# Honkai: Star Rail

Honkai: Star Rail (HSR) is a free-to-play role-playing gacha video game developed and published by miHoYo (with publishing outside mainland China under Cognosphere, d/b/a HoYoverse). It is the fourth installment in the Honkai series, utilizing some characters from Honkai Impact 3rd and some gameplay elements from Genshin Impact. The game features the main character, who is referred to as the Trailblazer, traveling across planets through the Astral Express to help and connect the worlds while resolving disasters caused by "Stellarons" and other third parties.
The first closed beta test was launched on October 27, 2021. It was publicly released internationally on April 26, 2023 for Windows and mobile devices. Additionally, the PlayStation 5 port was released on October 11, 2023. The PlayStation 4 version is still yet to be announced, as revealed at the 2023 Summer Game Fest with a trailer.
Partially due to the popularity of Genshin Impact, the game was widely anticipated before its launch. It was nominated for the Most Wanted Game Award at the Golden Joystick Awards in 2022, won the Best Popularity Award of World Science Fiction Game Annual Awards in 2023, and Best Mobile Game Award in the Game Awards 2023

## Gameplay

Honkai: Star Rail follows the gameplay style of classic Japanese role-playing games where players build up a lineup of characters and control a team of up to four in turn-based combat. In addition to various stats that affect characters' strength, each character has a combat type that affects the kind of damage dealt to targets, a character class referred to as a Path (see Story and Setting § Setting) that defines their combat role, and a set of unique abilities called Traces used in combat. Each character can equip a weapon known as a Light Cone, that has various effects that activate if the Paths of both the character and Light Cone match. Characters can also equip various Relics, similar to Artifacts in Genshin Impact.
Elements of open-world and dungeon exploration are present, with multiple mechanics including the gacha system, carried over (with slight differences) from Genshin Impact. Both games have mechanics of gacha games, in which players spend in-game currency that can be earned in-game or purchased with real money through microtransactions to receive new characters and weapons

## Plot
### Setting

The game is set in a science-fantasy universe in which humanity and sapient non-human beings follow the Paths of god-like entities known as Aeons. Those who follow Paths are known as Pathstriders, while those who are directly blessed with divine powers by the Aeons are known as Emanators. They are incomparably more powerful than mere mortals. They are typically enforcers of Aeons' wills, but this is not always the case.
Each Path espouses an ideal: for example, the Abundance is based on the view that immortality is a blessing and that healing and altruism should be valued as a top priority. The Destruction believes that civilization is cancerous to the universe, and seeks to eradicate all of civilization through the spreading of various disasters, such as the Stellaron, an object known as the Cancer of All Worlds, which brings destruction to any planet it is placed on.
Some Paths were led by Aeons who are now deceased, but continue to exist without the influence of their Aeons. The main character of the game known as the Trailblazer, a mysterious amnesiac possessing a Stellaron, follows the Path of Trailblaze, a Path created by the missing Akivili. Pathstriders of Trailblaze, also known as the "Nameless", seek to "explore, establish, and connect" among different worlds.
Different Paths are portrayed as antagonistic, protagonistic, or neutral. The primary antagonist of the game is Nanook, who controls the Path of Destruction, along with Antimatter Legion led by Lord Ravagers, the Emanators of Destruction. Other Paths, such as the Path of Abundance, are not necessarily seen as antagonistic, but are involved in rivalries with the Hunt and other Paths, who view the immortality granted by the Path of Abundance as a curse.
Aside from the Path of Destruction, the Stellaron Hunters are a somewhat antagonistic antihero group throughout the game, who search for and collect Stellarons across the universe and claim to be able to see the future. The main characters are often in conflict with the Stellaron Hunters, though they more or less end up aiding each other on their journeys.

