Cognosphere

Two characters from Honkai Star Rail on top of a background from Genshin Impact.

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SHINING STARS | As Honkai: Star Rail turns one, we look back on the Genshin Impact successor that might just outshine its blockbuster older sibling

We're all living in a gacha game world now, but who holds the throne of the F2P empire? Figuring it out isn't as simple as you think.

April 26, 2024 Rebecca Jones

Honkai Star Rail character Kafka looking at her phone with a large Stellar Jade in the background.

Guide

Honkai Star Rail codes

Get free Stellar Jades here!

April 26, 2024 Dion Dassanayake

News

WAKE UP AND SIGN UP | Zenless Zone Zero finally gets a release date, as it soars past 30 million pre-registered players

That figure was reached before 24 hours passed, by the way.

April 24, 2024 Connor Makar

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Artwork showing anime characters from mobile game Tears of Themis.

Guide

Tears of Themis Redeem Codes

Who's your favourite husbando?

April 23, 2024 Dion Dassanayake

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Aventurine materials list

All the mats to get Aventurine to the top

April 16, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail's Aventurine standing in the dark while his purple eyes glow

Guide

Place your bets | Honkai Star Rail Aventurine kit and Traces priority

How the version 2.1 shielder works

April 16, 2024 Josh Broadwell

A collage of characters and locations from some of our favourite mobile games. L-R: Dan Heng from Honkai: Star Rail; America Chavez and Groot from Marvel Snap; a domed tower level from Monument Valley 2; Diluc from Genshin Impact; and Darius III and Artoria Pendragon from Fate/Grand Order.

Guide

GAMES IN YOUR POCKET | The best mobile games to play in 2024

Want to know the best games you can handily check out on your mobile device?

April 12, 2024 Rebecca Jones

A character in Elden Ring, one of the best PS5 games, looking at a shooting star

Guide

PLAYSTATION ALLSTARS | The best PS5 Games to justify your next-gen PlayStation purchase in 2024

Sony's stellar lineup just keeps getting bigger.

April 11, 2024 James Billcliffe

Guide

Honkai Impact codes

Even Valkyries like freebies

April 8, 2024 Holly Alice

Guide

NO MONEY, NO PROBLEM | The best free-to-play games to try in 2024

Here are some good games for you to play without the need to splash the cash.

April 5, 2024 Kelsey Raynor

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HSR's Acheron, standing under a red parasol in the rain on an empty street in Penacony

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Acheron materials list

Acheron shares her materials with several characters, so make sure to plan ahead.

March 27, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail's Acheron leaning over under bright golden lights

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Acheron kit and Traces priority

The power of nil

March 27, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail's Gallagher standing in the Reverie lobby near the bar

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Gallagher kit and Traces priority

Gallagher's kit is a cokctail of features and functions

March 25, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail's Aventurine tipping a top hat and Acheron wielding her long sword

Guide

Honkai Star Rail 2.1 release date and anniversary celebrations

The dream continues in HSR 2.1

March 19, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail's Aventurine with a roulette behind him as poker chips rain down in golden sparkles

Guide

Honkai Star Rail 2.1 banners: Acheron and Aventurine join the ranks

Healers, shielders, and deadly warriors from the void with unique features and no energy - Oh my!

March 18, 2024 Josh Broadwell

News

IN THE ZONE | Missed out on the last Zenless Zone Zero beta? Then you might want to sign up for the next one

Jet Set Impact.

March 17, 2024 Oisin Kuhnke

March 7th – a chripy character armed with a bow, light pink hair and a sassy wink – poses over a blurred-out background.

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MARCHING ORDERS | Day Two of My New Life: Why Honkai Star Rail's March 7th was one of last year's best new female characters

And it's not just because her name is really close to International Women's Day.

March 8, 2024 Rebecca Jones

Honkai Star Rail Jing Yuan build: An anime man wearing scarlet trousers and white chest armor is seated on tiled floor near a chess board. A large white lion is at his left side

Guide

Checkmate | The best Honkai Star Rail Jing Yuan build, Light Cones, and Relics

Jing Yuan is a mighty warrior and one of the strongest AoE fighters

March 1, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Sparkle teams

Sparkle's unique kit makes her a natural choice for several teams

Feb. 29, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail Sparkle materials: Star Rail's Sparkle sits in the middle of a swirling dream bubble with masks and red leaves floating around her

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Sparkle materials list for ascension and Traces

Mask off

Feb. 29, 2024 Josh Broadwell

The Penacony gacha machine in Honkai Star Rail version 2.0

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BLUE BALLS | Honkai Star Rail devotees look for pity as they fall foul of a gachapon machine

A gacha inside a gacha. Is it a dream, or a nightmare?

Feb. 12, 2024 Connor Makar

Honkai Star Rail Misha materials: Star Rail's Misha takes a chip offered to him, with an expression of pure delight on his face.

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Misha materials list: Ascension and traces

Misha needs Penacony mats, but newcomers can get them early

Feb. 8, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan materials: Star Rail's Black Swan moves her face close to the camera, with her right hand covering her cheeks under her right eye

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan materials list for ascension and Traces

Black Swan materials include common Nihility items and some common mats from easy enemies

Feb. 7, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan kit: Star Rail's Black Swan is reflected in pieces of shattered glass, with a frozen rose on the left and handwritten notes on the right

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan kit and Traces priority

Black Swan's kit centers on one very important feature

Feb. 7, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan teams: Star Rail's Black Swan holds a tarot card between her left index finger and thumb and shows the card back to the camera

Guide

Time worsens wounds | Honkai Star Rail Black Swan teams

Black Swan teams look a bit different than you might be used to

Feb. 7, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan build: Star Rail's Black Swan sits top a TV set displaying a large, malignant-looking purple eye

Guide

Future Proof | Honkai Star Rail Black Swan build, Light Cone, and Relics

A good Black Swan build only needs to prioritize a few stats

Feb. 7, 2024 Josh Broadwell

A new character, Misha, in Honkai: Star Rail 2.0.

