Gaming

Honkai: Star Rail: Turn-based Genshin Impact?

That’s an oversimplification

Published

April 26, 2023

Honkai: Star Rail is officially available to download today on the Epic Games Store, PC, Android, iOS. A PlayStation version is also coming but is still under development. It’s the latest game from HoYoverse – makers of the ever popular Genshin Impact. We had the chance to play the game ahead of today’s release and here we’ll try to answer the question: Should you play it?

Some quick notes before we proceed. All the screenshots on this article were taken during the first hour or so of the game. And while it’s available on other platforms, our play time was only on Android. Specifically, the HONOR Magic5 Pro.

Getting Started

Honkai: Star Rail’s first hour or so is pretty much a story-based tutorial of the game. You get a hold of two characters to start and you’re slowly shown how to do things. Unlike Genshin Impact, this game isn’t open world. Instead, you do a fair bit of exploration in certain stages in a linear fashion.

During exploration, you encounter enemies that you either hit or hit you first. This is key in determining the order of turns in combat. Once this is triggered, the game immediately shifts to turn-based combat with stunning, flashy animations.

If, like this writer, you grew up playing a good chunk of JRPGs, this gameplay loop will feel very familiar.

Midway through the tutorial, the characters you control will encounter the protagonist. In Genshin Impact, they’re called ‘Traveler’. Here the main character (MC) is referred to as the ‘Trailblazer’.

Like in Genshin Impact, you pick whether the Trailblazer is male or female. In our gameplay, this didn’t seem to affect the general storyline.

HoYo-skinned JRPG

The look and general feel of Honkai: Star Rail is very reminiscent of HoYoverse’s 2020 breakout game, Genshin Impact. The obvious traces are in the character’s art style. This seems intentional to clearly tie everything to the grand HoYo-scheme of things.

The menu layout and character screens look pretty much the same.

The skill trees are also accessed by tapping on a particular character. The ‘gacha’ mechanics are also identical. Although I didn’t get to try it all that much during my playthrough.

The presentation is great too. The dialogue parts feel dynamic thanks to the various camera shots used. It’s not just the same two shots of characters going back and forth. Instead, we get various tight, medium, and wide shots to make what otherwise would have been a boring yet overwhelming banter feel more tolerable.

Oh and there’s even a photo mode where you can change the ’emotion’ of your character. Perfect if you just want to admire the art style.

Turn-based Genshin Impact?

Calling Honkai: Star Rail a turn-based combat version of Genshin Impact is an oversimplification. But it’s the best way to describe the game at the moment.

As mentioned earlier, many of the layouts, skill trees, and character mechanics are almost identical. But the gameplay varies drastically when it comes to combat.

As someone who hopped on the Genshin Impact train late and only really boarded during smartphone and occasional PC review sessions, I wanted to make sure to get in early for this game.

What really piqued my interest is the turn-based combat. I have been longing for a high-quality, turn-based combat game to play on mobile for the smartphone reviews I do and it’s finally here.

Diving into combat

Combat essentially starts while you’re in exploration. If you hit an enemy first, you gain first strike advantages and vice versa. This is key in turn-based combat. The earlier you can deal damage, the faster the dispose of the enemies.

The turns are displayed on the upper left side of the screen. This helps you determine your strategy based on your opponent. Like most JRPGs, enemies will have some elemental weaknesses.

These are immediately displayed for lower-level enemies to start. For others, you’ll have to dig in a little bit before it shows up.

Every character has a basic attack and a special. Some basic attacks can only hit one target, while others can hit multiple. Most special attacks deal damage to multiple targets. Specials have a cool down period that replenish when you attack and when you get hit.

It’s a fantastic turn-based combat system that challenges a player’s strategic side in real-time.

There’s so much to consider from elemental weaknesses, choosing whether to attack a target or defend an ally, and picking the right moment to unleash a special attack.

Hardware performance

As mentioned earlier, we played the game on a flagship Android smartphone. By default, the settings are turned to high. But midway in the playthrough, I turned it up to very high with Game mode turned on.

