The graphics, worldbuilding, and soundtrack alone of Genshin make it a worthwhile experience to try at least once, however, the core gameplay mechanics and monetization system of the game have steered me away for the foreseeable future.

The game punishes you when you don't play and restricts what you can do while playing through the Resin system. Not unlike mobile games, if you want to be the best you need to dedicate yourself to playing every single day or funnel money in (for many people this includes both!). While this may not be an issue for many players, it's a frustrating experience forcing yourself to play a game you dislike because you don't want to waste valuable resources just in case you end up liking the game again. I'm not even going to touch the hell that is artifact RNG, but if you've played the endgame you know how soul-draining it can be.

Aside from the Resin system, I'm not a fan of the Gacha. It's a predatory mechanic that preys on people with a strong emotional attachment or infatuation with featured characters, and someone easily moved by the greater playerbase (or a very vocal minority of high spenders) may feel pressured to wish on as many characters as they can out of fear of missing out - which is terrifying when every character can cost hundreds of dollars for just a single copy.

These two features make me incredibly sad, because I love the rest of the game. The characters are fun and memorable (even if many of their stories and cameos are walking advertisements), and the greater story with the traveler and their lost twin is intriguing and exciting. While I still have many nitpicks with the rest of the game, if Genshin was released as a $60 Singleplayer game instead of a free-to-play Gacha, I would have purchased it for myself and copies for everyone I know.

Instant 5 star review when they release Dainsleif as a playable character though. I'm willing to overcome all my issues for him /hj

I started playing Star Stable Online at the end of the 'golden years' in 2017, before the massive graphics and story overhaul. With the current state of the game, I can not in good faith recommend anyone sign up to the game or play into the predatory marketing practices established by the company.

The entire gameplay loop is very shallow and numbingly boring. When you create an account, you have about 50 hours worth of questing (which is, for the most part, running to another area of the map and running back to complete the quest - it's extremely difficult to stay engaged and focused while completing them). As an end game player that's finished all the quests, your only option in terms of gameplay is to shell out more money into the game so you can buy new horses to grind to max level for ~8 hours each. It's important to mention the price of every new horse is equivalent to $20 if you purchase the premium currency at full price.

Why would someone pay money to do more grinding? Status. In the Star Stable community, teenagers are ruthless on judging other players based on their presumed wealth or style in the game. Low spenders or free players will be ridiculed by players who have dumped thousands of dollars into acquiring a large number of horses.

The only reason I haven't completely quit the game is the fear of losing all my money and effort, as well as the nostalgia of the world and friends I made through it. As someone who paid for the Lifetime membership ($70 I will never get back), all my 'gameplay' is logging in every 6 months to purchase a new horse with accumulated currency before logging off. While the characters and worldbuilding mean a lot to me, the current state of the company and its money-hungry priorities have ruined the franchise.