Zenless Zone Zero Closed Beta Test preview
God-tier combat and stunning visuals, with a few more kinks to iron out
HoYoverse has been dominating the scene for quite some time now, and it doesn't show signs of slowing down any time soon. Its latest offering, the highly anticipated Zenless Zone Zero, aims to keep that momentum going with its action-packed combat, lovable characters, and absolutely gorgeous visuals - but can it hold its own against the massive blockbuster hits within the studio's roster of games?
OOZING WITH STYLE
If there's one simple word I'd use to describe Zenless Zone Zero as a whole, it would be "stylish". Everything about the RPG just oozes personality, from the Persona-esque vibes of the post-apocalyptic landscape of New Eridu to the totally chill lo-fi beats in the background. The cut scenes are some of the best I've seen in any recent game, while the voice-acting is simply stellar. The narrative is told via comic book-esque panels as well, adding to the quirky humour of the game and its main cast.
The characters themselves have so much individuality that it's hard to pick just one fave - although my heart immediately fell for Billy Kid from the very beginning thanks to his Dante-slash-Vash the Stampede vibes (but I'll get to the characters later).
COMBAT THAT TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY
If you're a HoYoverse fan, don't dive into this expecting the same kind of experience with Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, as Zenless Zone Zero is an entirely different creature. For the second Closed Beta Test dubbed "The Equalizing Test", I was able to tinker around with the combat system in detail, which, to me, is the highlight of the whole game. Battles here are a real-time and totally adrenaline-pumping affair, where you'll manually have to control your characters and switch between them on the fly to unleash hella cool combos onto unwitting Corrupted foes.Every time I step into the battlefield, my jaw literally drops with the way the combat system so flawlessly and effortlessly makes you feel like a god - you'll whip across the field dealing damage like a boss and then switch to a different character with the tap of a button for some massive blows. Each move looks absolutely gorgeous too, and to this day, after playing the game for three weeks, I still can't believe how smooth and fluid the combat is no matter which unit you're using.
In a sense, this does lower the difficulty a little bit, as regardless of your character, you can still pull off chain combos without fussing about elements, classes, synergies and whatnot. Just hack away and watch as your characters flaunt their acrobatic moves across the field, and, with the final blow, your screen will enter slow-mo with the "Slashed" indicator splashed across your entire screen, making each victory sweeter and more satisfying than the last.
STUCK INSIDE A TV
That said, the exhilaration promptly ends there, as you'll likely find yourself back inside a TV screen across a grid-based board where there's nothing left to do but move in all four directions trying to find your way out.Confused? So am I. Let me explain this for a bit. In Zenless Zone Zero, the main protagonists are siblings Wise and Belle, two Proxies whose goal is to assist Agents inside the dangerous and corruption-filled Hollow, whether they're in there trying to search for something or just taking down Corrupted monsters for some loot. Essentially, the Agents are the characters who fight, while these two Proxies digitally transfer their consciousness into Bangboos (adorable blob-like rabbit thingies) that can walk around inside the Hollow to guide Agents out of its dangerous depths.
While I absolutely love the concept, the execution leaves a lot to be desired, as in order to show how the actual act of Proxying works, you'll be stuck inside - for lack of a better term - a TV to simulate the digital world. In this absurd TV land, you'll bump into semi-randomised encounters that can either be gold, loot, random boons, or monsters. When encountering a monster, that's the only time you'll be able to jump into battle within the disordered dimensions of the Hollow using your Agents, which, given it's where the game actually shines, ironically doesn't happen often enough.
Navigating this boring grey landscape within the TV world will have you solving puzzles that, when I first started playing, gave me a bit of a thrill - it certainly is unlike anything I've ever played before, and it gives the game a break from the monotony of fighting that other action RPGs might have. Unfortunately, that thing that was supposed to add variety to the game eventually became the reason for the monotony - the TV world is just incredibly tedious, and it happens more often than necessary.
What's worse is that it's the only way you can get through the main story, and, given that the world of New Eridu is absolutely gorgeous, it's just a shame that you don't get to spend more time exploring its nooks and crannies instead of the dull TV world.
A CYBORG NAMED BILLY AND A DOGGO NEWSSTAND
There are your typical "dungeons" where you can grind items for progression, as well as your typical gacha element. The summons pool here is actually pretty generous with its rates, but in my experience, you don't need high-tier characters to dominate in combat. Billy alone - a starter character you automatically recruit to your cause - is already a beast in battle in my opinion. Of course, getting other Agents - like Grace and Soukaku - lets you experiment with more strategic options like debuffs and status effects, but in all honesty, tactical prowess takes a backseat to simply timing your taps whenever prompted.Another area where Zenless Zone Zero shines is in its mini-games across New Eridu's Sixth Street. The city itself is just brimming with life - you've got your robotic barista for stamina replenishment, your ramen chef for combat buffs, your record shop for tuning, and your very own video store (which I hope can be expanded or customised in the official version). There's even a fluffy doggo who delivers the news every day, where you can buy a scratch card for some freebies (he's a good boi). Plus, there's an arcade store where you can play actual mini-games like Snake, because everyone loves a dose of nostalgia even in the most technically demanding games.
The world-building here though is absolutely top-notch. You can instantly tell that a great deal of thought and effort went into every single element of the world around you, as even the smallest details can contribute to the overall lore of the game. The snazzy industrial feel of the urban landscape is made even richer with the Inter-Knot, the Proxy Network that acts as a bit of a social media platform and messaging board where you can take commissions or stay updated with the trends and latest news around you.
GROWING PAINS
Now, I did run into some hiccups while playing the game on my mobile device, as my phone would run really hot even after just a few minutes into the game. It doesn't happen with any other titles I've played, so it could be a temperature issue specific to the CBT. I also couldn't get my GameSir T4 Cyclone Pro controller to work via Bluetooth, nor did my wired GameSir G8 Galileo (full review on this soon), so I do wonder if the mobile version will be compatible with controllers in the future. I didn't have any problems with controller support while playing the PC version on my laptop, though.
Overall, Zenless Zone Zero is an experience that's definitely worth giving a go when it comes out, even if you're just in it for the heart-racing combat and eye-candy characters. I do wish the TV world gameplay would be reduced to the optional side quests instead of the main quest - with that out of the way, the game would probably rate a solid 10 for me.
