Honkai Impact 3 is an action role-playing game developed and published by miHoYo. It is the third installment in the Honkai series of games. Honkai Impact 3 features anime-style visuals, hack-and-slash combat, and a story set in a post-apocalyptic world.

In Honkai Impact 3, players take on the role of Valkyries – female warriors that possess supernatural abilities and weapons. The Valkyries are part of an organization called Schicksal, which fights back against the Honkai – mysterious creatures that threaten humanity. Players battle the Honkai through high-octane combat across various missions and open world areas.

The game features a diverse cast of playable Valkyries, each with their own unique abilities, fighting styles and personalities. The story covers themes of friendship, sacrifice, and protecting the ones you love in a world that’s constantly under threat. Visual novel-style cutscenes help flesh out the relationships between characters and provide more context for the missions.

What makes Honkai Impact 3 unique and popular?

There are several key factors that make Honkai Impact 3 stand out:

Satisfying action combat: The combat is fast-paced and responsive, with combos, dodges, and special attacks that make fighting hordes of enemies very satisfying. Switching between different Valkyries mid-combat adds variety.
Stunning anime-style visuals: The game uses a distinctive cel-shaded graphical style that really brings the characters and world to life. Combat animations are slick and impactful.
Appealing character roster: With distinct designs, personalities, and playstyles, the diverse Valkyries give players plenty of options for forming their dream team.
Immersive storytelling: The story uses anime, manga, and visual novel elements to deliver an engaging narrative about fighting to protect the ones you love.
Regular content updates: miHoYo steadily adds new story chapters, Valkyries, modes, events, and quality-of-life improvements to keep the game feeling fresh.

These factors combine to create an addictive gameplay loop that blends action, collection, customization, and storytelling. The game has built a loyal player base across mobile and PC.

Who should play Honkai Impact 3?

Honkai Impact 3 is a great fit for players who enjoy:

Stylish anime-style worlds and characters
Satisfying hack-and-slash combat
Collecting and customizing a roster of unique characters
Following an immersive narrative with emotional depth
Taking on challenges solo or cooperatively with others
Steadily progressing and gaining power over time
Trying out new characters, combos, and strategies

The game can appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers. There is plenty of content for players who want to fully immerse themselves in the world. But it’s also enjoyable for those who just want to log in and play for shorter periods.

Fans of action games, anime visuals, RPG mechanics, and character collection/customization will find a lot to love in Honkai Impact 3. The game is free-to-play and available on mobile and PC, making it easy to try out.

Gameplay

Basics

Honkai Impact 3 features intuitive hack-and-slash combat controls and basic RPG mechanics that are easy to pick up but have depth for mastery.

Movement is handled through a virtual joystick on mobile or WASD on PC. Players can run, walk, dash, and dodge in all directions. Mastering movement is key for dodging enemy attacks.

Combat uses on-screen buttons for normal, charged, and ultimate attacks. Combos are performed by chaining attacks together. Weapons can be switched mid-combo for added variety. Dodging and parrying enemy attacks is critical, especially on higher difficulties.

Characters have light, heavy, and ultimate attack types that function differently per Valkyrie. Managing combos, skills, and weapon switching allows players to optimize damage output.

Progression involves leveling up Valkyries and weapons using experience and materials gained from missions. Upgrading skills and acquiring better gear powers up characters over time.

Stamina limits playtime per session, but refills over time or can be replenished with items. Daily and weekly tasks reward valuable upgrade materials.

Customization comes from equipping Valkyries with weapons and stigmata that alter playstyle. Signature gear unlocks a Valkyrie’s full potential.

Co-op allows tackling missions together. Coordination and combining strengths is key. Endgame raids require co-op to fully complete.

These basics combine to form the foundation for a combat system with satisfying depth. Mastering the fundamentals is the key to excelling in Honkai’s tougher challenges.

Missions and Activities

Honkai Impact 3 offers a variety of missions and activities:

Story Chapters – The main story stages advance the narrative and unlock new Valkyries. Dialogue choices alter some conversations. Challenge modes test skills.

Open World – The various open world areas offer bounties, minigames, collectibles to find, and bosses to defeat.Currency earned buys valuable gear.

