Zenless Zone Zero Review - Fashionable, But Not Fun

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It’s obvious that the game has a skill ceiling so low among action games and beat ‘em ups that this is simply designed so the developers can just inflate the enemies numbers until you need to pull a new character with some unique mechanic, or new equipment to buff what you have to reduce the tedium. If they can't have your money, they'll have your time. They want it so badly they have not one, but two paid battle pass tiers!

I had some hopes for Zenless Zone Zero, given that even Hoyoverse has released more complicated games before; this seems baffling. But really, maybe it’s because of the popularity of their other games that this can just come out in such a state. There's nothing here yet worth investing your time in.

A review code was provided by the publisher for review purposes.

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[Illysi]

I typically agree with NP reviews, and in this case I do agree with dialogue sometimes being a bore. The combat, however, has been severely underestimated. It might be the devs fault, but there’s a lot of depth that exists in character kits that give you different mid-fight objectives to try for in order to get huge buffs that let you shred enemies. They went with an approach that makes it easy to pick up for newbies, but has a hidden depth for people more experienced with action games

[pheria]

If this weren't a live service game, honestly it'd probably be around an 8.5/10 or so for me. Currently I'm probably around a 5 or 6, and it's dropping the more I play. I don't usually play live service games myself, so this perspective aligns with me. I'm enjoying the game, but less and less the more I play. The real world time limit on the banner while I try to earn enough to get to my guarantees is really killing the rest of the game. They aren't my favorite, but I also don't mind the dungeons. I love the battle system and all of its sounds, effects, animations so the 'defense' challenges and rally missions are my favorites. But I have this nagging "Alright, we have to keep moving, 13 days left on the banner and 30 pulls to go until my guarantee" that makes any "they're alright" moments become much more of an annoyance, because they're slowing me down and I just want to speed past all of it. "I have 2-3 hours, I should earn 4 pulls a day, why is this dungeon longer than 5 minutes?" is not how I want to feel playing games, but its design feels like it forces that out of me.
I love a grind, and even a slow grind, but I need to be able to take them at my own pace so I can still take in and enjoy the game. Feeling compelled to give it my time instead of giving it time when I want to is ruining it. If I could chip away at it a couple of days a week and it wasn't a "moving target" I'd really love it for what it is. I know I'm not the market and people will love it for what it is, but all I can think is how much I wish this was a standard, offline, single-player game to play through and how much I'd love that version of it.

[Revealingstorm.]

I don't agree with the low score but dang man people need to not take the scores personally

[Seossin]

Did anyone else know there's a huge rougelike mode in the game? There's no mention of it even in the full written review. Its a pretty substantial part of the game. Just thought its weird for a review to gloss over something like that completely, haha.

[SupaRush]

I actually love this game way more than i thought i would. I think the combat is great and has a lot of skill despite being extremely easy in the early game, it does get harder and the need for perfect dodges is crucial. The amount of free pulls i've gotten just by playing is extremely generous compared to Genshin Impact ever was. The TV part of the story is kind of weird and i agree that part is not fun, but the actual gameplay, music, lively world, characters, voice acting is all top notch. I think this review should be redone. This game got a lot of undeserved hate when it came out by many ignorant and relunctant people. Watching your gameplay you didn't even dodge or were terrible at it

[deadnalive]

As an action game enjoyer(like DMC, Soulstice, Assault Spy & most of PlatinumGames catalog), I’ll admit that the combat in this game is very simple, flashy, and shallow… but I’m 30hrs in the game and still having fun.
While the inputs are simple, each character has their own distinct style, the parry sfx is satisfying.
The story is generic, the characters yap way too much, but I didn’t mind, bc it’s an excuse to structure and pace the mission to a happy medium between high stimuli and low stimuli moments.
Also, I truly appreciate is the smaller scale, condensed areas… while the big padded open world of Genshin didn’t grab me

[oreox]

Honestly enjoying what I’ve played so far.
Not the greatest game, but there’s fun to be had.

[litneyloxan]

I couldnt get past how long it was taking to download the game and I couldn't do anything else while it downloaded or I had to start DL progress all over again. Such. A. Huge. Amount. Of. SPACE!

[fariskhalifa]

I don’t think people don’t understand what a review is. If you don’t agree with the review, it’s ok.

[GG-]

For me, the TV system doesnt bother me all that much since its hoyo's version of a rougelike system (that they implemented in HSR's simulation universe) that hinges on variability based on the items you get within the dungeons with relatively linear progression. At the same time in terms of combat, I already play enough complex games that ZZZ hits just the right spot of satisfaction of simplicity and gameplay flow. Ofc that experience is very different for everyone and if you are looking for complexity and depth, there's tons of games that do it better. All in all it really is shaping up to be a more casual, beat-em up style of game with fun colors, and flashy effects.

