With every new region released in Genshin Impact, there’s new puzzle mechanics and things to discover in that area. It makes sense to add something new for players that enjoy exploration, but after a few expansions, it’s starting to feel like too much. I’ve been playing Genshin since it was in beta, and trying to change the puzzle mechanics frequently is getting too gimmicky.
Sumeru’s Newest Exploration Mechanic
The 3.6 Update is getting a brand-new area in Sumeru, and of course, there’s a new exploration mechanic to go along with it. In order to fully explore the area, you’ll need to travel around as Sorush. Sorush is a creature called Pari that can fly, which you’ll need to use in order to get around the new area.
Sorush will also be able to use other mechanics from past exploration, like Khvarena. It can even move objects and change some of the teleporting Four-Leaf Sigils found around Sumeru (not everywhere, just the new area where Sorush can explore).
While that may sound cool to some, it seems like Hoyoverse is going too far with adding nonsensical “content” into the game. This feels like yet another exploration gimmick to master while waiting for actual content to come to the game.
Puzzles Are Ramping Up In Complexity
Genshin Impact was originally likened to The Legends of Zelda: Breath of the Wild when it was first released. It was for good reason too since Genshin seemingly mimicked many of the looks and mechanics in the Zelda title. However, it grew past that and has since become the open-world PC/mobile title that took the world by storm.
Unfortunately, it feels more and more like a Zelda game than it did before. Zelda’s puzzles are difficult, but that’s a large part of why people love the Zelda games in general. Genshin Impact has always had puzzles, but they’re getting gimmicky.
Genshin Impact’s Puzzle History
Take Monstadt’s puzzles for example. Most of these can be completed pretty easily, and they’re incredibly straightforward. As far as puzzles go, they’re not very complex and they don’t take up too much time.
Liyue’s are similar, although some are much grander in scale. However, Inazuma’s became significantly more intricate, and Sumeru’s puzzles continue that trend. Sorush’s new gimmick adds another layer on top of an issue that was already becoming a problem for some players. The puzzles aren’t really getting harder, they’re just becoming complex in a way that takes up more time.
Now, Genshin Impact has great things about it, and the puzzles don’t necessarily have to be done. However, a lot of the free rewards in the game are locked behind these puzzles. Some things like Domains and certain World Quests are only available after completing the puzzles.
Here’s a quick example of some of the differences in puzzles. The picture on the left with Xiao is of a Monstadt puzzle in Stormterror’s Lair. It’s simple — just run off the cliff and float through the rings.
Th picture on the right is of the Sumeru Dune of Magma in the Hypostyle Desert. To even get access to this Dune, you have to direct light in a specific way and complete quests to get “clearance”. The best (read: most frustrating) part is that it’s only one part of a much larger puzzle in the entire area.
For players who don’t like puzzles, new content feels like busywork because of all the gimmicks behind exploration. While the puzzles aren’t always more difficult, it’s going to require a lot of players to look up a guide to even remember all the equipable items that actually interact with the world.
What do you think? Are the puzzles becoming too complex or adding in too many gimmicks or do you like having to figure things out while exploring Teyvat?