Events – Limited-time events have story cutscenes and stages tailored to new characters or outfits. First-clear rewards are generous.

Abyss – A rotating set of challenge stages with unique buffs and debuffs. Climbing higher floors requires skillful play.

Memorial Arena – Players fight bosses using preset Valkyries. Rankings reward Ancient Willpower for upgrading gear.

Elysian Realm – Roguelike mode with random buffs and gear to defeat floors of enemies and bosses for rewards.

Co-op Raids – Work with others to take down raids of increasing difficulty for materials. Communication and teamwork are vital.

There is plenty to do daily. Efficient time management maximizes earning upgrade materials, currencies, and gear.

Tips for Beginners

Honkai Impact 3 can be daunting for new players, but these tips will help get started on the right foot:

Follow the story – Main stages unlock new Valkyries and features. Prioritize advancing the plot.
Upgrade Valkyries – Invest materials in leveling up your main Valkyries and their skills first. This powers them up.
Learn combos – Get comfortable with attack sequences. Practice skill and weapon switching for damage.
Acquire signature gear – Weapons and stigmata that match a Valkyrie boost their strength tremendously.
Play event stages – Limited events give high-quality gear for first-time clears. Don’t miss out.
Participate in co-op – Group raids give materials. Veterans can carry new players.
Use Sensei’s advice – Check the beginner guides and tips. They explain mechanics clearly.
Be patient – Progression and team building takes time. Enjoy the journey and have fun!

Following these tips will help establish good habits. Honkai Impact 3 has systems that reward consistent daily play over time.

Tips for Advanced Players

Experienced Captains can optimize their gameplay with these tips:

Master combos – Extend combo chains as long as possible between dodges and cancels for maximum damage.
Time slows and QTEs – Triggering these successfully can turn the tide in tough battles.
Animation cancel – Cancel recovery animations with dodges or switches to link combos faster.
Elemental reactions – Trigger reactions like time fracture with the right sequence of elemental attacks.
Team building – Carefully tailor teams of DPS, support, and elemental coverage to counter specific threats.
Pri-Arm weapons – Craft powerful Pri-Arm weapons to enhance endgame Valkyries.
Agony Abyss – Study weather effects and valkyrie restrictions. Build multiple competent teams.
Competitive modes – Understand the meta. Coordinate with your Armada. Hone your PvP skills.
Maximize efficiency – Plan your upgrades, stamina usage, and progression carefully. Don’t waste resources.

Taking the time to learn advanced mechanics and optimize strategies will help overcome Honkai’s toughest challenges. Mastering the systems leads to great satisfaction.

Characters

Character Types

Honkai Impact 3 features a diverse cast of characters with unique abilities tailored to different playstyles:

DPS (Damage Per Second) – These Valkyries deal high damage and carry teams offensively. Examples: Herrscher of Flamescion, Herrscher of Sentience, Stygian Nymph.

Support – Support Valkyries boost the team’s damage, defense, and utility. Examples: Haxxor Bunny, Fallen Rosemary, Azure Empyrea.

Elemental – Elemental Valkyries trigger reactions and provide elemental coverage. Examples: Herrscher of Reason, Hawk of the Fog, Valkyrie Gloria.

Healer – Healers restore HP and remove debuffs. Examples: Celestial Hymn, Shadow Knight, Wolf’s Dawn.

Sub-DPS – Sub-DPS characters enable quick switch combos for damage. Examples: Starlit Astrologos, Valkyrie Ranger, Yamabuki Armor.

Gatherer – Gatherers draw in enemies together. Examples: Swallowtail Phantasm, Molotov Cherry, Drive Kometa.

Tank – Tanks draw enemy aggro and absorb damage. Examples: Knight Moonbeam, Wildfire, Rozaliya.

Understanding strengths and weaknesses allows building balanced, effective teams. Mixing and matching character types is key.

