The Devs Finally Listened In Honkai Star Rail 3.2.

Summary

In this video, the creator critiques the recent updates in HSR 3.2, focusing on the lack of significant improvements in story presentation and the overbearing monetization tactics. Despite promises from the developers about more engaging content and improved storytelling, the creator finds little progress, especially with the introduction of excessive promotional pop-ups and long, non-skippable dialogues. The video also highlights how the game's narrative feels like it’s relying on existing Greek mythology rather than innovating. While the creator is open to reviewing the story if the video receives 5,000 likes, they remain skeptical about its quality and direction.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker humorously critiques the presentation of *Honkai: Star Rail* (HSR) 3.2, particularly its reliance on black and white screens with minimal changes in visual storytelling.
• 😀 Despite the hype, the game update's story presentation remains static, with no real improvement in terms of animation or cutscenes, despite earlier promises from developers.
• 😀 The speaker highlights the frustration with the game's ongoing use of 'Yapfest' – extended, dialogue-heavy sections without skip options, which could feel like a chore for players.
• 😀 An 8-hour long 'Yapfest' run of the HSR 3.2 story was discovered, showcasing the game's lengthy dialogue sequences and minimal story progression.
• 😀 The speaker contrasts the game's storytelling quality with past PS1-era RPGs, noting that the devs had limited resources back then, but HSR now has a massive budget and still delivers subpar presentation.
• 😀 The video critiques HSR's aggressive monetization tactics, such as timed in-game sales offering massive discounts, likening them to low-tier gacha games.
• 😀 The game's monetization practices are described as 'predatory,' with excessive pop-up sales that overshadow the gameplay experience, leading to player frustration.
• 😀 Despite the overwhelming focus on in-game purchases and sales, the speaker remains open to reviewing the game's story if it receives a high level of engagement (5,000 likes).
• 😀 The speaker acknowledges the use of Greek mythology in the game's dialogue, but points out that it often feels like the game is simply borrowing existing lore rather than offering original content.
• 😀 While the speaker remains critical, they stress that they are not 'hating' on HSR but are frustrated with the lack of meaningful improvements and the disappointing direction the game is taking, especially regarding its monetization strategies.

Q & A

What is the main criticism of the HSR 3.2 update in the video?

The main criticism is that the HSR 3.2 update failed to improve the story presentation, despite promises. The creator points out the lack of meaningful improvements in cutscenes and overall storytelling, with many of the changes focusing on sales promotions rather than gameplay enhancements.

How does the creator feel about the game's new cutscene additions?

The creator is unimpressed with the new cutscene additions, as they believe these changes are minimal and do not significantly improve the overall story experience. They express disappointment that the update mainly rearranges existing cutscenes without adding substantial new content.

What specific aspect of the HSR game’s story presentation is criticized in terms of visual direction?

The visual direction of the story presentation is criticized for often showing the back of characters' heads, which is seen as a lack of effort in delivering engaging visuals. This is compared to older PS1 games, where similar limitations in presentation were due to technical constraints.

How does the creator compare HSR's story presentation to older games?

The creator compares HSR's story presentation to older PS1 turn-based games like 'Final Fantasy 8' and '9', where limited technology forced developers to use less engaging visuals, such as showing the back of characters' heads. The creator expresses frustration that a modern game with a massive budget, like HSR, still suffers from similar presentation flaws.

What is the creator's opinion on the game's monetization practices in the HSR 3.2 update?

The creator criticizes the game's monetization practices, describing them as predatory. They highlight frequent sales promotions and overwhelming in-game deals that seem to overshadow the core gameplay experience, which they believe indicates that HSR may be struggling financially.

What does the creator mean by the phrase 'HSR has lost a lot more money than people realize'?

The creator implies that HSR's heavy reliance on aggressive monetization strategies, such as pop-up sales and exorbitant pricing for in-game rewards, suggests that the game may be facing financial difficulties, leading to these desperate tactics.

What is the creator's response to HSR's promise of more animations in the future?

The creator is skeptical about HSR's promise of adding more animations, interpreting it as simply rearranging existing content rather than offering substantial new story developments. They express disappointment that these 'new' animations are not adding meaningful narrative depth.

What was the creator's reaction to the live stream announcement about story improvements?

The creator was initially hopeful about the live stream announcement that promised improvements in story presentation, including reducing black screens and adding more animations. However, upon seeing the 3.2 update, the creator feels the game has failed to deliver on those promises.

How does the creator feel about the potential for future improvements in HSR?

The creator expresses doubt that HSR will significantly improve in the near future, particularly in terms of storytelling and presentation. They feel the game is continuing to regress, especially when it comes to the intrusive monetization practices that detract from the experience.

What challenge does the creator propose to the viewers at the end of the video?

The creator challenges viewers to get 5,000 likes on the video, promising to watch the entire 8-hour HSR 3.2 story and provide an honest review if the goal is met. This challenge is set to gauge how many people are genuinely interested in the creator's opinion on the game.