Highlights
- The addition of the Simulated Universe in Honkai: Star Rail offers players the opportunity to explore a virtual universe and earn various rewards.
- The new permanent mode, Swarm Disaster, introduces the faction of flying insects known as The Swarm and features different difficulties and challenges for players to tackle.
- Swarm Disaster is a unique way to incorporate the lore of Tazzyronth into the game and hints at the possibility of similar mechanics being implemented for other Aeons in future updates.
The Honkai: Star Rail grind is no joke. It has many in-game activities where players can farm upgrade materials, Relics, and Warp passes. While some of the game modes in Honkai: Star Rail are similar to its sister title Genshin Impact, it stands out with the addition of the Simulated Universe.
The Simulated Universe is a rogue-like game set in a virtual universe designed and built by Genius Society members Herta, Screwllum, Ruan Mei, and Stephen. Players who enter it can utilize Aeon Blessings to aid them in their exploration. The rewards of completing a Simulated Universe run include Planar Ornaments, Relics, upgrade materials, and Stellar Jades, among many others. The game mode continues to evolve with new Worlds and boss opponents, but in Honkai: Star Rail Version 1.3, Herta and her team will be adding Swarm Disaster.
What is the Swarm Disaster in Honkai: Star Rail?
Swarm Disaster will be a new permanent Simulated Universe mode coming to Honkai: Star Rail Version 1.3. It references The Swarm, a faction of flying, four-winged insects that come from the remains of Tazzyronth, the Aeon of Propagation and original creator of the Swarm Disaster. According to Honkai: Star Rail‘s in-game data, Tazzyronth’s Aeonhood was short-lived. It was believed that they were born from the loneliness brought by the disappearance of Long the Permanence. They metamorphosed into a self-duplicating horror, which later led to the creation of the Swarm Disaster. Tazzyronth was then destroyed by the other Aeons as the Swarm Disaster began to take hold and threatened everyone in the universe.
Swarm Disaster will have the same roguelike mechanics as the regular Simulated Universe stages where players will traverse one domain to another while gathering Blessings and Curios that will give them significant buffs. The difference will be that after beating a domain, players could use the Communing Device to roll an Audience Die, which will have different effects that could prove useful as they tackle powerful monsters ahead, including the new boss enemy called Swarm: True Sting.
Swarm Disaster will have a total of five difficulties, with the final one (Torturous Difficulty) offering high-level challenges and obstacles. Players will also be able to unlock the Path of Propagation once they’ve completed all chapters of Swarm Disaster and the adventure mission “Swarm Disaster: The End.” It will be the eighth Path introduced in the Simulated Universe.
Honkai: Star Rail hasn’t revealed the specific Blessings for the Path of Propagation. But considering how Tazzyronth was a self-duplicating horror that led a horde of insects, one possible feature to the Blessings could have something to do with damage stacking or damage over time. It would also be interesting to see if a swarm of insects would appear if players triggered Propagation’s Path Resonance.
Upon completing each Simulated Universe: Swarm Disaster stages, players can get various rewards they can use in their Honkai: Star Rail gameplay. First time clearance rewards include Stellar Jades, regular Star Rail Passes, Trailblazer Level EXP, and more. They can also acquire upgrade materials and credits as Chapter Collection Rewards and Trail of Pathstrider Unlock Rewards.
Swarm Disaster is a great example of how Honkai: Star Rail will change up the already-familiar Simulated Universe apart from adding new Worlds. It’s also a unique way to incorporate the lore of Tazzyronth into the game without fully depending on large blocks of text. It’s possible that HoYoverse might implement the same mechanic for other Honkai: Star Rail Aeons in future updates, especially with rumors that it’s introducing other Paths as it adds more playable characters in the next few months. For now, Honkai: Star Rail fans would have to prep for the Swarm Disaster challenges that await them.
Honkai: Star Rail is now available on Mobile and PC. A PS5 version is in development.
