Jessica is a guides writer from Northern Ireland who likes screaming at her TV. Often at horror movies, occasionally at a Fortnite win. When not damaging her vocal cords, Jessica likes stressing over her inventory in RPGs, and getting lost in open worlds.
Exploring Penacony in Honkai: Star Rail is like having the keys to Disneyland for a midnight soirée, but all the guests are sleazy film noir extras, and Mickey Mouse has taken the night off to let an anthropomorphic clock with the ability to manipulate people's emotions fill in. It's a morally dubious constructed paradise where everybody tells you what a great time they're having while the cheery facade is crumbling around them.
I adore exploring The Golden Hour, but its shady charm wouldn't be half as charming without the presence of HoYoverse's constant MVP: the soundtrack. Alluring jazz and barbershop styles help the streets feel alive while running from those billboards. Mysterious, distorted piano keys and woodwind humming accompany you while weaving through dreamscapes. Epic drums play over intense boss battles, and heartfelt pop songs highlight intimate conversations.
The same applies to the new story chapter too. It's the most disappointing addition to Penacony only because it ends with a"to be continued" card not long after a whodunit mystery is introduced. As it's the first chapter, we're only getting to know Penacony's huge cast of characters, so there's not a lot of movement happening in the story until this point.
There is one upside to Star Rail's staggered release schedule, and that's its constant improvements to just about every aspect of the game. In version 2.0, the most deceptively helpful addition is actually Fate's Atlas, a timeline of every major story chapter, side quest, event, and companion mission you've completed so far.