Zenless Zone Zero is the latest project from HoYoverse and we got hands on with this brash anime brawler.
HoYoverse is riding high on a wave of success right now, so what better time than to throw another curve ball at its gaming fanbase with a new title that’s unlike anything it has produced before. The team behind the phenomenon that is Genshin Impact sat us down for a first look and a hands on preview of Zenless Zone Zero.
Zenless Zone What?
For those that have been busy building a Dendro party or saving pulls for Kafka, the news that HoYoverse has yet another title in the works might be unexpected and a little terrifying for our wallets. When we learned that Zenless Zone Zero was coming to Gamescom 2023 we had to check it out, and the latest free to play blessed by Hoyo is about to take things in a wildly different direction. Much like the reveal of Star Rail, Zenless Zone Zero is unlike anything that’s come before it. Set in a world that looks familiar enough to be a suburb of an alternate timeline Tokyo, this is actually the metropolis of New Eridu. Where the city spires and spotless cobbled streets of Star Rail’s Jarilo-VI welcomed players, ZZZ presents an urban environment that alternatives between the routine and dangerous breaches in reality. Players who take up this challenge will earn their way by battling through these tears in time and space. Missions, challenge modes, and a conspiracy laden story line all await any Proxies willing to try navigating whatever waits on the other side of these Hollows.
Hands On
HoYoverse dropped us into the action for a brief hand on with ZZZ and I was not expecting what I found. Instantly distinguishable from the more fantastic space faring Star Rail and the high fantasy of Genshin Impact, the urban streets and industrial backdrops of New Eridu make this probably the most ‘anime’ of all Hoyo’s previous outings. The animation maintains the same quality and attention to detail that we’ve come to expect but paints a grittier reality. Gone are the grandiose waterways of Fontaine and the lush green valleys beyond. There’s something a little more grounded, and even recognizably Persona about this cityscape. Instanced areas that exist inside Hollows are decimated streets and industrial blocks that provide a combat arena for our Gamescom encounters, while a player hub gave us an intriguing taster of life in New Eridu.
The central player hub, a video rental store, opens out onto a set of city backstreets that could easily come straight out of any anime. Food Stalls come decorated by glowing lanterns, an arcade offers up mini games, and more. The closed record store and cordoned off alleys stretch onto a bustling main street full of citizen’s trying to go about their daily lives. Outside of the player hub, there isn’t a huge amount to do in this slice of life quite yet. I expect that will change. While we have no definitive idea if we can expect a whole city to explore, it does indicate that we’re not in Teyvat anymore!
Characters
The 12 launch characters in ZZZ are equally distinctive. Unlike the Archons flawless features, the Proxies are all much edgier. Characters like Anby and Billy are drawn in a style that pops out of the screen. There’s a cyber Techwear edge to the overall design, and you’ll even find anthropomorphic polar bears, because it’s the future. Billy in particular is silly, snarky, sarcastic, and full of overconfidence. Characters bicker in an entertaining way that might otherwise just result in a “hmph” in Mondstadt. It suggests that the overall tone is going to land closer to a traditional teen rated anime show than we’ve seen before from HoYoverse.
The Knockout Punch
Despite all the swagger and style of this new game, it’s not until we got into combat that things really got interesting. ZZZ is a dynamic combat encounter, slotting players into a range of situations. Through a quick story mission and a challenge mode, we were able to get hands on with some of the game’s 12 initial characters. This includes the like of Corin the scythe wielding maid, the mysterious Soldier 11, and a giant bear. Primarily played with a controller, the story mission introduced a set of ranged and melee combat styles. The 12 characters each come with their own weapon loadout, from katanas, to knives, fists, and guns. In some instances, there even seems to be a semblance of elemental attacks, but this isn’t a core component of the game and seems to provide a bit of crowd control. This isn’t Genshin Impact. Don’t expect to build elemental synergies.
In both instances, whether you’re slashing in close combat with a blade of wielding dual pistols, a primary attack and secondary skill are available. Dishing out damage is a flashy affair, with swings and smashes flashing across the screen. An ultimate skill also adorns the bottom action bar and is equally overpowered, but still remains grounded in the world, unlike Star Rail’s giant exploding chickens. Throughout any encounter combat feels dynamic. Camera angles swing around the screen like a carefully choreographed Shonen fight scene, while telegraphing is all about enemy movement. I certainly didn’t see any ground-based damage markers and had to respond to other character model movements. The mix of pace, camera work, and character focused telegraphing means successful bouts require players to actively engage with what’s going on.
Where things really take off, however, is when stuns start. While combat can be a case of carefully placed shots and damage avoidance, that’s not optimal. Using secondary attacks when an enemy is stunned can unlock even more ways to do damage. By pressing two trigger buttons at the right moment, this team of Proxies can unleash incredible damage on an opponent. Skilled players will likely be able to tag in other characters, rotating through their team and repeating this for a near constant stun lock. Think juggling in beat ‘em ups.
This rotation and the power it brings to a fight reveals just how combat in ZZZ will differ from its stablemates at HoYoverse. Where Star Rail builds synergies based on buffs and bonuses and responses or Genshin relies on elemental damage, ZZZ is all about team rotation. It’s dynamic, loud, and everything I want from an action anime title. Due to release sometime after a round of upcoming tests, this new adventure will easily stand out from the crowd. With corrupt monsters leaking into an urban cityscape, powerful characters, slick animation, sharp writing, and incredible fight scenes, tell me this isn’t a big budget Shonen disguised as a video game. Find out more about Zenless Zone Zero on the official website and sign up for beta now.