The overall smoothness of your gameplay will depend on the hardware you’re playing with. I’d say to go with the default settings for an efficient experience. After all, it’s not open world and the art style lends itself nicely to lower resolution and frame rates.

As of writing, the Android version of the game isn’t compatible with any game controllers. We’ll ask HoYoverse if this is in the pipeline and update this space as needed.

We’ll also try the game on a gaming PC soon and share performance details also on this space.

Should you play Honkai: Star Rail?

If you’re reading this, you likely are just curious about the game and aren’t part of the thousands who have already started playing. My general advice is to give the game at least three hours of playthrough to see if it’s for you or not.

For fans of turn-based combat, there’s a lot here that you’ll appreciate. It’s pretty simple to start but the variety of characters, enemies, elemental weaknesses, and more offer enough to make the combat feel deep.

And if you’re into the whole game-anime waifu-collecting that HoYoverse is dishing out, then I’d say this is for you.

Honkai: Star Rail takes the aesthetic of Genshin Impact and puts it on gameplay reminiscent of classic JRPGs. It seems like a backwards approach considering how more people seem to prefer action-type games. But there seems to be enough enthusiasm for this type of gameplay based on the buzz it has generated so far.

Personally, it looks like this is going to be my go-to mobile game for the foreseeable future. But I’m also excited to play it on the PlayStation 5.

Gaming

God of War: Sons of Sparta takes a more contained approach to Kratos

Filipino devs were part of it.

Published

March 23, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

There’s a version of God of War that lives in most people’s heads. It’s loud. Cinematic. Heavy with consequence. The kind of game that feels bigger than you.

God of War: Sons of Sparta isn’t that. At least, not in the way you expect.

It’s more contained. 2D. Pixel art. But spend a little time with it, and you start to see what it’s trying to do. Not replace the modern games. Not outdo them.

Just… revisit something familiar from a different angle.

A different take on Kratos

Instead of gods and world-ending stakes, Sons of Sparta focuses on Kratos earlier in his life, training as a Spartan alongside Deimos. It’s more contained. More personal.

You’re still fighting through brutal encounters. But the framing feels different. Less about destiny, more about who Kratos was before everything spiraled. And somehow, even in pixel form, it still feels like God of War.

Where Filipino developers come in

One of the more interesting parts of this project is how it came together.

Mega Cat Studios worked closely with Santa Monica Studio to build the game. That includes a strong presence from their Philippine team.

But it’s not framed as a separate unit.

“There is no separation between Mega Cat Pittsburgh and Mega Cat Philippines,” says Art Director Janley Clavio.
“We operate as one phalanx, and were part of the game from the beginning.”

That last part shifts the narrative from “support work” to actual collaboration.

The kind of work you feel more than you see

The team contributed to environment art, asset production, and overall polish across different areas of the game. Not the flashy headline stuff. But the kind that shapes how the game feels moment to moment.

“Our work supports the player experience without pulling attention away from the story,” Clavio explains.

Think temple interiors and ruined battlefields. Small details that hint at what happened in a place before you got there. It’s subtle. But it adds up.

Staying true to God of War—even in 2D

Working on God of War comes with a certain weight. Fans know how this world is supposed to look and feel. So, even if Sons of Sparta shifts genres, the expectation doesn’t really change.

“We had to make sure it wasn’t just any retro pixel art game—it had to be a God of War pixel art game,” Clavio says.

That meant studying the details. How materials look. How lighting behaves. How environments guide you. And then translating all of that into something simpler—but still recognizable.

A team that knows when to hold back

One thing that stands out from the conversation is restraint. There’s an understanding that when you’re working on something like God of War, you don’t need to reinvent everything. You just need to get it right.

“When you’re working on something fans already love, your job is to enhance it—not reinvent it.”

That mindset shows up across the game. It respects what came before, but still finds space to do its own thing.

Small details, personal touches

There are also a few quiet nods tucked into the game. Nothing too obvious. Nothing that breaks immersion. But enough for the team to leave their mark.

“For our Filipino artists, it’s a point of pride knowing that a little piece of our culture helped shape a world millions of players will explore.”

