by theygamesBurnout and boredom are feelings many players eventually experience when coming back to a live-service game day after day, month after month. It’s been over a year since HoYoverse brought us to the shores of Inazuma to breathe new life into Genshin Impact, and now, the jungles of Sumeru are calling in version 3.0. But are the change of scenery and new characters enough to pull even the most tired longtime fans back into the game? We got a chance to go hands-on with the Genshin Impact 3.0 update, and came away thinking that newcomers and casual regulars will be more than happy with what Sumeru brings to the table. On the other hand, high-level players who have reached the end of the line, so to speak, may be left feeling unsatisfied after the main quests get completed and exploration loses its charm.
Sumeru manages to evoke the same sense of excitement and curiosity Inazuma did, and it starts out even better. Unlike Inazuma, you’ll be able to explore nearly the entire map from the get-go without customs officers and paperwork holding you back. Those who wish to take in the story and get a proper introduction to the region simply have to follow the main questline to meet important characters like Tighnari and Collei before reaching Sumeru City. The Archon Quests deliver plenty of engaging lore, with the initial goal here being to find Lesser Lord Kusanali, the current Dendro Archon. However, it’s the wealth of new gameplay-related updates that’ll have you coming back to Sumeru often.