I had almost no expectations when I logged into Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ) for the first time. I didn’t have any experience with a HoYoverse title other than some YouTube videos. I expected a pretty game, some interesting world-building, lots to do within the world, and reasonable combat. I am glad I went into this review mostly blind because I can now tell you, without biases, that ZZZ is incredibly fun. It feels innovative, yet familiar, and that is an impressive achievement.
101 in World-Building
Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ) is a rather unique action RPG. It is a post-apocalyptic/sci-fi twist on a world riddled with self-spawning dungeons. Here, the dungeons are pocket dimensions known as Hollows. They are filled with Ether, an element that corrupts all sentient beings (organic and droid) that get captured by the dimension. They turn into Ethereals, monsters who power the dimensions and help trap other beings entering the Hollow. To keep beings from escaping, Hollows bend space and time to hide the exit. The only way to get in or out is with the help of Proxies. They track the changes in a Hollow and use the data to predict where the exit for a Hollow will pop up.
If it wasn’t clear, ZZZ has some amazing world-building. Not only is there rich lore, it is very well written and presented. You enter this game as Proxie siblings Wise or Belle, collectively known as Phaethon. Unlike other Proxies, they don’t have to enter a Hollow. They have technology that can communicate into a Hollow by linking up with adorable robots known as Bangboos. This was where it got interesting.
Operator
ZZZ takes a different approach to combat. Our main characters, Wise and Belle, sit at a computer and calculate paths in and out of a Hollow. This is done by navigating the computer’s Monitor array, which serves as a puzzle board. Here, you have to find data and then navigate through the hollow, to your objective, and then to the exit.
Completing these objectives, whether it is retrieving an object or rescuing a civilian, falls to the squad of fighters you put together since the Ethereals are rather aggressive. Only in those triggered sequences do you, the player, control your squad and engage in combat. Combat is simple but incredibly satisfying when you get it right. You begin to appreciate how strategy-forward ZZZ is here.
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Outside of the mystery of the narrative, the entire game revolves around completing the commission. The key to that is to develop a roster of fighters to form your squad on each mission. First, you build up a roster of allies through the story and by Gacha pulls. As you interact with them and build trust, you help them train and upgrade their gear so that they can dominate in the Hollows.
When you begin a commission, you choose 3 of them to form your exploration squad. There is a lot to consider here: how you level up each fighter, their abilities, how they interact with other squad mates, etc. Even within a fight, it’s not about attacking but figuring out when to switch between squad mates. You have no healers, so you have to read the enemy, switch between combat styles, and figure out when to initiate special attacks to get the upper hand.
Getting To The Objective
ZZZ provides a massive world to interact with to achieve these goals. There is much to do in and out of a Hollow. As Wise or Belle, you run a video store to supplement your income so that you can buy parts and upgrade items. You buy buffs by going to a noodle shop. You can also build trust by interacting with allies at the arcade. There is a thriving social media network for proxies, filled with new missions, hints, and world details. Impressively, for the most part, moving between all of these elements is super smooth. I hit no collision issues, and switching between squad mates is instantaneous. Despite being online, thus far, this game runs like a tank where it counts. I only hit lag within some cutscenes.
Every moment of ZZZ is gorgeous, with a fun mix of animated cut scenes and comic panels. Both are brought to life with excellent voice acting that brings a lot of personality and individuality to each character. Also, despite being in a post-apocalyptic, futuristic setting, this bright world has so much 2000s nostalgia. If it wasn’t clear from the art, it would be from the interesting fusion of lounge music and hip hop that flow through your headphones.
The Hidden Cracks
ZZZ is massive and so much fun to step into that you almost don’t notice when it begins to struggle. My biggest frustration with this game is that the gameplay just doesn’t keep up with the world. Despite the excellent setup for squad building, every encounter thus far, including bosses, has been easy. Before you argue, I promise it isn’t because I figured out ‘defense.’ I am legendary for having horrible reactions in defense, so I develop tanks instead. Combat in ZZZ is satisfying because it looks cool, not because you have to work hard for your wins.
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This is also the problem with the hollow navigation puzzle boards. There is no real challenge to navigating them. After a few missions, it gets tedious. I kept hoping I wouldn’t have to do an exploration commission. You just have to do it to get to the fun bits. Over time, both of these do feel like a grind, something you have to do to keep progressing with the best part of the game, the story.
Difficult to Navigate
Then, there are the little nitpicky elements that become progressively more apparent. There are a lot of inconsistencies between voice-over and captions. Getting used to the HUD and the various screens takes a while. Learning where everything is and how to get the information you need takes a long time. It even took me forever to figure out how to exit the game. Three times to remember how to do it.
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Brilliant yet Flawed
Honestly, this game is stupidly fun. The shallow gameplay doesn’t bother me… yet. The animations make them rewarding, and the story is really cool. At this point, I am still engaged with finding new fighters and looking at their unique styles. However, I am concerned that I will get bored when the story isn’t as engaging. I believe MiHoYo’s biggest test will be to see if ZZZ will stay engaging. To see if they can add variation and fix their balancing to bring the gameplay up to the same standards as the excellent world they have created.
Zenless Zone Zero is an expansive RPG that innovates just as much as it remains familiar. It is beautiful and satisfying to engage in, with a world that feels full and alive. However, while there is a lot to do, often, systems like combat have limited depth and you can’t help but wonder how long it will remain interesting.
The Good
- Gorgeous art style with animated and comic panel cutscenes
- Combat characters have distinct animations and unique attack patterns that make the combat super satisfying
- Great voice acting that brings the world to life
- A large variety of tasks to engage in and build up the resources needed to take on the hollows
- The art and music create a nostalgic, 2000s feel
- Very detailed, unique world-building that makes the narrative very interesting
- Unique puzzle-based approach to exploring the Hollow (Dungeons)
- Upgrading the characters in ZZZ is more strategy-driven than most RPGs
- The game runs very smoothly, which is a boon for the combat system
The Bad
- The combat system and puzzle gameplay are shallow and too easy
- HUD and menus are tricky to navigate
- Some small inconsistencies between voice-over and captions
