Summary
The developers at HoYoverse have their hands full withGenshin ImpactandHonkai: Star Rail, but that hasn’t stopped them from working on yet another project:Zenless Zone Zero. This urban fantasy action role-playing game is currently being fine-tuned with closed beta tests, the latest of which was dubbed the “Amplifying Test,” to prepare the game for global consumption. LikeGenshinandHonkai,Zenless Zone Zeropromises to be a game filled with highly stylized characters with highly stylized attacks. But this attentive approach to design might be the similarities betweenGenshin ImpactandZenless Zone Zeroend.
Genshin Impactis all fantasy, whereasZenless Zone Zerois sci-fiat its finest. There are some core mechanics that have become the bread and butter of all HoYoverse games, like the artifact systems and gacha banner systems, butZenless Zone Zerolooks like a distant cousin ofGenshinrather than a close sibling.
An Action RPG With Roguelike TVs
Genshin Impactemphasizes several gameplay elements to keep players engaged: open-world exploration, story quests, and building characters, as well as participating in limited-time events.Zenless Zone Zerois still a closed beta, and as such does not have events yet, but its core gameplay is a marked departure from an open world likeGenshin’s.Zenless Zone Zeroplayers split their time between three types of gameplay:
Zenless Zone Zero’s Combat Explained
The combat is whereZenless Zone Zeromost resemblesGenshin Impact. Flashy characters known asagents are used inZenless Zone Zeroand controlled by the player’s character, a Proxy. The Proxy leads agents into dangerous, alternate dimensions called Hollows to fight the terrifying creatures called the Ethereal that lurk there. Players switch between three agents in order to utilize their various powers. LikeGenshin Impactcharacters, these agents have ultimate abilities that show a flash of animation before unleashing devastating attacks. Combat inZenless Zone Zeroalso utilizes perfect dodges, assists, and parries. According to closed beta participants, the playstyle is more reminiscent of hack-and-slash titles likeDevil May CrythanGenshin Impact.
Zenless Zone Zero’s TV Mode Explained
All the missions and combat inZenless Zone Zeroare locked behind its roguelike element: the TV mode. This is where players solve puzzles through the view of a grid of old-school CRT television screens. These puzzles on the Hollow Visualization TV Wall can vary between quick color matches to brief battles, occasionally rewarding the player with buffs or punishing them with debuffs. TV mode has established itself as a core aspect ofZenless Zone Zeroand is likely to stick around as the prelude to the stories and battles within the game.
Zenless Zone Zero’s City Exploration Explained
Genshin Impactis praised for its huge open world, the land of Teyvat packed full of new places and experiences. InZenless Zone Zero, players are confined to a single city, but that city has places and personality in spades. The setting of New Eridu is a punk, post-apocalyptic heaven. The streets are lined with cool hangouts like ramen bars manned by robots and arcades filled with mini-games. The aesthetic and day-to-night cycle are extremely reminiscent ofPersonagames. The inspiration is especially striking with the artifact system: units are buffed with albums drawn from the local record shop rather than magical accessories won fromGenshin’s Domains.
How Genshin Impact’s Story and Stakes Differ From Zenless Zone Zero
Genshin Impactmakes its stakes and story clear from the very start: the player, as the Traveler, is searching for their sibling after coming to the world of Teyvat from somewhere beyond the stars. The story is told in a way that makes theGenshin Impactroadmappretty obvious; players will traverse the world nation-by-nation before finally confronting their greatest enemies and finding out the truth regarding what happened to their missing sibling. In its current form,Zenless Zone Zerolacks a finite direction and has a lot of gaps in what little lore is available.
This is understandable, considering thatZenless Zone Zerois not yet ready to premiere worldwide. It is entirely possible that the game will be released with a definitive story and direction. That said, it’s plain thatGenshin Impactis the stronger of the two when it comes to storytelling. Players can expect fluid, fun animations fromZenless Zone Zerothat makeGenshin Impact’s cutscenespale in comparison, butGenshinis the stronger storyteller.Zenless Zone Zerohas a unique, fascinating world and flashy, fun gameplay that could present a wholly new adventure forGenshin Impactplayers, and it is meant to come to players worldwide sometime in 2024.
WHERE TO PLAY
Step into Teyvat, a vast world teeming with life and flowing with elemental energy.You and your sibling arrived here from another world. Separated by an unknown god, stripped of your powers, and cast into a deep slumber, you now awake to a world very different from when you first arrived.Thus begins your journey across Teyvat to seek answers from The Seven — the gods of each element. Along the way, prepare to explore every inch of this wondrous world, join forces with a diverse range of characters, and unravel the countless mysteries that Teyvat holds…
