I've been playing this game from Netmarble since Wednesday evening (it's Friday afternoon) and it's like a combination of Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, which I've been playing regularly.
It takes a fair bit of storage but it works on my Google Pixel 6a fairly well, and it's better on my ASUS ZenBook Pro with Ryzen 7, 16 GB of RAM, and GeForce RTX 3050 Ti (laptop edition), even on very high settings.
I've seen a few reviews from people thinking that whatever phone they have is going to play it well. I wouldn't expect that, especially since it's new and they need some time to fix the problems and make it work correctly before addressing performance. The game guides you a bit frequently to items you can buy, but they didn't make the game without money any more than Genshin Impact was made without money.
I've been playing games long enough to say that I prefer to pay for games upfront and not be bothered later, but that's a thing of the past. Even when you buy games, they bother you to buy more things. Right now, I'm learning what I need, and not blindly looking at my wallet to solve the problems. One game I play, Black Clover M, seems to work so that you never get what you want and I don't want to spend money on anything that "randomly" gives you items you might need. So far, those types of choices always end up giving me more of what I've got, not what I need.
The Special Summons bit where you summon and summon and summon and it chooses some good characters and weapons for you and makes you wait seemed to be a bad joke. It made me wait two days and didn't instruct me to buy something but now, it just says Expired. Maybe, someone in South Korea or elsewhere in Asia managed to get something good. but it was poorly implemented. It's a new game on the market. I don't expect everything to go my way.
Game Play
On the keyboard, E and Q are similar in function to Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail. F and R have higher functions. Left-Click on the mouse is the basic attack. Left-Shift has different functions. For your Main Character, Left-Shift initiates more powerful attacks. For your fellow hunters clearing a dungeon, Left-Shift cycles through the team members. Right now, I have Lee Joohee, Song Chiyul, and Yoo Jinho. The main character is Sung Jinwoo. You can add your nickname, but it won't replace the main characters name. All of my characters are at level 20 now and so are their weapons. My reputation (account level) is at level 4. It's a few hours later and my characters are above level 20 and my reputation is at level 5. It's difficult to believe that it's moving more quickly.
The worst flaw I've found is that you use the block/menu to get to a function like enhancing a hunter and you want to enhance the main character, it throws you all the way out, and makes you start again, with a delay. It's an annoyance, not a reason to quit playing. They'll probably notice it at some point or already plan to change it.
There is a semi-automatic mode, so that the character will run in the direction of the enemies but you still have control over the battle. It can perform the battle but I'm not sure it's ready for that yet. I've ended the Gates battles with SSS level outcome a few times, but too many have been level S. Still it's not been two days, and I have been to work and back a couple of times. I play games, but they don't play me, right?
There are all sorts of nooks and crannies where they give you points and free stuff, but you have to look.
Instead of assignments, they have Gate Mining. Once you clear a Gate, you should return to mine the Mana. Obviously, you always need supplies.
Since I've never seen the anime or the written stories, I don't know a thing about the ranks and such. However, I know that R is low, SR is better, SSR is even better. Whether it uses LR or UR as higher levels is something I have yet to see.
I'm using an SR-level weapon for the main character and R-level weapons for the other hunters. Just like with Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, you can take multiple weapons of the same type and put them together for a stronger weapon. There are other item to use for skills and weapon enhancement but I've already forgotten if the tutorial mentioned how to use them.
I'm guessing that, in a year, my main character will be complete and my other hunters will probably be just as amazing, just as I've done with Honkai: Star Rail. I just need to pay attention to learn what I need to do.
I tried the Encore Missions and got artifacts that increase the characters attributes. Being that I've accomplished one of the goals shown on the main page, I ended up completing a few of those "you have cleared this 100 times." situations. I've now got a second SR-level weapon for the main character, for Slot 2.
I hope you have fun. (I also hope that they do as well as HoYoVerse and make enough money to make this game even better. They don't have to update it every month but right now, bug fixes would be ideal.)
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Update 2024.05.11: It's been off-and-on for about 4 evenings since I started. I'm still not 100% sure what I'm doing. I'm at Reputation level 5 and Level 29 for my main character. I've got enough artifacts and enhanced them enough to make battle better. I'm at difficulty 6, so I'm still going slow. I haven't spent any money, but I'm wondering if it gets you better equipment and better characters. SSR equipment and characters would be helpful but things are still going fairly well. I had one battle end at 7.01, so that was close. When you're playing with the characters they want you to use, you need to end with the first one to get the full award.
