Is the Honor of Kings world review a nostalgia-driven open-world game or a monetization tool? (Part 2)

I thought the new game would be full of complaints, but my first impression was quite good. It departed from the MOBA-style canyon map and became spectacular and beautiful. Then, as I was about to start the story, the moment I arrived, it felt like I was in an animation. All the heroes I had played were transformed into 3D models and stood in front of me to interact with me. At the beginning, I met Dongfang Yao, a newcomer to the Yuanliu Child who had lost his memory. He had to slowly find the fragments. With the help of the entire Star Team, we stood in the same place and talked, which immediately brought the DNA in my body to life.

Skills recreated, evoking a strong sense of nostalgia.

The heroes you encounter will use skills you've played before to guide you. There's Xi Shi leading the way, Meng Ya firing cannons, Sun Bin reversing time, Li Bai flying over mountains on his sword, and Da Qiao summoning a vortex to change the terrain. All the moves you used in ranked matches in Honor of Kings are presented in a different way. The simple skill combos immediately evoke nostalgia and perfectly match the original character settings. Don't worry, it's a nostalgia trip for veteran players, but newbies can also easily understand the story and jump right in.

RPG game controls

Beyond the characters and visuals, what else is there to see? The combat system, of course! The game has transitioned to an open world, eliminating 5v5 lane battles and replacing them with RPG-like controls. No need for on-screen movement keys or skill activation; keyboard and mouse are required. Basic attacks have distinct heavy and light attacks, allowing for precise control. Even damage can be easily dodged, with lightning-fast system response and perfect manual coordination. There are no skins or enhancements to the controls; the smoothness is top-tier. You can bring two heroes into battle, freely switching between two skill sets. Kai transforms to maximize his tankiness, while Jia Luo continues to fire arrows from a distance. Double health bars are visible on the screen, displaying the health of your chosen characters.

If you're a veteran player, you'll be very familiar with the hero's skill mechanics, which is a plus. It perfectly recreates the combat feel of a classic game, and Mulan still has both light and heavy sword forms. Fighting monsters and bosses is very stress-relieving, watching the health bar gradually disappear. However, it's still an RPG, so your level will affect your combat power. Melee combat will inevitably feel like you're just scratching the surface. Stronger elite monsters will summon allies to focus fire, making it easy to get ganged up on. Getting lost while exploring the map is also a common experience in RPGs.

Image source: Internet