Comparison

Honkai Impact 3rd vs Wuthering Waves

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Honkai Impact 3rd

Embark on a sci-fi adventure with stunning 3D graphics and dynamic combat. Team up with unique characters to explore new worlds and uncover mysteries. Experience an epic story with immersive events and a talented voice cast.

Highlights
  • 3D cel-shaded graphics
  • Real-time action combat
  • Infinite combo system
  • Intersecting storylines
  • Flexible team compositions
  • LITE system for daily tasks
  • New open maps
Features
Read full description

This game includes optional in-game purchases, including random virtual items. Honkai Impact 3rd is a sci-fi adventure action game developed by HoYoverse. 3D cel-shaded graphics, 3D combat with free jumping, infinite comboing, tight controls... Experience next-gen real-time action! An original tale told across media, immersive in-stage events, and a star-studded voice cast... Become part of the legend! The crisis on Earth has subsided for now, while a new adventure on Mars unfolds. Meet Valkyries with distinct personalities and explore the mysteries of Martian civilization together. Hyperion command system ready. Processing login request... Verified! Attention, all units! Safety latch disengaged, download engine initiating high-density energy transfer. Logging in in 10, 9, 8... "Captain on the bridge." From today onwards, you are our Captain. Please team up with us to fight for all that is beautiful in the world! In the shadow of Honkai, civilizations face one crisis after another; it's up to brave girls to fight to protect the world. However, this world is far, far bigger than you and I imagined... [Intersecting storylines! Adventure with friends new and old!] After Kiana fell into a slumber, friends from different planets gather for different reasons to uncover the secrets of Mars. [Classic action gaming! Flexible team compositions!] Diverse team compositions and combat strategies provide more possibilities in play. Fight together for all that's beautiful! [Take a break! LITE system makes daily tasks easy.] If you want a vacation like Theresa, use HOHO Vacation Tickets to sweep missions and claim rewards! [Upgraded visuals! New open maps to dive into!] Meticulous attention to lighting, texture, and other details creates a playable anime movie. Explore newly opened locations, enjoy immersive cinematics, and experience the allure of next-gen graphics!

About

Wuthering Waves

Embark on an open-world action RPG adventure as Rover, reclaiming lost memories and changing a post-apocalyptic world. Explore freely, engage in fast-paced combat, and uncover hidden truths with a cast of unique companions.

Highlights
  • Expansive open-world exploration
  • High-degree of freedom movement
  • Fast-paced combat system
  • Cinematic storytelling and animation
  • Companion system with unique abilities
  • High-mobility expedition motorbike
Features
Read full description

Wuthering Waves is a story-rich open-world action RPG with a high degree of freedom. You wake from your slumber as Rover, joined by a vibrant cast of Resonators on a journey to reclaim your lost memories and change the world. ◆Winner of Players' Voice at The Game Awards 2025◆ ◆Nominee of Best Mobile Game at The Game Awards 2025◆ ◆Nominee of Players' Voice at The Game Awards 2024◆ ◆Nominee of Best Mobile Game at The Game Awards 2024◆ ◆Introduction◆ Welcome aboard, roving voyager. Upon the shores lay the silent embers of a world during the Ebb Tide. Desolated by the Lament, the erstwhile creations and earthly beings are left static. But they strike back, strong enough to penetrate the silence. Humanity has risen anew from the ashes of the apocalypse. And you, Rover, are poised for an adventure of Awakening. Companions to meet, enemies to conquer, new powers to gain, hidden truths to unveil, and unseen spectacles to behold... A vast world of endless possibilities awaits. The choice rests in your hands. Be the answer, be the leader, and follow the sounds to arrive at a new future. As Wuthering Waves echo endlessly, mankind set sail on a new journey. Rise and embark on your odyssey, Rover. ◆Features◆ Delve into an expansive world / Desolated by the Lament, civilization is born anew Embrace high degrees of freedom in immersive overworld explorations. Free yourself from stamina limits, dash and parkour on walls, take Flight, and ride a high-mobility expedition motorbike to enjoy open-world exploration. As the world of Solaris-3 unfolds, your lost memory begins to see its recovery through this ceaseless quest. Enjoy extreme battle experience / Engage in smooth & fast-paced combat Avail against enemy attacks in smooth and fast-paced combat. Apply easy controls of Extreme Evasion, Dodge Counter, Echo Skill, and unique QTE mechanisms that allow the fullest possibility of battle experience. Immerse in breathtaking storytelling / Witness a delicate fusion of story, sound, and vision With cinematic narratives, rich music, and stunning animation, Solaris delivers a high-quality sensory journey that brings every story to life. Encounter Resonators / Forte awakened, journey alongside your companions Compose a harmonious battle concerto with Resonators of different abilities. Their unique Fortes revealing distinctive personalities will be your strong assets for the journey ahead. ◆Official Social Media◆ Official Website: https://wutheringwaves.kurogames.com/en/ X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/Wuthering_Waves Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WutheringWaves.Official YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WutheringWaves Discord: https://discord.com/invite/wutheringwaves Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/WutheringWaves/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wuthering_waves Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wutheringwaves_official ※IGRS-certified and suitable for users aged 13 and above. 【App Permissions】 To provide the following services while you use this app, we may request certain permissions. 【Optional Permissions】 -Photos: Used for uploading, downloading, or sharing pictures, such as saving pictures to the photo library. -Microphone: Used for providing feedback through methods such as sending voice messages or recording videos. -Camera: Used for providing feedback through methods such as taking photos or recording videos, as well as for scanning QR codes. *For optional permissions, you can continue to use the app normally even if you deny them. 【How to Withdraw Permission Consent】 Settings → Privacy & Security → Select the relevant permission → Choose to allow or revoke access.

