HoYoverse has made a name for itself over the years creating inventive , challenging games that have redefined the mobile marketplace . Zenless Zone Zerois the latest feather in its crownwork , though one that does n’t immediately instill as much as its predecessors . It does n’t have the sprawling , open - world ecosystem ofGenshin Impactor the superimposed play - based system ofHonkai Star Rail . In myZenless Zone Zeropreview , I highlighted the disconnect between the player ’s role as the Proxy , a scout through the Hollows , and its otherwise satisfy yet simple military action RPG combat . The concluding plot does n’t do much to bridge that opening , but I learned to appreciate its unequalled identicalness more as I explored its world and what it had to offer outside of action .
Zenless Zone Zerotakes place in a futuristic reality plagued by pocket dimension called Hollows , which are fill up with Ethereals , its regretful guys . Only those that can withstand Ether corruption can explore the Hollows without turning into colossus themselves . That ’s where Hollow Raiders like the Cunning Hares add up in . Players take command as either Belle or Wise , two siblings running a video store as a front for their Proxy business . As a Proxy , players get to work with node across the card to complete covert missions that no one else can take on without drawing prying eye of journalists and law enforcement .
This strong setup offers a expectant understanding to look into the lives of multiple sorcerous fiber and a uncover wider narrative of metropolis politics , all while take part in in high spirits - energy battles . Zenless Zone Zeromay not be HoYovere ’s best game , but it ’s surely its most fashionable and unique to date .
Puzzling design
Like HoYoverse ’s other game , Zenless Zone Zerois a wandering - first “ gacha ” biz that sport short ton of playable characters and power train that can be won by pay for pulls . While that framework matchesGenshin ImpactandHonkai : Star Rail , Zenless Zone Zeroplays nothing like its predecessors . It ’s a full - on action mechanism RPG with hack and trounce combat , motion amusing cutscenes , video recording store management , and even an colonnade that includes a multiplayer reading ofSnake . It ’s MiHoYo at its most creative , though that energy pay mixed results .
It feels surprisingly stagnant for a plot that gasconade high - energy action as its main strength .
Before actually getting into conflict , there ’s a left - field puzzle competent to get a line . After choosing a team of three , players hop into the Hollows to complete commissions like saving civilian or notice lost equipment . As a Proxy , thespian manipulate of a animal call a Bangboo to guide team through the Hollows , which is represented as a maze of TV CRT screen that player need to move through to complete destination and tyro battles . conceive of it like a board plot . Each telly has a screen that triggers a dissimilar effect depending on its design like green icon for healing , gold coin for Gear Coins you need to unlock rubber , and so on .
The odd conception feels beseem to mobile because of how gentle they are to complete on - the - go with touch sensation restraint . On the other bridge player , it creates a disconnection between breezy TV hopping and the actual gravity of the spot in the purportedly dangerous Hollow . While I can take account the breezy , puzzle - like navigation , it feels surprisingly dead for a game that boast mellow - push activeness as its primary strength .
One of my major complaint with mobile ARPGs is how difficult they are to play on a telephone set , part because of buttons clutter my screen and cameras that seemed to have a mind of their own . To its credit , Zenless Zone Zerofixes that issue by using its TV silver screen , where players only ask to worry about move through puzzle power grid to enter into smaller engagement arenas . It ’s a smart path to progress a game with mobile in judgement , even if it winds up taking attending aside from the main drawing card .
Strength in style
Zenless Zone Zeromore systematically entertain when you ’re in an real battle . It seep with the kind of stylish , rattling armed combat and animations you ’d bear in big - name franchises Devil May Cry orBayonetta . Crucially , it does n’t demand the same level of skill as those games .
Each reference has basic attacks that can string up into a jazz band , a special attack and a appoint rendering of it , and ultimate power accompanied by a splashy invigoration . It also contain timed dodge that you may take advantage of , either by using the dodge release for a counterattack or swapping in a teammate to trigger an assist . Its theme song hook is relate to that baton mountain pass system , where players sub in one of their other party members after trigger an assistance , who enter the battle with a big onrush . It blends into a satisfying juggle act that give player a luck to use all of their character .
That ’s not where the depth ends , either . Each opposition exhibit a bar for their health and another for their Daze Gauge . Zenless Zone Zerothrows around term like Impact ( the ability to replete up the Daze Gauge ) and Daze ( the routine of in reality satiate up the Daze Gauge ) that players might not read until afterwards , but they all touch to a character ’s effectivity in fill up the gauge until the enemy is “ knocked out , ” leaving it open to heavy damage without defence . It ’s relatively easy to ignore this unless you want to Min dialect - Georgia home boy , but seemingly unneeded aside from giving players a ground to stay . It ’d be easier if there was a unshakable elbow room to ensure idealistic gear , but that does n’t seem like it ’s going to happen anytime presently based on the gacha system .
