The ever popular, global interactive entertainment brand HoYoverse just dropped one of their biggest updates to date. With the release of the much-awaited Honkai Star Rail version 2.0, all the mysteries behind the next destination of our wonderful band of trailblazers started to unfold. The world of Penacony was mentioned as the previous major story arc wrapped up, and fans could only speculate as to what it would actually look like. It’s safe to say it exceeded everyone’s expectations.
After a few teasers and updates over the past couple of weeks, we finally got a chance to explore with full breadth of the Penacony dreamscape. That being said, HoYoverse has quite generous in their previous patch updates. Anyone who’s been on the fence about starting their trailblazing journey has been met with not only a great beginner’s program, but also some lucrative seasonal events. Players were even gifted a free 5-star limited banner character in the previous update. That was arguably the best time to pick up Honkai: Star Rail. Or perhaps, the best time so far.
Either way, there’s much to unpack, quite a bit to explore, and a lot to gawk over in this particular Honkai: Star Rail update.
Characters, new and old
One of the major highlights was the grand unveiling of the very much veiled memokeeper, Black Swan. Having been the talk of the community for a while, not only due to her wonderful aesthetic, but also for her synergistic Nihility kit, we can assume that her banner got the most attention. If you pulled for Kafka prior to 2.0, or simply enjoy the delightful art of damage-over-rime, she’s definitely a shoe-in for your roster.
We also get the returning Imbibitor Lunae, or Dan HIL, for short. He’s still one of the top-tier DPS characters to date, and the only Imaginary unit that can clear out the entire battlefield in one go. It’s his first rerun, so if you missed him last time, or don’t really care about hot goth Nihility mommies, then Dragon Dan just might be your pick of the season.
We also get a new 4-star character in the form of Misha, the Hotel Reverie’s cute doorman. He’s an Ice-Destruction type who has the most adorable animations–which surprisingly, pack a punch. You can argue that he’s an budget Jingliu, and I’d likely agree.
Penacony, The City of Dreams
HoYoverse really went all out in crafting a dream-like landscape complete with all the bombast and fanfare one would see along the Las Vegas strip. Imagine Bioshock, but happier and with way more blinding lights. You’ll have a lot of time to run around and take everything in, especially while playing through the main story. New characters, enemies, and mechanics await you.
Now, while you go about exploring good ol’ Penacony, don’t forget to complete all the mini-games, quests, and side stories to net yourself a good amount of Stellar Jade. We haven’t done the math, but let’s just say you might get a new Black Swan or Dan HIL if you lost in your last 50/50. You’re probably thinking that these would be grind-y and tedious, but you’ll be surprised by how they incorporate the whole dreamscape mechanic into these fun puzzles. We won’t spoil anything, but this is definitely a few levels above the Xianzhou dials and contraptions, at least in the fun department.
You’re not pressed for too much time, so make sure to go around and have fun.
Lots of love for the players
Just to get things out of the way, the Honkai: Star Rail 2.0 update gives away ten free pulls right out of the gate, another ten over the span of a week, more Stellar Jades after maintenance, plus all the additional currency you can get from the aforementioned events, quests, and mini-games. We can expect more events to come about as 2.0 unfolds.
Also, aside from bringing a shiny new character along with a shiny new world, Honkai: Star Rail 2.0 made sure to add a few bells and whistles to their quality of life features. We get Fate’s Atlas that helps you keep track of the quests you’ve already finished. It’s an effective tool that makes sure you haven’t been sleeping on those stories around the world. We also get some added features to our relic filter that helps you separate equipped items from those you have free in your inventory. Relic upgrading also gets a nice fix.
It’s also worth noting that returning players get a little something as well. Aside from the usual returnee’s program, you can also help current players stock up on Stellar Jades via the Festival Invitations customizable ticket. It takes two to tango, though, So, hop back in and help your friends get that much-needed 5-star.
Should you hop on the Star Rail Hype Train?
I mean, of course. Definitely.
If you’re a long-time Hoyo fan who wants a change of pace from their earlier titles, or someone who’s simply into anime, turn-based titles that pack a great story—along with some gacha elements, then there’s no better time than the Honkai: Star Rail 2.0 update. You may have missed Dr. Ratio along the way, but given how the game just keeps ramping things up with each passing update, starting now would mean you’ll be fully geared, fully caught-up, and fully satisfied by the time their first anniversary comes rolling in. Penacony is great. We highly suggest you dreamscape your way in.
Honkai: Star Rail is now available on PC, iOS, Android, Epic Games Store, and PS5. For more info on the upcoming update, visit the official website.