It’s not something the game calls attention to. But it’s there.

Not just another spin-off

Sons of Sparta is easy to label as a side project. And sure, it kind of is.

But it’s also a good example of what happens when different teams come together with a clear understanding of what they’re building.

A more contained God of War game that still feels like it belongs. A different perspective on a familiar story. And a project where Filipino developers weren’t just involved. They were part of the process from the start.

It doesn’t try to be the biggest entry in the series. And honestly, it doesn’t need to be.

Gaming

SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance’s SEGA Villains Stage out on April 3

Face off against legendary SEGA bosses from different franchises

Published

March 21, 2026

GadgetMatch

The SEGA Villains Stage DLC for SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance will release on April 3 for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X|S, XBox One, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.

The DLC lets players face off against legendary SEGA bosses from different franchises: Like a Dragon and Yakuza, Golden Axe, and Sonic.

An animated trailer has been unveiled as part of the announcement. It features those franchises’ characters, Goro Majima, Death Adder, and Dr. Eggman.

There will be a total of five crossover stages, three bosses, and two Boss Rush modes featuring the bosses for the DLC.

In addition, there will be three more Ninpo, three new outfits, and six new music tracks. The SEGA Villains Stage DLC is a free update for all players.

Aside from the crossover, players can also try out a new Hardcore Mode which features changes in enemy placement and stronger boss attacks.

Additional combat settings also lets players adjust recovery frames, the flash effect, and camera shake. Various quality-of-life improvements are also planned for the 2D action-platformer.

Gaming

The hunt begins: The Witcher in Concert hits Manila with surprises in tow

The Continent comes alive

Published

March 19, 2026

GadgetMatch

If you’ve ever heard a haunting chant echo through a battlefield or felt the weight of a choice that isn’t as simple as good or evil, then you already know—the Path has a way of calling you back.

And if you haven’t stepped into that world just yet, consider this your invitation.

With less than two weeks to go, The Witcher in Concert is set to take over Manila for a one-night-only performance. It’s happening on March 28, 2026 at The Theatre at Solaire—bringing with it not just the music of a beloved RPG, but a full-on return to the Continent.

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the concert transforms one of gaming’s most iconic soundtracks into a live experience. Expect performances from selected musicians of the Filharmonika Orchestra alongside Percival Schuttenbach—the Polish folk-metal band whose distinct sound helped define the game’s identity. Paired with in-game visuals, it’s a show designed to feel both nostalgic and entirely new.

As the night draws closer, here are three things fans can look forward to:

Relics from the Continent: official merchandise

For those who want to take a piece of the experience home, exclusive event merchandise will be available in limited quantities.

This includes the following:

Event Tee (PhP2,200)
Geralt Long Sleeve (PhP3,400)
Event Hoodie (PhP4,200)
Beanie (PhP1,800)
Tote bag (PhP1,800)
Key chain (PhP1,400)
Enamel pin set (PhP1,400)
Event magnet (PhP800)
Geralt gaming mouse pad (PhP2,000)

It’s the kind of loot drop fans won’t want to miss.

The path to Solaire: getting there made easier

Getting to the venue is part of the journey—and this time, it’s a little easier. Attendees can use the Grab code FCPH2026 to get 20% off rides (up to PhP75). With the condition of a minimum fare of PhP250. The promo is valid for two rides per user and applies to trips to and from Solaire Entertainment City.

A rare encounter: meet Percival Schuttenbach

For a handful of lucky fans, the experience goes beyond the stage. Ten winners will get the chance to meet Percival Schuttenbach and receive an autographed CD.

To join, ticket holders need to share any official The Witcher in Concert post on their Instagram Story. They need to write what they’re most excited to hear live and tag @filmconcerts.ph. They need to submit their entry before March 24, 2026 at 5:00 PM. Winners will be announced on March 25.

Answer the call

As the Continent arrives in Manila, fans are encouraged to lean all the way in—whether that means coming in cosplay as a monster hunter, mage, bard, or something far more dangerous.

Tickets are available via TicketWorld and participating outlets nationwide.

The Path is open. The question is—will you answer the call?