A solid lock-on feature can elevate a good game to a superb one. Without Z (or L) targeting, 3D Zelda games would feel imprecise and unwieldy. Without the ability to hone in on a special target, Dynasty Warriors would feel like an unfocused button masher. Point being, unless it's an important part of the game's design, it's usual best 💦to give players the option to zoom in on a particular target if they're being tasked with shooting or slashing thi🅠ngs.
So why, then, does Genshin Impact not seem to grasp this? For a game as well-made, engrossing, and open-ended as this one, it boggles the mind that there's no reliable way to lock onto targets. The 🎉game has the audacity to task players with fighting hordes of enemies, but doesn't give them the same tools most 3D ARPGs have to do it.
This proves toꦐ be a pain during most combat encounters, as your anime lad or lass of choice will awkwardly gravitate towards the closest target - or just blindly lash in whatever direction you're facing. It's particularly egregious with bow-wielding characters, who either are forced to use their weapons as a glorified extended melee, or use the clunky over-the-shoulder mechanic to aim accurately.
As a consequence of this, combat feels clumsier than it should. Here you have this exceptionally polished game with loads of content, but lacking in the tools that would make that content m🦩ore compelling or easier to navigate. Not being able to lock onto something feels like a♒ pretty gross oversight, and it's one that I can only hope is rectified in the coming months.
None of this is to say that Genshin Impact is a bad game. Far from it, in fact - I'm really enjoying my time with it, and our own Cian🐓 Maher seems fairly taken with♊ exploring the world. But small blemishes like this threaten to undermine that enjoyment, especially when thinking ahead to higher level c🃏ontent. I can only hope that the devs realize that, and are actively working to give this game the polished, satisfying combat mechanics it deserves.