Building Your Team

Building a good team requires considering strengths, weaknesses, and combinations:

Main DPS – Choose your top damage dealer based on the enemy. Give them the best gear.
Support Valkyries – Supports boost the DPS. Options like Azure Empyrea are universally helpful.
Elements – Have elemental coverage to trigger reactions. Rounds out the team.
Healing/Defense – Healers like Celestial Hymn prevent deaths. Tanks draw fire away from DPS.
Sub-DPS – Swapping to a sub-DPS like Starlit Astrologos enables quick burst damage.
Gathering/Impair – Group enemies together and impair their damage for crowd control.
Bonuses – Check character bonuses and choose those effective against certain enemies.

Having backup Valkyries leveled for different situations is recommended. A diverse roster makes adapting easier.

Popular Character Builds and Strategies

Here are some strong, popular character builds and team strategies:

Mobius – Extremely powerful ice DPS. Pairs well with Haxxor Bunny and Pardofelis. Shreds groups.
Herrscher of Flamescion – Top fire DPS that outputs high burst damage, especially in ultimate evasion form.
Azure Empyrea – Flexible elemental support that works in many teams to trigger reactions.
Fallen Rosemary – Lightning DPS with impair, AOE, and time slow. Works great with Azure Empyrea and Eden.
Starlit Astrologos – Bio support provides healing, SP regen, and time slow. Universal booster.
Herrscher of Sentience – Versatile physical DPS with high combo potential. Works with Carole and Fallen Rosemary.
Drive Kometa – Ultimate F2P support. Gathers enemies and enables combos through impair.

Skillful piloting and understanding strengths and weaknesses is key to utilizing characters effectively.

Equipment

Equipment Types

Honkai Impact 3 has a variety of equipment that provides major boosts to Valkyries:

Weapons – Weapons significantly enhance a Valkyrie’s damage and utility. Signature weapons unlock a Valkyrie’s full power.

Stigmata – Stigmata provide boosts to attributes and bonus effects. Full sets confer big boosts. Farmable sets are viable.

Battlesuits – New Battlesuits give Valkyries additional abilities and playstyle options. Some are major upgrades.

Augment Cores – Cores give big stat boosts and extra skills. Unlocking them improves old Valkyries.

ELFs – Equippable companions that provide team buffs and passive effects during battle. Different ELFs play differently.

PRI-Arms – Upgraded signature weapons with higher stats and a special active skill. Requires maxing the base weapon.

Divine Keys – Special gear with unique active abilities. Some transform Valkyries into new battlesuits.

Uniforms – Optional costumes for Valkyries with minor stat boosts and skill changes. Mostly cosmetic.

Gear makes a major impact on Valkyrie performance. Building good gear complements innate skills.

Obtaining and Upgrading Equipment

Equipment can be obtained and upgraded through:

Gacha – Weapons and stigmata have a small chance to drop from supply gacha rolls. Save for guarantee.

Events – Event shops and milestone rewards give high-quality gear, often tailored for new Valkyries.

Crafting – Weapons and stigmata can be slowly crafted using materials from events, raids, etc.

Foundry – Older weapons and stigmata are craftable here using common materials. Provides starter gear.

Shops – Shops like War Treasury, Asterite Shop, and Battle Arsenal sell some weapons, stigmata, and materials.

Mission Rewards – Main story chapters and Chronicles reward weapons and stigmata upon first completion.

Open World – Some open world tasks reward equipment blueprints to slowly acquire good gear.

Upgrading – Weapons and stigmata are leveled up with materials to increase stats and bonus effects.

Resonating – Duplicate stigmata can resonate together to provide small stat boosts to the set.

Ascending – Max level Pri-Arms can ascend further using Time Structures from Elysian Realm.

Patience and focusing on select gear is recommended. Spreading resources too thin results in mediocre equipment.

Choosing the Right Equipment

To maximize a Valkyrie’s potential, look for equipment that:

Matches Valkyrie Type – Supports want HP/DEF. DPS need CRIT/DMG. Read gear effects.
Boosts Damage Type – Equip stigmata that boost elemental/physical damage the Valkyrie deals.
Enhances Playstyle – Gear that enhances certain combos, skills, or mechanics.
Completes Sets – Full sets give big boosts. Farmable sets work until acquiring signature.
Has Useful Effects – Strong effects like impair, time slow, and elemental damage enable strategies.
Fits With Team – Pick gear to cover weaknesses and boost team combinations.
Enables Type Counters – Some gear tailors Valkyries to counter certain enemy types.
Suits the Mode – Different modes may require different gear builds to optimize performance.