### Story

The following table only includes the central storyline of the Astral Express crew's cosmic journey and does not include interlude stories from the worlds previously visited during the crew's journey. The titles are arranged according to the chronological order of the crew's visits.
| World | Title(s) | Release Date(s) |
| Herta Space Station | Today Is Yesterday's Tomorrow | April 26, 2023 |
| The Herta Space Station is attacked by members of the Antimatter Legion, followers of the Path of Destruction. Amidst the chaos, two Stellaron Hunters, Kafka and Silver Wolf, infiltrate the station and steal the Stellaron that was being safely held within it. Kafka takes hold of the Stellaron and inserts it into the body of an empty vessel generated by Silver Wolf (whose gender and name are chosen by the player). The vessel (known as the Trailblazer in English and various other names in other translations of the game) awakens, after which Kafka erases their memory, informs them of the future that lies ahead and leaves. They then fall unconscious. A now-amnesiac Trailblazer wakes up and meets March 7th and Dan Heng. Both are traveling on the Astral Express, a large cosmic train that travels the universe along the eponymous "Star Rail". After eliminating the remaining threats from the Antimatter Legion, the Trailblazer meets Himeko, the navigator and "owner" of the Astral Express, and Welt Yang, an interstellar traveler originating from the world of Honkai Impact 3rd. In an attempt to discover their origins and eliminate the threats of the remaining Stellarons, the Trailblazer departs with the Astral Express crew, becoming a member of the Nameless. |||
| Jarilo-VI | In the Withering Wintry Night | April 26, 2023 |
| Jarilo-VI | In the Sweltering Morning Sun | April 26, 2023 |
| The Trailblazer, March 7th, and Dan Heng arrive at Jarilo-VI, a planet that has been mostly ravaged by the Eternal Freeze, an uninhabitable winter caused by the power of a Stellaron disaster and the invading Fragmentum, powerful monsters that work to injure or kill humans and destroy human-made creations. The three arrive at the city of Belobog and speak with Supreme Guardian Cocolia, hoping to resolve the Stellaron affair; however, Cocolia brands them as fugitives and orders them arrested. They escape from the Belobog's Silvermane Guards and move to the Underworld below the planet's surface, where they learn of the peacekeeping organization Wildfire led by Natasha, and their ongoing conflict with Svarog, the leader of Automatons, who has repeatedly rejected peace talks and refuses to let anyone return to the surface. After battling Svarog, they convince him to allow the Astral Express crew to return to the surface and confront Cocolia, whom they learn has been corrupted by the Stellaron. Intending to use its power to destroy Belobog and rebuild Jarilo-VI anew, Cocolia merges with the Stellaron and severely injures the Trailblazer, but the Trailblazer's willingness to protect Belobog attracts not only the spirits of previous Supreme Guardians but also the gaze of the Aeon, Qlipoth, who grant the Trailblazer the power of Preservation. The Nameless defeat Cocolia, and her adopted daughter Bronya take her place as the new Supreme Guardian while announcing plans to bridge the Underworld and Belobog together. |||
| The Xianzhou Luofu | Windswept Wanderlust | April 26, 2023 |
| The Xianzhou Luofu | Topclouded Towerthrust | July 9, 2023 |
| The Xianzhou Luofu | Karmic Clouds Faded, War Banners Folded | August 30, 2023 |
| The Astral Express crew receives a signal from Kafka, who wants the Nameless to settle a Stellaron incident on the Xianzhou Luofu, a massive planet-sized starship following the Path of the Hunt. When the Nameless arrive, they are not permitted to assist in Stellaron affairs but are instead tasked by Jing Yuan, the general of the Xianzhou Luofu army, to weed out Kafka and her Stellaron Hunter cohort Blade, as the presence of the Stellaron Hunters on the ship is deemed a threat. The crew finds and defeats Kafka in battle, after which she reveals she was sent to lure the Nameless to the Luofu to fulfill the prophecy laid out by the Stellaron Hunters' leader, Elio. After Blade and Kafka are found and interrogated, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, a faction following the Path of Abundance, a rival to Path of the Hunt, attack the Luofu in a conflict manipulated by Lord Ravager Phantylia, a leader in the Antimatter Legion. During this conflict, Dan Heng reveals that he is the reincarnation of a powerful exiled Vidyadhara criminal named Dan Feng during a battle with Blade, and assists the rest of the Astral Express and the Xianzhou Luofu army in fighting the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and defeat Phantylia, forcing the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and Antimatter Legion to retreat from the Luofu. After the battle, Jing Yuan formally creates an alliance between the Xianzhou and Astral Express and annuls the exile of Dan Heng's previous incarnation, granting him freedom onboard the Xianzhou Luofu. As a symbol of their alliance, Jing Yuan gifts the Nameless a Jade Abacus that can be used to summon Xianzhou reinforcements in a time of need. After the Trailblazer and March 7th return to the Express, Himeko tells the Trailblazer that their next stop is Penacony, the Planet of Festivities. Formerly a prison planet used by the IPC to exile criminals, it had fallen under the influence of Xipe, the Aeon of Harmony, some time ago, transforming the planet into a renowned, luxurious cosmic resort through the Dreamscape, a system that harnesses memoria to power a massive collective dream. Himeko explains that the Family at Penacony issued formal invitations to many galactic factions for the first time in history and among the invited factions were the IPC and the Astral Express. Meanwhile, Luocha, a traveling merchant visiting the Xianzhou Luofu, and Jingliu, Jing Yuan's former master and a criminal wanted by the Xianzhou alliance, meet Jing Yuan at the Shackling Prison, proclaiming that they will put the Abundance in their grave. |||
| Penacony | The Sound and the Fury | February 6, 2024 |
| Penacony | Cat Among Pigeons | March 27, 2024 |
| Penacony | In Our Time | May 8, 2024 |
| Penacony | Farewell, Penacony | June 19, 2024 |
| Penacony | A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn | December 4, 2024 |
| The Astral Express arrives on Penacony for the Charmony Festival, overseen by Sunday and his sister Robin, answering the invitation given to them while also intending to investigate the fate of Mikhail, a past Astral Express crewmember who disappeared on Penacony along with his companions. While exploring the Dreamscape, the Trailblazer encounters Acheron, who claims to be a Galaxy Ranger, and Aventurine, an Interastral Peace Corporation representative and member of the "Ten Stonehearts", a group of high-ranking IPC executives. The Trailblazer also befriends Firefly, a Stellaron Hunter who snuck into the Dreamscape to look for a cure for her illness. In the lead-up to the festival, the Trailblazer and Firefly encounter Sparkle, a member of a group of fanatic followers of the Elation known as the "Masked Fools", who knocks the two unconscious. When they awaken, they find themselves in the dark reality of the Dreamscape, which is hidden from the public, and are attacked by a monster called "Death," only to be rescued by the Memokeeper Black Swan. Sensing that something in the Dreamscape is being covered up by the Family, the Trailblazer and Firefly investigate further, but "Death" reappears and kills Firefly, shortly before another Stellaron Hunter named SAM attacks Acheron, forcing the Trailblazer to intervene. Black Swan separates the Trailblazer away from SAM and takes them to Aventurine back in reality, who tells the Trailblazer that there are darker conspiracies involving the Stellaron and the Family's control over the Dreamscape and that Acheron is not what she seems before he reveals that Robin was also apparently murdered by "Death." Later, when confronted by Sunday, Aventurine is caught concealing his Cornerstone (his source of power), and, in retaliation, Sunday uses his power to number Aventurine's hours, forcing him under a geas to investigate Robin's murder. Plagued by visions of his past and future, Aventurine recalls his plan to get caught to lure Acheron and the Trailblazer into a public confrontation with him. He reveals the Cornerstone belongs to his superior, Jade, and that he destroyed his own before arriving on Penacony, in order to provoke a large-scale response from the IPC. During the battle at the Clock Studios Theme Park, Aventurine threatens to detonate the Stellaron within the Trailblazer, forcing Acheron to "kill" him, revealing her true identity as an Emanator of Nihility. With written encouragement from Dr. Ratio of the Intelligentsia Guild, Aventurine escapes from the Border of Nihility and leaves the Dreamscape. After rescuing them from the confrontation between Acheron and Aventurine, SAM, revealed to be a surviving Firefly, explains to the Trailblazer and the Astral Express crew that the creature called "Death" does not kill its victims but rather transports them to Dreamflux Reef in the Land of the Exiles, a memory zone outside of the Family's jurisdiction and guarded by Penacony's Head of Security, Gallagher. Gallagher also "kills" Sunday, who reunites with Robin in Dreamflux Reef and reveals that Dreamscape is a Stellaron disaster controlled by the Family. Sunday realizes the Stellaron is at the Penacony Grand Theater and that the Dreammaster is involved. The Nameless also learn about Mikhail's discovery of the Land of the Exiles and their past counterparts' roles in liberating Penacony; to oppose the Dreammaster's plans, Mikhail remained in Penacony to become the Watchmaker, and it was he who sent the invitation to the Astral Express, though he passed away from old age before the Nameless arrived. The Trailblazer, in turn, inherits the Watchmaker's legacy, connecting with and receiving the powers of Harmony. However, Sunday betrays Welt and Robin, allying himself with the Dreammaster and revealing they are followers of Ena, the Aeon of Order. He retreats to the Grand Theater, intending to use the Penacony Stellaron's power and Harmony's song to brainwash Penacony's inhabitants and allow Order to take over the planet. The Nameless confront Sunday, seemingly defeating him with Dan Heng and Jing Yuan's help, but Black Swan reveals it was an illusion. With help from Acheron, Black Swan, Robin, and the Galaxy Ranger Boothill, the Astral Express crew escapes the illusion and truly defeats Sunday, restoring the Dreamscape and reality. To cover up the incident, the Charmony Festival is rebranded as a smaller event on the airship Radiant Feldspar. Oti Alfalfa, the new leader of the Family, initially plans an IPO for Penacony but changes his mind after Jade threatens to reveal that true death is now possible in the Dreamscape. The IPC becomes a significant shareholder with 30% equity, gifting 5% to the Nameless. During the festivities, Sparkle announces a bomb threat, but it is revealed to be a fireworks display to mark the end of the Charmony Festival. The Astral Express honors Mikhail, Gallagher, and the former Nameless, and the Trailblazer bids farewell to Acheron. As the Express prepares to depart, Welt explains that their fuel, drawn from the Star Rail, is running low; to resolve this, Black Swan suggests heading to Amphoreus, the Eternal Land, to lay a new stretch of Star Rails to replenish the Express' fuel. Meanwhile, Jade offers Sunday a deal to fulfill his and Robin's promise to create a true haven of peace and release him from the Family's custody, where he encounters the Nameless. Deciding that he must start afresh to atone for his misdeeds, Sunday resolves traces of disharmony in the Dreamscape while secretly bidding Robin goodbye and facing his projection of the Grand Theater to banish his inner doubts, before leaving Penacony behind and boarding the Astral Express to continue his journey to find paradise. |||
| Amphoreus | Heroic Saga of Flame-Chase | January 14, 2025 |
| Amphoreus | Light Slips the Gate, Shadow Greets the Throne | February 26, 2025 |
| The Trailblazer and Dan Heng venture into Amphoreus but are attacked and cut off from the rest of the Express. They are rescued by the high priestess triplets Tribios - split into Tribbie, Trianne, and Trinnon - and swordbearer Phainon, who bring them to the holy city of Okhema. The city's leader Aglaea reveals that Amphoreus is on the brink of extinction to a malevolent force known as the black tide and that the only way to reverse the planet's fortunes is to fulfill a prophecy of having a set of heroes - known as Chrysos Heirs - slay the world's twelve deities known as Titans and offer up their Coreflames to the Vortex of Genesis, with only six having been defeated so far. The Trailblazer and Dan Heng agree to help her, though she orders them not to reveal that they come from beyond the sky from Amorpheus' citizens. Tribios tracks Nikador, the Strife Titan, and the Trailblazer is sent alongside Phainon - who is expected to kill Nikador to become a demigod - and Mydei - whose people worshipped Nikador until their homeland was destroyed. The trio finds that Nikador has gone insane and thrown away his identity; as a result, he cannot be killed. In a desperate attempt, Tribios and the malefic Castorice contact Oronyx, the Time Titan, to reverse Nikador's immortality. Oronyx initially vehemently refuses until they recognize the Trailblazer as having captured the gaze of Fuli, the Aeon of Remembrance, and agree to grant their aid. Mem, Oronyx's "kin," also introduces itself to the group and becomes the Traiblazer's Familiar. With their help, the Trailblazer and Castorice return to the waning days of Mydei's homeland, Castrum Kremnos, and restore Nikador to his true form, enabling Phainon to kill him. The Heirs, alongside the Trailblazer and Dan Heng, offer up the Coreflame to the Vortex, but it forces Phainon to undergo a trial before making him a demigod. Phainon accepts but fails when the masked shadow assassin who destroyed his hometown - nicknamed the Flame Reaver - overpowers him, forcing Mydei and the Trailblazer to intervene and pull him out. Aglaea sends the Trailblazer, Trianne, and Castorice to the Grove of Epiphany, a sanctum of the Titan Cerces, to negotiate for their Coreflame, but they find it overrun by the black tide and besieged by the Flame Reaver. Cerces hides part of the Coreflame in the Chrysos Heir Anaxa to protect it. The group is nearly defeated by the Flame Reaver until Trianne uses much of her energy to allow them to escape. The ensuing exhaustion provokes visions of Tribios' past within the triplets; they seek Oronyx's assistance at their hometown Janusopolis, only to be ambushed by the Flame Reaver stealing Oronyx's Coreflame, forcing Trianne to sacrifice herself to save them. The Heirs plan to use Mem's connection to Oronyx to trap the Flame Reaver in the past. While this fails, Mydei - having completed the trial of Strife in Phainon's place - uses his newfound power as a demigod to defeat the Flame Reaver. Mydei renounces his title as King of Kremnos and leaves Okhema to defend Amphoreus from the black tide while Tribbie and Trinnon come to terms with Trianne's passing and their responsibilities to pursue her destiny as a Heir. Meanwhile, on the Express, March 7th becomes gravely ill due to exposure to Amphoreus and slowly begins freezing over, leading Welt and Sunday to seek out Herta's help; she agrees, intrigued by Amphoreus' condition. |||

