Okay, let me walk you through how I spent some time with Zenless Zone Zero, this game folks have been talking about.
Getting Started
So, I kept seeing stuff about Zenless Zone Zero, ZZZ they call it. You know how it is, new games pop up all the time. I wasn’t paying much attention at first. Figured it was just another flashy action game. But then, I had some downtime one evening, scrolling through stuff, and decided, “Alright, let’s see what this is actually about.”
I went ahead and got it downloaded. The install process was pretty standard, nothing tricky there. Fired it up. The first thing that hit me was the visual style. Very distinct, kind of urban, graffiti-inspired art. Felt different right away, which piqued my interest a bit more.
Diving In
The game threw me into some intro sequences, setting up the world – this place called New Eridu, these weird dimensions called Hollows. Standard tutorial stuff, showing me how to move, how to fight. I met the main characters, Belle and Wise, the Proxies. Seemed like decent characters.
Then came the combat. This is usually where these games make or break it for me. I mashed some buttons initially, just getting a feel for it. It felt… surprisingly smooth. Attacks connected nicely, dodging felt responsive. I started with the default characters. You switch between them, do combos. It wasn’t overly complicated, which I appreciate. I don’t always have the energy for super complex systems these days.
I ran through a few early missions. You basically dive into these Hollows, which are like shifting mazes shown on TV screens. A bit weird, but okay. Inside, you fight enemies. The combat flow felt good. Build up energy, unleash special moves, switch characters to chain attacks. It clicked pretty fast.
- Action: Fought various robot-like enemies.
- Mechanics: Learned the basics of switching Agents and doing chain attacks.
- Feeling: The impacts felt solid, visually flashy without being overwhelming.
Exploring and Settling In
After the missions, I spent time back in the main city hub, New Eridu. This part I actually enjoyed quite a bit. You walk around, visit shops, interact with NPCs. There’s a ramen place, a record store, an arcade. It had a cool, chill vibe. The music was really good too, very catchy electronic and hip-hop tracks. It balanced out the intense action parts nicely.
Of course, there’s the character collecting aspect – the gacha. I did a few pulls, got some new Agents. Didn’t get anyone super rare, but the designs of the ones I got were pretty cool. Each had their own fighting style. Trying out different team combinations became part of the routine.
Over the next few days, I kept playing in short bursts. Do a mission or two, upgrade my characters a bit, maybe wander around the city. The gameplay loop felt solid: prepare, fight, return, upgrade. It wasn’t mind-blowing, but it was well-put-together and engaging enough to keep me coming back.
My Takeaways – The Merits
So, after spending some real time with it, what do I think are the merits? From my own experience, here’s what stood out:
- The Style: This is a big one. The art direction, the character designs, the music – it all comes together to create a very strong, unique identity. It just feels cool.
- Smooth Combat: The action feels really polished and responsive. It’s fun to execute combos and dodge attacks. It hits that sweet spot between accessible and having enough depth to stay interesting.
- Solid Presentation: The whole package feels high quality. Good graphics, great sound design, decent interface. It runs well too, which is always a plus.
- Good Pacing: The mix between the action in the Hollows and the downtime in New Eridu feels well-balanced. It doesn’t constantly demand high intensity.
Overall, my time with ZZZ has been pretty positive. I went in without huge expectations and found a game that’s stylish, fun to play, and feels polished. It’s got its own flavor, and the core gameplay loop is satisfying. For me, those are definite merits. It managed to carve out a little spot in my gaming rotation, and that says something. It just works, you know?
