Summary

• Genshin Impact's Natlan expansion introduces new traversal methods that could influence character choices.
• The addition of characters like Mualani and Kinich, along with Saurians, enhances movement and combat in Version 5.0.
• The combat in Genshin Impact 5.0 is dynamic and engaging, with new characters offering fresh gameplay experiences.

It's a well-known element of live service games - power creep. The term is most often used to describe a core mechanic getting iterated upon countless times with new releases and content updates to the point that its most current form is a dramatic departure from its past, to the point that the latter is no longer viable. I think soon-to-be released Version 5.0 quickly assuaged those fears.

For those wondering which element of Genshin Impact's soon-to-be newest nation I'm referencing when I discuss the idea of past viability being threatened, it's traversal. Sumeru introduced the grappling hook-style mobility that still characterizes some updates even now, while Fontaine let players dive underwater and explore Teyvat in an entirely new way. Neither of those "threatened" anything's existence or function - they were related to their respective content updates and areas. The new methods of getting around Natlan, however, are tied to both Saurians and characters, which could have a major influence on which Genshin Impact characters to pull for in the future.

So while I was worried about what characters like Kachina, Mualani and Kinich might do to overworld team compositions - when The Wanderer was supposed to totally change that? - I was also cautiously optimistic that HoYoverse has proven it tries hard to not completely outscale characters or gameplay elements over the years. That patience paid off - Genshin Impact's Natlan design is top-tier, its movement is addictive and fluid, and it's the most fun I've had in-combat and out- since Inazuma.

The Environment Of Genshin Impact 5.0

Natlan Shines With Memorable Verticality & Speed

There is a palpable joy in the world-building of Natlan that is fun to observe, even while playing through it. The environment feels huge and foreboding while simultaneously maintaining that desire to check out what's next over a cliff face or deeper into the water. It's equal parts Pokémon Scarlet's Area Zero and World of Warcraft's Un'Goro Crater in of vibes. Lush jungle foliage, rocky outcroppings and a constant reminder that there are plenty of dinosaurs, called Saurians, to be found make it feel fresh.

The real winner here is just how good it feels to get around in Genshin Impact now. There's been a huge investment made into how it feels to move through Natlan as different characters, but there will be a bit of overflow into the past, too. During my playthrough, I confirmed with the Genshin Impact team that new characters like Mualani and Kinich can use their movement abilities outside of Natlan, though they won't have as much uptime thanks to Phlogiston mechanics only living inside the new nation.

If this is the way Genshin Impact is going to handle Version 5.0's movement and having characters designed to make moving in the game world easier and more fun, I think it's smart.

Having surfed enough waves and grapple hooked through the air with Kinich, though, I know that both these characters will be in incredibly high demand. They feel like natural successors to Kazuha, Yelan, and The Wanderer - further iterations on how to change the way players look at the map and explore it, without negating the impacts of those predecessor 5-stars that still have viable team compositions and overworld use. If you want Genshin Impact to really feel different, you'll want to make sure you save your Primogems for Kinich and Mualani.

Without those characters, though, players can transform into Saurians that do the same thing, just with a little more clunk and a little less flair. Surfing movement, rock climbing and drilling, and grappling hooks were all available with tribal variants of Saurians, who populate their respective corners of the map and can be inhabited just with the press of a button in a pinch. Overall, if this is the way Genshin Impact is going to handle Version 5.0's movement and having characters designed to make moving in the game world easier and more fun, I think it's smart, maintaining accessibility for F2P players (free-to-play) while giving whales (big spenders) plenty of reason to consider it.

We confirmed with the team that while Saurians might be a bit slower than Mualani or Kinich, and combat with them might be slightly more difficult due to a lack of Elemental Skills/Burst, there is no significant advantage to be gained from having 5-star characters as opposed to the F2P-friendly Saurians.

