Star Rail Is Making Its Worst Mistake Ever With Update 4.0

The arrival of update 4.0 for Honkai: Star Rail may represent one of the game’s biggest design flaws yet, and it seems not much can be done to mitigate it at the moment. Version 4.0 will be the next big update for HoYoverse’s turn-based RPG. The patch will bring forth a new story arc set in a new destination, which has yet to be formally announced. HoYoverse has revealed that there will be a two-week delay for Honkai: Star Rail 4.0.

Usually, patches last six weeks, but Version 3.8 (the final one before 4.0) will last eight weeks to give the developer more time to work on the upcoming content. Even so, the Version 4.0 beta tests have already started and, as a result, leaks from the update are pouring in. For example, leaks have confirmed an anticipated Honkai: Star Rail character who hasn’t been officially announced just yet.

Honkai: Star Rail 4.0’s New Map Looks Bland

The City Feels Generic

Now, there have been leaks about the new map destination arriving in Version 4.0, and it looks quite disappointing. Information leaked by Cyrene and shared by user Red-Nosed_Old-Timer on Reddit shows images of the new destination that players will explore in the upcoming patch. As was previously rumored, this destination will be an urban area, and this is somewhat confirmed by the images. Another image, leaked by Sakura Haven and shared by the same user on Reddit, shows the city at night.

Based on the leaked images, the new map is a somewhat futuristic city, but it’s nothing more than that. There were rumors that this new destination would be heavily inspired by cyberpunk themes, but it doesn’t seem like the new map lives up to those expectations. Overall, this new map in Honkai: Star Rail 4.0 looks like a generic blend between Penacony and Zenless Zone Zero maps, like Lumina Square in New Eridu.

If this is truly what the city will look like, it will take away from the feeling of a space adventure and countless possibilities that defy the realities we are used to. There are no problems with city-like areas – Belobog and Penacony stick out due to how exquisite they are –, but this seems too bland and stuck in reality.

New Destination May Be A Product Of Mishaps

Honkai: Star Rail May Have Removed Japan-Inspired Imagery From The New Map

The generic feeling instilled in the leaked city may be a consequence of the removal of Japanese-inspired imagery from the destination. HoYoverse hasn’t addressed this, but there are rumors that the company is revisiting its design of the new location because of a political issue between Japan (which was, allegedly, the source of inspiration for the destination) and China (the country in which HoYoverse is based).

This supposed issue is also what allegedly caused the patch delay, as HoYoverse is now seemingly working on removing references to Japan from its new destination. It’s unclear how this will work with characters, like the leaked new Himeko form, but it may have taken its toll on the map. Hopefully, these snippets don’t represent the entirety of the new map from Honkai: Star Rail 4.0, and it doesn’t look as simplistic as this.

Systems

Released

April 26, 2023

ESRB

Teen / Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, Simulated Gambling, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items), Users Interact

Developer(s)

HoYoverse (Formerly miHoYo)

Publisher(s)

HoYoverse (Formerly miHoYo)

Engine

Unity