## Characters
### Playable

The following table lists all currently confirmed playable characters in alphabetical order. All playable characters are associated with a specific world or faction, except cosmic characters.
All characters wield one of 8 playable paths: Abundance, Destruction, Erudition, Harmony, the Hunt, Nihility, Preservation, and Remembrance.

#### Astral Express

The Astral Express was released in April 2023.
| Name | Type | Path | Voice Actor | Description |
| Trailblazer (Caelus) (穹; Qióng) | Variable | Changeable | ZH: Qin Qiege EN: Caleb Yen JA: Junya Enoki KO: Kim Myung-jun | The main protagonist of the game. An artificial receptacle, in the form of a human being, that contains a Stellaron. Players can choose to play as either Caelus (male) or Stelle (female) as the Trailblazer (开拓者; Kāituòzhě) and may enter their chosen name to be used throughout the story. After being awakened by Kafka and Silver Wolf in the Herta Space Station, they joined the Astral Express to eliminate the threats posed by the Stellaron. |
| Trailblazer (Stelle) (星; Xīng) | Variable | Changeable | ZH: Chen Tingting EN: Rachael Chau JA: Yui Ishikawa KO: Kim Ha-ru | The main protagonist of the game. An artificial receptacle, in the form of a human being, that contains a Stellaron. Players can choose to play as either Caelus (male) or Stelle (female) as the Trailblazer (开拓者; Kāituòzhě) and may enter their chosen name to be used throughout the story. After being awakened by Kafka and Silver Wolf in the Herta Space Station, they joined the Astral Express to eliminate the threats posed by the Stellaron. |
| Dan Heng (丹恒; Dān Héng) | Wind | The Hunt | ZH: Li Chunyin EN: Nicholas Leung JA: Kent Itō KO: Kim Hye-sung | A reserved young man who acts as the train's guard. He often spends more time in the Astral Express data archives than in his bedroom. |
| Himeko (姬子; Jīzǐ) | Fire | Erudition | ZH: Lin Su EN: Cia Court JA: Rie Tanaka KO: Kim Bo-na | A scientist who fixed the Astral Express when it became stuck in her home world as a teenager. She later becomes the train's navigator and de facto owner and is the most senior active member of the Nameless, a faction that travels aboard the Astral Express to follow the Path of Trailblaze. |
| March 7th (三月七; Sānyuè Qī) | Variable | Changeable | ZH: Nuoya EN: Skyler Davenport JA: Yui Ogura KO: Jung Hye-won | A cheerful girl with no memory of her past before the Astral Express crew rescued her from being encased in ice. She took the name "March 7th" as it marked the day of her rescue. |
| Welt Yang (瓦尔特•杨; Wǎ'ěrtè Yáng) | Imaginary | Nihility | ZH: Peng Bo EN: Corey Landis JA: Yoshimasa Hosoya KO: Han-sin | The former Anti-Entropy Sovereign, whose true name is Joachim Nokianvirtanen (约阿希姆•诺基安维塔宁; Yuēāxīmǔ Nuòjī'ānwéitǎníng). He is the second-most senior active member of the Nameless and was originally from the planet Earth in Honkai Impact 3rd. |

