Zenless Zone Zero, the latest addition to Hoyoverse’s repertoire, is coming! Over the past two years, the team has released many videos building the hype for this fast-paced game. With over forty million pre-registered players, this game is undoubtedly highly anticipated.

Premise

New Eridu rose from the ashes after an apocalyptic event caused by supernatural disasters known as Hollows. This post-apocalyptic metropolis now thrives, but its inhabitants combat Hollows and the creatures that dwell within to keep their homes safe. 

Players can select between Wise and Belle, who serve as guides or proxies to individuals who enter the Hollows. Unlike Genshin and Honkai: Star Rail, players cannot play as Wise or Belle. The siblings are guides to the units players collect as they continue in the story. However, a wide cast of characters is ready for battle.

Characters

New Eridu is home to many interesting characters among different factions. Horror-inspired maids, Deadpool, biker gangs, and much more await in New Eridu. Like many gacha games, these characters have a specific element, weapon, and battle type. Characters can use strike, slash, and pierce weapons as attack, stun, support, defense, or anomaly units. They can also use one of the following elements: fire, electricity, ice, physical, and ether. 

Players can use three-person parties, plus a Bangboon, to build synergy based on character kits.

Bangboos are rabbit-like creatures that can be deployed to assist in battle and world exploration.  Each Bangboo has a different effect and is an important part of building team synergy.

Players can earn Bangboo via quest progression, event rewards, and even pulling them in a special banner without using real-world currency. To avoid pulling a Bangboo that will not mesh well with a player’s team, players can select the Bangboo they would like to receive. 

Combat System

Zenless Zone Zero’s combat follows Genshin’s action-based combat. However, they build upon past battle systems by allowing team members to jump in and out of combat as offensive and defensive strategies. It allows for real-time dodging, status effects, and counter systems that support fast-paced, real-time combat. 

Building on Past Content

Spiral Abyss for Genshin players and Simulated Universe from Honkai: Star Rail are game modes that refresh every few weeks and allow players to fight enemies and bosses for rewards. In Zenless Zone Zero, players can play both game modes. 

Hollow Zero is a rouge-like area where players can collect power-ups for characters and experiment with other battle features. Shiyu Defense is a chain of challenges that test your team’s abilities to defeat enemies within a certain time limit to receive all the rewards you can.

In Genshin, there is a friendship system that gives players a special Namecard once they reach level ten with that character. Zenless Zone Zero takes it one step forward by taking inspiration from RPGs like Persona by allowing players to hang out with their units in New Eridu. As players build trust with their units, their backstories and bonus power-ups unlock. I guess friendship is magic.

Heading Into Week One

With over forty million pre-registered players, the game will give players rewards to help them gather and build units. As of now, the game will gift players one hundred free pulls and eighty Boopons–pulls for Bangboons. 

All the characters available at launch will be put on a standard banner and the S-rank characters on that banner will show up in featured banners when players lose their 50/50s. The first two featured banner characters have also been announced: Ellen Joe and Zhu Yuan. Ellen Joe will be available at launch and Zhu Yuan will be available after July 20th.

Zenless Zone Zero will be out on July 4 on PC, PS5, and all mobile devices.