They are saying that imitation is the very best type of flattery. It’s seen in vogue, the place icons can affect what’s vogue and what’s not—but plagiarism is among the worst offenses within the mental property area. Then once more, that’s copy-pasting issues wholesale and claiming that it’s yours when it’s actually not. Individuals comply with traits but in addition put their very own spin on them.
That’s why some Genshin Impression followers are cautious of Tower of Fantasy. As an open-world MMORPG, many designs and gameplay decisions appear lifted from the previous. Nevertheless, ToF has distinctive mechanics that make it totally different from Genshin; they put their very own spin on the acquainted mechanics and options of the RPG style.
The place Tower of Fantasy Stands Out
Fight Variations
As a lot as Genshin tries to change it up with totally different mechanics per character, Tower of Fantasy does it with weapons. Whereas the previous solely has 5 weapon varieties to play with, the latter has a complete arsenal. Other than the same old swords, spears, and bows, it provides cannons, weapons, chakram, and even a scythe! Whereas weapons of the identical form have similarities, they’ve distinctive results and kinds that make each armament totally different.
One other factor that stands out for is the aerial fight. In Genshin Impression—other than Xiao—no character can proceed pummeling the enemy mid-air. Even then, Xiao can solely land three hits earlier than he has to hit the bottom once more. What’s extra, whenever you get knocked into the air, you haven’t any option to get well and no option to dodge hits from mid-air.
As compared, Tower of Fantasy makes aerial fight an artwork type. The one restrict is your stamina; mid-air assaults use it up, so you’ll be able to’t go at it eternally. Nonetheless, it’s a mechanic gamers benefit from to dodge floor assaults whereas remaining on the offensive. The visible impact could make it a bit chaotic to have a look at, but it surely’s additionally exhilarating to observe the numbers fly. Dodging on this sport has its personal bar separate out of your common stamina, which suggests you are able to do it to increase your aerial time a bit.
Improved Mobility
From the start of the sport, gamers can double leap in Tower of Fantasy. That truth already places it forward of Genshin since just one character can do it in that sport (Kazuha). The Jetpack relic provides verticality as a result of it may be used as a ‘excessive leap’ capability. It makes use of up a cost that takes about 100 seconds to return, although. However, it’s a invaluable mechanic in exploration.
Genshin might need a Cavalry Captain, but it surely’s been two years, and we haven’t seen a single horse within the sport. Tower of Fantasy offers you numerous issues to journey to make touring sooner—together with autos. Your first one would most likely be a bike, however different choices embrace:
- A floating field
- Some form of floating vacuum cleaner-shaped factor
- Big robotic legs
- A monocycle
- A mechanical unicorn
- A robotic flamingo
- A hovercraft
The actual fact that you are able to do this makes exploring a lot simpler than in Genshin. Then once more, the opposite sport’s environments would sluggish gamers down to absorb the sights. In distinction, ToF’s atmosphere design doesn’t invoke the identical emotions.
Other than the above autos, one final transportation technique you need to use in Tower of Fantasy is the Jetboard. It permits you to zoom by way of the open world nearly indefinitely, however you should keep away from bumping into issues. As a relic, it has a few minute’s cooldown earlier than you need to use it once more, however having it as an choice is healthier than having none.
Genshin’s mobility depends on having particular characters. The Traveler, Venti, Kazuha, Zhongli, and Albedo deal with vertical traversal. Yelan, Sayu, Ayaka, and Mona deal with horizontal traversal. Out of all of these, solely the Traveler and Sayu are the characters which can be straightforward to get; the remaining are restricted 5-stars, aside from Mona, however the probabilities to get her will be small.
Cooperation and MMO Side
Genshin is primarily a solo sport with co-op features, whereas Tower of Fantasy is a full-on MMO. Seeing different gamers interacting on the earth with you is one thing you don’t expertise in Genshin until you allow your world open.
There’s a world chat in ToF the place you’ll be able to see gamers recruiting to battle world bosses or do a Joint Operation. It’s refreshing to see in distinction to the silence in Genshin until you’ve chatty buddies.
The place Tower of Fantasy Falls
Plot and Storytelling
Genshin Impression begins out sturdy, giving the gamers the first motivation of the participant character from the beginning. That provides the participant function from the get-go, and so they have a objective past no matter is going on the place they’re proper now.
In Tower of Fantasy, the participant character is an Executor who had their recollections wiped whereas their expertise remained. Then you definitely’re given the mission of chasing the NPC that saved you as he tries to maintain his solely household left. The reminiscence wipe is handwaved as the corporate you labored for doesn’t precisely have the means to present it again.
