Honkai: Star Rail (pronounced "hawn-kigh," Chinese: 崩坏: 星穹铁道; pinyin: Bēnghuài: Xīngqióng Tiědào; meaning "Collapse: Starry Sky Railway") is a free-to-play role-playing game released in 2023. It was created and published by miHoYo, with support from Cognosphere, d/b/a HoYoverse, for areas outside mainland China. This game is the fourth in the Honkai series and uses some characters from Honkai Impact 3rd and gameplay ideas from Genshin Impact. Players control a main character called the Trailblazer, who travels through space on the Astral Express to help different worlds and solve problems.

The first test version of the game was released on October 27, 2021. It became available for computers and mobile devices worldwide on April 26, 2023, and for PlayStation 5 on October 11, 2023.

Because of the success of Genshin Impact, many people were excited about Honkai: Star Rail before it launched. Critics generally praised the game’s story, characters, and fighting system. However, some reviewers had different opinions about how characters develop and how the game earns money through in-game purchases.

Gameplay

Honkai: Star Rail uses the gameplay style of traditional Japanese role-playing games. Players choose a group of up to four characters and take turns in battles. Each character has stats that affect their strength, a combat type that determines the kind of damage they deal, a class called a Path that defines their role in battles, and special abilities called Traces used during combat. Characters can wear a weapon called a Light Cone, which has effects that work only if the character's Path matches the Light Cone's type. Characters can also wear Relics, which are similar to Artifacts in Genshin Impact.

The game includes open-world and dungeon exploration. It uses a gacha system, like in Genshin Impact, where players spend in-game currency earned through gameplay or purchased with real money to get new characters and weapons. Instead of one large map, players explore smaller, separate areas on each world, which contain treasure chests, puzzles, and other interactive elements. Both games use gacha mechanics, where players spend currency to receive new characters and weapons. Other features include an auto-battle system, options to fast-forward during combat, and cross-save support to transfer progress between devices.

The game’s premium currency, Stellar Jade, is mainly used to buy Star Rail Passes, which allow players to obtain characters and Light Cones through a method called "warping." Stellar Jade can be earned by progressing through the game, completing events, and achieving goals.

Story

The game takes place in a world that mixes science and fantasy, where humans and intelligent creatures not from Earth follow specific ideas called Paths. Each Path is connected to an Aeon, powerful beings from another dimension who oversee parts of the universe. People who follow a Path are called Pathstriders, who choose their Path based on their desires. Those who receive special powers directly from Aeons are called Emanators. These individuals often act as enforcers of the Aeons' will and are usually much stronger than regular humans.

Each Path has a main belief. For example, the Path of Abundance values immortality and healing as the most important goals. The Path of Destruction believes that human civilization harms the universe and aims to destroy it by spreading disasters, such as the Stellaron, a powerful object known as the "Cancer of All Worlds" that causes destruction on any planet it touches.

Some Paths were led by Aeons who are now dead but still influence the world. The game's main character, the Trailblazer, is a mysterious person who has lost their memory and possesses a Stellaron. They follow the Path of Trailblaze, created by a missing Aeon named Akivili. Pathstriders of Trailblaze, also called the "Nameless," aim to explore, build connections, and unite different worlds.

Paths are shown as either enemies, heroes, or neutral. The main villain, Nanook, leads the Path of Destruction, along with the Antimatter Legion, a group of Emanators who follow Destruction. Other Paths, like Abundance, are not always villains but sometimes compete with groups like The Hunt, who see immortality as a curse.

Besides the Path of Destruction, the Stellaron Hunters are a group of antiheroes who search for and collect Stellarons. They claim to see the future and often clash with the main characters but sometimes help them.

The Herta Space Station is attacked by the Antimatter Legion. During the attack, the Stellaron Hunters, Kafka and Silver Wolf, steal a Stellaron and place it in an artificial body. That body becomes the Trailblazer, but Kafka erases their memories before leaving. The Trailblazer is later rescued by March 7th and Dan Heng, passengers on the Astral Express, a train that travels between worlds. The Trailblazer joins them as part of the Nameless.

Their first major stop is Jarilo-VI, a planet frozen by the Stellaron's power. After being declared criminals by Cocolia, the group learns she has been corrupted by the Stellaron and plans to destroy the planet. With help from the Aeon Qlipoth, the Trailblazer gains the power of Preservation and defeats her. Cocolia's daughter, Bronya, takes over leadership and promises to reform the planet. Next, the group travels to the Xianzhou Luofu, a massive spaceship linked to the Path of The Hunt. Political conflicts, interference from the Stellaron Hunters, and manipulation by the Antimatter Legion lead to a major battle. Dan Heng reveals he is the reincarnation of a disgraced dragon-like being named Dan Feng and helps defeat the Legion's agent, Phantylia. The Luofu then forms an alliance with the Astral Express.

