Oh no, here I go again: Genshin Impact dev's new-again action RPG Honkai Impact 3rd gets Part 2 release this week

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Will this Mars chapter finally get me to try this game?

Honkai Impact 3rd Part 2
(Image credit: Hoyoverse)

Honkai Impact 3rd, which was Hoyoverse's big action RPG before Genshin Impact ate all the money in the universe, is gearing up for a relaunch of sorts with its Part 2 update, a massive patch bringing a whole new storyline. It's coming to PC and mobile this Thursday, February 29, and I can already tell I'll end up trying this Hoyo game too, especially now that it's on Steam (with 72% positive reviews, if you're curious). 

Genshin Impact is still a gaming mainstay for me, and while I wasn't keen on the Zenless Zone Zero beta, I did thoroughly enjoy Hoyoverse's most recent release, Honkai Star Rail. Honkai Impact 3rd is something I've only ever known by reputation, so Part 2 presents an appealing jumping-on point. 

Not knowing a thing about what happened in Honkai Impact 3rd Part 1 and Part 1.5, I'm going to sum it all up as: a lot of stuff went down and there were some really cool impact frames. Part 2 takes us to a metropolis on Mars where we'll follow a new gang of characters led by three girls: Senadina, Helia, and Coralie. The panda-colored girl fed up with it all is Coralie, and my immediate favorite. 

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The game's previous protagonist, Kiana, seems to have been sidelined, and this dramatic change, as well as some other updates in Part 2, has some long-time Honkai Impact 3rd fans feeling a little worried. But again, I don't know what's going on here, so to Mars we go. 

Another big draw with Part 2 is how it revitalizes an already fast-paced combat system. Hoyo says it's improved enemy AI and focused on aerial attacks this time around, and the attack animations for the new characters look slick. I also like what I've seen of the city and art style so far, and Hoyoverse soundtracks pretty much never miss, so Part 2 is sure to get at least a tentative trial from me. I'm already a little scared of its many currencies, but I'll almost never say no to a free action RPG. 

You can watch the hour-long Part 2 special program for more details straight from the devs. 

Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts veterans have a slick new action-RPG coming this year, and it's now confirmed for a global release.

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.