The characters are fairly flat as properly. They belief the participant character as a result of one other character does, or your avatar does one thing for them. Some characters are even written off nearly as quickly as you meet them. You don’t have sufficient time to get to know the NPCs earlier than you progress on to the following space and meet new ones.
Genshin offers each character they launch a particular backstory and roles exterior being the Traveler’s companion. This provides them extra life and provides to the participant’s attachment to them. Getting a brand new character in Tower of Fantasy solely means getting a brand new weapon and nothing past that.
There are character tales in Tower of Fantasy, however they solely present a small piece of their backstory. Furthermore, there isn’t a narrative for everybody on the roster, only a handful.
Animation and Graphics
The graphics in Tower of Fantasy are okay, however as talked about within the mobility part, it by no means gave me a way of awe. I haven’t discovered a location I wish to take an image of in Astra. I haven’t seen something that made me cease and have a look at the view in Banges.
Distinction that to the detailed and deliberate environmental units in Genshin. I keep in mind seeing the Luhua Pool for the primary time and considering, ‘that appears so fairly.’ I’ve taken photos of the night time sky and different places in Teyvat. And for the reason that areas are so distinct, I don’t want to have a look at the map to know the place I’m.
Then there are the animations. A few of ToF’s character actions really feel lifted straight from Genshin Impression, however the authentic remains to be higher. They didn’t do something to enhance or change issues, so it wouldn’t be obvious. Animations are a bit off, particularly climbing. In fight, the actions get coated up by battle results, but it surely doesn’t have any persona.
Genshin characters have their very own quirks, even when utilizing the identical weapons. Fischl flips her hair, and Yelan kicks her bow as a part of their regular assault animations. Eula’s dance-like strikes utterly differ from Diluc‘s stable and environment friendly strikes. Mona’s regular assaults have a star theme, contrasting with Barbara’s musical ones.
You possibly can see the care and lovingly detailed effort Hoyoverse put into designing their characters. However, Tower of Fantasy has generic animations that ought to match any player-designed character.
Dishonest, Bugs, and Exploits Galore
PvP isn’t a draw back as wholesome competitors between gamers could make the sport enjoyable, however that each one goes down the drain when cheaters and hackers take the straightforward route. Sadly, Hotta Studio doesn’t have a superb observe report in fixing bugs and patching holes.
Hackers dominate the rankings and use duplication bugs amongst different exploits, and the devs are doing nothing about it. Some gamers have Suppressor upgrades that aren’t accessible within the sport but—that’s a giant purple flag within the aggressive scene. In consequence, others who’re really enjoying the sport ToF pretty are taking a hiatus till these get mounted. It breaks the sport, and gamers is not going to stand for a dishonest group.
Music
Every track in Genshin’s soundtrack is one I can hearken to time and again. They match the scenario it was composed for and use the related devices from the nation of inspiration. Tower of Fantasy’s music is… not that. It’s straightforward to tune out, and nothing stands out from the others. It doesn’t actually add to the ambiance of the sport—it’s prefer it’s simply there to be there.
It’s simply missed, however some gamers take it severely. Positive, you’ll be able to simply mute it and play the music you’d like to listen to. Nonetheless, the truth that you’d do the latter as an alternative of listening to the sport’s music is an indication—you gained’t have to discover a substitute if one thing is sweet sufficient.
General Impressions
I’m having enjoyable enjoying Tower of Fantasy, although I’ve solely been exploring and never doing the co-op stuff (but). There are issues to take pleasure in, however for now, I believe Genshin Impression is the higher sport between the 2.
It’s a extra satisfying sport with thought and deliberation put into each characteristic and exercise. Tower of Fantasy is a mishmash of actions and mechanics, but it surely’s just like the builders didn’t actually take into consideration how issues work and match collectively. It’s very evident in fight. Genshin’s 4-character groups construct up on one another by way of buffs or elemental reactions. Tower of Fantasy’s weapons primarily function individually, in order that they don’t actually work together with one another. There’s no actual purpose you need to use one over one other, in contrast to the groups in Genshin the place it issues who you place in it.
I’d play Tower of Fantasy, however I wouldn’t be placing an excessive amount of effort into reaching the endgame or determining the meta. It’s simply one thing I’ll play to move the time whereas ready for the following patch of Genshin or when I’ve nothing else to do. However who is aware of? My ideas about Tower of Fantasy would possibly change when it will get extra updates.