[zigrakudo]

It has an actually interesting story, coupled that with the interesting cast of characters, that's what got me hooked. The combat feels easy and dull at first, but it gets better the harder the enemies are. You don't need to pull for the best characters at all, since the main story parts lets you use trial characters which are good enough for the story quests. You can pretty much save your free gacha pulls for much later on, and just level up the free characters the game gives you: the cunning hares trio, and soukaku from the event, they're all really good, and they have the attributes for the main story enemy weaknesses. but ofc, everyone's not saving their pulls because of ellen. i just reached chapter 3 yesterday and was excited to see you post a video about zzz, but reading the title, i felt a little disappointed. so far many of the games you reviewed, i agreed with you, but i guess not this time.

but if you have time, i suggest you play the game from time to time. who knows, maybe you'll change your mind later on after making some more progress.

[blankomega]

"There's nothing here worth investing your time in" is a WILD conclusion guys 😂😂

[MyLivingLegacy]

Hmmm, I never usually comment but feel this review was done too hastily. It sounds/reads like you reviewed this as a normal console game, something with a start, middle, end. This is a live service game, that will run for years to come. You wouldn't review a brand new MMO for 10-20 hrs without reaching some of the end game activities and side content that opens up, that push the limits of the players or skill, I feel like this is absolutely no different.

I always appreciate people reviewing high quality gacha games (if that is a real thing anyway) who are more *outsiders* to the genre, it's nice to see different perspectives of people who give things a fair shake, but I'm not convinced you gave it a fair shake here.

Combat isn't simple and mindless, early-mid game absolutely can be pushed through main story wise with button mashing, which is a shame and no fault of your own, but I urge people to try the end game content. There is so much more to the team comps, skills, assists, elements and buffs/debuffs, stunning, countering, bamboos, and parrying etc that again, no, they won't just inflate numbers to make you pull new units, this is a very basic take from people who are not familiar with these games.

No, to make your character the best they can be, you do not NEED to pull 5 additional copies, that is and has never been a thing in hoyo games, from genshin to HSR to now this. This is the whale bait, 99% of the entire playerbase does not pay attention to dupes, it's not needed, so I wouldn't put that down as some form of negative point. Its just there for people to steam roll content and spend insane amounts of money on pixels (please god never do this)

I will say the issue is always, it takes a LOT of time to unlock all of these modes, weekly and monthly ones, but due to the nature of the game, it needs to ease you into it slower. I absolutely see how people will hate this, find it boring, dull and slow or badly paced, and that's totally ok, as long as people gave it a shot, everyone can say no thanks, not for me.

As for story and VA, story isn't great tbh, it's got the weakest onboarding on the Hoyo games in my opinion, it doesn't start well, I can see this alone filtering people. The VA criticism was an odd one, I think it's quite good? The panels wasn't that much an issues too, no other reviews seem to have mentioned this, maybe just a thing you don't personally like.

TV system sucks, it slows down the momentum of the game when you DO get to the combat sections, baffling there is so much in main story.

Two battle passs tiers? Again, this is in every hoyo games dating back to at least Genshin 4-5 years ago? This isn't a researched enough take, and again, from someone who doesn't play these games, BP tiers are needed, just add a few extra summons and some farmable materials, you don't need them.

When reviewing a game like this, like any live service, I do think as a consumer, I need to see you go the extra mile and reach semi end game, really see what the combat can do, and story, and side content has to offer. I know it sounds like a huge time sink and for a LOT of players, a genuine waste of time. The age old *game gets good after X hours* trope is 100% live and well in these games, cause these game extend for months/years.

I'm glad you at least gave it a try, like I said at the top, it's nice to see varying opinions, but for a 'live service game' this is higher than a 4/10, objectively in presentation, gameplay, music, VA, vibes etc you name it.

Now, if you hate live service games, don't like the style, hate some of the modes or no characters speak to you, find it SUPER slow or boring, absolutely never install or uninstall it fast and don't get sucked into this world. Nothing wrong with hard passing on *another* god damn gacha game, which is really impacting the industry as a whole now with how big some of them are, but, to review this, you need to review the full game, which requires a LOT more of your time you didn't dedicate to this, and for that I disagree with a lot of your points, but glad you at least TRIED it, even if sadly to me it wasn't genuine enough for a full review, so cheers for the video!

PS: Incase anybody thinks I'm a weird shill or whale type of person, I have 1200hrs in Genshin, 400 in HSR, and now 30hrs in ZZZ. No, I do not spend money to summon for units normally, I buy like the $5 monthly pass and save up and pick and choose, like most normal people. I have only spend money twice in 4 years for 2 units in all 3 games, less than I spend on console games by the hundreds.