#### Herta Space Station

Herta Space Station was released in April 2023.
| Name | Type | Path | Voice Actor | Description |
| Arlan (阿兰; Ālán) | Lightning | Destruction | ZH: Tao Dian EN: Dani Chambers JA: Ryoko Shiraishi KO: Kim Yul | The head of the space station's security department. |
| Asta (艾丝妲; Àisīdá) | Fire | Harmony | ZH: Guiniang EN: Felecia Angelle JA: Chinatsu Akasaki KO: Kim Hyeon-ji | An astronomer and the space station's lead researcher who comes from a wealthy family. Arlan often has to rein in her spending. |
| Herta (黑塔; Hēitǎ) | Ice | Erudition | ZH: Hou Xiaofei EN: PJ Mattson JA: Haruka Yamazaki KO: Kim Seo-yeong | A puppet loosely modeled after Herta's younger self. Several of these are scattered throughout the space station. |
| The Herta (大黑塔; Dà Hēitǎ) | Ice | Erudition | ZH: Hou Xiaofei EN: PJ Mattson JA: Haruka Yamazaki KO: Kim Seo-yeong | The space station's true master and the interest-driven member #83 of the Genius Society. She is an Emanator of Erudition who controls her namesake puppets scattered throughout the space station. |
| Ruan Mei (阮•梅; Ruǎn Méi) | Ice | Harmony | ZH: Zhang Wenyu EN: Emi Lo JA: Saori Ōnishi KO: Yoon Yeo-jin | A life sciences expert and member #81 of the Genius Society. A completely amoral scientist with dreams of becoming an Aeon herself, though she regrets being unable to emotionally connect with her creations. |

#### Belobog

Belobog was released in April 2023.
| Name | Type | Path | Voice Actor | Description |
| Bronya (布洛妮娅; Bùluònīyà) | Wind | Harmony | ZH: Xie Ying EN: Madeline Reiter JA: Kana Asumi KO: Lee Bo-hee | The commander of the Silvermane Guards and Cocolia's adoptive daughter. She became Belobog's Supreme Guardian after Cocolia's death. |
| Clara (克拉拉; Kèlālā) | Physical | Destruction | ZH: Zisu Jiuyue EN: Emily Sun JA: Rina Hidaka KO: Kim Yea-lim | A young girl and a self-taught mechanic in the Underworld, a region in Belobog located underground. In most of the story and during combat, she is accompanied by the automaton Svarog (Voiced by: Wang Yuhang (ZH), D. C. Douglas (EN), Hiroki Yasumoto (JA), Choi Nak-yoon (KO)). |
| Gepard (杰帕德; Jiépàdé) | Ice | Preservation | ZH: Ma Yang EN: Bryson Baugus JA: Makoto Furukawa KO: Min Seung-woo | The dutiful captain of the Silvermane Guards who is Serval's and Lynx's brother. He is the middle sibling of the Landau family. |
| Hook (虎克; Hǔkè) | Fire | Destruction | ZH: Wang Xiaotong EN: Felecia Angelle JA: Sora Tokui KO: Lee Jae-hyun | The self-proclaimed boss of The Moles, a group of children who go on adventures and play pranks throughout the Underworld. |
| Luka (卢卡; Lúkǎ) | Physical | Nihility | ZH: Xiao Zhai EN: Howard Wang JA: Gakuto Kajiwara KO: Lee Joo-seung | An Underworld fighter and a member of Wildfire, a grassroots faction based in the Underworld. He tries to support his friends and neighbors, even at his own expense. |
| Lynx (玲可; Língkě) | Quantum | Abundance | ZH: Mihu EN: Risa Mei JA: Haruka Terui KO: Lee Eun-jo | A polar explorer who is Serval's and Gepard's sister. She is the youngest sibling of the Landau family, as well as a friend of Pela. |
| Natasha (娜塔莎; Nàtǎshā) | Physical | Abundance | ZH: Qin Ziyi EN: Elizabeth Maxwell JA: Yumi Uchiyama KO: Kang Eun-ae | An Underworld doctor and the true leader of Wildfire. |
| Pela (佩拉; Pèilā) | Ice | Nihility | ZH: Yanning EN: Xanthe Huynh JA: Sumire Morohoshi KO: Lee Da-eun | The intelligence officer of the Silvermane Guards. She is a friend of Lynx and the drummer in Serval's rock n' roll band. |
| Sampo (桑博; Sāngbó) | Wind | Nihility | ZH: Liu Shengbo EN: Roger Rose JA: Daisuke Hirakawa KO: Jeong Jae-heon | A notorious con artist and a member of the Masked Fools wanted across Belobog who ends up supporting the Trailblazer in his way. |
| Seele (希儿; Xīér) | Quantum | The Hunt | ZH: Tang Yajing EN: Molly Zhang JA: Mai Nakahara KO: Song Ha-rim | An Underworld resident and a spirited member of Wildfire. She grew up at the same orphanage as Bronya. |
| Serval (希露瓦; Xīlùwǎ) | Lightning | Erudition | ZH: Mu Xueting EN: Natalie Van Sistine JA: Aimi KO: Min-a | A brilliant mechanic who is Gepard's and Lynx's sister. She is the eldest sibling of the Landau family and has an affection for rock n' roll. |

