Now that Honkai Star Rail is out, players are diving into its colourful world and bringing their favourite Honkai Star Rail characters home to build up the perfect team in the turn-based anime game from the makers of Genshin Impact. Your first decision between Stelle and Caelus, then, probably feels pretty impactful – but Honkai Star Rail makes it very clear when you’ve been taking too long to pick one.
Honkai Star Rail’s opening sequence sees you take control of Stellaron Hunters Kafka and Silver Wolf as you learn the basic controls and how combat works. Once you’re through the initial tutorials, however, you’ll have to decide which of the two Receptacles you’ll want to pick to act as your primary protagonist – the Trailblazer.
The choice is between Stelle, a long-haired woman, and Caelus, a man with scruffy hair, although you can change their code name after selecting one if you want. You’re warned up front that “the receptacle cannot be changed after verification” – so not only are you expected to decide right from the get-go, but you won’t have a chance to change your mind later.
Despite this, Honkai Star Rail wastes no time in letting you know if it thinks you’re wasting a bit too much time on the choice. As you sit on the selection screen, Silver Wolf will begin to grow impatient: “Why are you standing around? Having second thoughts?” She’ll continue to chime in repeatedly the longer you wait, getting increasingly more teasing towards Kafka, who is framed as the one making the choice.
Sit there pondering for a full minute and Silver Wolf purrs, “You’re going to think for this long? Didn’t make up your mind when you got out of bed this morning?” Fortunately, Kafka’s on your side, responding, “Don’t hurry me, Silver Wolf; this is a big decision.” That’s not enough to sate Silver Wolf’s eagerness, though, as she soon exclaims, “Ugh, come on – I’ll pick for you! This one… Yeah, this one!”
Kafka is quick to remind her companion that the decision isn’t hers to make, however. Just as well; I’m firmly on Kafka’s side here. Our Honkai Star Rail review shows that this is a game worth investing in; with potentially dozens if not hundreds of hours ahead as I explore the world, uncover its stories, and craft the best Honkai Star Rail team I can muster, I’ll be damned if I’m going to rush in with a mistake I’ll regret forever.
Make sure you don’t make any errors by checking our Honkai Star Rail tier list for April 2023 to see who’s hottest at launch, along with our Honkai Star Rail codes and Honkai Star Rail reroll guide to make sure you pull as many top-notch characters as possible. Then, find out how to increase Honkai Star Rail equilibrium levels as fast as possible to get out of the gates quickly.