When Genshin Impact was first released, it was bombarded with criticism for being too similar to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. However, the popular gacha game has since set itself apart with its innovative mechanics and interesting story. Now, the tables have turned, and players are wary of any titles that seem like Genshin Impact rip-offs.
One popular title that has recently been labeled as a Genshin Impact copy is Tower of Fantasy. Developed by the Chinese company, Perfect World, Tower of Fantasy came out just this month, and players are already comparing it to Genshin Impact. While this isn’t without reason, it’s worth looking a little deeper into what the new gacha game brings to the table.
Comparing Tower of Fantasy and Genshin Impact
The opening cutscene to Tower of Fantasy sets itself apart from Genshin Impact with its visuals. While Genshin Impact leans into fantasy aspects, Tower of Fantasy has a more sci-fi look. However, the distinctions end there as the player is prompted to choose between a male and female “Wanderer.” Like Lumine and Aether, the two look similar, suggesting that they’re twins. The rest of the introduction then plays out, teaching the player about combat and character movement. Another similarity crops up by the end of the scene as the player’s chosen Wanderer gets their memory wiped, and their twin is nowhere to be found.
So far, Tower of Fantasy seems to have a very similar narrative presented with a different backdrop. This lends credence to players accusing the game of copying Genshin Impact. Even so, Tower of Fantasy does have other distinctions, primarily in its character creation and gameplay mechanics. Though whether these justify the seemingly copy-pasted story remains to be seen.
For one, Tower of Fantasy allows players to customize their Wanderer. So, while they start with the default look at the beginning of the game, they can style their character with different hairstyles and outfits. This is why there are so many images of Tower of Fantasy MCs looking like Genshin Impact characters. Another thing worth noting is that the Wanderer seems to have more voice lines in the story compared to Genshin Impact’s Traveler. As such, the Wanderer might play a more active role in the events of the story, voicing their opinions rather than letting a mouthpiece – that is, Paimon of Genshin Impact – do the talking for them.
As for the combat of Tower of Fantasy, it’s been called out for utilizing combos and attack skills similar to that of Genshin Impact. However, it adds a new layer with the inclusion of aerial combos and quick-time events. Moreover, instead of switching through a team of characters, the Wanderer can quickly equip a variety of weapons – the focus being longer combos rather than elemental reactions. But admittedly, the similar attack patterns are questionable, as they do make Tower of Fantasy appear like a Genshin Impact rip-off. Even the cool new traversal features, like mounts, jetpacks, and more aren’t enough to set Tower of Fantasy apart from its more popular predecessor.
A Genshin Impact Copy?
At the end of the day, the criticisms against Tower of Fantasy are pretty justified. Its prelude and many of its animations are far too similar to Genshin Impact’s. However, the game still has time to set itself apart. In fact, it’s already implemented features that Genshin Impact players have wanted for a long time now. First, it’s a shared open-world, meaning more than four players can play in the same world at a time. Additionally, its gacha system is far more generous compared to Genshin Impact’s Wish and Pity System. These factors alone are convincing enough to get people to try the game.
While it’s hard to justify why Tower of Fantasy seemingly copy-pasted so many elements from Genshin Impact, perhaps the game still has some things up its sleeve. Maybe the next two or three updates will showcase its innovative storyline or some new combat mechanic that will change the game. Until then, however, it looks like Tower of Fantasy will be viewed as a pretty decent Genshin Impact clone.
Genshin Impact is now available on mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5. A Switch version is in development with no confirmed release date.