#### Xianzhou Alliance

The Xianzhou Alliance presently consists of six flagships: the Fanghu, the Luofu, the Xuling, the Yaoqing, the Yuque, and the Zhuming. The Xianzhou Luofu was released in April 2023.
| Name | Type | Path | Voice Actor | Description |
| Bailu (白露; Báilù) | Lightning | Abundance | ZH: Duoduo EN: Su Ling Chan JA: Emiri Katō KO: Jo Hyeon-jeong | A Vidyadhara doctor of the Alchemy Commission on the Luofu who often tries to escape her responsibilities. She is the heir apparent to the Imbibitor Lunae, the title of the leader of the Vidyadhara race in the Luofu. |
| Dan Heng • Imbibitor Lunae (丹恒•饮月; Dān Héng • Yǐn Yuè) | Imaginary | Destruction | ZH: Li Chunyin EN: Nicholas Leung JA: Kent Itō KO: Kim Hye-sung | Dan Heng's true Vidyadhara form, whose appearance closely resembles his previous incarnation and the former Imbibitor Lunae, Dan Feng. Despite his name, he does not hold the title of Imbibitor Lunae, as this was intended for Bailu. |
| Feixiao (飞霄; Fēixiāo) | Wind | The Hunt | ZH: Ye Zhiqiu EN: Anairis Quiñones JA: Mikako Komatsu KO: Son Jung-min | One of the seven Arbiter-Generals and the general of the Yaoqing, whose true name is Saran (萨兰; Sàlán). She is of foxian and borisin descent and afflicted by Moon Rage, a condition akin to lycanthropy, resulting from her mixed heritage. |
| Fu Xuan (符玄; Fú Xuán) | Quantum | Preservation | ZH: Hualing EN: Sarah Wiedenheft JA: Miku Itō KO: Lee Ji-hyeon | The head of the Divination Commission on the Luofu. |
| Fugue (忘归人; Wàngguīrén) | Fire | Nihility | ZH: Jiang Li EN: Anya Floris JA: Yūki Takada KO: Lee Myeong-ho | A foxian girl who was saved by Ruan Mei. She is the real Tingyun whose identity was stolen from her by Phantylia. |
| Guinaifen (桂乃芬; Guìnǎifēn) | Fire | Nihility | ZH: Xiao Gan EN: Morgan Lauré JA: Hina Suguta KO: Kim Soo-young | A street performer who resides on the Luofu after the Antimatter Legion destroyed her home planet. Her true name is Guinevere (格妮薇儿; Génīwēier), but Guinaifen is the local name chosen by her friend Sushang. |
| Hanya (寒鸦; Hányā) | Physical | Harmony | ZH: Zhang Yuxi EN: Suzie Yeung JA: Sayumi Suzushiro KO: Yoon Eun-seo | A judge of the Ten-Lords Commission on the Luofu who has become numb after becoming flooded with work and haunted by nightmares. She is Xueyi's younger sister. |
| Huohuo (藿藿; Huòhuò) | Wind | Abundance | ZH: Ge Zirui EN: Megan Shipman JA: Maria Naganawa KO: Kim Chae-rin | A foxian trainee judge of the Ten-Lords Commission on the Luofu. She has a fear of inhuman beings, but ironically attracts them due to a heliobus she calls "Mr. Tail" (Voiced by: Liu Beichen (ZH), Aaron Veach (EN), Takeshi Hirabayashi (JA), Han Bok-hyun (KO)) sealed in her tail by the other judges. |
| Jiaoqiu (椒丘; Jiāoqiū) | Fire | Nihility | ZH: Chenzhang Taikang EN: Mark Whitten JA: Toshiyuki Toyonaga KO: Lee Jung-min | A foxian counselor and a healer of the Alchemy Commission on the Yaoqing who was blinded after being attacked by the borisin leader, Hoolay. He loves cooking dishes with heavy amounts of spice, even using spices in combat. |
| Jing Yuan (景元; Jǐng Yuán) | Lightning | Erudition | ZH: Sun Ye EN: Alejandro Saab JA: Daisuke Ono KO: Ryu Seung-gon | One of the seven Arbiter-Generals and the general of the Luofu. He summons the Lightning Lord to aid him in combat. |
| Jingliu (镜流; Jìngliú) | Ice | Destruction | ZH: Du Mingya EN: AmaLee JA: Houko Kuwashima KO: Park Yi-seo | The leader of the now-defunct High-Cloud Quintet. She was the sword master of the Luofu and Jing Yuan's mentor until she succumbed to Mara, a curse that caused its host to become insane, and began attacking her former allies. |
| Lingsha (灵砂; Língshā) | Fire | Abundance | ZH: Rao Zijun EN: Whitney Holland JA: Kaori Maeda KO: Jang Ye-na | A Vidyadhara healer and the Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission on the Luofu, whose true name is Dan Zhu (丹朱; Dān Zhū). |
| Luocha (罗刹; Luóchà) | Imaginary | Abundance | ZH: Zhao Lu EN: Craig Lee Thomas JA: Akira Ishida KO: Shin Yong-woo | A foreign trader who is often seen carrying a huge coffin. His true background is a mystery, but Jing Yuan suspects him of having smuggled a Stellaron onboard the Luofu, and Welt suspects him of being linked to Void Archives from his past. |
| Moze (貊泽; Mòzé) | Lightning | The Hunt | ZH: Huang Jinze EN: Ben Balmaceda JA: Shogo Sakata KO: Choi Hyun-sik | A sneaky and fastidious assassin from the Yaoqing and Feixiao's assistant. He usually remains hidden, only appearing when it's time to assassinate his enemies. |
| Qingque (青雀; Qīngquè) | Quantum | Erudition | ZH: Liu Shisi EN: Bryn Apprill JA: Arisa Date KO: Seo Da-hye | A librarian and a diviner of the Divination Commission on the Luofu. Although incredibly intelligent, she prefers spending her time slacking off and playing Celestial Jade rather than working. |
| Sushang (素裳; Sùshang) | Physical | The Hunt | ZH: Chen Tingting EN: Anjali Kunapaneni JA: Misato Fukuen KO: Park Shi-yoon | A young Cloud Knight who wields a large sword and yearns to become a legend. A friend of Guinaifen, she assists in some of her acrobatic stunts and almost always appears in her livestreams. |
| Tingyun (停云; Tíngyún) | Lightning | Harmony | ZH: Jiang Li EN: Anya Floris JA: Yūki Takada KO: Lee Myeong-ho | An eloquent foxian and a trade envoy of the Sky-Faring Commission on the Luofu. She is not the real Tingyun, but rather the vessel of Phantylia. |
| Xueyi (雪衣; Xuěyī) | Quantum | Destruction | ZH: Suxun EN: Jenny Yokobori JA: Maki Kawase KO: Park Ri-na | A judge of the Ten-Lords Commission on the Luofu and Hanya's older sister. Her natural body was destroyed, but she was resurrected into an ingenium puppet body. |
| Yanqing (彦卿; Yànqīng) | Ice | The Hunt | ZH: Miao Jiang EN: Amber May JA: Marina Inoue KO: Lee Sae-a | The lieutenant of the Cloud Knights on the Luofu and Jing Yuan's retainer seeks to become the Luofu's sword master. |
| Yukong (驭空; Yùkōng) | Imaginary | Harmony | ZH: Zhong Ke EN: Dawn M. Bennett JA: Yumi Tōma KO: Jeon Sook-kyeong | A foxian former wartime pilot and the head of the Sky-Faring Commission on the Luofu. |
| Yunli (云璃; Yúnlí) | Physical | Destruction | ZH: Liu Wen EN: Brenna Larsen JA: Shion Wakayama KO: Lee Ju-eun | A sword hunter from the Zhuming and the adoptive granddaughter of its general, Huaiyan. |

