Genshin Impact has taken the gaming world by storm with its charming design and intense action-based combat. Its graphical capabilities are lauded by most for a crisp and clean 3D anime look. Critics have mostly been in agreement on the game. Most impressively, it handles this on mobile formats in addition to most consoles and PC. However, some fans might yearn for a throwback look.
While pixelated games like Stardew Valley and Undertale have become more popular, many developers still opt for pushing graphical limitations. Some games even give the option of switching back and forth, such as Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age. It may not be an official release from the developers, but some fans have taken it upon themselves to give Genshin Impact this look.
Posting on the Genshin Impact subreddit, user AnjayGurinjay linked a video of what the game might look like had it been developed with a pixel art frame of mind. The video clearly shows the player's HD, set on a mobile display, as well as movement and attack abilities. Comparisons to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past would be warranted. The look and feel of the video are nearly convincing enough to make a fan believe that it could be a possible secondary, or additional release of the actual game.
The post generated many positive reactions, including the preponderance of a similar version being excellent for phones that can't handle Genshin Impact's graphics. An extended version of the video was posted on YouTube in October of 2020, demonstrating dialogue and character change.
Genshin Impact has been a force for the free-to-play genre, as well as for people looking to scratch the multiplayer-action RPG itch. With the ability to play on just about anything, Genshin Impact has reached over 21 million players and continues to climb. Continuous updates and character additions have also fueled the collector type of player. While the game has a tight grip on the genre it's in, a de-make like the one demonstrated in the video brings to mind games like Ragnarok Online, pixelated and free-to-play.
While an 8 bit version of the game might not ever be released, players can still delight in the creativity of fans that make creative content like the mentioned video. Whether it's fan art, music, or even recreating the game in a classic style, Genshin Impact has seen its fair share of fan-generated content. With continuous updates, there should be plenty more to come.
Genshin Impact is available now for Android, iOS, PC, PS4, PS5, and Switch.
Source: YouTube
