Even though I generally dislike the trope of an obnoxious husband and reluctant wife, it somehow works in Genshin Impact.
Generally, adventures in Genshin Impact involve saving nations from political subterfuge and good old-fashioned fantasy antics with giant dragons. This time, a character quest added in patch 3.4 has players navigating the feuds of two housemates named Kaveh and Alhaitham. Their interactions are some of the funniest in the game and show that one of Genshin Impact The most important narrative tools are to present characters in pairs and let them bounce off each other.
I’ll spare you the details of the majority of the quest, but here’s the gist: A super buff, smart guy named Alhaitham is appointed to a high-ranking position at an elite educational institution. Near the end of the quest, he, the protagonist, and his sidekick Paimon must go to his house to regroup and do some research. Once they arrive, the three meet Alhaitham’s roommate Kaveh.
Right off the bat, Kaveh’s appearance in the scene escalates the tension. Apparently, the trio surprised him on his way home, and Kaveh tells Traveler and Paimon that they shouldn’t tell anyone he’s Alhaitham’s roommate. The two then play the trope of a nagging wife and grumpy husband. At one point, Kaveh nags Alhaitham about cleaning up, and the players have to sit down in the middle of their spat.
“Can you feel the embarrassment in the air?” I hope you are aware of your lack of conversational skills,” Alhaitham said. “Oh, so the pot is calling the black kettle, right? Hmph, well, having said all that, are you okay?”
So far, Alhaitham has been a reserved and focused companion. He is not one to add unnecessary reflections to a story. But during these events, he stepped out of his academic self and actually got emotional about something, for once. Introducing characters in pairs is one of the Genshin Impact best storytelling tools. Giving Alhaitham a new character to interact with creates tension and interesting moments; Kaveh’s personality is so complementary in its contrast.
This dynamic also makes it easier to get these two characters on board. Ship characters in Genshin is one of the best ways to enjoy the game at your leisure, without getting sucked into timed quests or spending a dime in the game’s gacha system. invite fan art, video editing on TikTok, and allows people to freely engage with the world. Kaveh and Alhaitham’s conversation sets the perfect tone for this, largely because their relationship can be interpreted as romantic and makes the story much more enjoyable quest.
These kinds of pair dynamics have always been a huge driving force in the game. Whether pairing the reserved Raiden Shogun with the cheeky Yae Miko, or the stylish Mayor Ningguang and with free spirit Beidouseeing the characters bouncing off each other fleshes out the world bubbling and vibrant.