#### Penacony

Penacony was released in February 2024.
| Name | Type | Path | Voice Actor | Description |
| Gallagher (加拉赫; Jiālāhè) | Fire | Abundance | ZH: Ma Yufei EN: Erik Braa JA: Satoshi Mikami KO: Park Sang-hoon | A security officer of the Bloodhound family who also works as a bartender. He is the result of an amalgamation of traits from all the Family members combined. His actual identity is that of an agent of the Enigmata ally of the Watchmaker and keeper of the entity known as "Dormancy". |
| Misha (米沙; Mǐshā) | Ice | Destruction | ZH: Liu Zhixiao EN: Cat Protano JA: Eriko Matsui KO: Bak Sin-hee | A bellboy at the Reverie Hotel. His existence is a reflection of the true Watchmaker, Mikhail Char Legwork. |
| Robin (知更鸟; Zhīgèngniǎo) | Physical | Harmony | ZH: Qian Chen EN: Alice Himora JA: Kaori Nazuka KO: Shin Onyu | An elegant Halovian singer (Singing voice: Chevy) and Sunday's sister who has secretly gone missing at the start of the Penacony chapter. |

#### Amphoreus

Amphoreus was released in January 2025, and the Path of Remembrance was made playable in the game.
| Name | Type | Path | Voice Actor | Description |
| Aglaea (阿格莱雅; Āgéláiyǎ) | Lightning | Remembrance | ZH: Chu Yue EN: Morgan Lauré JA: Aya Endō KO: Oh Ro-ah | One of the Chrysos Heirs who bears the Coreflame of Romance. She is the Dressmaster of Okhema and her divine authority is Mnestia. |
| Anaxa (那刻夏; Nàkèxià) | Wind | Erudition | ZH: Qian Wenqing EN: Stephen Fu JA: Yuma Uchida KO: Lee Sang-jun | One of the Chrysos Heirs who seeks the Coreflame of Reason. He is one of the Seven Sages of the Grove of Epiphany and his divine authority is Cerces. |
| Castorice (遐蝶; Xiádié) | Quantum | Remembrance | ZH: Ruan Congqing EN: Melody Muze JA: Chiwa Saitō KO: Lee Serena | One of the Chrysos Heirs who searches for the Coreflame of Death. She is the daughter of River Styx and her divine authority is Thanatos. |
| Mydei (万敌; Wàndí) | Imaginary | Destruction | ZH: Zhao Chengchen EN: Gabriel Warburton JA: Yōhei Azakami KO: Ahn Hyo-min | One of the Chrysos Heirs who seeks the Coreflame of Strife. He is the crown prince of Castrum Kremnos and his divine authority is Nikador. |
| Tribbie (缇宝; Tíbǎo) | Quantum | Harmony | ZH: Cai Shujin EN: Hayden Daviau JA: Hikaru Tono KO: Bang Yeon-ji | Together with Trianne (缇安; Tíān) and Trinnon (缇宁; Tíníng), they are known as Tribios (缇里西庇俄丝; Tílǐxībìésī). Tribios is one of the Chrysos Heirs who stole the Coreflame of Passage. She is the Holy Maiden of Janusopolis and her divine authority is Janus. |

#### Stellaron Hunters

The Stellaron Hunters are a mysterious group that collects Stellarons. They are led by Elio, also known as "Destiny's Slave".
| Name | Type | Path | Voice Actor | Description |
| Blade (刃; Rèn) | Wind | Destruction | ZH: Liu Yijia EN: Daman Mills JA: Shin-ichiro Miki KO: Kwak Yoon-sang | A swordsman who abandoned his body to become a blade and a former member of High-Cloud Quintet who went by the name Yingxing (应星; Yìngxīng). He is cursed with immortality after a failed ritual resulted in him becoming Mara-struck. |
| Firefly (流萤; Liúyíng) | Fire | Destruction | ZH: Song Yuanyuan EN: Analesa Fisher JA: Tomori Kusunoki KO: Yu Hye-ji | A young girl clad in a mechanical armor called SAM (Voiced by: Gan Ziqi (ZH), Adin Rudd (EN), Jun Kasama (JA), Jang Seo-hwa (KO)). She joined the Stellaron Hunters in the hopes of finding the meaning of life and a way out of her doomed fate. |
| Kafka (卡芙卡; Kǎfúkǎ) | Lightning | Nihility | ZH: Xu Hui EN: Cheryl Texiera JA: Shizuka Itō KO: Sa Moon-young | A soft-spoken woman who is incapable of feeling fear. She personally implanted a Stellaron into a body now known as the Trailblazer during the opening events of the game. She is one of the first two people, along with Silver Wolf, that the Trailblazer met. |
| Silver Wolf (银狼; Yín Láng) | Quantum | Nihility | ZH: Hanser EN: Melissa Fahn JA: Kana Asumi KO: Jang Mi | A master hacker who has excelled in a skill that alters reality called "aether editing". She is one of the first two people, along with Kafka, that the Trailblazer met. |

#### Interastral Peace Corporation

The Interastral Peace Corporation (IPC) is a megacorporation that manages the economy across the entire cosmos.
| Name | Type | Path | Voice Actor | Description |
| Aventurine (砂金; Shājīn) | Imaginary | Preservation | ZH: Yang Chaoran EN: Camden Sutkowski JA: Kengo Kawanishi KO: Park Jun-won | One of the Ten Stonehearts who bears the Cornerstone "Aventurine of Stratagems", whose true name is Kakavasha (卡卡瓦夏; Kǎkǎwǎxià). He is a gambler by nature, treating life as a high-risk, high-reward investment. |
| Jade (翡翠; Fěicuì) | Quantum | Erudition | ZH: Zhang Ruoyu EN: Faye Mata JA: Kotono Mitsuishi KO: Kim Soon-mi | One of the Ten Stonehearts who bears the Cornerstone "Jade of Credit". A pawnbroker, she is willing to lend people anything they want as long as she receives something of equivalent value in her eyes. |
| Topaz & Numby (托帕&账账; Tuōpà & Zhàngzhàng) | Fire | The Hunt | ZH: Lu Minyue EN: Sam Slade JA: Yoshino Nanjō KO: Bang Si-u | One of the Ten Stonehearts who bears the Cornerstone "Topaz of Debt Retrieval", whose true name is Jelena (叶琳娜; Yèlínnà). Her partner Numby (Voiced by: Lu Minyue), a warp trotter, can locate treasures within a particular radius. |