At Penacony, the "Planet of Festivities," the group enters a shared dream called the Dreamscape. What starts as a festival turns into a conspiracy: people appear to be killed by a mysterious force, and the ruling Family secretly uses a Stellaron to control reality. Sunday, a leader of Penacony, is revealed to be a follower of the Aeon of Order, who wants to trap everyone in a false utopia. The Trailblazer gains the power of Harmony and, with allies, restores reality.

The group's next stop is Amphoreus, a hidden world that is a repeating simulation created by a supercomputer. The Trailblazer joins a campaign to break the cycle using the power of Remembrance. March 7th becomes ill and later faces an alternate version of herself, "Evernight," who takes over her body. They learn Amphoreus is meant to raise a Lord Ravager, an Emanator of Destruction, to attack Nous, the Aeon of Erudition. With help from the Xianzhou Alliance, the Interastral Peace Corporation (IPC), and Herta's forces, the Lord Ravager is defeated. Cyrene, a divine being tied to Amphoreus's origin, sacrifices herself to stabilize the timeline and gives the Trailblazer the memories of Amphoreus.

After Amphoreus, the Astral Express travels to Planarcadia, the home planet of Himeko, the train's navigator. They participate in the Phantasmoon Games, a competition for the power of the Aeon of Elation. An IPC executive named Pearl tries to control the event, while a group of Planarcadians aligned with the Path of Abundance opposes the Astral Express.

Development

The developers of Honkai: Star Rail believed that using a turn-based combat system was a new experience for their company. This type of gameplay, where players take turns to make moves, is still popular and exciting for players. The team wanted to try this style because they thought it would be enjoyable for their audience.

The game's science fiction theme was chosen because it inspires young people and represents classic storytelling. Combining sci-fi with turn-based role-playing games was an idea the team wanted to explore. Honkai: Star Rail started development in 2019 with the goal of creating something new for the Honkai series. The team has about 500 members, many of whom enjoy science fiction and turn-based games. This was miHoYo's first attempt at making a turn-based combat game. Surveys showed that many players like this type of gameplay, even though some worried it might feel old-fashioned. The team believes that if the game is well-made, it will attract players.

Like other Honkai games, Honkai: Star Rail is not overly complex in its sci-fi elements. While Honkai Impact 3rd is set on Earth, it also mentions other planets. To expand on this idea, the team created a story centered around space travel. The game’s setting includes a train inspired by the novel Night on the Galactic Railroad and the manga Galaxy Express 999. Each planet in the game takes about one year to design. First, the team decides the planet’s theme and world, then creates characters and details, and finally writes the story.

Each planet’s design is inspired by real-world cultures:
– Belobog, named after a Slavic god, is a snowy town inspired by Russian architecture.
– The Xianzhou Luofu, a spaceship, is based on Chinese culture and East Asian fantasy, described as "silkpunk."
– Penacony mixes styles from the Jazz Age and Hollywood, creating 12 dream-like worlds.
– Amphoreus draws from Greco-Roman mythology, using styles like Hellenistic and Renaissance art.
– Planarcadia blends pop culture and virtual reality, inspired by internet aesthetics.

The game uses the Unity engine and was produced by David Jiang. The combat system is "command-based," where players give instructions to characters. Unlike previous games like Honkai Impact 3rd and Genshin Impact, which focused more on action, Star Rail emphasizes strategy over quick movements. The team looked to games like Persona 5 and the Trails Series for inspiration.

David Jiang hopes the game will feel like a "playable animated series," making players feel immersed in the world. To achieve this, the team used artificial intelligence to make non-player characters (NPCs) behave more naturally.

In an interview, HoYoverse discussed challenges in translating the game into English. They adapted Chinese sayings, jokes, and cultural references to make them clear for English-speaking players. For example, an achievement based on a song by Jay Chou was renamed to reference a song by Guns N' Roses. Classical Chinese elements were carefully translated to keep their meaning.

Distribution and promotion

The game was announced in October 2021 during the final event of the Honkai Impact 3rd online concert, Starfire Sonorant, and later shared on the game's official YouTube channel. On October 27, the game began its first closed test, and its second closed beta test started on May 25, 2022. On August 15, 2022, the game received support from the "Special Fund for Cultural Development" provided by the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Xuhui District, Shanghai, where the developer is located. On August 23, 2022, a story trailer for the game was shown during the opening night of Gamescom 2022.

On January 17, 2023, the mobile version of the game received approval from the National Press and Publication Administration, allowing it to be released in mainland China. On February 10, 2023, the game held its third closed test. That same day, the Apple App Store page stated the game would officially launch on April 26. In international markets, miHoYo placed more than 2,000 advertisements on Google Play one month before the public beta. The main advertising platform was Google AdMob, and the ads appeared in Japan, Hong Kong, the United States, Vietnam, and Thailand.