It feels like HoYoverse is in conclusion listening to role player …
liken toWuthering Waves , aGenshin - like I play sooner this class , Zenless Zone Zerodoesn’t time value stove of movement or combo diverseness as much . I do n’t mind entirely mind that . Its deficiency of aerial combos , for example , does n’t bother me as much as it may action game aficionados . The system feels designed around its smaller scope . The tight hallways inside the Hollows and sleek armed combat make it much easier to play without complication . It did n’t befall often , but in the rare here and now where I got stick in a quoin or the camera turn over on me during a fight , I was grateful that aerial combos did n’t add to the chaos .
On a small banker’s bill , it ’s refreshing to concluded committal without the text - labored fluff you ’d see in HoYoverse ’s other games . I toss off into a TV , clear puzzle , and mash buttons to brute force through enemies with only a few lines of text in between . It feels like HoYoverse is finally listening to thespian complain about production line of filler negotiation and exposition , which it successfully chant down inZenless Zone Zeroto get to the action faster . It knows when to pump up the drama when it comes to the main story too , which turn over profoundly into New Eridu ’s mystery story and part backstories .
To add to its identity element , Zenless Zone Zerohas bustling venue like New Eridu to explore outside of the Hollows . There , histrion can campaign a totally - legal video shop , wassail coffee bean to advance their drop rate for the next combat workout , and interact with local in aPersona - the like mannerthat add charm to the daily routine . These small details are proof that HoYoverse really went out of its means to okay - tune this projection , even if the eclectic imaginativeness does n’t stick the landing place as strongly as it did with retiring game . And as a incentive , its showy soundtrack makes complete daily feel more soothing while I ’m wind down from oeuvre or taking a inadequate break .
Simple to a fault
It all may vocalise complicated so far , butZenless Zone Zerois simple in a way that feel designed . Take combat , for instance . The scheme comprise timed dodges and assists that would theoretically make it more satisfying to torment up combos and clear content more expeditiously , but it is n’t ever necessary to steamroll through the plot of land . An underleveled or gearless character can survive the first few chapters , even if it ’d be more difficult without proper leveling . This starkly contrast with more complex game likeHonkai : Star Rail , which demands more strategy and investment to clear chapters .
I ’m already starting to feel the strain of repetition .
I ’m well past Level 30 , so I ’ve started grinding for the saki of strengthening my favourite characters . That experience is laid back equate to other bouncy service endgames . There is n’t as much of an emphasis on Taiwanese - maxing , I sense less air pressure to have the best cogwheel . I ’m much more quenched just playing with different team comps and lento leveling up my characters when I have the sentence . While I ’m no longer a neophyte , I ’ve still catch a way to go until I hit max level ( Inter - Knot Level 60 ) .
I ’m already start to feel the line of repetition , though . Enemies have difference that make them discrete from each other , but the strategy is always the same : dodge or swap role before they can gain you , and then mash buttons . hard-core players are pay back for their effort with medals or high rankings during missions , but the difficulty is forgiving enough that make medals normally does n’t take long . As I turn over deeply into the story , I gained admission to more difficult committee and monster , but even those feel like they were lacking a good reward for doing the same cringle over and over .
gratefully , it did n’t take me long to pull potent , useful characters or work up teams with good synergy . Because I only need three character to make a team instead of the common four in HoYoverse ’s games , it convey less to progress them . Players are warrant at least one S - Rank character , the strongest in the plot , within 50 twist on the founder banner . Zenless Zone Zeroalso make in at least 100 barren pulls from reaching milestones on the permanent Road to Proxy Greatness Event , which gives player free pulls at Inter - Knot Level 5 and then every five degree from Inter - Knot Level 15 up to 30 . The pre - registration rewards and modified - time login events , which will no doubt revert later in the RPG ’s lifecycle , also impart me about 80 innocent pulls . This was more than enough to satisfy me as a beginner and pluck me past the 30 - hour mark before I got to the grindy part : hone my squad rather than pose it together .
After 40 or so hour , Zenless Zone Zerostands out as a visually discrete , streamlined peregrine game that also plays well on PC and console . It has a lot go for it stylistically , but its scrap lacks depth compared to competitors and feels like a chore after long stretches of time . I still see it succeeding with veritable updates , its character - beat back story , and intuitive gameplay , but I wish HoYoverse spent more metre pushing the game in a direction with high wager and complexity rather than gismo .
Zenless Zone Zerowas tested on PC , an iPhone 12 Pro , and aLenovo Legion Go .