#### Cosmic

| Name | Type | Path | Voice Actor | Description |
| Acheron (黄泉; Huángquán) | Lightning | Nihility | ZH: Juhuahua EN: Allegra Clark JA: Miyuki Sawashiro KO: Park Ji-yoon | A cosmic drifter and an Emanator of Nihility, whose true name is Raiden Bōsenmori Mei (雷电忘川守芽衣; Léidiàn Wàng Chuānshǒu Yáyī). She claims to be a Galaxy Ranger, earning the ire of Boothill, who points out she's an impostor using their name. She carries a long sword reminiscent of an ōdachi. |
| Argenti (银枝; Yínzhī) | Physical | Erudition | ZH: Liang Dawei EN: Talon Warburton JA: Shinnosuke Tachibana KO: Choi Seung-hoon | A cosmic drifter and a Knight of Beauty who travels the cosmos performing heroic deeds like an old-fashioned knight-errant, hoping to one day see the reappearance of Idrila, the currently missing Aeon of Beauty. |
| Black Swan (黑天鹅; Hēi Tiān'é) | Wind | Nihility | ZH: Yang Menglu EN: Arryn Zech JA: Hitomi Nabatame KO: Kim Ha-young | A mysterious Memokeeper from the Garden of Recollection. She later accompanies the Astral Express as a passenger in traveling to Amphoreus. |
| Boothill (波提欧; Bōtíōu) | Physical | The Hunt | ZH: Peng Bo EN: Andrew Russell JA: Katsuyuki Konishi KO: Kim Dan | A cyborg cowboy and a member of the Galaxy Rangers who seeks revenge on the IPC for destroying his home planet and his daughter despite the enormous bounty they placed on his head. |
| Dr. Ratio (真理医生; Zhēnlǐ Yīshēng) | Imaginary | The Hunt | ZH: Sang Yuze EN: Jordan Paul Haro JA: Shunsuke Takeuchi KO: Lee Dong-hoon | A narcissistic Intelligentsia Guild member who often conceals his appearance with an alabaster head. He treats ignorance as a disease and aims to cure it by spreading knowledge throughout the universe. |
| Rappa (乱破; Luànpò) | Imaginary | Erudition | ZH: Jin Na EN: Kendell Byrd JA: Megumi Han KO: Kim Yu-rim | An experimental subject at a young age who was implanted with a memetic virus based on a popular ninja manga. After being freed from captivity, she became a Galaxy Ranger but still interpreted everything through the eyes of a ninja. |
| Sparkle (花火; Huāhuǒ) | Quantum | Harmony | ZH: Zhao Shuang EN: Lizzie Freeman JA: Reina Ueda KO: Seong Ye-won | A member of the Masked Fools who can shapeshift into anyone, taking on whatever identity she finds interesting at a given moment. |
| Sunday (星期日; Xīngqīrì) | Imaginary | Harmony | ZH: Xu Xiang EN: Griffin Puatu JA: Takeo Ōtsuka KO: Kang Seong-woo | A zealous and revered Halovian who is the former head of the Oak Family as well as Robin's brother. He was secretly a Pathstrider of Order and the main antagonist of the Penacony chapter. In order to seek atonement for his actions, he boards the Astral Express as a passenger in his search for paradise. |

### Non-playable

* Pom-Pom (帕姆; Pàmǔ)
    Voiced by: Jiang Li (ZH), Christine Sposato (EN), Miki Nagasawa (JA), Yoon Ah-yeong (KO)
    The conductor of the Astral Express who is unable to leave the train.
* Cocolia Rand (可可利亚•兰德; Kěkělìyǎ Lándé)
    Voiced by: Mufei (ZH), Heather Gonzalez (EN), Misa Katō (JA), Unknown (KO)
    The eighteenth Supreme Guardian of Belobog and the adoptive mother of Bronya. Later revealed to be the main antagonist of the Belobog chapter, with the Stellaron's influence turning her away from the Path of Preservation.
* Screwllum (螺丝咕姆; Luósīgūmǔ)
    Voiced by: Zhao Yang (ZH), Steven Kelly (EN), Yūya Uchida (JA), Kim Min-kyu (KO)
    Member #76 of the Genius Society.
* Huaiyan (怀炎; Huáiyán)
    Voiced by: Li Haojia (ZH), J. Michael Tatum (EN), Tadashi Miyazawa (JA), Jo Min-soo (KO)
    One of the seven Arbiter-Generals and the general of the Zhuming, and Yunli's adoptive grandfather.
* Phainon (白厄; Báiè)
    Voiced by: Qin Qiege (ZH), Joshua Waters (EN), Satoshi Hino (JA), Yoon Yong-sik (KO)
    One of the Chrysos Heirs of Amphoreus.
* Hyacine (风堇; Fēngjǐn)
    Voiced by: TBA (ZH), TBA (EN), TBA (JA), TBA (KO)
    One of the Chrysos Heirs of Amphoreus.

## Development

   ...we felt that the turn-based combat system was something we have not done before in the company yet, in all our previous games. It's still a viable genre to base the game on, and we felt that it's something that we would like to give a try; our players are feeling for it, and that's why we developed something like that.
   And for sci-fi, in reality, our developers felt that it's something that provides hope, and it's very inspiring for younger generations to look forward to. Sci-fi represents something classic, and sci-fi plus turn-based RPG is something that we would like to give a try. Yeah, that's how the game came to be.
Honkai: Star Rail began development in 2019 with the goal of "exploring new directions for the Honkai series". The production team has about 500 people, most of whom are fans of science fiction works and turn-based role-playing games. This project is HoYoverse's first attempt at a turn-based combat mechanism game. The team has stated that this genre is very popular in the game market and can lower the difficulty threshold for players to get started. In previous surveys conducted by HoYoverse, many players expressed that they enjoy this type of game. There were concerns about whether this type of game is too retro, but the production team believes that as long as the quality of the game is enjoyable, it can attract players.
Like other works in the Honkai series, it is in no way "too hard-core science fiction". The setting of Honkai Impact 3rd is Earth, but the plot mentions other planets in this worldview. Therefore, the production team of Honkai: Star Rail decided to expand on this concept of "a universe". The basic setting revolves around taking a train and traveling around the major planets in the universe, which takes inspiration from the idea of a steam train running through the stars in the novel Night on the Galactic Railroad by Kenji Miyazawa and Leiji Matsumoto's famous manga, Galaxy Express 999. The production sequence of each planet in the game takes around one year to first determine the worldview and theme of the planet, then create the characters and detailed setting information, and then finally write the plot.
The overall artistic vision of each planet is based on elements from real-world cultures and aesthetics:
* Belobog, which was named after eponymous Slavic deity, is the name of the blizzard-stricken town in the first planet, Jarilo-VI, which was designed inspired by German architecture.
* The design of the space-faring fleet "Xianzhou Luofu" is based on Chinese culture and East Asian fantasy, which has been described as "silkpunk".
* Penacony's design was inspired by a blend of Jazz Age, Classical Hollywood, and Roaring Twenties, which re-imagines through luxurious dream-like fantasy, forming twelve dream worlds that provide different forms of entertainment.
* The concept of "Amphoreus" takes inspiration from Greco-Roman mythology with some influences of Renaissance and Neo-Classical aesthetic.
In terms of combat mechanisms, producer David Jiang said that this game adopts "command-based combat." He said that Honkai Impact 3rd and Genshin Impact were heavy on the role-playing aspect, but they did not include command-based and turn-based combat. In addition, some players reported that Honkai Impact 3rd was too action-oriented and too difficult to operate. Therefore, Honkai: Star Rail pays more attention to strategy than the player's operational skills. Persona 5 was the team's inspiration when deciding to develop a turn-based role-playing game.
Producer David Jiang hopes that Honkai: Star Rail can achieve the immersive feeling of "as if you are in the world of the work", and create a "playable animated series". In order to enhance player immersion, the production team integrated artificial intelligence technology into the behavior patterns of non-player characters.

