Last month it was announced Horizon Zero Dawn/Forbidden West's Aloy would be coming to Genshin Impact as a free 5-star character, and now we have more detail on her and the version 2.1 update she’ll be included in. First off, miHoYo has provided a brief look at Aloy in action, and she’s looking like a proper badass done up in Genshin’s trademark anime-inspired style.
Here's some more detail on Aloy’s abilities…
When Aloy traveled to Teyvat, she acquired a Cryo Vision, and became able to use her new powers to enhance her masterful bow and arrow attacks. Her Elemental Burst “Prophecies of Dawn” sees her throw a Power Cell filled with Cryo in the targeted direction, which she then detonates with an arrow, dealing AoE Cryo damage. Not only does her Elemental Skill “Frozen Wilds” and Talents buff herself and her teammates, they also debuff her opponents while dealing Cryo damage.
Aloy’s Frozen Wilds skill throws a Freeze Bomb in the targeted direction and triggers an explosion, dealing Cryo damage. After the explosion, the Freeze Bomb scatters into multiple Chillwater Bomblets that explode on contact with opponents immediately or after a short delay, dealing additional Cryo Damage. When a Freeze Bomb or Chillwater Bomblet hits an opponent, the opponent’s attack is decreased and Aloy receives 1 Coil stack. Each Coil stack increases Aloy’s normal attack damage. When she has 4 Coil stacks, Aloy will gain the Rushing Ice effect, which lasts for a certain duration, during which her Normal Attack Damage will be converted into Cryo damage.
Meanwhile, Predator, the four-star bow, can further empower Aloy with its unique weapon effect. When Aloy equips Predator, which she brought from another world, her attack is increased by 66. Dealing Cryo damage to opponents increases its wielder’s normal and charged attack damage by 10% for 6s. This effect can have a maximum of 2 stacks. This unique bow can only be obtained from PS4 and PS5 and can be used on any platforms with the cross-save function. However, the weapon’s effect Strong Strike only applies when playing on PlayStation.
Update 2.1 isn’t just about Aloy though, it also marks the end of Genshin Impact’s Inazuma chapter, adds three other characters (which will require you to engage in the game’s gacha system), and more. You can get a peek at the new characters, below.
We’d like to introduce three new playable characters who may become valuable assets in your daily battles and exploration. The Raiden Shogun herself will be joining as a five-star Electro polearm user. When we designed her stance and movements, we wanted to show the calmness, majesty and divine power of an Archon. We also took inspiration from Hassō-no-kamae, sword sheathing, and other actions of Kenjutsu to design her combat movements.
Sangonomiya Kokomi, the Divine Priestess and leader of Watatsumi Island and the resistance forces, will be joining as another five-star character. Wielding the power of Hydro and a catalyst, she can provide a great amount of healing to teammates. Last but not least is Kujou Sara, the bold and decisive general of the Tenryou Commission loyal to the Shogun. As a bow wielder with an Electro Vision, she can deal solid Electro ranged attacks and provide buffs to the team.
And here’s some of the other features included in update 2.1…
A Grand Finale to the Inazuma Chapter
With Version 2.1, the main storyline of the tumultuous nation of Inazuma will finally come to an end in the new chapter – Omnipresence Over Mortals. In the previous story, the Traveler was defeated in their first confrontation against the Raiden Shogun, and later joined the ranks of the resistance forces. Will the Traveler confront the Almighty Shogun again? Will the Traveler stand a chance to shake the Shogun’s imposing will to pursue eternity and turn the situation around in Inazuma? All will be revealed in the coming Archon quest.
Two new major islands will be made available to players. The first one is Watatsumi Island, home to the resistance forces. At the center of the island stands the beautiful Sangonomiya Shrine surrounded by mountains and misty waterfalls. The island has a dreamy other-worldly scenery, and in terms of faith, its citizens worship the Great Serpent instead of the Electro Archon. In contrast to Watatsumi Island, Seirai Island’s atmosphere is bleak, eerie, and gloomy. The island is shrouded in perpetual violent storms, leaving the ruins, abandoned shrines, and withering trees to tell a sad story of the past.
A Trip for History and Gastronomic Delights
If you want a short break from the intense adventure in Inazuma, you may want to return to Liyue for the Moonchase Festival! In this upcoming seasonal event, you can cook and sample a variety of Liyue cuisine with old friends such as Xiangling and Keqing, and explore the origins of this ancient traditional festival that has been passed down in the bountiful Liyue Harbor for thousands of years.
Of course, no celebration is complete without generous rewards and fun games. This time, we’ve prepared a large-scale treasure hunt event — Moonlight Seeker! During the event, the Adventurers’ Guild will be scattering Moonchase Charms and Mystmoon Chests all around the areas of Liyue, Mondstadt, and Dragonspine. Travelers may find clues about their location by speaking with the event organizer, track down every Mystmoon Chest for rewards, and collect Moonchase Charms to exchange for various resources and items, as well as the new four-star claymore Luxurious Sea-Lord up to full refinement.
It’s Fishing Time!
After the Serenitea Pot, we’re introducing another gameplay system, fishing! Fishes of assorted types vary widely across the continent of Teyvat, and they can be used to produce fish meat, be exchanged for rewards, or redeemed for new fishing rods from the Fishing Association. Special Ornamental Fish can also be caught and raised in the Pool of Sapphire Grace, a brand-new furnishing that can be crafted in your personal realm inside your Serenitea Pot. If you’re confident in your fishing skills, you can participate in the Lunar Realm event and join Kujirai Momiji, the fishing expert from Inazuma, to seek out the legendary fish Lunar Leviathan.
One-Year Anniversary
Finally, it’s been almost a year since Genshin Impact was first released last September, and we would like to say a heartfelt thank you to every Traveler who has supported us! To celebrate the upcoming anniversary of Genshin Impact, Travelers can claim up to 10 Intertwined Fate along with abundant resources by participating in the daily login event. Players across all servers will have their Double Crystal top-up bonus reset, which means everyone will be able to enjoy a double amount of Genesis Crystals for their first purchase again.
Genshin Impact is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, and mobile platforms. Version 2.1 will arrive on September 1.
