Fontaine has finally been released in Genshin Impact, and the travelers of the game are hyped. But how has the region compared to player expectations?
On Aug. 15, 2023, “Genshin Impact,” a fantasy and anime-themed open-world action role-playing game (RPG) set in the land of Teyvat, released a new update thanks to the developers at HoYoverse.
In the past, Genshin has had mixed success with its later updates. Although most new content has been well received by the community, fans have expressed wishes for smoother nation exploration and quest lines. Now that Fontaine’s first region is open, we can see if these expectations were heard by HoYoverse.
I am one of many with hopes for Fontaine as an avid player since November 2020. The release of Fontaine and its new characters has attracted both new and old players. My aim today is to guide gamers through these uncharted waters, ultimately helping decide whether Fontaine is enough to convince people to play Genshin.
A large part of each nation is the boss and enemy fights, and all add to the respective nation’s lore and aesthetic. Fortunately, Fontaine’s bosses are the best we’ve seen so far. My new favorite normal boss is now the challenge of Icewind Suite, as it shows great aspects in both its looks and attacks.
Coppelia and Coppelius have a unique trait: they are a duo of dancing steampunk robots. Their concept meshes well with Fontaine as a whole: a steampunk, theatric, and entertainment-focused city with French and British inspiration. We haven’t had a normal boss this creative so far in the game. And since this is one of Fontaine’s first bosses, it sets high expectations for the rest of the region.
The visuals and mechanics of the actual fight are interesting. Each attack feels as if it were in rhythm, and it plays out like choreography. The fight starts with some spotlight, only setting the performance mood further.
The mechanics of the fight, specifically the uses of Pneuma and Ousia, also help set this fight apart from others. Not to mention, there are two modes to the challenge, all depending on which boss you want to fight.
Overall, the boss checks every box. It provides an engaging fight for players, with fresh, interesting mechanics and eye-catching visuals. It plays into the theme of its region very well, and overall it fits and contributes to Fontaine as a whole.
But Fontaine’s fantastic designs extend further, even to playable characters. Lyney, a newly released five-star from Fontaine, is a good example of this.
Lyney’s design is distinctive when compared to the rest of the roster. Before Lyney and his sister Lynette, we hadn’t had a design theme like a stage magician. Lyney, being the first, plays into the concept well.
One example of this is Lyney’s Elemental Burst attack. It involves Lyney turning into a Grin-Malkin Cat that moves around the battlefield and does pyro damage to an enemy that Lyney approaches. After his skill is used or the burst ends, he will reverse from cat form and deal AoE pyro damage through the use of fireworks, as well as set up Prop Surplus and a Grin-Malkin Hat.
Another feature important to Genshin is map exploration. Areas like Liyue’s chasm have been done well, but we also have seen poorly done ones in areas like Dragonspine. In that regard, Fontaine’s landscape has been one of the areas done well.
The exploration of Fontaine has been centered around the new mechanic of swimming. The majority of puzzles, fights, and resource collection is underwater, as it is the nation of Hydro. There aren’t any areas without these features. Every new place players explore manages to give them a task to do, and a reward for completing it.
Swimming isn’t perfect though. While it is a fun gimmick, the underwater combat system leaves much to be desired. Above the water, the main form of combat is switching between characters in your team to create synergy.
Underwater, however, you will not have the ability to switch characters to fight. Each character has the same underwater attack, which creates a stale gameplay loop of repeatedly clicking the same button to attack. As long as future areas don’t have a focus on marine combat, the mechanics of swimming are okay.
From what we’ve seen so far, Fontaine has lived up to expectations. Many aspects that players looked forward to have been met, and it sets good expectations for the rest of Fontaine.
Hello, I'm Gianna! This is my second year on staff, now as a senior in high school. I'm the head of the News and Artwork sections. I'm currently in Color Guard, B.I.O.N.I.C, NAHS, NEHS, Quill & Scroll Honors Society, and Senior Class Council!
Hello, I am Quinn Villanueva! This is my first year on 42Fifty! I am a junior at OHS, and am a proud member of the OH Bowling team. I'm also a gamer who enjoys a wide variety of video games. I'm excited to be here!
