Upon departure from the vibrant Natlan, Genshin Impact players awaited news of the seventh and final nation, a land of Cryo and the stronghold of the contentious Fatui, Snezhnaya. Together with the game’s fifth anniversary, many were eager to see what Hoyoverse had left in their wheelhouse, only for the developers to revive a long-dormant vein of lore: Nod-Krai.
The region of Nod-Krai has been mentioned in-game as early as Mondstadt, the land to which Grandmaster Varka expeditioned, and countless adventurers regaled as a “paradise.” However, it remained a formless region at the southmost edge of Snezhnaya—until the reveal of the cryptic Fatui Harbinger Columbina as its “goddess” rather than the elusive Tsaritsa, unveiling another set of mysteries for players to uncover. But even with its abrupt arrival, version 6.0 tightly gathers loose threads of the lore and sends the Traveler on a wild hunt for the truth of Teyvat.
Stepping into the night
As an autonomous region of the Cryo Archon’s domain, Nod-Krai mirrors Snezhnaya’s long-standing references to Russian heritage, with Baltic elements deeply embedded in its landscape and culture. Against this rich backdrop thrive numerous factions, both novel and familiar. From the Moon Goddess worshipping Frostmoon Scions and Abyss chasing Lightkeepers, to the recognizable Fatui and the Knights of Favonius, people from all corners of Teyvat cross paths in Nod-Krai. The land’s division is made even more apparent as players travel across its archipelagic geography.
The Traveler first sets foot on Lempo Isle, where Nod-Krai’s buzzing capital, Nasha Town, is situated. The isle is strewn with scattered scrap metal and automatons, carrying a post-apocalyptic and retro-futuristic allure. Neighboring this scene is the tranquil home to the Frostmoon Scions: Hiisi Isle, where wandering through the dreamy landscape feels akin to walking on the moon itself. Lastly, atop the Nod-Krai map sits the cryptic Paha Isle, a stronghold for the mysterious Fatui, hinting at yet another intriguing trove of secrets to unearth.
As varying factions from different walks of life meet, Nod-Krai brings this diversity to life through increased interactions between the figureheads of each faction—both within and outside the archon quests—leading to more organic and intricate character relationships. Travelers can also encounter Nod-Krai’s playable characters (PCs) throughout the map with a new interaction every meeting, a feature players have long asked for. In weaving together its fractured lands, enigmatic factions, and evolving bonds, Nod-Krai stands as one of Teyvat’s most dynamic regions—where every encounter feels like another step into a living, breathing story.
Guided by the Moons’ light
Along with a new region comes a wave of fresh exploration mechanics that reshape the in-game experience. At the center of it all is kuuvahki, a form of energy originating from the moons. Like Natlan’s nightsoul, kuuvahki is the foundation of both narrative and function, as it sets machines in motion, alters the weather over Nod-Krai’s skies, and fuels the magnetism-based mechanics.
Travelers are not alone in navigating these wonders as seelie-like creatures called Kuuhenki empower the players with kuuvahki. As familiars of the Moon Goddess, they serve as active companions throughout the region, guiding players to treasure, providing lunar energy, or simply allowing themselves to be indwelled as the player traverses the region with radiant Moonlanes.
Exploring the new region requires greater focus as the difficulty curve has noticeably steepened since Fontaine and Natlan. Puzzles with mirrors, ID card barriers, and little clockwork robots demand sharper observation, while magnetic puzzles require a deeper understanding of the mechanics. These new mechanisms are rewarding for those who relish problem-solving, but daunting for those who prefer a more casual gaming experience.
Even combat bends to celestial themes as the region debuts the newest lunar reactions. The two major additions to gameplay, lunar charged and lunar bloom, provide damage boost through crit-based scaling, offering players new ways to amplify elemental synergy. These mechanics breathe life into older units, compelling veterans to revisit old favorites and weave them into updated team compositions.
The illuminated journey ahead
In its fifth year, Genshin Impact finally capitalizes on fostering personal links to beloved characters, other than the limited banners. The game rewards long-time players with a free Standard Banner 5*s, a free constellation on already owned 5*s, and a permanent anecdote system that lets travelers encounter PCs in the overworld. The update also sees optimizations in gameplay, such as revealing unactivated substats on artifacts, making the RNG system just a little more bearable.
And though it is commonplace for new PCs and their kits to fully utilize introduced reactions and exploration gimmicks to entice players to pull, Nod-Krai’s first rollout distinctly featured prominent figures of the Archon Quest. The increased screentime of Lauma the Moonchanter and Lightkeeper Flins not only deepened players’ immersion in the story but also their connection to the characters and their causes.
After the first two acts of the Archon Quest—which each see conflicting interests between factions and a foreboding return of an enigmatic power—it’s clear that things are coming to a narrative head. This is especially true considering the increase in voiced lines for the once largely silent Traveler, providing not only a sense of clarity in the story’s progression but also the gravity of each nation’s cryptic truths.
Nod-Krai cements itself as a pivotal piece in the eventual fate of Teyvat, and travelers now feel the true impact of their journey. Only by pressing on will players find what is beyond the false sky; truly, version 6.0 has secured the player base for another year to come.