## Distribution and promotion

The game was revealed in October 2021 at the end of the Honkai Impact 3rd online concert, Starfire Sonorant, then later on the game's official YouTube channel. On October 27, the game launched its first closed test and its second closed beta test on May 25, 2022. On August 15 of the same year, the game received support from the "Special Fund for Cultural Development" issued by the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Xuhui District, Shanghai, where the developer is located. On August 23, 2022, a game story trailer was unveiled on the opening night of Gamescom 2022.
On January 17, 2023, the mobile version of the game received the game version number approved by the National Press and Publication Administration, and the game was approved for distribution in mainland China On February 10, 2023, the game conducted its third closed test On the same day, the Apple App Store page revealed that the official launch date of the game was April 26. In the international market, miHoYo launched more than 2,000 sets of ads on Google Play one month before the public beta of the game. The main advertising channel was Google AdMob and the main advertising areas were Japan, Hong Kong, the United States, Vietnam, and Thailand.
On April 25, 2023, miHoYo released the game's opening theme animation "Star Travel". The game was officially launched globally the following day on April 26. On April 28, miHoYo held its first theme exhibition "Galaxy Gathering" in Xujiahui. From April 29 to May 13, miHoYo undertook train advertisements on Xiamen Rail Transit Line 1 and jointly issued NFTs to promote the game. On mid-May, HoYoverse began to put up ads for the game in Japan, which are prominently displayed in Akihabara in Tokyo, as well as collaborating with Chichibu Railway in Saitama Prefecture to launch a special steam train service, which ran for a month. On July 13, miHoYo launched a high-speed train named "Star Dome Railway High-speed Railway Brand Special Train" with an uncertain route, used to promote the game.

## Reception

Aggregate scores :
| Aggregator | Score |
| Metacritic | PC: 80/100 PS5: 82/100 |
| OpenCritic | 90% |
Review scores :
| Publication | Score |
| Eurogamer | Recommended |
| GamesRadar | |
| IGN | 9/10 |
| PCGamer | 90/100 |
| Polygon | Very positive |
| RockPaperShotgun | Positive |
Honkai: Star Rail received "generally favorable reviews" according to review aggregator Metacritic.
Eurogamer recommended the game for its "delightfully goofy humour, charismatic voice cast, and truly magnificent combat," despite the writers' tendency to "give one sentence explanations for important details, yet spend eight paragraphs over explaining the simplest plot twist." Rock Paper Shotgun called the game "still in its early stages but (...) incredibly good fun to play," comparing it to "Star Ocean, but if everyone was hotter and you could gamble". The reviewer praised the combat system for being deep yet approachable and noted that, like in Genshin, spending money was not necessary to progress, as all content in the game could be cleared with the characters players receive for free. PC Gamer appreciated Star Rail's "impeccable visual style and strategic depth" and its "elastic tone, which fluctuates from the heroic optimism of a space opera, to the dark comedy of a Nier game, with a lot of Final Fantasy 14's soap opera, storytelling mixed in". To the reviewer, the game's main draw was its "sheer creativity" and that it "distills what's most satisfying about turn-based RPGs: tactical, team-based decisions."
However, some people have criticized the character designs saying that they lack creativity, especially those of female characters, and that the outfits worn by female characters in Genshin Impact had more variety.

### Popularity

Before the game's official release, the number of pre-registered players in mainland China reached 22.98 million, with an additional 10 million players outside of mainland China. On April 23, 2023, the day of pre-download, the game topped the free charts on the App Store in over 113 countries and regions, and ranked first overall in mainland China, the United States, Japan, and South Korea. After the game's global launch on April 26, it reached the top spot on the App Store's bestseller list in mainland China within five hours, and ranked within the top 10 on the bestseller lists in 42 countries and regions. On April 28, miHoYo announced that the game had exceeded 20 million downloads.
GameLook estimated that, on the day of its launch, the game's global revenue across all platforms would likely exceed 100 million RMB. According to data from Sensor Tower, within the first 10 days of launch, the mobile version of the game generated over $100 million globally, with 44% of the revenue coming from China, 22% from Japan, and 12% from the United States. Data from DataEye indicated that within 15 days of launch, the iOS version and the Android version downloaded through Google Play had generated at least $65 million, with Japan contributing a total of 120 million RMB. On February 6, 2024, with the launch of version 2.0, the game's download count exceeded 100 million.

### Accolades

| Year | Award | Category | Result |
| 2022 | Golden Joystick Awards | Most Wanted Award | Nominated |
| 2023 | World Science Fiction Game Annual Awards | Best Popularity Award | Won |
| 2023 | Google Play Awards | Best Game | Won |
| 2023 | Google Play Awards | Best Story | Won |
| 2023 | Google Play Awards | Best for Tablets | Won |
| 2023 | App Store Awards | iPhone Game of the Year | Won |
| 2023 | The Game Awards 2023 | Best Mobile Game | Won |
| 2023 | UCG Game Awards | Mobile Game of the Year | Won |
| 2024 | 13th New York Game Awards | A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game | Won |
| 2024 | 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards | Mobile Game of the Year | Nominated |
| 2024 | Google Play Awards | Best Ongoing Game | Won |
| 2024 | Golden Joystick Awards | Still Playing Award (Mobile) | Won |