Article

What's new in Honkai: Star Rail 2.0?

From Penacony to the new characters Black Swan, Sparkle and Misha, Honkai: Star Rail 2.0 has lots to offer!

Feb. 6, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Guide

PIXEL HEARTS | The best dating sims to play in 2024

Whether you’re looking for a goofy romantic experience or something that’ll tug at your heartstrings, here are some of the best dating sims to give a go.

Feb. 5, 2024 Kelsey Raynor

Honkai Star Rail Dr Ratio kit traces priority: An anime man with shaggy blue hair, wearing a loose-fitting tunic, is standing with his chin in his hand.

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Dr Ratio kit and Traces priority

Ratio'd

Jan. 16, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail Dr Ratio build: An anime man with mid-length blue hair is sitting in a white ceramic bathtub. Bubbles float around him, and he holds an open book in his right hand

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Dr Ratio build, Light Cones, and Relics

L+(Dr) Ratio

Jan. 16, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Dr Ratio materials list for ascension and Traces

Everything in its proper place

Jan. 16, 2024 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail Kafka materials: An anime woman with purple hair in two loops in the back and a long fringe is illuminated by the light of an explosion as she stares straight ahead, expressionless

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Kafka materials list for ascension and Traces

Hunting the hunter('s mats)

Jan. 16, 2024 Josh Broadwell

News

AT MY BEST | All of a sudden, Honkai Star Rail's worst five star character has become top tier

Himeko isn't exactly the best option for most, but Pure Fiction has fixed that.

Jan. 8, 2024 Connor Makar

News

BIG SPENDER | New Chinese regulations could spell trouble for gacha games

Draft rules that curb excessive spending may impact the gaming scene, for good and bad.

Dec. 22, 2023 Connor Makar

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Honkai Star Rail Ruan Mei materials: An anime woman with a low-cut green dress and long brown hair is standing in the middle of a research lab, holding a stringed instrument in her hands.

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Ruan Mei materials list for ascension and Traces

The brains of the operation

Dec. 21, 2023 Josh Broadwell

News

MONEY MAKER | Honkai Star Rail loses top gacha earner spot to Genshin Impact and an incredibly horny shooter

Genshin Impact was the number one gacha earner in November, while Nikke bounces back into second place.

Dec. 4, 2023 Connor Makar

News

REACH FOR THE STARS | Honkai Star Rail takes the cake for Apple's best mobile game of the year

Lies of P took home a top award too.

Nov. 30, 2023 Oisin Kuhnke

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Hanya kit and Traces priority

Brush with fate

Nov. 23, 2023 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail Hanya materials list: An anime woman with shoulder-length white hair, wearing a black headband, is standing behind a wall of blue flames

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Hanya materials list for ascension and Traces

A marked grind

Nov. 22, 2023 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail Argenti kit traces priority: An anime man in gleaming white armor, with long red hair, is rushing forward with a spear in his hand.

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Argenti kit and Traces priority

Struck by beauty

Nov. 20, 2023 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail Argenti materials list: An anime man with long red hair, wearing bright silver armor, is standing in front of a bright, open window

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Argenti materials list for ascension and Traces

Things of beauty

Nov. 18, 2023 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail Huohuo materials: An anime girl with long green hair is standing in front of a glowing Fox spirit bearing its teeth

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Huohuo materials list for ascension and Traces

Fuel your fear

Nov. 17, 2023 Josh Broadwell

Honkai Star Rail Huohuo kit and trace priority

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Huohuo kit and traces priority

Scary stuff

Nov. 15, 2023 Josh Broadwell

A PS5 DualShock controller with Honkai: Star Rail's Pom-Pom superimposed over the middle.

News

VORACIOUS | Honkai: Star Rail shoots past one million PS5 players

Great news for the game that's still making serious bank worldwide. It's also, you know, good.

Nov. 10, 2023 Connor Makar

News

IN THE ZONE | Zenless Zone Zero beta sign-ups are live now, but you're not guaranteed entry

Plus, some actual physical prizes are up for grabs too.

Nov. 5, 2023 Oisin Kuhnke

Furina, Archon of Hydro Justice in Fontaine, flourishes her weapon and smiles intensely at the player.

News

SO MANY CODES | Genshin Impact 4.2 and Honkai: Star Rail 1.5 details revealed in HoYoverse double-bill livestream

A one-week delay on the Genshin Impact stream meant we got a lot of information all in one go.

Nov. 3, 2023 Rebecca Jones

Honkai Star Rail version 1.5 official art

News

PELACONEY | Honkai Star Rail version 1.5 livestream recap

Here's everything we saw in the latest Honkai: Star Rail livestream, including new characters, codes, and more.

Nov. 3, 2023 Connor Makar

Dan Heng a.k.a. Imbibtor Lunae looks deep into the eyes of a semi-transparent blue-green dragon, against the backdrop of a full moon in the night sky.

News

MONEY MAKER | Honkai: Star Rail maintains momentum by earning 44 million dollars in October

Genshin Impact retains number two spot, while Nikke takes a tumble.

Nov. 1, 2023 Connor Makar

News

RATIO | Honkai Star Rail teases three new characters - leaves community thirsty

I mean what can I say, people are down bad for pixels.

Oct. 31, 2023 Connor Makar

Honkai Star Rail Topaz build: An anime woman with a silver bob is petting a gold-and-white pig-like creature

Guide

Honkai Star Rail Topaz build, kit, and Light Cone

Numbies go up

Oct. 31, 2023 Josh Broadwell