Cool fights and damages keep us company in this game. We want the numbers to be better, higher, but what glues us to this world is its character’s narrative. We want to know our characters’ stories. It’s not just them being cute or awesome. Knowing who they are creates a special bond between a player character and the player.
It gives this world flair. The Genshin Impact meme culture reflects this. We care for these people. We want to know what they’re fighting for—we want to see them live and be happy.
Thankfully, we have the best access to that through their character story quests. And they’re far cry from filler.
10. Diluc — Darknight Hero's Alibi
He’s basically Batman. In here we get to know a bit as to why he’s not a part of the Knights of Favonious. We see a bit of his prideful attitude, but through all that, we would know of his efforts to protect Mondstadt even if he’s doing it alone.
Y’know, like Batman—with Monstadt being more of an ideal town than Gotham.
Diluc about to square off against the Abyss
What makes Darknight Hero’s Alibi great:
- Develops the world
- Build’s Diluc’s character
9. Kaeya — Secret Pirate Treasure
This quest pissed us off, probably because we became as gullible as Paimon going hungry for treasure. In here we get reminded that the people of Mondstadt, especially those with the Knight’s of Favonious, were not the paragons of justice that we expected them to be.
This is the part we know that Kaeya isn’t just smug. He’s a sly bastard, but he’s our sly bastard.
Kaeya announcing his big brain plan
What makes Secret Pirate Treasure great:
- Develops the world
- Build’s Kaeya’s character
- Builds on the Treasure Hoarders
8. Mona — Beyond This World's Stars
Thrown in with some questionable framing, the character story quest truly shines with us seeing how Mona’s financial situation was brought in contrast to her high-and-mighty attitude. This girl knows things, and seeing her journey to overcome her financial instability is something we’ve yet to see.
Mona in that questionable framing
What makes Beyond This World's Stars great:
- Develops the world
- Showcases Mona’s character
- Furthers the plot with MC
7. Klee — True Treasure
This is where we learned that Mondstadt’s Strongest Fighter is a little girl in red, who carried a big backpack—and accidentally burned down the face of the Stormberear Mountains while hunting for boars. She’s a terrorist, our little terrorist, who kept this treasure of hers somewhere in the forests that were stolen. That little thief blew himself up, realizing what this girl created was a bomb..
Still, you see her confess for her mistakes because he hurt another person. Legends say that she’s still in detention by blast fishing the Starfell Lake
Klee being an absolute adorable muffin
What makes True Treasure great:
- Showcases Klee’s character
- She’s really adorable
6. Ganyu — Sea of Clouds, Sea of People
Ganyu thought she was fired. Not knowing what to do with her life after losing the only job she overworked after so many years, she wandered into the mountains to meet her bird parent. Relatable.
This is the part to see her weaker side. She has grown dependent on humanity and humanity itself had learned the honor to work with her. It’s a good story about Ganyu rediscovering her purpose in her life—which is to work behind a desk because… people might die from working if she took a day off.
Ganyu looking at you after you told her to take a time off
What makes Sea of Clouds, Sea of People great:
- Develops the world
- Build’s on Ganyu’s character
5. Jean — Master's Day Off
Another overworked waifu to our list.
The darkest side of Mondstadt is not the vile trickery that Kaeya does or whatever Lisa does to those not returning her books on time but the sheer dependence of their people to Jean. This character story quest is wholesome, that being said.
We get a glimpse of who Jean is, and how she views other people concerning her position, with the best part being her getting a day off.
Jean questioning others why they're not giving her any work
What makes Master's Day Off great:
- Develops the world
- Builds the Knights of Favonius
- Showcases Jean’s character
4. Childe — Mighty Cyclops' Adventure!
In here we get to see how unforgiving little brothers are.
But we’re not complaining. We just finished fighting Childe by then. We know what he’s capable of—and the last thing we expected is his softer side to his siblings. He’s sweet. He didn’t want to destroy his little brother’s innocence about him and his job, and we’re here for the ride until everything escalated with him taking on four ruin guards under ten seconds.
Childe about to go super saiyan to protect a child's dream
What makes Mighty Cyclops' Adventure! great:
- Develops the world
- Furthers the details about the Abyss
- Showcases Childe’s character
3. Venti — Should You Be Trapped in a Windless Land
This started with them peering into children’s imagination but ended with something that we didn’t expect. It hurts.
Here we encounter Hans, a grieving adventurer, who borrowed the name of his dear friend, Stanley, to make sure that he would get to tell his stories and let nothing be forgotten. It’s a heartfelt tale of the Anemo Archon giving freedom to a man that needed it the most.
Venti doing his job as a god
What makes Should You Be Trapped in a Windless Land great:
- Develops the world
- Reveals the side of the world that’s usually glossed over
- Showcases Venti’s character
2. Zhongli — Sal Flore
We help Zhongli assist two self-proclaimed archeologists in this character story quest to unravel the mystery about Havria, the God of Salt.
This is the part where we see how Zhongli behaves as the God of Contracts. His patience remained strong even at the face of the people he assisted. We get to realize that the world of Genshin Impact is not as bright as it seems as things turn in a darker tone.
Zhongli telling us what happened to the God of Salt after a gacha rolling session
What makes Sal Flore great:
- Develops the world
- Reveals the side of the world that’s usually glossed over
- Showcases Zhongli’s character
1. Zhongli — No Mere Stone
Zhongli’s character was tested here. Like the God of Contracts, he is bound by a contract as well that keeps the plot from advancing. We now know that our grandpa knows things.
But what hit me in this character story quest was Zhongli’s relationship with his friend. It turns out that he was the one who sealed his friend after he forgot who he was. Zhongli didn’t come to him as an assassin, but he sealed him away, maybe wishing that one day, his friend would be back to what he once was.
Zhongli making friends with a rock dragon
What makes No Mere Stone great:
- Develops the world
- Reveals the side of the world that’s usually glossed over
- Builds and tests Zhongli’s character
