MiHoYo is once again back with their new contender gacha RPG Zenless Zone Zero. Zenless was released on July 4th 2024 and it is a free-to-play game. The game takes place in a city drenched in neon lights that gives off cyberpunk vibes. The city is called the metropolis of New Eridu. However, something lurks in the shadows that should not be disturbed.
A World of Contradictions: Gritty Cyberpunk with Whimsical Charm
The New Eridu is a colorful metropolis. The city is made of hospitality, openness and freedom. The towering skyscrapers embraces the city with awestrucking neon lights. The city is filled with weary citizens who created this diverse urban environment. The premise of the game feels like a dream out of cyberpunk modernity. You will come across ramen stalls and bustling marketplaces that almost reminds you of Stray.
However, you have to live in harmony with the Hollows. The Hollows can be found in New Eridu they are one of the hallmarks of the city. Hollows are the main source to generate ether. Ether is used to power the modern technology of Eridu. Ether technology really evolved the city life of New Eridu.
Also remember, the city is filled with gangs, Hollow Raiders, crazies and conspirators. Try to avoid them to prevent any sort of Hollow disasters. Stroll around the city get to know about the citizens and adjust to a new life.
A Feast for the Eyes: Anime Flair Meets Comic Book Pop
The game feels like a piece from the anime world. It blends the anime influence with bold comic book art style. The surrounding is rich with details that are the foundation of a cyberpunk city. You will see neon signs are embracing all the buildings.
The character designs are also equally striking and it features a diverse cast. The characters have flashy design and clothes it helps you to remember them. The soundtrack also perfectly goes with the gameplay. You will hear slow laid-back jazz while exploring the city.
A Look Behind the Curtain of the Hollows
Hollow is an abnormal spherical dimension that appears out of thin air. Inside the Hollows there is an unknown syubstance that is ubiquitous as air. They have high level of resources like ether but they are also corruptive. Hollows also have monsters that attacks any foreign living creatures. Moreover, anyone who is unlucky to get tangled in the corruption they will slowly mutate and lose their thoughts.
You will also come across lawless thugs and other criminals inside the Hollow. There are Hollow Raiders, Proxies and crazies. They are insane enough to not be afraid of the dangers of the Hollow. The city of Eridu came up with Ether Technology to fight back the terror of the Hollow.
Combat Symphony: Where Style Meets Strategy
The core combat of Zenless is a style dance of buttons mashing. Of course, you also need strategic team management where players need to control up to three characters. You need to switch between them on the flying.
Similar to all gacha games each characters have their own unique combat style and finishing attacks. You need to master the seamless transition and chain together the combos.
The combat also requires proper timing and positioning. You need to successfully dodge attacks and do counterattacks timely. Mindless button mashing will not help much. Moreover, you need to familiarize yourself with all the special abilities and when to use them to enhance the combat.
Moreover, you need to figure out the team composition. Many characters work better together depending how much their abilities complement each other. You need to master the synergy and to overcome the obstacles.
The Gacha Grind: A Necessary Evil or a Hurdle?
As the base mechanism of every gacha game there will be endless grind to acquire rare characters. The system of grinding allows you to acquire rare characters without spending all of the real money. However, grinding can become really tedious sometimes and it may feel monotone. So, if you are up for grinding or played other gacha game before it shouldn’t be a problem.
A Story with Potential: A Glimpse into a Compelling World
The plot of Zenless Zone Zero has a high potential. It presented in a unique comic book style with vibrant cutscenes. Many players are saying the story might feel shallow initially. However, MiHoYo promised that future updates will develop the story more giving it a better depth.
Conclusion
Zenless Zone Zero has a stylish combat system and it offers vibrant characters. If you are into fast paces combat system that requires synergy then definitely give it a try. Moreover, anyone who is into heavy plot they may like this game as well. Zenless explores around the lore behind the Hollow quite well. Of course it is a free-to-play so there is no harm in trying it out!
