Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Nod Krai was the first time I EXPECTED a satisfying finale to a region’s story.
Historical inaccuracy: youtube.com/watch?v=WVeTpk6Gz_s&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJem
I started playing Genshin back in version 2.0, so by the time I caught up, the Inazuma arc was basically done, and overall I found the first three regions’ archon quests to be fun but very flawed. At best, I’d have described them as a decent story, poorly told.
In Sumeru I was invested in rescuing Nahida, but the Samsara had been a chore and my expectations were still low, so the level of emotional depth the finale reached was a huge surprise for me.
Fontaine was in the middle: the first two chapters had been fun, but Meropide was painful, so I went in uncertain whether they could recapture that moment of pure magic.
When it came to Natlan, I was excited but nervous: I enjoyed the first four acts but hated the interlude, and had a lot of complaints about the storytelling. I still had hopes they would deliver for the third year in a row, but I was uncertain, and as you might know, I ended massively disappointed anyway.
This time around? The changes to their storytelling in Nod Krai left me with an unfamiliar feeling: excitement, without the fear that it would fall apart in the end.
Now that it’s over, did Hoyo deliver?
00:00 Intro
01:06 The big picture
02:17 The previous acts
03:41 The grand finale • Expectations
04:59 The grand finale • Hopes
06:23 The grand finale
06:58 Payoffs
07:22 Expectations • Columbina
08:38 Expectations • Dottore
09:40 Expectations • The lore
10:38 Expectations • Storytelling
11:35 Hopes • Consequences
12:19 Hopes • Rerir's return
12:55 Hopes • Thematic depth
13:26 Hopes • Traveler's search
13:56 Hopes • Lasting changes
15:27 Positives • Battles
16:51 Positives • Sandrone
18:16 Positives • Wanderer
19:15 Negatives • No breaks
20:39 Negatives • Palestar edict
21:35 Negatives • Harbingers
22:50 Questions
24:51 Conclusion
Genshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).
I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK
twitch.tv/saurusness
Genshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.com
Twitch: twitch.tv/saurusness
Merch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.com
Twitter: twitter.com/saurusness
Discord: thatsaurus.com/discord
#genshinimpact #genshin #columbina #nodkrai #sandrone #dottore
Nod Krai was the first time I EXPECTED a satisfying finale to a region’s story.
Historical inaccuracy: youtube.com/watch?v=WVeTpk6Gz_s&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJem
I started playing Genshin back in version 2.0, so by the time I caught up, the Inazuma arc was basically done, and overall I found the first three regions’ archon quests to be fun but very flawed. At best, I’d have described them as a decent story, poorly told.
In Sumeru I was invested in rescuing Nahida, but the Samsara had been a chore and my expectations were still low, so the level of emotional depth the finale reached was a huge surprise for me.
Fontaine was in the middle: the first two chapters had been fun, but Meropide was painful, so I went in uncertain whether they could recapture that moment of pure magic.
When it came to Natlan, I was excited but nervous: I enjoyed the first four acts but hated the interlude, and had a lot of complaints about the storytelling. I still had hopes they would deliver for the third year in a row, but I was uncertain, and as you might know, I ended massively disappointed anyway.
This time around? The changes to their storytelling in Nod Krai left me with an unfamiliar feeling: excitement, without the fear that it would fall apart in the end.
Now that it’s over, did Hoyo deliver?
00:00 Intro
01:06 The big picture
02:17 The previous acts
03:41 The grand finale • Expectations
04:59 The grand finale • Hopes
06:23 The grand finale
06:58 Payoffs
07:22 Expectations • Columbina
08:38 Expectations • Dottore
09:40 Expectations • The lore
10:38 Expectations • Storytelling
11:35 Hopes • Consequences
12:19 Hopes • Rerir's return
12:55 Hopes • Thematic depth
13:26 Hopes • Traveler's search
13:56 Hopes • Lasting changes
15:27 Positives • Battles
16:51 Positives • Sandrone
18:16 Positives • Wanderer
19:15 Negatives • No breaks
20:39 Negatives • Palestar edict
21:35 Negatives • Harbingers
22:50 Questions
24:51 Conclusion
Genshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).
I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK
twitch.tv/saurusness
Genshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.com
Twitch: twitch.tv/saurusness
Merch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.com
Twitter: twitter.com/saurusness
Discord: thatsaurus.com/discord
#genshinimpact #genshin #columbina #nodkrai #sandrone #dottore