Reading gear effects and planning long-term is important. Both natural strength and proper equipment contribute to a Valkyrie’s full power.

Story

Overview

Honkai Impact 3 features a complex, multilayered story that slowly reveals itself over successive chapters:

It begins in a world ravaged by periodic Honkai disasters which turn lifeforms into monsters. Valkyries are the only ones who can counter and seal them using special relics.

Players take the role of captains in the Valkyrie force Schicksal, which maintains order in the wake of Honkai outbreaks. But Schicksal harbors dark secrets about the Honkai’s true nature.

The main character, Kiana Kaslana, joins Schicksal as a cadet and searches for clues about her past along with friends Bronya Zaychik and Mei Raiden. Their bonds are tested as the truth unravels.

Ancient factions like the secretive Fire Moth work in the shadows. Kiana discovers she harbors the soul of Sirin – the powerful Herrscher of the Void who nearly destroyed the previous civilization.

The story expands in scope to cover themes like the cyclical nature of humanity, the sacrifices necessary for duty, and whether destiny can be defied with determination.

While complex, the story masterfully ties together its action, mystery, drama, and Ethics. Piecing together all the clues, secrets, and twists is quite satisfying.

Tips for Following the Story

For new players, Honkai Impact 3’s complex story can be tough to follow. Here are tips:

Read manga – The Second Eruption and Azure Waters manga chapters greatly expand early context.
Replay stages – Replaying story stages unlocks all cutscene dialogues which are initially hidden.
Complete Chronicles – Supplementary stories dive deeper into side characters’ backgrounds and motivations.
Watch animated shorts – Shorts like “Final Lesson” dramatize important story moments.
Read in-game files – Explore the archives for text files that provide additional lore details.
Watch introduction videos – Fan recaps help summarize the overall plot and context.
Ask questions – The community happily answers clarifying story questions and discusses theories.
Take your time – The story is meant to be pieced together slowly. Let details marinate.

Absorbing all the media paints a richer picture. While complex, appreciating the interconnected story is very rewarding.

Analysis and Discussion

Here is some deeper analysis and discussion around key Honkai Impact 3 story elements:

The cyclical rise and fall of civilizations draws parallels to Spengler’s Decline of the West. Past failures echo into the future.
Kiana, Mei, and Bronya’s close bonds driving them past their breaking points mirrors the French concept of l’appel du vide.
The Honkai force represents destructive change. Herrschers symbolize innovations that destabilize the old order.
Schicksal claims to protect humanity, but also conceal dangerous truths. Do the ends justify their means?
If Sirin’s destruction was due to human cruelty, do people deserve protection from Honkai? Do sins repeat through history?
Beneath Honkai Impact 3’s action veneer lies a thoughtful treatise on the duality of human nature and our self-destructive impulses.
The cyclical setting implies history is predetermined. But characters like Kiana struggle to defy fate. Is destiny written, or do we have agency?
Kiana and Mei’s relationship drives much of the drama and embodies the series’ core themes of duty, love, and loyalty.

There is much to analyze through the lenses of philosophy, psychology, and social/historical commentary. Honkai Impact 3 rewards critical evaluation of its narrative and themes.

Competitive Play

Competitive Modes

For players seeking high-level PvE and PvP challenges, Honkai Impact 3 offers several competitive modes:

Memorial Arena – Weekly PvE boss fights with pre-set Valkyries. Climb the leaderboards for your server by optimizing damage.

Abyss – Rotate through challenging stages and bosses under unique conditions. Aim for high scores for competitive rewards.

Elysian Realm – Roguelike PvE mode to build buffed Valkyries and clear floors. Ranks are determined by points earned.

Universal Mirage – PvE co-op mode to defeat enemies and clear floors. Team coordination is vital for high scores.

Astral Space – Competitive PvP mode where teams of Valkyries battle. Performance affects your competitive ranking brackets.