Screenshots

Honkai Impact 3rd4 screens
Wuthering Waves4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Wuthering Waves at none against Honkai Impact 3rd's shown. Wuthering Waves also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months) and chart position (#45 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Honkai Impact 3rd sells 12 one-off in-app purchases and Wuthering Waves sells 17 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Honkai Impact 3rd against 4.6 for Wuthering Waves. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 47K and 59K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Honkai Impact 3rd's written reviews are positive against 65% of Wuthering Waves's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Honkai Impact 3rd ships an update every 2 months, Wuthering Waves every 10 days. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Honkai Impact 3rd versus Wuthering Waves: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHonkai Impact 3rdWuthering Waves
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (47K ratings) — better4.6 (59K ratings)
Positive reviews68.6% of reviews — better65.1% of reviews
Number of ratings47K59K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#45 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size3.1 GB3.4 GB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperCOGNOSPHERE PTE. LTD.KURO GAMES

Customer experience

Honkai Impact 3rd

All ratings46,598 ratings
Positive92.0%
Neutral1.8%
Negative6.2%
Written reviews519 reviews
Positive68.6%
Neutral7.5%
Negative23.9%

Wuthering Waves

All ratings58,916 ratings
Positive91.0%
Neutral2.6%
Negative6.4%
Written reviews4,595 reviews
Positive65.1%
Neutral10.3%
Negative24.6%

User reviews

Honkai Impact 3rd

From 47K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth gameplay
  • 🎨 Stunning graphics
  • 📚 Engaging story
  • 🎶 Excellent soundtrack
  • 🎮 Fluid combat mechanics

Room to improve

  • 💳 Gacha system can be expensive
  • 🔍 Overwhelming menu and UI
  • 🔋 High storage requirements
  • 🕰️ Slow energy/stamina recovery
  • 🔀 Repetitive mission types

Wuthering Waves

From 59K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth gameplay
  • 🎨 Beautiful graphics and character designs
  • 👍 Generous rewards and compensation
  • 💡 Unique combat system and echo system
  • 🤖 Expressive and detailed NPCs

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and performance issues
  • 🔌 Laggy and overheating on mobile devices
  • 🗣️ Inconsistent voice acting quality
  • 🤷‍♀️ Bland and disjointed story
  • 🤬 Lack of controller support on mobile

Bugs and requests

Honkai Impact 3rd

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Frequent crashes and freezes
  • Inconsistent server connectivity
  • Progress reset after updates

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more playable male characters
  • Improve camera controls and targeting
  • Increase energy/stamina recovery rate
  • Streamline UI and menu navigation
  • Expand open-world exploration

Wuthering Waves

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Dialogue and subtitle issues
  • Screen orientation problems
  • Enemies getting stuck in the environment
  • Inconsistent login and loading issues
  • Glitches during combat and cutscenes

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add controller support for mobile
  • Improve optimization and reduce crashes
  • Enhance story pacing and character development
  • Implement more customization options
  • Add co-op or multiplayer features

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Honkai Impact 3rd

One-time12
  • 65 B-Chips$0.99
  • 330 Crystal Bundle$4.99
  • 330 B-Chips$4.99
Show 9 more
  • 660+50 Crystals$9.99
  • 990 B-Chips$14.99
  • 1,320 Crystals$19.99
  • 1320+110 Crystals$19.99
  • 1,320 B-Chips$19.99
  • 1,980 B-Chips$29.99
  • 3,300 B-Chips$49.99
  • 3300+560 Crystals$49.99
  • 6600+1488 Crystals$99.99
17 purchases

Wuthering Waves

One-time17
  • 60 Lunites$0.99
  • Special Bundle07$0.99
  • Special Bundle11$1.99
Show 14 more
  • 300 Lunites$4.99
  • Lunite Subscription$4.99
  • Special Bundle08$9.99
  • Insider Channel$9.99
  • Special Bundle$9.99
  • Upgrade to Connoisseur Channel$10.00
  • Special Bundle40$14.99
  • 980 Lunites$14.99
  • Special Bundle$19.99
  • Connoisseur Channel$19.99
  • Special Bundle12$19.99
  • 1980 Lunites$29.99
  • 3280 Lunites$49.99
  • 6480 Lunites$99.99

Questions

Is Honkai Impact 3rd free?
Honkai Impact 3rd is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Wuthering Waves free?
Wuthering Waves is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Honkai Impact 3rd or Wuthering Waves?
Honkai Impact 3rd is rated higher. Honkai Impact 3rd averages 4.7 out of 5 from 47K ratings, while Wuthering Waves averages 4.6 from 59K ratings.
Do Honkai Impact 3rd or Wuthering Waves have ads?
Honkai Impact 3rd shows ads; Wuthering Waves does not.
Which is updated more often, Honkai Impact 3rd or Wuthering Waves?
Honkai Impact 3rd ships an update every 2 months, and Wuthering Waves every 10 days. Most recently, Honkai Impact 3rd was updated on September 26, 2026 and Wuthering Waves on September 26, 2026.

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