Occasionally, I'll be fighting the boss and use the Ultimate at the wrong time and not have the raid leader on at the end. Today, I've had fewer SSS finishes and even an A finish, as I've turned up the difficulty.
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Be sure to enhance your equipment. It helps a lot. Check your characters regularly. They stop pushing you to do it fairly soon. If you're not aware, you may miss opportunities.
Update 2024.05.12: I'm at level 31, Reputation level 6. I'm stuck on chapter 8, Ready as You'll Ever Be. I'm pretty much finished, and then, there is a second boss. I was thinking "how did he go back to full health?" Apparently, using light-oriented weapons helps. We'll see if I can manage it. I changed both weapons to light-oriented weapons and this helped a bit. They're not as powerful as they need to be. I finished the first boss more quickly, but there still wasn't enough time for the power held by the weapons. This may take some time.
I used up all of my custom draws. Now that the story isn't going forward, I don't have any way to get more, except to buy a package. Hopefully, I can figure out something. Maybe, one of the light oriented weapons and the SSR-level weapon at level 40.
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With the Lycan Slayer weapon at level 26 and the Shadow Scythe at level 40, things were better. It's especially interesting that the Lycan Slayer is a R-level weapon. None of the light-oriented weapons had a lot of power but since I had so many of them and used them together (Advance is your friend!), it became powerful enough.
Okay, be careful. I had some extra Lycan Slayer weapons and I went to combine them to see if I could have a second weapon to complete the next mission. I got a message I didn't understand, and the extras replaced my level 40 weapon.
Since I was failing so often, I didn't expect a SSS result.
Update 2024.05.12: So, I lost the weapon I was successful in using. I sent a message to support but don't expect for it to be returned. It's going to take a while for all those upgrades to be re-worked on another weapon. Still, I'm at Reputation level 7 and character level 32. It would be interesting to level up every day I don't go to work.
After sleeping overnight, I battled through a few gates and my Reputation level is up to 8. Wish I had more resources. After finishing the "You're Ready as You'll Ever Be" battle, the next one, "Protector of the Throne", is a bit more. Without the Lycan Slayer at level 40, I've switched to the Lustrous Dragon Sword at level 29. It seems somewhat more powerful and I feel that I've come closer, but with both Light-oriented weapons, I'm betting that it would be so much better. I'm not giving up, but I might have to wait a while.
Update 2024.05.15: I'm up to Reputation level 9, character level 34. Got the Lustrous Dragon Sword to level 40. Increased my difficulty level to 8. Still going. Got more characters, including an SSR hunter, Woo Jinchul, but only an SR weapon for him. Still working on "Protector of the Throne".
Update 2024.05.17: Woke up, did a few gates, and I'm now at Reputation level 10, character level 35. Tried a Red gate with Woo Jinchul but took too long. Have a new SSR light-oriented weapon but it's stuck at level 20.
Update 2024.05.19: Up to character level 36. Making progress, but progress is slowing. Getting weapons above level 40 will take a while. Still can't get through chapter 8. Stuck at "Protector of the Throne". I could use another light-oriented weapon. I got a response from support that they are passing my request to the correct team. I suspect that means that no one is going to do anything about my missing weapon and that I just need to build another of its kind and be more careful.
Update 2024.05.20: Up to Reputation level 11, character level 37. Working on making certain weapons more powerful. Attempting to get through chapter 8 still. I need a little bit of this, more of that, and a helluva lot of those. I got a 12 days of logins achievement which seems strange. Why not wait until 14 days? The game still seems to have a lot of pauses. Special Summons are back. It doesn't seem to let me choose in each of the 15 drawings. I believe that I understand how the guaranteed drawing works: US$21.99 once or US$9.99 subscription each month. It doesn't explain whether you can cancel the subscription or not. It's interesting but why would you pay US$21.99 for some characters or items you don't want? You should be able to choose each time.
