Zenless Zone Zero Review: Zenless Zone Zero, the newest game from Chinese gaming giant HoYoverse (Mihoyo), has caught the attention of the gaming world. This free-to-play action RPG blends anime-inspired graphics quick-paced fights, and a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk world.
The game has earned praise for its look and gameplay, but it also faces some pushback for its design choices and restricted exploration.
Story and Setting
Zenless Zone Zero is set in New Eridu, a city that has become humanity’s final sanctuary after strange dimensional rifts called Hollows appeared.
You play as a Proxy someone who can lead agents from different groups through the Hollows to gather important resources.
The game tells its story in a comic book-style way using voiced cutscenes and easy-to-follow dialogue.
The game’s world bursts with colour and life showing off a unique anime-style look that makes it stand out from HoYoverse’s earlier games, Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail.
New Eridu, the main city, is packed with odd characters, including cute rabbit-like Bangboo robots stray cats, and cat mascots.
Gameplay and Combat
Zenless Zone Zero puts players in the middle of quick, action-packed fights. You can use many attacks and skills to beat enemies called Ethereals, inside the Hollows.
The way you fight is exciting and changes fast letting you pull off cool combos and special moves.
But the game’s progress hits a snag due to an energy system. This system runs out when players farm for experience points and materials in activities like VR simulations.
This can annoy players when they hit a roadblock in their progress and have no option but to slog through repetitive content.
Gacha System and Monetization
Like many free-to-play games, Zenless Zone Zero uses a gacha system for players to get new characters and items.
While the game gives out a good amount of premium currency for free, we still don’t know how much players can earn from long-term events.
Some players worry about how the game makes money. One reviewer said it’s “blatant marketing disguised as a game, every aspect designed around trends, targets, and demographics.
” But others think the game’s appealing characters and cool look help balance out the effects of the gacha system.
Exploration and Navigation
A major complaint about Zenless Zone Zero is its restricted exploration and navigation. The game offers a few places to visit, and many of the fighting areas look alike.
The navigation system, which depends on an HDD (Hard Drive Disk), has also been called boring.
Also Read: The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak Review
Verdict
Zenless Zone Zero gets mixed reactions from many gamers. It boasts an engaging fight system and a charming stylish world, but its design choices and limited exploration might not click with everyone.
Still, if you’re into action RPGs and dig HoYoverse’s earlier stuff, Zenless Zone Zero is worth a look if you enjoy this type of game and can live with its shortcomings.