Zenless Zone Zero Review

Zenless Zone Zero is a free-to-play gacha RPG developed by miHoYo. The game easily stands out from the pack, joining yet another ambitious addition to the studio's portfolio. What makes this game different, however, is the peculiar way in which it combines elements of roguelike exploration, action-laden combat, and life simulation into an almost condensed, narratively driven experience.

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about this studio is the colorful and retro-future design of its games. In Zenless Zone Zero, the action happens in New Eridu, a small, bustling city bathed in neon light and CRT TVs, filled to the rafters with a sizeable cast of characters, none of which you can control. With its unique design and overall streamlined structure, Zenless Zone Zero can still claim identity, even though it copies the creator's hallmark style and gameplay mechanics.

The storyline is well-structured, but it does not have the dramatic consequences seen in previous Hoyoverse games like Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail. On the other hand, Zenless Zone Zero is a nice change of pace, focusing on much higher stakes that are personal but smaller in scope.

Both old and new mechanics are incorporated into the gameplay. Zenless Zone Zero fuses the new with the ideas of the old Hoyoverse—from life simulation to roguelike exploration and action fighting, one loop contains it all. The progression in the game involves you controlling Hollows and directing them via a tile-based TV board system. While doing this, they will also solve puzzles, perform combat, and trigger story events.

Combat in Zenless Zone Zero is undeniably one of the most pivotal aspects of the game. The game features such as roguelike ending content and farming settings that may be customized to boost your ability to play the game multiple times. Its encounters are both visually stimulating and action-packed, even though the surface layer is actually not all that complicated. You control a group of three agents in their team and can freely toggle between them while they are in combat.

The combat system consists of fundamental attacks, special moves, and mysterious methods. The addition of "Assist" exchanges is yet another strategic component incorporated into the game. Helps that are precisely timed to trigger parries or interrupts can be used, and they reward great behavior with visually beautiful animations.

The combat is slick and enjoyable, but it's heavily dependent on simplicity, especially in the early game. For the most part, this sets the tone for the rest of the game. Basic mobs are, for the most part, pretty easy to kill, and their main purpose is to serve as targets for spectacular combos.

On the other hand, the fact that endgame modes will eventually roll out—e.g., Hollow Zero and Shiyu Defense—offers some solace to those players desiring deeper strategic fighting. Lacking any sense of complexity might turn off some players who seek this sort of struggle. These modes take some more time to be unlocked, but when they are, the challenges become more difficult.

Setting aside the battle feature of the game, you're encouraged to fully interact with all the daily events that unfold in New Eridu. This includes activities such as maintaining the protagonists' video rental store, participating in arcade minigames, and interacting with non-player characters.

Participating in a forum-like setting comparable to Reddit can also help you feel alive. While these activities do have certain appealing qualities, they are ultimately empty and lack any depth to which you could commit for an extended period.

In Zenless Zone Zero, you have to solve some simple problems to complete the exploration missions, which form the weakest link in the gameplay cycle. They could give the impression of being filler content because they are repetitive and don't present any challenges. Nevertheless, story commissions, with elements of exploration, combat, and narration, lend tempo to the game and help restore the balance, hence helping the game keep moving smoothly.

For the progression mechanism and amassing microtransactions and in-app purchases, you get what is expected from most gacha games; the primary preoccupation in Zenless Zone Zero is the collecting of characters and the manner through which their powers are honed. Every fifty wishes come with a guaranteed, random five-star pull, and after three hundred plays, there is a guaranteed selection.

These are considered to be the industry-standard rates, but the mere fact that the characters' use is restricted only to combat, as opposed to Genshin Impact, which allowed open-world exploration, makes them even less desirable.

The progression of Zenless Zone Zero seems more restrictive than that of other games in Hoyoverse. As you progress with the game, the main storyline will reveal new gaming aspects and features essential to this experience.

This method risks irritating gamers accustomed to progression more in line with open-world games, even though it does make for a far more simplified introduction to the game's capabilities. For those who like grinding for the sake of receiving an advantage earlier on, not being able to over-level their characters or farm quickly might just lead to their dismay.

Probably the most striking aspect of this progression system is the flexibility in farming materials. It gives you the freedom to create scenarios tailor-made by them at will, choosing between several types of enemies. Compared to other gacha games, this smart method circumvents the monotony of the long process involved in upgrading a character.

This game's art style and animations are among the best in class, making it one of the most visually appealing games available. The retro-futuristic ambiance, together with the sleek look of the fight effects, contributes to making this experience captivating. Zenless Zone Zero's minimal universe and regulated growth make it approachable in every respect to long-time gamers and beginners alike.

Everything about the scene is full of character, from the quirky protagonists to the energetic visuals of the moving Dimensions known as the Hollows. Fully animated character portraits and scenes, not too unlike the panels of a comic book, help flesh out the story being told.

With top-notch voice acting and smooth animations revealing the characters of the participants, the interactions feel and come across as really full of life. Even in parts with long debate passages, this approach keeps the readers engaged from start to finish.

However, the lack of challenge in the early stages of this game, along with the presence of similar and repetitive objectives to explore, might not be good enough for players who seek serious battles. In this respect, the game cycle can be said to be somewhat shallow.

Agents can only be used in combat, so they have somewhat limited usability compared to open-world games where the characters would accompany you around everywhere. The gradual unlocking of features as you progress can feel very controlled, which kind of feels like you're stripped away of your freedom. While the gacha fees are uniform, they don't feel as justified in light of the fact that gameplay is more concentrated compared to bigger titles such as Genshin Impact.

Contrasting all of the above, Zenless Zone Zero represents a bold attempt to move away from boundless open environments and epic storylines to a more constricted and stylistically focused experience. Indeed, it excels in its visual presentation and combat agility.

Unfortunately, it has problems with early-game pacing and variety in content. Casual players and fans of Hoyoverse's previous titles will appreciate Zenless Zone Zero being a breath of fresh air in its mechanics. If, however, you are looking forward to something more complex to play around with or a plethora of customization options, then you may be a bit disappointed.

With frequent updates adding both new agents and more endgame content, it's capable of cementing its status as one of Hoyoverse's most successful titles. For now, though, it's a bright, brilliant, and slightly overwhelming experience that might not quite reach the dizzying heights of some of its siblings but is nonetheless a real testament to Hoyoverse's imagination and craft.