We've documented 20 accessibility features for Genshin Impact, including Control Assists, Motion Aiming, Play Without Hearing, Visual Cues and Audio Cues. Its accessibility is strongest in Controls and Reading but it also has features in Getting Started, Visual, Audio, Navigation and Communication to reduce unintended barriers.
This report is created with input from accessibility experts and the player community to help people find games that have the accessibility features they require. Once you have found potential games on the database, there are excellent specialist accessibility sites that offer in-depth reviews to guide your purchasing decisions.
External examiner, Jonah Monaghan, first checked Genshin Impact accessibility 3 years ago. It was re-examined by Andy Robertson and updated 2 years ago.
Accessibility Notes
You are guided in the game with a map where you can set waypoints. The game pops up reminders of the controls on the screen.
On the mobile versions, there is a Gyro Aiming option to be able to use your device's motion detection to aim.
Game Details
Release Date: 27/09/2020
Price: Free
Out Now: Android, PC, PS4 and iOS
Skill Rating: 10+ year-olds
Players: 1 (4 online)
Genres: Action, Role-Play (Adventure, Collecting, Narrative and Traversal)
Accessibility: 20 features
Components: 3D Third-Person, Cartoon and Open World
Developer: Genshin Impact (@GenshinImpact)
Costs: Free. In-Game Loot Boxes
Controls
We've documented 5 accessibility features for Controls in Genshin Impact which deal with how you control the game, different options for alternative inputs and whether you can remap these settings to suit your needs.
Gamepad
Can play with the following:
Multiple Buttons & Two Sticks: Can play with multiple buttons and two sticks.
Mouse And Keyboard
Can play with the following:
Mouse and Keys: Can play with mouse and multiple keys.
Touchscreen
Can play with the following. Additional gestures may be required for games played with a screenreader like VoiceOver.
Two Taps Targeted: Can play with touchscreen, two simultaneous taps in specific locations.
Motion
Games that can be played with different sorts of motion controllers.
Motion Aiming: Can use small movements of the gamepad to fine-tune aiming or as the main aiming mechanism. This is sometimes known as Gyro-Aiming. This usually provides the ability to calibrate these controls to taste.
Remap Controls
Can customise the controls for the game as follows:
Invert X/Y Axis: Can invert the direction required to control looking and aiming. This enables you to match your instinctive orientation when looking.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play Genshin Impact, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Immortals Fenyx Rising (13 Controls Features)
- Minecraft Dungeons (12 Controls Features)
- Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (10 Controls Features)
- Asterigos: Curse of the Stars (9 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Difficulty in Genshin Impact which deal with how you can adjust the challenge of play, and whether this is locked once chosen or can be adjusted as you play. The following games are similar to Genshin Impact, and offer accessibility features for Difficulty:
- Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope (3 Difficulty Features)
- Palworld (3 Difficulty Features)
- Immortals Fenyx Rising (3 Difficulty Features)
- Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (2 Difficulty Features)
Getting Started
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Getting Started in Genshin Impact which deal with what support is offered to get started with the game. This includes customising the experience when you first open the game via any onboarding processes it provides as well as tutorials and other assistance when you first start playing.
Assistance Getting Starting
These features aid your play of the game in terms of cognitive load on learning controls, dealing with pressure and coping with the environment and challenges.
Tutorials: There are helpful tutorials and instructions on how to play. Information is provided in a timely manner, with appropriate level of detail.
View Control Mapping: You can view a map of controls during play. This clearly displays the mappings of actions to buttons/keys/mouse/keyboard without having to leave the game. This includes games that always display buttons to press during play.
Assistance With Controls: The game can automatically assist with aiming, steering, reloading, jumping, running etc. This reduces the challenge of certain aspects of play to remove barriers and make control of characters more accessible.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play Genshin Impact, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- Immortals Fenyx Rising (8 Getting Started Features)
- Go Vacation (8 Getting Started Features)
- Ikenfell (7 Getting Started Features)
- Hogwarts Legacy (7 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Reading in Genshin Impact which deal with how much reading or listening comprehension is required, how well the game provides visual and audible access to the text and whether subtitles and captions are a good fit for purpose.
Reading Level
How much reading is required to play the game's main path or story and how complex the language is. The presence of voiced characters doesn't reduce this requirement, as it's recorded as a separate datapoint.
