[TGS2023] Honkai Star Rail PS5 Hands-On Impression – An Optimized Interstellar Adventure 

Since April of this year, players have already embarked on an intergalactic adventure in HoYoverse’s science-fantasy turn-based RPG Honkai Star Rail on mobile devices and Windows PCs, however, PlayStation 5 (PS5) users will still need to wait for the game’s console release before starting their space journey with the Astral Express.

While at Tokyo Game Show 2023, we got to visit the HoYoverse booth and have some hands-on time with the PS5 version of Honkai Star Rail ahead of its October release.

What is the difference between the PS5 version and other platforms, and what experience would it offer?

Optimized Trailblazing 

Given that the PS5 version will offer the same content as the other editions, rather than talking about the gameplay, we will focus on the technical aspects of the game and what sets it apart from the Honkai Star Rail on mobile devices and Windows PCs.

From the hands-on experience, yes, Honkai Star Rail is as charming and engaging on the PS5 as on other platforms. In fact, it feels as though HoYoverse has specifically tweaked the game to take full advantage of the PS5 hardware, optimizing it to offer the highest possible graphical settings while keeping the frame rate consistent.

There was no noticeable visual glitches or stutter, and nothing felt particularly worse than the experiences on mobile devices or Windows PC. For its graphical settings, unfortunately, most options were locked on the demo build and it is unknown whether the full release will offer choices to further tweak the game for your desired experience.

One option available, however, is the choice to turn on or off the VSync, allowing users to align the game’s frame rate with their display’s refresh rate, whether a television or a monitor, preventing any screen tearing while playing the game.

At the moment, it is not known yet whether Honkai Star Rail will receive additional graphical refinements for its PS5 version. In HoYoverse’s other major RPG title on the PS5, Genshin Impact, there are several noticeable graphical enhancements given to the game such as denser fog for the region of Liyue.

There may well be graphical enhancements, but we will have to wait for the game’s eventual full release on the PS5 and spend more time admiring the visual splendor to pinpoint its differences compared to other platforms.

Your Interstellar Journey Choices

Now that Honkai Star Rail will be launching on the PS5, fans are given more choices to experience the science-fantasy epic.

If you are venturing into Honkai Star Rail for the first time, the PS5 version will offer similar experiences as the Windows PC platform and the turn-based nature of the game allows for a natural layout for the DualSense controller.

Since progressions are shared between all versions, mobile users who are looking to experience Honkai Star Rail on a larger screen, with better graphical fidelity, or with smoother performances, can do so conveniently with the PS5 version without needing to tediously tweak the game’s graphical settings for optimized performances.

Honkai Star Rail is now available on Android and iOS devices, as well as Windows PCs. While the PS5 version of the game is set to launch on 11 October 2023.

The game’s current banner features the 5-Star Quantum Preservation character Fu Xuan, which we have a guide for here.

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Honkai Star Rail

Publisher: miHoYo

Developer: miHoYo

Release Date TBC

Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows

Honkai: Star Rail is an all-new strategy-RPG title in the Honkai series that takes players on a cosmic adventure across the stars.

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