Armada Boss Invasion – Limited co-op PvE boss battles versus Armada alliances. Contribute damage for overall Armada rankings.

Promotion Zone – Monthly co-op PvE competition where all Captains contribute damage to defeat bosses.

Success in these competitive modes requires skill, strategy, and team building. They appeal to players pursuing leaderboard glory and maximum challenge.

Tips for Success

Here are tips to excel in Honkai Impact 3’s various competitive modes:

Study weather effects, buffs, and debuffs – Build Valkyries and teams to counter or exploit them.
Know the meta – Follow the evolving competitive landscape and adjust accordingly.
Master competitive Valkyries – Practice piloting top tier characters like Mobius, Griseo, and HoF.
Optimize rotations and combos – Maximize damage efficiency within the time limits.
Retry stages – Replay stages to refine strategies and improve muscle memory.
Review attempts – Analyze failures to understand where improvements are needed.
Watch top player videos – Learn from how the best handle team building and play.
Communicate in co-op – Coordinate effectively with teammates in real-time co-op modes.
Build diverse teams – Raise multiple Valkyries and gears to handle any challenge.
Be patient – Competitive modes reward consistency over the long-term.

Thorough preparation, practice, analysis, and communication are the keys to competitive success. Strive for incremental improvement through effort.

Popular Competitive Team Compositions

Here are some top tier team compositions favored in competitive modes:

Mobius/Eden/Griseo – Extremely high burst damage and AoE clear for general content.
Vill-V/Fallen Rosemary/FR – Lightning team with impair, good single target, and mech killer.
HoF/AE/Raven – High fire damage with Phoenix mode activation. Great against bio enemies.
HoS/Carole/SA – Versatile physical team with impair, parry, and burst mode nuking.
HoT/Fischl/Eden – Top lightning DPS paired with excellent supports for high conductivity uptime.
SW/DP/SA – Ice team strong against quantum enemies courtesy of time slows and high burst.
HoR/HB/PX – Classic ice team still viable today thanks to strong freezing and burst.
SpA/DK/HB – F2P physical team with impair, grouping, healing, andDecodeError; HTNLog122.87.957f7aa1err_log: decode base64 data error great flexibility.

Mixing and matching these meta Valkyries and gears enables adapting to competitive conditions and challenges.

Events

Event Types

Honkai Impact 3 regularly runs limited-time events that provide valuable rewards and temporary content:

Story Events – Feature limited-time story chapters and stages that spotlight new characters or battlesuits. Provide lore and free characters/gears.

Challenge Events – Special challenge stages and bosses that test skills. Ranking and milestone rewards include rare materials.

Collaboration Events – Crossover events with popular anime, games, etc that bring themed stages, stories, and rewards.

Holiday Events – Festive seasonal events with holiday-themed activities. Bring special outfits and decorations.

Anniversary Events – Celebrate Honkai’s anniversary with huge login bonuses, gacha luck, and gifts for all players.

Competitive Events – Limited competitive ladders and contests for top players to earn exclusive rewards.

Gacha Expansion Events – New battlesuits get introductory supply gachas with boosted drop rates.

Events keep the game feeling fresh while rewarding both new and veteran players. They’re not to be missed!

Maximizing Rewards

To get the most out of Honkai’s frequent events:

Review in-game event details closely so you understand the tasks and rewards.
Take advantage of first-time and cumulative bonuses for doing event stages.
Buy valuable limited items from event shops using earned currency. Prioritize scarce resources.
Complete daily event missions for bonuses. Don’t miss a day.
Target milestones that grant items like battlesuit fragments or premium gacha currency.
Play challenge stages to place on competitive ranking ladders for tiered rewards.
Draw from introductory gachas featuring new Valkyries you want. The odds are boosted.
Save stamina items ahead of big events to grind efficiently.
Follow update announcements to learn about upcoming events and plan participation.
Enjoy limited-time stories and battlesuits, as they may not return again after the event concludes.

Staying organized, planning carefully, and making time to fully participate in events maximizes every opportunity for valuable rewards.

Community

Finding Content Creators and Communities

As a popular game, Honkai Impact 3 has an active community with content creators and groups worth following:

YouTube – Top channels like Wyverein, The Keebster, and Marisa Honkai offer guides, commentary, walkthroughs, theories, and more.