Moderate Reading: Moderate reading required. The quantity and complexity of reading are at a level that a high school student (14-year-old) would appreciate.
Subtitles
All Speech Subtitled (Or No Speech In Game): All spoken content has subtitles, or there is no speech in the game. This means there is no requirement to hear spoken dialogue or narrative to play the game.
Captions
Speaker Indicator: Textual captions indicate who is speaking (or there is only ever one person speaking). This can also be indicated visually in the game with character icons or placing text in speech bubbles next to the person speaking.
Voice Acted
Some Dialogue is Voice Acted: Some of the game dialogue and narrative is voice acted. This reduces the pressure on reading all the dialogue text, although not everything is provided audibly.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play Genshin Impact, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Reading accessibility:
- Sneaky Sasquatch (6 Reading Features)
- Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope (5 Reading Features)
- Lego Star Wars: Castaways (5 Reading Features)
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (5 Reading Features)
Navigation
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Navigation in Genshin Impact which deals with how the game provides guidance and assistance to navigate its worlds. These are only for games that have traversal and exploration in 2D and 3D spaces.
Head-Up Display
Head-Up Display Navigation: Indication of where to go next with overlaid arrows, minimaps and waypoint markers. This supplements in-game visual and audible cues with additional guidance about where you are and where you need to go.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Navigation
If you want to play Genshin Impact, but it doesn't offer the Navigation accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Navigation accessibility:
- Minecraft Dungeons (10 Navigation Features)
- Hogwarts Legacy (8 Navigation Features)
- Immortals Fenyx Rising (7 Navigation Features)
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild (7 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Visual in Genshin Impact which deal with how you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.
Contrast
Medium Contrast: Game uses generally well contrasting and bright visuals, or has a slider to make this the case.
Interactive Elements
Large Game Elements: Game characters and other elements are large and distinguishable. Enemies and player characters are at least 1/6 of the height of the screen. Or there is a zoom feature to make them larger.
Audio Cues for Visual Events
Audio Cues for Visual Events: Audio is provided to indicate visual events. Game events or progress highlighted by visual icons, effects or animations are also accompanied by audio to signify that progress. This is useful for blind players.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Visual
If you want to play Genshin Impact, but it doesn't offer the Visual accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Visual accessibility:
- Ikenfell (8 Visual Features)
- Minecraft Dungeons (7 Visual Features)
- Sneaky Sasquatch (5 Visual Features)
- Kingdom Hearts (5 Visual Features)
Audio
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Audio in Genshin Impact which deal with how you can adjust the audio of the game and whether audio cues compensate for aspects of the game that are hard to see.
Adjustable Audio
Balance Audio Levels: Set music and game sound effects separately. This enables you to select your preference as well as ensure critical game sounds aren't obscured by other audio.
Audio Events
Visual Cues for Audio Events: Text or other visual indicators of audio events. This mirrors audio indicators of progress in the game with a corresponding visual indication.
Play Without Hearing
Play Without Hearing: No audio cues are necessary to play the game well.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Audio
If you want to play Genshin Impact, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Audio accessibility:
- Hogwarts Legacy (4 Audio Features)
- Immortals Fenyx Rising (4 Audio Features)
Communication
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Communication in Genshin Impact which deals with how you can communicate with other players in the game and what options are available to customise and control this interaction.
Player-to-Player Online Communication
This is how players communicate with each other in online games. This can be to plan strategy, chat as they play or co-ordinate resources.
Text Chat: Chat to other players by typing text.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Communication
If you want to play Genshin Impact, but it doesn't offer the Communication accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Communication accessibility:
- Monster Hunter (3 Communication Features)
- No Man's Sky (2 Communication Features)
System Accessibility Settings
In addition to the accessibility features provided in the game, you can also use system-wide accessibility settings:
Android
Android has accessibility settings including ways to navigate and interact, although not all games support this.
PC
Windows has extensive accessibility features. Some, like colour correction, work with games. Lots of accessibility software can be used with PC games, from voice recognition to input device emulators.
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 4 has a range of accessibility settings. Some are system only, some work in games (invert colours and button mapping).
iOS
iOS has a very extensive suite of accessibility settings including ways to navigate with voice and comprehensive screen reading, though most of the features don't work with games.
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors Andy Robertson and @JonahMonaghan