The best character action games let me get into the combat flow state. I love rushing toward my target, peppering them with attacks, deftly dodging them, launching them into the air, and juggling their bodies until they finally collapse—or in the case of Zenless Zone ZeroExploding in a kaleidoscope of neons reminiscent of a 90s TV set, Hoyoverse’s latest free-to-play offering excels at frenetic combat that’s instantly satisfying. At times, I even wished I could get back to the action quicker while playing, but the rest of the game has a lot more to offer as well.
Zenless Zone Zero, or ZZZ, is my first Hoyoverse title. I haven’t tried it yet Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Trailbut that is mainly due to the setting and the playing style of ZZZ appealed to me much more. Since my playthrough was a beta with everything unlocked, I can’t say how the free-to-play gacha mechanics will reflect in my live playthrough.
ZZZ puts me in the shoes of Belle, a teenage girl living in a future tech-centric metropolis populated by regular people, augmented people, cat people, shark girls, robot espresso machines, and every other combination of personality ever imagined on an anime poster. That’s not a derogatory sentiment, by the way; everything and everyone in ZZZ feels like part of the same chaotic, fashionable universe, and I love it. There are robot bunnies called Bangboo who help out with all sorts of tasks. Belle runs a video store with her brother by day, but her main job is to serve as a highly capable guide through interdimensional rifts (called Hollows) that continually spawn in her town. I never fight with anyone other than Belle; for action scenes, I switch to the combat-focused crew of playable characters. Belle is present, but observes and directs the party members via her own remotely controlled Bangboo robot.
During the day ZZZIn combat, I can switch between up to three characters at will. While they all have different weapons and play styles, all combat revolves around stringing together light and heavy attacks, a dodge, and a meter-based super move. Billy, a cyborg, uses weapons and ranged attacks, while Corin, a maid whose main personality trait is “deeply anxious at all times,” uses a staff that doubles as a chainsaw to shred faceless Ethereal enemies to pieces. I can quickly switch between my party members at will, but there are special points where I can throw in an assist for more damage. Regardless of which character I choose, the overall combat system is intuitive and fluid. It offers that perfect video game-like feeling of suddenly making the player feel powerful without boring them with overly simplistic mechanics.
The other aspect of Hollow Exploration is a bit surprising: puzzles. Instead of sending a team through an endless maze of corridors that all look fittingly like a tech wasteland, I navigate a grid of televisions superimposed on a 2D plane. Sometimes I shift weights to open a door; other times I jump between floors to access different points on a map. It’s a unique mechanic that, like any good puzzle, becomes more complex as the tutorial phases pass. Solving these puzzles is tied to story objectives, but they’re also an important way to gather resources throughout the game. ZZZ. Their design is a new approach that I haven’t seen much in a game before, and they’re a nice palate cleanser after the action scenes.
Image: Hoyoverse via Polygon
There’s also a lot to do when I’m not in the Hollow. As Belle, I can explore my neighborhood, manage the video store window to attract customers, play arcade games, take pictures of cats, text with friends, or pick up coffee or noodles to boost my stats for the next Hollow run. (If you’ve ever wanted to see the tantalizing tank scene in front of an espresso machine before battle, ZZZ I can even doomscroll through forum posts on my phone before I go to sleep.
There are plenty of in-game activities to complement the experience, along with a fully voiced story told through comedic stills or conversations. I often found myself wanting to get back to just fighting, and at times the litany of things – and the endless amount of menus to upgrade my characters and weapons – felt like barriers to the core combat and puzzles. When Belle was assigned a daily list of chores to complete for in-game loot, I realized just how much of ZZZThe game’s scope extended beyond just the fast-paced combat I’d come to love.
Because I was playing on a Hoyoverse beta account, all my progress is erased when ZZZ goes live. But I’m excited to play the real experience, including the gacha elements, to see how that affects the flow. I’m looking forward to the zen of ZZZ‘s action scenes again.
Zenless Zone Zero will be released on July 4th on Android, iOS, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC. The game was reviewed on PC using a pre-release beta download code provided by Hoyoverse. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You may additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.