Yes I do also play real games too, about to finish the platinum in Ghosts of Tsushima (first time playing it) and Sea of Stars on PS5, I try to be a completionist when I can, and MUCH prefer console games overall, I just do like live service games to play long term for 30 mins a day too and to be in communities.

[Alexisonscope]

This is a wild review. I’m all for criticism and personal opinions but this review felt spiteful.

[aminfarrkhan]

Don't ever comment on these things but this review got actual game mechanics and story wrong, I feel that it's something I have to point out.

[ract]

Oof...
While I agree that gacha mechanics and unlucky "pulls" can make a player experience in Hoyo games worse, it has never been necessary to have the strongest team with maxed out abilities and equipment to sucessufully play them. Especially getting max rank characters (meaning - getting the same one 6 times) - that's only useful for Youtubers who make vids with insanely high numbers popping up during the finghts, imo. The game even has a easy mode setting for the combat for those who might feel like they can't get through the fighting with what you have at hands.
Besides, the developer this time gives quite a few free tries (a hundred plus?) to get at least some characters to diversify your team roster and considering that there are only 16 characters in the game so far I'd say an average player won't be left with default options for too long.
Everyting else in the review is just up to the taste: I personally don't mind the comic book pages during the story missions or the TV set board gameplay, and Japanese VO are awesome as always if English actors are too cringy (and they arguably are).
Honestly, I'd like to know the reviewer's opinion on other Hoyo games - do you have the same problems with them all, or is it just ZZZ that is not up to the standard of Genshin and Honkai?

[jeffcarrier]

Day 2 I didn't even bother playing, couldn't force myself to play it. First impression was rough. I didn't know how I felt about the TV mode yet, but I told myself go to back into it with an open mind about TV mode to see if I could find the fun in it. Now I'm loving the game. Still not focusing on it, but definitely enjoying it. I don't mind "simple" combat, I don't want all my combat games to be deep. I'd like a break after recently finishing Stellar Blade. When I encounter a boss in Elden Ring I usually give up after three tries and go in a different direction. Wuthering Waves has pretty challenging bosses. I don't want this game to be more of that.

[Phyllion-]

All in all, the game certainly isn't perfect, but as someone who's used to quality reviews coming from Noisy Pixel, I must say this one is highly disappointing.

Setting personal tastes aside, It feels like you just put in one or two hours in, just to say "I tried it", and then pushed out the review just to be done with it and move on to something else.

The worst part is that it's quite easy to identify what went wrong with the review, you didn't read what the game told you. Or if you did, you probably sped through it, and it didn't register.

Because if you did, you would know that, no, the ultimate does not build up over time. It's based on your current score, once you're at 3000 you can use the ultimate. Meaning, the better you play, the faster your ultimate will be ready.
Meaning that, yes you can just dodge all day long and wail on the mobs, but that's highly inefficient as each character have their own role. Wailing around with an Attacker, like Ellen, Nekomata, or Billy, for example, will make you waste a sizeable amount of time as they barely deal any stun and their damage only really comes online on stunned monsters.

Those tag attacks and teammates aren't there just to look cool. Each class has its purpose, and you're meant to make use of their benefits to build up that score faster and dispatch mobs faster.

And yes, you absolutely CAN combo, cancel and weave your options in combat. As a matter of fact, the base gang ALL have little tidbits like this.
Anby can weave her skill after her third attack and then follow up with two other attacks to deal even more stun.
Nicole can use her EX skill even if she doesn't have it charged, so long as she has some energy by doing a circle motion while holding attack, like in a fighting game.
Nekomata can slip behind enemies at will for extra back attack damage.
Corin can hold her chainsaw during attacks and skills to deal extra damage, and so on.
And aside from Nicole's thing, all of that is written in their move list.

You didn't understand the core loop of the gameplay, nor took some time to read what your characters do, nor what the game tells you. THAT's why the game seemed not fun and basic to you.

It's a mobile game, so it can't be too complicated, yes. Plus, the game isn't always the best at explaining how it works despite the numerous tutorials, I'll give you that. But once you understand how the game works, there's definitely fun to be found. Provided it tickles your tastes.

On a side note, while I'm absolutely not a fan of paid battle passes; no, the game doesn't have two paid tiers. You have the free one and the paid one, that's it. You just don't immediately unlock the free one.

Disappointing, really. I hope your next reviews won't feel as rushed, as I really vibed with pretty much all your reviews so far.

[wintersnowcloud]

a very meh review... you obviously don't understand the basics of gatcha games.
They always start easier and become more complex. That's basic knowledge. Everything about this review is so lacking. I won't be playing ZZZ myself but none of the points you made are the reasons I'm not playing. You can't describe an apple the same way you would describe fried chicken. That's what this review sounds like.

[RoanokeSan]

I don't know man, I love the combat a lot. Flashy and stylish~