I’m Genshin Impact’s biggest fan and I got my hands on HoYoverse’s latest game 10 days early
HOYOVERSE games are always ridiculous in the best of ways, with their over-the-top characters and stories.
The upcoming title Zenless Zone Zero is no different, with rapid combat and a smooth flow.
It’s absorbing and feels like starring in the music video for your favourite anime.
Taking a leaf from Persona’s playbook by creating beautiful UI, colourful indicators show you the perfect time to dodge or parry, and like Bayonetta, you’ll slow down, giving yourself time for a counterattack.
You can also use this ‘Witch time’ to pull off an Assist, asking another party member to take the field.
These rotations are the key to success, as enemies can hit hard if you aren’t prepared.
There’s a beauty to the animations, like how you are driven metres backwards by powerful attacks, and you feel the ground split open by the force.
The presentation of all HoYoverse games is incredible, but Zenless Zone Zero is probably its best-looking game to date.
Not only does the combat flow nicely, but the animations and crisp sound design elevate it to the next level.
As you attack an enemy, you build up their Daze, allowing them to be stunned for a Special Attack.
You can then trigger a Chain Attack, inviting all of your party on the field for a flashy and satisfying finale.
Each character – known as an Agent – has different damage types and roles in your party, meaning you can create devastating synergy within your team.
Agents also belong to a certain faction, and matching these together can unlock secret skills and allow you to build themed teams.
Your team will consist of three Agents and a cute Bangboo who can help out with their own abilities and bonuses.
The game will launch with 16 Agents across five factions, but there are plans to introduce more as the weeks go by.
You may feel your team compositions are a bit restricted at first, but this will help you gain skills for more powerful teams later down the road.
Zenless Zone Zero is designed to be approachable and satisfying at any skill level, and there is plenty of room to learn and improve.
However, it is currently not that deep mechanically, so if this is what you’re looking for, it might not be the game for you.
Storywise it’s not an epic tale like Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail, and while it still dabbles in fantasy, it’s far more grounded.
It’s a slower slice-of-life story that will be a welcome change to HoYoverse fans.
Aside from combat, you can spend your time exploring the city, which is currently much smaller than HoYoverse’s other games, but this will of course come with time.
There is also a day-night cycle meaning you’ll have reasons to explore the same areas several times.
Interacting with Agents in the main world will build trust with them, unlocking story missions and additional interactions as well as special combat events.
There is also the Hollow Zero, randomly generated dungeons you can explore, which was unpopular with beta testers.
It has been adjusted following feedback in the final release, connecting it more closely to the main story.
Despite the changes it slows down the pace of combat, which can feel like a drag, but there’s a strong base that could be built on in the future.
Dialogue and cutscenes can be skipped completely, as HoYoverse is prioritising giving players the opportunity to play how they want.
You’ll miss out on all the best bits if you do so, like fully voiced dialogue and an intriguing story, but it’s your choice.
You can always watch them later from the game’s archive which is a nice touch.
Overall, the gameplay is incredibly smooth and it has that perfect polish that you expect from a HoYoverse game.
Even though each of HoYoverse’s games has been developed by a different team, it’s clear that the learnings from each have been included in the next.
That being said, Zenless Zone Zero is the best HoYoverse game to date, and it’ll only improve the longer it goes on.
If you want to read more gaming reviews, check out our Beyond Good and Evil review.
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