Genshin Impact vs. Wuthering Waves: Which to play in 2025?

In 2025, Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves stand alone as the only open-world gacha games dominating the market, with no other open-world gacha titles slated for release until at least 2026. These two titans offer sprawling worlds, deep combat systems, and gacha-driven character rosters, but they cater to different player preferences.

This article compares the two across gameplay, world design, combat, story, gacha, and more, to see which game is worth trying out in 2025.

1. Gameplay

Genshin Impact

An open-world action RPG with exploration, puzzle-solving, and elemental-based combat. You control a party of four characters, switching for elemental reactions. The gameplay is accessible but deepens with team-building. However, exploration feels restrictive, as discussed below.

Wuthering Waves

An open-world action RPG with skill-based combat and parkour-style traversal (e.g., wall-running, grappling). It’s mechanically demanding, appealing to players who enjoy precision and challenge.

Verdict: Genshin offers versatile gameplay but is hindered by exploration limitations. WuWa suits hardcore players who enjoy complex mechanics and dynamic traversal.

2. World Design and Exploration

Genshin Impact

Teyvat is a visually stunning, expansive world with diverse regions (e.g., forests, deserts, mountains). However, exploration is a chore because key tools—like Anemo gliders, Geo constructs for climbing, or even flying—are tied to limited gacha characters (e.g., Kazuha, Zhongli, Mavuika). This restricts efficient exploration for free-to-play (F2P) players, making puzzles and high areas frustrating. Stamina limits further slow progress, reducing discovery’s joy.

Wuthering Waves

Solaris-3 is a post-apocalyptic open world, smaller than Teyvat but with dynamic traversal (e.g., grappling, wall-running) available to all characters, including Rover. These tools aren’t gacha-locked, making exploration smoother and more accessible than Genshin’s. While less varied, the world is engaging, with updates expanding its scope.

Verdict: WuWa’s open world is more accessible due to universal traversal tools, addressing the frustration with Genshin’s gacha-locked exploration. Genshin’s world is visually superior but feels restrictive.

3. Combat System

Genshin Impact

Combat focuses on elemental reactions (e.g., Vaporize, Overloaded) with a four-character party. It’s strategic but less skill-intensive, relying on rotations. Some characters (e.g., Beidou) have parry mechanics, but they’re not universal.

Wuthering Waves

Combat is skill-intensive, with universal parries and dodges that slow time on success, akin to Souls-like mechanics. Concerto Effects add depth via character swaps. Endgame modes (e.g., Whimpering Waste) prioritize AoE DPS.

Verdict: WuWa’s combat is more engaging for skill-focused players. Genshin’s is strategic but less mechanically demanding.

4. Story and Characters

Genshin Impact

The story follows the Traveler searching for their sibling, with rich lore across seven nations. However, Paimon as a major issue, as she overshadows the Traveler by acting as the voice, decision-maker, and narrator in quests. This makes the Traveler a silent bystander, reducing agency and immersion. The story is long, unskippable, and dialogue-heavy, which can be boring.

Wuthering Waves

The story centers on Rover, an amnesiac protagonist who is consistently at the heart of the narrative. Unlike the Traveler, Rover drives the plot through dialogue and actions, enhancing agency. The story is darker but less polished, with cluttered dialogue. It’s skippable, addressing the issue with Genshin’s cutscenes.

Verdict: WuWa’s story shines, as Rover’s central role avoids the “Paimon problem” and cutscenes are skippable. Genshin’s epic but Paimon-heavy, unskippable narrative is a drawback.

5. Gacha System and Monetization

Genshin Impact

Requires 180 pulls for a guaranteed limited 5-star character (90 for a 50/50). Weapons need separate pulls, and low drop rates (0.6%) make it costly (e.g., ~$475 for one character). Exploration tools tied to gacha characters worsen F2P accessibility.

Wuthering Waves

Needs 160 pulls for a guaranteed 5-star character, with a generous pity system and free 5-stars offered regularly. Weapons are guaranteed within 80 pulls (no pity carryover). It’s more F2P-friendly.

Verdict: WuWa’s gacha is more generous, especially for F2P players. Genshin’s is costly, and exploration tools behind gacha hurt accessibility.

6. Player Experience and Accessibility

Genshin Impact

Beginner-friendly but slowed by unskippable story and gacha-locked exploration tools. It’s well-optimized for mobile with a massive community. Endgame (Spiral Abyss) is challenging but rewarding.

Wuthering Waves

Less beginner-friendly due to complex combat and mobile optimization issues (e.g., lag on Unreal Engine). Skippable story and accessible traversal tools help, and generous rewards keep players engaged.

Wuthering Waves shines with its numerous quality of life updates such as echo loadouts. This is a feature that was suggested in Genshin for quite some time.

Verdict: Genshin balances accessibility but is hindered by story and exploration issues. WuWa caters to dedicated players but may frustrate newcomers. However, Wuwa came out ahead in this.

7. Endgame Content

Genshin Impact

Spiral Abyss focuses on team synergy and elemental reactions. It’s challenging but repetitive, relying on time-limited clears.

Wuthering Waves

Tower of Adversity and Whimpering Waste focus on AoE DPS and combat skills. They’re engaging but less strategic - players need to rely on their own skill as a good build might not carry them.

Verdict: Genshin’s endgame is solid but repetitive. WuWa’s is engaging but DPS-heavy.

Which is the better game to try in 2025?

• Choose Genshin Impact if you want:
  • A visually stunning open world and diverse characters.
  • Deep lore and strategic combat.
  • Drawbacks: Exploration is restrictive without gacha characters (e.g., Kazuha, Zhongli). Paimon’s dominance and unskippable, boring story reduce agency.
  • Best for: Lore enthusiasts who can overlook exploration and story issues.
• Choose Wuthering Waves if you want:
  • An open world with accessible traversal tools not locked behind gacha, addressing your exploration critique.
  • A story where Rover is central, avoiding Paimon’s overshadowing role, with skippable cutscenes.
  • Skill-based combat and a generous gacha system.
  • Best for: Players who want an open-world experience with engaging combat and a protagonist-driven story.