- Satisfying combat with a low barrier to entry
- Very interesting characters, NPCs, and overall world
- The tedious Hollow Deep Dive system, but at least it’s been toned down now.
The HoYoverse is back with a vengeance, and what a return it is – Zenless Zone Zero almost feels like it’s not daring you to play it as if you’re actually up against its flashy visuals and cool Luffy vibes. can do Marketing efforts for this highly-anticipated ARPG have been on full blast lately – you can see it practically everywhere you turn these days, and rightfully so.
People have been waiting forever for this eye candy to come out, and now that it’s officially launched, it’s time to decide once and for all – is it really worth it? Is it worth it?
List box:
Zenless Zone Zero story and visuals
Okay, so I know that last line was a little dramatic, but if the rating I gave this game is any indication, you already know how I feel about it. (A bit anti-climatic – sorry). Zenless Zone Zero wastes no time throwing you right into the action, delivering on its promises of adrenaline-pumping combat and proving to you just how seriously it takes “action” in an action RPG right off the bat.
What makes it all even sweeter is the way the visuals are laid out – everything is so cool that you can’t resist oh-ing and ahh-ing at cutscenes and comic book-inspired story panels. You’ll find, especially given the characters’ colorful outfits and even more colorful personalities
As a proxy, you’re tasked with guiding agents through a post-apocalyptic world filled with dangerous Hollows – mysterious black hole-esque realms that corrupt everything they touch. You might be rescuing trapped civilians or pulling off annoying tricksters for some loot, but whether your intentions are good or not, one thing’s for sure – Corrupted Ethereals pervade every corner of the Hollows. Are, so you better improve your fighting skills if you want to come out unscathed?
Zenless Zone Zero gameplay
This is where the real appeal of the game comes in. The combat in Zenless Zone Zero is fast-paced, stylish, and just so incredibly satisfying – I can’t remember a time when I’ve actually enjoyed a fight with such an exhilarating hustle and bustle because everything is so-so. Fun
But while you can switch between agents on the fly and fire off a hella-cool chain of attacks with a single tap (I even have a handy battle guide in case you’re confused), the strategy here Also comes in handy, as you will need. To find the best combination of moves that will create a better synergy between your party members.
The controls are deceptively simple, and the battle you come out of will make you feel like you have god-level abilities because you’re the coolest kid on the block. Regardless of which agents you choose, you’ll still feel the rush as you quickly take down each Ethereal, all with different camera angles, zoom effects, and lots of slow motion. Thanks to all who come together to fight. Bad guys feel a lot like a supercharged endorphin boost.
Outside of combat, you can of course explore the lush world of New Eridu, starting with the sights and sounds of bustling Sixth Street.
Doggos, mecha-armed chefs, tons of robots and talking trash cans abound, and as you explore every corner of this beautifully chaotic street, you’ll have quests and new things to discover. No need to search. Elements also change throughout the day – what happens in the morning isn’t necessarily what’s there in the afternoon, while some things can come alive at night if you look hard enough.
What is the appeal?
Now, since this all sounds absolutely fab so far, you might be wondering why I haven’t given Zenless Zone Zero top marks yet. This is, unfortunately, thanks to the obvious problem I’ve already talked about in myself. Closed Beta Test Preview – The awesome Hollow Deep Dive System (or HDD for short).
It’s a completely dull and gray TV land that you have to navigate with your Bangboo (cute rabbit-like mascots-slash-sentient assistants) with some puzzle gameplay and a little roguelike element thrown in with board game mechanics. has gone
It’s still tedious, still boring, and still takes away from the thrill of combat and the colors that come alive in the city – but overall, in this official build, the time spent inside the HDD is significantly reduced. Reduced, a special accelerated playback mode that speeds up certain elements within TV Land. It doesn’t completely solve the problem here, but it eases the boredom so you can jump back into combat or jump back into town for more shenanigans with its interesting residents.
The main story quests aren’t quite as HDD driven as they used to be either, as you can now explore other parts of the world with your trusty vehicle and leave HDD commissions for side quests if you wish. .
This small tweak just makes the game more fun – especially since there’s so much more to see and do outside of this dull world of TV.
And you can really tell how much love, effort and thought the dev team put into even the tiniest detail of an ARPG, seeing as how you can now watch more fun extras on the internet before bed. (Now you have a bedroom!).
On top of the already quirky NPCs in the shops there are also all sorts of quirky characters in the streets. There’s an officer Mimeo who is the embodiment of public safety, a sage in a barrel who believes it’s a new life form despite being trash, and a completely heartbroken-looking man in a torn toy box. Bingbo with a cell sticker that thinks. It can transform into a Carton Warrior (it can’t).
The newspaper dog is still there, but after I woke him up at night he wouldn’t go back to sleep (he made me feel like the worst bully in the world).
All of this adds to Zenless Zone Zero’s charm, and despite its high-profile HoYoverse badge, the little details prove that everyone working on it didn’t make this game a labor of love. That as just another cash cow. I’m sure they honestly want to give players something we can all truly enjoy – no predatory in-app purchases required.
That said, it’s still a gacha game, and the prices are a bit disappointing given how often you’ll get gear in the summon pool rather than actual agents in my experience. But with how good the starting roster already is – Billy, of course, still has my heart – in my opinion, the gacha factor backfires here, and you’re still flying with flying colors without all the S-rank characters. can get your lineup.
Overall, Zenless Zone Zero ticks all the right boxes for me, and is the kind of mobile game that I don’t want to battle through automatically (to skip all HDD missions altogether, if possible). save). The team is trying to make the board system something you can actually do in the city, which I’m all for. It doesn’t have to be an open world – Zenless Zone Zero’s self-contained locations are already interesting enough as they are.
I think this is another one of those games that makes me go, “I can’t believe this is free-to-play”, and has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Yes, I don’t see why you shouldn’t give it. Go and see for yourself.