Update 2024.05.22: I'm up to character level 38. When has that happened so quickly? Within two weeks on Honkai: Star Rail, I was probably at level 12 for my main character. On Genshin Impact, it took me months to get the main character past level 4. Getting the weapons up to where they're good is another matter but even then, that's faster than the other two. Well, Reputation level 12 is here. Working on Light-oriented weapons and with two, not quite complete, The boss in Chapter 8 is still successful and my main character is not. Two R-level weapons aren't extremely powerful, but one R-level weapon and one SR-level weapon should be enough. My new Lycan Slayer is at level 35 with 1-Dimensional Advance while the Lustrous Dragon Sword is has no Advance but is at level 40.
Update 2024.05.25: I'm up to character level 40 and Reputation level 13. I'm able to upgrade characters now and made changes to my top three hunters. The SSR-level Thetis' Grimoire for the main character is excellent. It feels as though battles are shorter and easier. Whether this will work for the end of chapter 8, I'll try any combination that makes sense. Anna Ruiz is a useful hunter but her weapon could use some help. It has no Advance.
Update 2024.05.27: I'm up to character level 41 this morning. The Reputation level is halfway between 13 and 14, with that +2 after each gate keeping me humble. The custom draw tickets have added to my weapons. I'm doing everything I can to get those weapons up to level 60. It's odd to have an SSR-level light-oriented weapon for hunters and not for the main character, which has SR-level and R-level light-oriented weapons. Either way, gotta keep trying.
I'm up to Reputation level 14. Weapons are going closer to level 60. There is still much to do. Playing Battlefield of Trials and I'm at Floor 8, having completed or cleared the others. I tried to add a quick video of it but it seems too big. Perhaps, I can link to it later.
Update 2024.05.29: It's been a couple of hours since the update became ready. It's been three weeks and they've added content, changed a few things, and fixed bugs and improved performance.
I've completed chapter 8 and gone up to character level 42. I can't say that it was pretty but with Thetis' Grimoire at level 60 and the Lustrous Dragon Sword at level 40, it was enough. Improving the Hunters and their weapons probably helped, as well.
Getting through the Gates, I've noticed that the Hunters are more able. They've finished a couple of Rank A Gates without a problem. I'm still working on learning how to use Anna Ruiz and her bow in close quarters.
With the custom draw tickets, I got Silver Mane Baek Yoonho and Moonshadow, among others. I feel lucky to have any SSR-level equipment or hunters.
I heard from support and they said that they cannot restore the Lycan Slayer as it was, as I caused the problem, and to lock my weapons in the future. I didn't know that you could destroy a weapon so easily. With everything else being repetitive, you'd think that the game would make sure I understood.
Update 2024.05.30: I'm up to character level 43 and Reputation level 15. Things are easier but on occasion, I don't have enough power to defeat the enemies in Chapter 9, not yet, anyway.
Update 2024.05.31: I just completed two episodes of Chapter 9. I got the new job title of Necromancer. Then, after the second and final episode, I got the new job title of Monarch of Shadows. Each came with an extra 30 points to spread around the abilities. There was also a new outfit, and Instance Dungeons were opened, as well as new slots for artifacts you get from Instance Dungeons.
Update 2024.06.02: I'm at character level 45 and Reputation level 16. The difficulty level is up to 9, but I'm probably going to change that soon. I'm partway through Chapter 11 but I'm seeing a warning that my group isn't powerful enough.
I've been experiencing a problem where certain keys on the keyboard don't function after playing the game on Windows. There are more than I'm going to mention but specifically, the "d", Enter, and Backspace keys don't work after playing. At some point they're better, but it's not like I use Enter or Backspace in the game at all, so it doesn't make sense. In a few days, it will be a month that the game has been available. It feels as though some new functionality is available every few days.
Update 2024.06.07: I'm using a keyboard I got from Temu for the Steam Deck and it's awkward since my Windows computer is a laptop computer. Anyway, the other day, I got a 40 days of log-ins which seemed a little off since I haven't even been playing for 30 days. I'm at Reputation level 17 and my character level is almost to 47 but has some time to go.
I was watching a video of someone explaining how to get to a certain level of performance on Solo Leveling: Arise and I noticed that I'm not far from his levels. That's just crazy because he's probably spend a couple hundred dollars. I have spent US$40.88, which is much more than I usually spend unless I'm buying a game. I'm wondering what happens when I have my characters maxxed out. Will I find it fun? On Honkai: Star Rail, I'm in maintenance mode, where I just keep things going until I see something interesting. Who knows?
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