Everything you need to know about the Honkai: Star Rail beta

Want to board the Astral Express? HoYoverse just announced its second beta for its upcoming turn-based RPG, Honkai: Star Rail. This space-themed story takes players on a journey through the stars — and brings back some old faces for longtime HoYoverse followers. Those who enjoy Honkai Impact 3rd or Genshin Impact might especially enjoy the developer’s first attempt at the genre. It even has an updated website with bits of lore and trailers for expectant fans.

So, what’s the ticket to the Astral Express? Here’s what you need to know about the Honkai: Star Rail beta.

What is Honkai: Star Rail?

Honkai: Star Rail is HoYoverse’s upcoming turn-based RPG set in a space-themed sci-fi world.

The protagonist boards a ship called the Astral Express with a group of passengers who claim to have inherited the spirit of Trailblaze. These Trailblazers dedicate themselves to investigating godly beings called Aeons and exploring the universe through the Star Rail. Much of the plot seems to focus on the legends behind Aeons, such as one named “Destruction” who is casting “seeds of ruin” called Stellarons across the galaxy. The protagonist apparently has one of these seeds implanted in them.

How can I sign up for the Honkai: Star Rail beta?

Sign-ups for the second Honkai: Star Rail beta started on April 28, 2022. Just go to the official Honkai: Star Rail website and click the “Enter Sign-Up” button on the front page.

Honkai: Star Rail beta sign-ups close on May 15, 2022. Be sure to sign up before then to have a chance at entering this beta. Those selected for the beta should receive a confirmation email.

What platforms is the Honkai: Star Rail beta available for?

The beta will be accessible on Android and iOS devices, as well as Windows PC.

When will the Honkai: Star Rail beta take place?

The Honkai: Star Rail beta started on May 25, 2022. HoYoverse just announced that the beta would end on June 15, 2022, which means beta testers received just over three weeks with the work-in-progress. Note that these dates differ from the first Honkai: Star Rail beta, which happened in fall 2021.

In a HoYoLab blog post, the developers also already responded to some feedback from Honkai: Star Rail beta testers.

What changes will be made in the final version of Honkai: Star Rail?

Many of the changes in HoYoverse’s recent blog have to do with exploration and quality-of-life changes.

Some participants complained that the Astral Express and the towns themselves seemed monotonous with little to do. HoYoverse explained that it plans to flesh out these areas with more activities and even add additional carriages to the Astral Express. It also plans to optimize controller support. Other small changes like a camera, the option to view Light Cone art, and a friends list are also on the way.

What is Honkai: Star Rail gameplay like?

As mentioned earlier, Honkai: Star Rail is a turn-based role-playing game. Players control teams of characters when taking on opponents, much like Persona 5 Royal and others in the genre. It’s not like Honkai Impact 3rd or Genshin Impact, where you can attack enemies in real-time. However, it liberally takes inspiration from their existing systems. Each character is affiliated with a different weapon and element, and exploration also seems to work similarly as it does in these games.

Is Honkai: Star Rail related to Honkai Impact 3rd?

Honkai: Star Rail heavily resembles its older sibling Honkai Impact 3rd and even shares its name. HoYoverse added a line in the press release that said to expect “new companions as well as faces familiar to series fans.” Still, it’s not yet clear how the two games overlap.

HoYoverse often designs characters that look like counterparts from other games without actually connecting the two in an official capacity. Some characters, such as Himeko, look just like their Honkai Impact 3rd counterpart but seem to be completely different people. It’s the same with Raiden Mei from Honkai Impact 3rd and Raiden Ei from Genshin Impact.

Honkai Star Rail is currently in development for PC, iOS, and Android.