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Honkai: Star Rail’s 2.0 patch is a massive step forward for players who can access it
Honkai: Star Rail’s 2.0 update forms another glittering jewel in Hoyoverse’s already illustrious crown of achievements. The new patch takes the already impressive base game — which pairs stunning animation with zippy turn-based combat — and kicks everything up a level. It introduces Penacony, a region that pairs an intriguing story of a dream world set on a former penal colony with an artistically ambitious world design that’s like a golden fever dream of a place, somehow capturing the feeling of a theme park and casino rolled up in one. Even smaller details, like the update’s minigames, show a level of polish and consideration not seen in previous Honkai: Star Rail versions or in Genshin Impact. The patch represents the culmination of years of Hoyoverse’s experience in game development, but there’s one problem: You’ll have to play a ton of quests to get to it.