Honkai: Star Rail offers players an action-packed story with a massive roster of characters to meet, but newcomers may be wondering if it is a sequel to Honkai Impact 3rd.
Because some people may not have played or even heard of Honkai Impact 3rd, we will break down whether you need to play it to understand Honkai: Star Rail.
Is Honkai: Star Rail a Sequel?
No, Honkai: Star Rail is not a direct sequel to Honkai Impact. Instead, it is a spin-off set years after the events of Honkai Impact 3rd.
Honkai: Star Rail’s story is completely brand-new. However, it does feature some characters from previous miHoYo games, including Honkai Impact 3rd.
The events of Honkai: Star Rail actually occur years after the final Honkai Impact 3rd Expansion Story, A Post-Honkai Odyssey.
That Expansion Story is also set eight years after the events of the base Honkai Impact game. As a result, Honkai: Star Rail is set so long after the original Honkai Impact that newcomers won’t have to worry about them being too connected.
You’ll even be playing an entirely new character in Honkai: Star Rail, a protagonist called the Trailblazer who is voiced by some incredibly recognizable talent.
It’s understandable why some players may be confused. After all, the two games share the Honkai branding and are set in the same universe.
However, newcomers to the Honkai games can rest assured that Honkai: Star Rail is neither a sequel nor does it have many ties to Honkai Impact 3rd.
Do You Need to Play Honkai Impact 3rd to Play Honkai: Star Rail?
No, you don’t need to play Honkai Impact 3rd to understand Honkai: Star Rail. The story of Honkai: Star Rail is completely separate from Honkai Impact 3rd and requires no prior knowledge.
However, you may miss out on some minor references to Honkai Impact 3rd. Additionally, you’ll lack an understanding of who certain recurring characters are.
Fortunately, if you wish to understand every reference, Honkai Impact 3rd and Honkai: Star Rail are completely free to play on mobile and PC.
