Summary
- Genshin Impact Version 4.4 will feature the 5-Star Anemo Catalyst character Xianyun, along with new event, skins, and playable characters.
- The game's community is unhappy with the annual rewards offered by Genshin Impact compared to Honkai: Star Rail.
- Xianyun's teaser showcases her abilities, including healing and enabling powerful Plunging Attack combos, and expectations for her gameplay have improved.
With Version 4.4 set for release on January 31, 2024, Genshin Impact has revealed the character teaser for the upcoming 5-Star Anemo Catalyst Xianyun. Though Version 4.4 is set to bring a new Lantern Rite event, Chenyu Vale, three alternate skins, and two playable characters to Genshin Impact, its community hasn't exactly been happy with the annual rewards provided by the game, especially when compared to the generosity shown by the team working on Honkai: Star Rail.
Though frustration has slowly been bubbling ever since Honkai: Star Rail gave away a free 5-Star character to all players, the boiling point came when Genshin Impact announced that the Lantern Rite would hand out a total of 13 wishes, and that the 4-Star skin selector would only be tied to a specific PS5 bundle in China. Many fans were excited to see Cloud Retainer become a playable character in Genshin Impact, but the discourse around Xianyun has become overshadowed by the Lantern Rite controversy.
Genshin Impact Is Being Review Bombed, Fan Base Turning Against the Game
Genshin Impact is currently withstanding a barrage of review bombs as a portion of the fan base appears to be turning against the hit game.
Xianyun's Teaser Highlights Why Cloud Retainer Is So Popular in Genshin Impact
Ultimately, the show must go on – and to that effect, HoYoverse has unveiled a charming teaser in preparation for Xianyun's debut on the Event Banners of Genshin Impact. What instantly sets Xianyun's teaser apart is that other characters serve as storytellers, each sharing an anecdote that highlights Cloud Retainer's persona, both as a doting mother to Ganyu and Shenhe, and as a fierce adeptus of Liyue.
It's no secret that Cloud Retainer is one of the most popular characters in Genshin Impact's lore, as her aloofness and pride stand in contrast to her deeply caring nature and need for socialization. In terms of what Xianyun will be able to offer from a gameplay standpoint, Genshin Impact players will be able to use her Elemental Burst not only to heal their party, but also to enable powerful Plunging Attack combos for characters with good damage modifiers (such as Diluc).
While it remains to be seen how popular Xianyun's gameplay will be on the live servers, the initial skepticism regarding her ability kit has largely been dispelled. Not every character is Alhaitham or Neuvillette, but much like Navia in Version 4.3, Xianyun is expected to hold her own, especially within the unique niche that she will create with her Plunging Attack kit. The other new character releasing in Version 4.4 is Gaming, who is expected to have great synergy with Xianyun as a 5-Star Pyro Claymore. While players will be able to invite Gaming for free as part of the Lantern Rite, they will have to wish for Xianyun during the first half of Version 4.4's Event Banners.
Genshin Impact
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 87%
- Released
- September 28, 2020
- ESRB
- Teen / Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items), Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- HoYoverse (Formerly miHoYo)
- Publisher(s)
- HoYoverse (Formerly miHoYo)
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, iOS, Android
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action, Adventure, Gacha, Open-World