On March 24, 2023, versions for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 were announced. The PlayStation 5 version was scheduled to release on October 11, 2023, but the PlayStation 4 version has been delayed indefinitely.

On April 25, 2023, miHoYo released the game's opening theme animation, "Star Travel." The game officially launched globally on April 26. On April 28, miHoYo held its first theme exhibition, "Galaxy Gathering," in Xujiahui. From April 29 to May 13, miHoYo used train advertisements on Xiamen Rail Transit Line 1 and partnered with NFTs to promote the game. In mid-May, HoYoverse began advertising the game in Japan, with ads displayed in Akihabara, Tokyo, and collaborated with Chichibu Railway in Saitama Prefecture to operate a special steam train service for one month. On July 13, miHoYo launched a high-speed train traveling from Shanghai to Wenzhou to promote the game.

In late 2023, the game partnered with restaurant and cafe chains worldwide, offering game-themed merchandise and special meals. In Europe, the game worked with Domino's and Miss Millie’s in the UK from October 14 to November 14. In other Asian countries, excluding mainland China, collaborations occurred in Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. In Japan, the game partnered with Wendy's First Kitchen from October 11 to November 8. In Indonesia, the game collaborated with Convivium; in Malaysia, La Juiceria Superfoods; in the Philippines, Mann Hann; in Singapore, Kith; in Thailand, Kogoro Katsu & Chicken Club; and in Vietnam, Piko Coffee. In Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, the game partnered with Cheogajip from October 18 to November 18 and with KFC in Hong Kong from November 9 to November 22. In America, the game partnered with Pelicana from December 1 to December 31. In mainland China, the game had many collaborations with cafes, restaurants, and drink shops.

In July 2025, HoYoverse announced a partnership with the Japanese anime series Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, adding the characters Saber and Archer to the game as long-term banners. In October 2025, Crunchyroll, Sony’s anime streaming service, announced a global collaboration with HoYoverse for an exclusive Honkai: Star Rail event starting on November 6, coinciding with the game’s Version 3.7 update. As part of the collaboration, the HoYoFair program’s Honkai: Star Rail "Chimerric Park" event premiered exclusively on Crunchyroll, marking the first time a HoYoFair event was hosted outside of YouTube.

On February 26, 2026, Epic Games announced a global collaboration with Honkai: Star Rail for an exclusive tie-in with Fortnite, adding the characters Kafka and Blade to the game.

Reception

Honkai: Star Rail received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregator Metacritic. Another review aggregator, OpenCritic, collected 20 review articles, with 88% of them being positive.

Eurogamer recommended the game for its "delightfully goofy humor, charismatic voice cast, and truly magnificent combat," even though the writers sometimes gave "one-sentence explanations for important details, yet spent eight paragraphs explaining simple plot twists." Rock Paper Shotgun described the game as "still in its early stages but (…) incredibly good fun to play," comparing it to "Star Ocean, but if everyone was hotter and you could gamble." The reviewer praised the combat system for being deep yet easy to learn and noted that, like in Genshin, spending money was not required to progress, as all content in the game could be completed with the free characters provided. PC Gamer appreciated Star Rail's "impeccable visual style and strategic depth" and its "elastic tone, which shifts from the heroic optimism of a space opera to the dark comedy of a Nier game, with storytelling similar to Final Fantasy 14." The reviewer said the game's main attraction was its "sheer creativity" and that it "distills what's most satisfying about turn-based RPGs: tactical, team-based decisions." Jess Reyes from IGN called it the best free-to-play game of 2023.

Some people criticized the character designs, saying they lack creativity, especially for female characters, and that the outfits worn by female characters in Genshin Impact had more variety.

Before the game's official release, the number of pre-registered players in mainland China reached 22.98 million, with an additional 10 million players outside of mainland China. On April 23, 2023, the day of pre-download, the game topped the free charts on the App Store in over 113 countries and regions and ranked first overall in mainland China, the United States, Japan, and South Korea. After the game's global launch on April 26, it reached the top spot on the App Store's bestseller list in mainland China within five hours and ranked within the top 10 on the bestseller lists in 42 countries and regions. On April 28, miHoYo announced the game had exceeded 20 million downloads.

GameLook estimated the game's global revenue across all platforms on its launch day would likely exceed 100 million RMB. According to Sensor Tower, within the first 10 days of launch, the mobile version of the game generated over $100 million globally, with 44% of the revenue coming from China, 22% from Japan, and 12% from the United States. Data from DataEye showed that within 15 days of launch, the iOS version and the Android version downloaded through Google Play generated at least $65 million, with Japan contributing 120 million RMB. On February 6, 2024, with the launch of version 2.0, the game's download count exceeded 100 million. One estimate said the number of active players reached 24 million in April 2024.