter sweet, and proper characterization for her that not only do we learn more about her, but it feels like it's own proper narrative and story. Kafka's companion mission however is interesting in the sense that we are consistently teased about her past, and are always given a choice when dealing with her. The fact that you can just skip her companion mission altogether is an interesting choice that I also hope pays off later. That being said, Kafka is sadly the weaker of the two, but both of them I honestly enjoyed more than the trailblazing mission in this update.
If Honkai: Star Rail can at least keep delivering consistently good story through it's companion missions, I honestly don't think I'll mind so much when it comes to rushed main story updates. Hopefully this doesn't become a trend though as I do feel the story and characters are ultimately what hold my interest the most, least Fate Grand Order be indicating as such. Maybe the story here will get smoothed out later or maybe the world building here can pay off in another update; either way I'm still enjoying my time with it.
So I do think the conclusion for this arc is actually pretty good and the expansion on the story here isn't bad at all. However, it does feel somewhat rushed and short given that we waited a while for what was not a very long conclusion.
That said, it was good. The world building was a little better than in belebog, though the ending fights are... in my opinion worlds apart. Cocolia fight clears Phantylia no questions.
SO. It was good yes, on par with the entire 1.0? No, obviously not. Way too many characters show up and get pretty much no screen time, music doesn't hit as hard mostly, other than the Dan Heng ocean parting scene.
ALSO NOT TO MENTION THE FUCKING GOD AWFUL YANQING BOSS FIGHT IN THE KAFKA QUEST.
That said, it was good. The world building was a little better than in belebog, though the ending fights are... in my opinion worlds apart. Cocolia fight clears Phantylia no questions.
SO. It was good yes, on par with the entire 1.0? No, obviously not. Way too many characters show up and get pretty much no screen time, music doesn't hit as hard mostly, other than the Dan Heng ocean parting scene.
ALSO NOT TO MENTION THE FUCKING GOD AWFUL YANQING BOSS FIGHT IN THE KAFKA QUEST.
Kafka my beloved
Blade.
I didn't really enjoy this arc, this gave me inazuma + liyue ptsd
it's mid ......
(Entire Arc Review)
I dont have a review, this story was just really bad and just about every character introduced this arc sucked apart from Blade and Jingliu :/
I dont have a review, this story was just really bad and just about every character introduced this arc sucked apart from Blade and Jingliu :/
Belobog was so interesting, what happened?
This story arc is straight up terrible and lazy. Kinda funny it went straight downhill the moment Kafka vanished after dropping lore crumbs.
To me, none of these new cardboard cut characters had personality and charisma outside of the Stellaron Hunters (and maybe Jing Yuan because he's kinda cool)
This story arc is straight up terrible and lazy. Kinda funny it went straight downhill the moment Kafka vanished after dropping lore crumbs.
To me, none of these new cardboard cut characters had personality and charisma outside of the Stellaron Hunters (and maybe Jing Yuan because he's kinda cool)