Twitch – Streamers like JakFujaa and Nebula broadcast their Honkai gameplay live and engage with viewers.

Discord – Major community Discord servers let players chat, find squads, ask for help, and discuss the game.

Reddit – The /r/HonkaiImpact3rd subreddit has discussions, tips, fan content, and official updates.

Facebook – The official Honkai Impact 3 page shares news, art, and more. Captains can discuss latest updates.

Hoyolab – miHoYo’s community forum features fan works, guides, and discussions organized by topic.

Fandom Wiki – Comprehensive Honkai Impact 3 wiki with databases detailing everything about the game.

Amino Apps – Active fan community hosting blogs, discussions, guides, cosplay, fanfic, and more.

Meetups – Local Honkai fan meetups organize co-op sessions, photo shoots, discussions, and conventions.

Interacting and engaging with the community enhances the experience and provides insights into optimization, story, characters, and events.

Getting Involved

Honkai’s community offers many ways for fans to get more involved:

Create fan art and cosplay and share your passion for favorite characters.
Write fan fiction expanding on characters and storylines or exploring alternate realities.
Start streaming your gameplay and share tips & commentary with other fans.
Make video guides teaching mechanics, strategies, and more that help other players.
Organize local Honkai meetups to gather fans in-person and build connections.
Contribute to community wiki and help keep information detailed and up to date.
Participate in theorycrafting discussions and explore potential character builds.
Provide advice to new players and represent the game positively.
Engage respectfully in debates on story analysis, lore interpretations, favorite characters, etc.
Report bugs, offer feedback, and participate in surveys to help improve the game.

There are many ways to express passion for the game while cultivating a welcoming, thriving community.

Benefits of Community Involvement

Getting involved with Honkai’s community benefits both you and the community:

Share your passion and express your creativity through fan works and content creation.
Meet like-minded people to bond over a shared interest and make new friends.
Gain knowledge and optimize your play from guides, tips, and theorycrafting discussions.
Stay up to date with the latest game updates, leaks, strategies, and news.
Give back by helping new players get started and supporting each other.
Strengthen the community to welcome more members and support the game’s growth.
Develop skills like content creation, leadership, teamwork, and communication.
Feel rewarded seeing your contributions benefit and entertain fellow players.
Enjoy a sense of belonging to a positive group with shared values and interests.

Engaging with the friendly Honkai community enhances the game experience for everyone involved.

Summary of Key Points

To summarize key points about Honkai Impact 3:

It’s an anime-styled action RPG with satisfying hack-and-slash combat and deep mechanics.
The diverse Valkyrie roster and gear system allow extensive customization and team building.
The story masterfully weaves anime drama, mystery, tragedy, and Hope into an epic sci-fi saga.
Open world areas, raids, PvP, and competitive modes give players challenging endgame goals to aspire towards.
Events are regular occurrences that provide valuable limited-time rewards and content.
Involved character/gear progression systems reward consistent daily play over months.
A thriving online community produces guides, fan works, and brings players together.
The game appeals to casual and hardcore players alike with plenty of content and depth.
It’s free-to-play friendly, but paying can provide convenience and unlocks.
Regular version updates and quality-of-life changes keep the game feeling fresh.

Honkai Impact 3 truly stands out through its polish, style, storytelling, and engaging progression.

Final Thoughts

In closing, Honkai Impact 3 is an absolute standout in the anime action RPG genre that deserves more widespread recognition.

Once you dive into its stylish world and fast-paced combat, it hooks you with its endearing characters, emotional storytelling, and steadily unveiling mysteries.

The depth of its systems, customization, and challenge continues to reveal itself over time to reward long-term play.

And the generous free content, events, and community keep you engaged with regular new experiences and goals.

For any fan of stylish action games with heart and polish, Honkai Impact 3 is easy to recommend. And it’s free to play, so there’s nothing stopping you from giving it a try.

Here’s to many more years of epic battles, lovable characters, and moving stories as the world of Honkai Impact continues evolving. The journey has just begun, Captain!