Zenless Zone Zero
Zenless Zone Zerohas the embarrassing undertaking of adopt up on HoYoverse ’s last two biz - the industry - changingGenshin Impactand the trend - charge success taradiddle ofHonkai Star Rail . The cake could n’t possibly be set higher , and rather than attempting to reach it , Zenless Zone Zerofeels like it ’s merely walking past it . After a hands - on demonstration and interview with lead manufacturer Zhenyu Li , it ’s become pretty obvious thatZenless Zone Zeroisn’t examine to beGenshin ImpactorHonkai Star Rail . It ’s give chase its own imagination , and it ’s way better off for it .
PlayingZenless Zone Zerofeels like diving event into an alternate worldPersona 5,at least in terms of trend . The world itself , the environment , the plaster cast of characters and their enemies - all of these portmanteau word together to create a rightfully memorable aesthetic that is forthwith center - overhear . Characters even move and make gestures like they ’re over - the - top action heroes from a darling manga . Zenless Zone Zerohas no shortage of personal appeal , and where other HoYoverse biz have a circumstances of charm , ZZZfeels like it ’s close to the " cool " goal of the whole step spectrum . That ’s illustrated early during a narrative successiveness feature manga panels and some great voice playact , which help set the feeling for the plot .
Related : Every Zenless Zone Zero Character Confirmed So Far
Character design are also a highlighting . While the Gamescom 2023 demonstration did n’t have anything novel in that regard , it did reward the takeout food thatZenless Zone Zerocharacters are distinctively lustrous , well - realized , and merriment to be around . It ’s the latter that ’s key in a game that ’s examine to trade you on its visual sense of a neon - infused futurist city of dreams ( and nightmares ) , and the subject matter is n’t lost . Of the playable character , it seems there ’s someone for any type of thespian : a cool samurai , a housemaid with some light repugnance elements , and even a giant bear handle an equally huge arm .
Those apprehensive about gameplay should n’t be too uneasy , as our hands - on reveal a firm base for a intersection that ’s also set to up its game in future showcases . Zenless Zone Zerofeels fluid and distinct from other HoYoverse games . It ’s contrivance machinist are immensely comforting , its cosmopolitan menstruum of armed combat makes it enthralling , and its swap system puddle a thespian finger smart - even , like in our case , when they ’re only accidentally stringing the right jazz group together . But even that is by design , as during our consultation , Li state a desire to check that the game was accessible and would n’t lock players out from enjoying it with too - difficult early phase .
scrap did feel intuitive , and as someone without a wide skillset when it make out to action - RPGs , the barrier for submission was just right , give a challenge but not being so hard it made continuing a struggle . The character trade grease monkey set up for some really nice combinations , like using a bruising tank to get in close and stagger an foe before swap to a better damage monger - similar Billy , for instance - to get in a cluster of shots from afar . We manage to try 9 of the 12 useable character , and each one felt like they had a specific role to fill up and an identity outside just tank , DPS , or support social unit .
If there ’s one thing we ’d like to see fromZenless Zone Zero- besides more on the secret plan in general - it ’s a sample of some of its more challenging combat . The boss battle we participate in was n’t unnecessarily easy by any means , but it sure could ’ve compact a bit more of a punch . It will be interesting to see what late - gameZenless Zone Zerolooks like , because its genre and mechanical decisions unambiguously position it among its HoYoverse compatriots to deliver end - secret plan content that really looks and feel the part . There ’s so much we postulate to know still before we can comment on former - game , but at the very least , bosses do feel structurally dissimilar from crime syndicate armed combat , which bodes well .
It ’s also deserving noting that the city itself , New Eridu , might be the biggest marketing point of theZenless Zone Zeroexperience . We got to wander around during the demonstration and chance the ecclectic assortment of characters , admit a ramen - slinging golem peacefully co - existing alongside what seems to be a generic , suit - habilitate and drinking glass - wearing businessman type . There are small nooks and crannies to explore that proceeds a little extra insight into daily life in New Eridu , and it was a very welcoming surround , the form that feels good to render to in between in - game foreign mission and strategizing loadouts .
From what we ’ve view and discover at Gamescom 2023,Zenless Zone Zerolooks like it is n’t wilting under the expectations set by its developer ’s impressive library . Instead , it ’s fly high as a game with a clear horse sense of what it wants to be and how it wants its players to see it - and it ’s that variety of open vision , couple on with a gameplay - first learning ability that makes it accessible and fun , that could see it actualise its potential as yet another HoYoverse mainstay .
For more Gamescom 2023 coverage , click here !
Zenless Zone Zerois in development for personal computer and peregrine gadget . An prescribed release date has not yet been announced .
