Summary
WithWuthering Wavesbursting onto the open-world gacha gaming scene over two weeks ago after spending some time in beta, it has drawn inevitable parallels to HoYoverse’sGenshin Impact. The basis of the comparison lies inGenshin’s image as an industry leader in the genre since its debut in 2020. Given the influx of HoYoverse titles likeHonkai: Star Railand the upcomingZenless Zone Zero, it’s more important than ever for each debutant to distinguish itself to make an impact on the gacha genre. Given the overarching gacha status ofWuthering Waveshas the same premise asGenshin Impact, there are bound to be some areas of intersection between both games, but Kuro Games played some trump cards that distinguish its experience from HoYoverse.
Wuthering WavesandGenshin Impact’s storylines explore wildly different textures and character relationships, but the main differences between the two titles come in terms of features and gameplay mechanics. Besides cosmetic differences in things like in-game currency (Wuthering Wavesuses Astritein place ofGenshin’s Primogems, for instance), there are more impactful distinguishing dynamics Kuro Games deploys inWuthering Wavesto establish it as an entity independent ofGenshin. These distinctions are most pronounced in the newer title’s traversal options and combat techniques, and the slightly different approaches to these fundamentals could provide all the materialWuthering Wavesneeds to thrive in the space.
Wuthering Waves' Exploration and Combat Diverge From Genshin Impact’s Basis
Wuthering Waves' Exploration Mechanics Give a Different Flavor
In terms of exploration, for starters, both games differ in their content blueprint.Genshin Impactis known for adding new regions occasionally through its six-week update schedule, and HoYoverse has gradually built out its map through this formula. Although it’s still too early to say how Kuro Games plans to keep its meta fresh,Wuthering Waves' mapis about the same size asGenshinat launch – but the exploration mechanics, such as grappling and parkour, cut the travel times considerably. Players only need to jump twice to turn on glider usage, and the ability to run on walls givesWuthering WavesanAssassin’s Creed-esque feel, as opposed to the pure climbing focus ofGenshin Impact.
Aside from the different movement mechanics thatWuthering Wavesdeploys, its combat also diverges from HoYoverse’s take on battles.Genshin Impacthas a party-oriented systemthat can be described as turn-based, where players focus on getting character rotations right instead of directly influencing fights. While the approach has worked wonders for the title,Wuthering Wavesaims to draw gamers into active participation through its simple yet dynamic parry. Enemy attacks can be interrupted with a perfectly timed counter, a window of opportunity represented by a golden yellow ring appearing around an opponent.
Wuthering Waves Shares Similarities to Genshin Impact, Albeit With a Few Twists
Parries like this are only available to certainGenshincharacters like Beidou and Yunjin. The restricted appearance basically eliminates parrying from teams that don’t mesh well with Yunjin orBeidou’s Burst abilities, whereas Kuro Games applies it across the board to make its combat more intuitive and challenging. Similarly, stunning enemies is more of a niche technique inGenshin Impact, whileWuthering Wavesallows stuns to take on a more widespread role in its battles.
Another difference betweenWuthering WavesandGenshin Impactlies in the former’s application of Concerto Effects, which provides temporary buffs based on the Element of the characters being swapped.Genshin Impacthas a similar feature in Elemental Resonances, although these apply to the entire party permanently in contrast toWuthering Waves' temporary boost. The exploratory and combat differences form the nucleus of the main distinguishing features that separateWuthering WavesfromGenshin Impact, but it remains to be seen if the Kuro Games product can bridge the massive popularity gap that HoYoverse’s current games enjoy over competitors in the industry.
Wuthering Waves
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome aboard, roving voyager.Upon the shores lay the silent embers of a world during the Ebb Tide.Desolated by the Lament, the erstwhile creations and earthly beings are left static.But they strike back, strong enough to penetrate the silence.Humanity has risen anew from the ashes of the apocalypse.And you, Rover, are poised for an adventure of Awakening.Companions to meet, enemies to conquer, new powers to gain, hidden truths to unveil, and unseen spectacles to behold… A vast world of endless possibilities awaits. The choice rests in your hands. Be the answer, be the leader, and follow the sounds to arrive at a new future.As Wuthering Waves echo endlessly, mankind set sail on a new journey.Rise and embark on your odyssey, Rover.
