Let me first state that when I see the words "Journey to the West + 2D + Action" put together, my first reaction is to change skins and draw cards. I've seen this kind of thing a lot. Each promotional picture is more fancy than the last, and all 648 pop-ups appear when you click on it. I originally planned to start complaining today, but my friend pressed my head and tried this "Honkai Impact Westward Journey". Unexpectedly... there is something really good about it.
Let's talk about what surprised me the most: this game doesn't have a “paywall”. The charging model clearly states 0, and there is no red dot bombardment that forces you to make a first deposit. The hero is chosen directly, not by drawing. When Red Boy rushed into the three realms with a milky voice, I even felt a little passionate. The theme of Journey to the West is terrible, but this time Red Boy is the protagonist, and the perspective is quite wild. In the plot, an alien world invades and the three worlds become a mess. Anyway, it is not a silly and sweet way to protect Tang Monk, but has a bit of black humor.
The action feel is acceptable on a mobile phone. Dodge, combos, and defense breaks all have some hints of hard-core action. They are not numerically overwhelming by pure stance skills. The fresh Japanese style of painting unexpectedly matches the 3D model, especially the ultimate move performance, which actually has the flavor of anime. The development line is not complicated either. The strategic matching and management gameplay are mixed together. It is a bit like the old-school RPG in the stand-alone era that "needs to fight monsters as well as provide logistics". Don't tell me, this kind of exquisite design reminds me of the days when I played "Legend of Martial Arts" and grinded medicine and equipment.
Of course, it's not without its faults. The UI occasionally freezes, the advertising slots are a bit hidden, and daily tasks become slightly repetitive later on. But considering that it really doesn't cost money, and it doesn't force social interaction, it's quite comfortable to play by yourself while reading the plot and matching the lineup. As someone who has been playing indie games for many years, I actually dislike the label "mobile games". But this thing does have a bit of a stand-alone spirit - relying on gameplay to retain people, not relying on recharging to keep dogs.
If you are like me and are disgusted by the bunch of "genuine Westward Journey" games on the market, and you are too lazy to be polite to the people in the guild, then you can try "Honkai Westward Journey". It's free anyway, so you don't suffer any loss when downloading. What if you also smell really good? 🤔