Known for their predatory forms of monetization, gacha games are often received with a fair amount of skepticism. For the most part, this is a healthy instinct, since these games offer players what is, essentially, a virtual slot machine, with a slim chance at best that it will pay out with the player’s desired character or item.
However, that’s not the whole story. As Honkai: Star Rail taught me, within the morass of monetization, there is fun and meaningful stories to be experienced. Before my time with Honkai, I was utterly convinced that gacha games were irredeemable, cynical attempts to part people from their money. I was resolved not to be taken in by the pretty jpegs.
