If you’ve spent hundreds of hours exploring Teyvat, maxing out your favorite characters, and waiting for new Archon Quest drops, you’ve probably asked yourself are there any games like Genshin Impact at least once. Genshin’s perfect mix of open-world exploration, gacha character collection, deep lore, and cross-platform play makes it hard to find a title that hits all the same notes, but there are way more solid options than you might think. I’ve tested over 20 anime-style open-world RPGs in the last three years, both gacha and buy-to-play, so I’ve narrowed down the best picks that match what you love about Genshin without feeling like cheap copycats. We’ll cover games for every budget, playstyle, and platform, so you can find something to fill the gaps between Genshin version updates.
What to look for if you’re asking are there any games like Genshin Impact
Not every open-world anime RPG will feel like a good fit for Genshin fans, so it helps to know what core features to prioritize before you start downloading new games. Most people who love Genshin look for a mix of the following key features, depending on what they spend most of their time doing in Teyvat:
- Large, explorable open world with hidden secrets, collectibles, and environmental puzzles that reward curiosity, not just main quest progression
- Playable character roster with unique skills, playstyles, and backstories, so you can build a team that fits your preferred combat approach
- Action-focused real-time combat that combines elemental reactions, team combos, and skill timing, instead of turn-based or point-and-click systems
- Regular content updates that add new story chapters, characters, and areas, so you never run out of new things to do after beating the main campaign
You don’t need a game that checks every single box, of course. If you mostly play Genshin for the exploration, you might not care as much about gacha collection mechanics, and if you’re here for the character builds, a smaller open world won’t be a dealbreaker. Keep these features in mind as you look through the picks below, so you can skip the ones that don’t align with what you enjoy most.
Best free-to-play gacha games similar to Genshin Impact
If you love Genshin’s gacha collection loop and don’t mind spending a little (or nothing) to get new characters, these free-to-play picks are the closest match you’ll find right now. Wuthering Waves is the most obvious first pick, with a stunning open post-apocalyptic world, fluid fast-paced combat, and a roster of incredibly well-designed characters with unique playstyles. It shares Genshin’s elemental reaction system, but adds parry and dodge mechanics that make combat feel more dynamic for players who prefer more action-focused gameplay. The main downside is that its gacha rates are slightly lower than Genshin’s, and the story is still in early stages, so you’ll burn through existing content faster if you play regularly.
Tower of Fantasy is another great option, with a sci-fi setting, customizable player characters, and multiplayer open-world exploration that lets you team up with friends to take on world bosses and dungeons. It’s more focused on combat and endgame grinding than Genshin, so it’s a perfect fit if you’ve ever gotten frustrated with Genshin’s slow endgame update cycle. Just note that its monetization is a bit more aggressive, so you’ll want to set a budget if you plan to spend on characters or gear. Honkai: Star Rail is worth a mention too, even though it’s turn-based, because it shares Genshin’s deep lore, character writing, and gacha system, and it’s made by the same developer. It’s a great pick if you want more of HoYoverse’s storytelling style without having to explore a huge open world.
Best buy-to-play games for Genshin Impact fans who hate gacha
If you’re sick of gacha rates and want to pay once for a complete game with no hidden costs, these picks deliver all the open-world and combat fun of Genshin without the need to roll for characters. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the gold standard for open-world exploration, and it’s easy to see why so many Genshin fans cite it as a favorite alternative. Its physics-based puzzle system lets you approach every challenge in whatever way you want, and the world is packed with hidden secrets that reward you for wandering off the main path. The only catch is that it’s only available on Nintendo Switch, so it’s not an option if you only play on PC or mobile.
Tales of Arise is another fantastic pick, with flashy action combat, a cast of memorable characters with their own personal story arcs, and a vibrant fantasy world to explore. There’s no gacha here, so you unlock every playable character naturally as you progress through the story, and the combat system has combo and elemental mechanics that feel very familiar to Genshin players. It’s a bit more linear than Genshin, but the main story is 30+ hours long, with plenty of side content to keep you busy after you beat the main campaign. Immortals Fenyx Rising is another underrated pick, with a colorful Greek mythology-inspired open world, environmental puzzles, and elemental skill systems that feel very similar to Genshin, and it’s available on all major platforms including PC, console, and cloud gaming services.
How to pick the right Genshin Impact alternative for you
With so many options to choose from, it’s easy to waste hours downloading a game that doesn’t fit what you’re looking for. First, think about what you spend most of your time doing in Genshin. If you log on every day just to do your daily commissions and roll for new limited characters, a free-to-play gacha option like Wuthering Waves will be a perfect fit. If you only play Genshin to explore new regions and solve puzzles, a buy-to-play game like Tears of the Kingdom will give you way more content to explore without the pressure of daily tasks.
You also want to consider what platforms you play on. Most gacha alternatives to Genshin are cross-platform, so you can play on mobile, PC, and console with the same account, but most buy-to-play options are limited to specific consoles or PC. If you mostly game on your phone during your commute, you’ll want to skip the console-only picks entirely. It’s also a good idea to watch 10 or 15 minutes of gameplay before you download anything. That way you can get a feel for the combat speed, art style, and world design before you invest time into setting up an account or purchasing the game. I’ve skipped so many games that sounded great on paper just because the combat felt clunky or the art style didn’t click for me, and it’s saved me a ton of time over the years.
At the end of the day, there’s no exact replacement for Genshin Impact, but if you’ve been asking are there any games like Genshin Impact that can scratch the same itch, there are more great options than ever before. Whether you want to stick with free-to-play gacha games or pay once for a complete experience, you can find a title that matches the parts of Genshin you love most. Don’t be afraid to try a few different options before you settle on one, and remember you can always jump back into Teyvat whenever a new version drops. You don’t have to pick one game to play exclusively, after all—plenty of people bounce between Genshin and other similar games to keep things fresh.