Genshin Impact: Official Art Book Vol. 1 Review

The Genshin Impact: Official Art Book Vol. 1 is a must-own for invested players of HoYoverse’s game, featuring a slew of interesting design pieces and looks into the world of Teyvat. For a game that’s become such a cultural phenomenon, peeks behind the curtain are especially valuable, and there’s plenty for those who think they’ve seen everything that Genshin Impact has to offer to discover in the pages of this excellently curated art collection.

The Genshin Impact: Official Art Book Vol. 1 covers up to Version 1.6, so while it’s pretty far behind where the game currently stands in terms of its narrative, it’s also a great way to look back at content that’s no longer relevant to veterans. Mondstadt in particularly feels like something of a forgotten dream these days, and seeing some of the concept art that went into the location and its characters is refreshing.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Refreshers On Early Lore

The art collection is also a sentimental way to remember the journey that led to Genshin Impact‘s relevancy to its most invested players. The art book traces the narrative neatly and features a number of breath-taking pieces that help emphasize the beautiful world of Teyvat. It’s easy to take for granted while grinding for Artifacts or churning through open world content, but the environmental design in Genshin Impact is on full display in Official Art Book Vol. 1.

The book itself also has a premium feel to it, which is especially welcome given its relatively low price of $35 USD at time of writing. Usually for collections like these from video games, there’s a heftier price tag for access to portfolio pieces and behind-the-scenes sketches. Genshin Impact: Official Art Book Vol. 1 offers a rare level of insight into what goes into making Teyvat look the way it does, and does so at a nice, lower price point. The pages themselves have a nice finish to them and the presentation of the art book, with a slipcase and an eye-grabbing cover, makes it a suitable decoration for bookshelves.

A Peek Behind The Curtain

Genshin Designs On Display

While discussing the Genshin Impact: Official Art Book Vol. 1 naturally leads to a broader examination of its world, it’s also worth noting that the book contains a lot of character designs and trailer artwork, too. It’s a comprehensive collection of all the media that led from launch up to Version 1.6. Those who have been along for the ride for quite some time will likely find small elements they remember from a character’s outfit or a trailer’s progression that sticks out on the page, which adds to the fun of engaging with the art book.

Ultimately, Genshin Impact: Official Art Book Vol. 1 is perfect for those who love the game. It’s especially well-suited to gifting, as it is a physical representation of a world that players have spent many dozens of hours in. For a holiday present or a nice discussion piece on a bookshelf, Genshin Impact: Official Art Book Vol. 1 is absolutely worth the money for those considering expanding their fondness of Teyvat into the art world.

Genshin Impact: Official Art Book Vol. 1 is available now at several distributors, including Amazon. Screen Rant was provided with a copy of the book for the purpose of this review.