Genshin Impact 5.0's Combat Might Be Its Best Yet

Early Impressions Are Favorable At Gamescom 2024

All the fun exploration in the world would mean very little if Genshin Impact's action-oriented combat lagged behind it. Thankfully, Natlan delivers the goods when it comes to random enemies, who exhibit enough interesting behaviors they won't overstay their welcome. Playing as Natlan characters in a team of Anemo Wanderer, Kachina, Mualani, and Kinich (this was provided to me for the demo - I promise this is not a composition I'd actually run), immediately highlighted how far character kits have come in recent years.

That's possibly why Anemo Wanderer was there, because wow, does that Genshin Impact kit ever feel basic now. Kachina can pilot her drill to both move around and attack enemies at a quick pace, while Mualani's surfing ability opens up plenty of kiting and fast-paced, duck-and-dodge type fighting. Kinich was the star of the show - his Elemental Skill draws a beeline on an enemy and blasts them with pixelated Dendro energy while also letting him glide around the battlefield using them as a tether.

If these have anything in common, it's that they're deep, fun, and potential build-arounds for those who enjoy their respective features. Combat pacing felt a little bit more frenetic, but it also felt more fluid than it has in years, too, with an ease of movement and repositioning that made my usual team compositions featuring a shielder less of a consideration in my mind. Mualani and Kinich certainly have bloom synergy, too, for what it's worth, though my Anemo and Geo teammates did very little to help me explore that beyond a basic understanding.

As it was a demo, some things were obscured - character ultimate voicelines, for instance - that did hide some of the charm of these new additions. From what I did get to see, though, combat is trending up in Genshin Impact 5.0. I tackled two world bosses that had their own fun mechanics, much like those that have come before them.

One needed a Pyro character to incinerate his fruit before he ate it, and since HoYo cruelly didn't provide me with one, I had to simply buckle down for a longer fight. The other would dive into fiery feathers unless a Hydro character disrupted them in time, which Mualani was amazing at thanks to her Elemental Skill's movement speed. Little things mattered and the bosses seem colorful and compelling, much like a lot of Natlan's vibrant atmosphere.

Natlan es The Vibe Check

Genshin Impact 5.0 Might Be A Little Over-The-Top, But It's Fun

Does it feel a little ridiculous to have a soundtrack that is hip-hop-infused in a prehistoric area? Maybe. Does the culture of Natlan feel like it's wildly disparate in its influences? Definitely. But in my opinion, Natlan is first and foremost fun, and is in love with its own identity enough that it becomes infectious after a little while.

The best example I can give of that unfiltered dynamism is the Graffiti Challenge we were able to play during our Gamescom 2024 hands-on appointment. The event tasked me with checking out the regions each tribe inhabits and then deliberately interacting with smaller, sometimes lesser appreciated Genshin Impact elements to complete some of the requirements. For instance, there was a Natlan-specific Kamera that took pictures of local wildlife as it did different things, like rolled around on its back or stayed stationary, with tasks asking for variety in poses. Another simply required finding a Viewpoint, another lesser-sought-after but fantastic staple of Genshin worldbuilding.

[Natlan's addition in 5.0] is the Version Update I've been most excited for since early Sumeru.

Unfortunately, I was barred from checking out the Natlan Archon Quest for fear of spoilers, so I can't comment on how the story has begun to stack up versus some really heavy hitters in Fontaine and Sumeru (and, hell, Inazuma - the HoYoverse narrative team really doesn't miss these days). It's definitely a region with all the trappings of a compelling story, though, thanks to the presence of potential conflict between misunderstandings in cultural differences or priorities in ways of life that could keep things a muddled shade of grey for morality.

I've gone on record as saying there are times when I dread the Genshin Impact content release schedule. Sometimes it feels like too much for me to keep up with, even though I know it's a good problem to have. Saying that, I'm already blocking off a lot of my free time soon to make sure I tackle Natlan at launch - it's the Version Update I've been most excited for since early Sumeru, and I'm eager to see if it lives up to the pretty picture it painted for itself during my brilliant Gamescom 2024 hands-on time.