Following a teaser earlier in the week, the Genshin Impact developer has revealed Zenless Zone Zero, a stylish action RPG all about guns, swords, and cat ears. The reveal was paired with a trailer showcasing the characters, setting, and enemies. You’ll make your way to New Eridu, where creatures occupy a “sub-Hollow disaster.” The game looks funky and cool; a far cry from Genshin Impact‘s fantasy setting. And you can try Zenless Zone Zero ahead of release with a closed beta you can sign up for today.
Developer HoYoverse describes the game as an “urban fantasy.” Really, it kind of takes the Phantasy Star approach by blending fantasy elements with high tech. It’s set in a post-apocalyptic world. New Eridu is a shelter city, created to save humanity following a “calamity.” You face off against creatures using weapons like blades and firearms, and it’s all pretty flashy.
Like with Genshin, Zenless Zone Zero follows a cast of trendy heroes. As a “proxy,” you join forces with these allies to enter the Hollows and dispatch creatures called “The Ethereal.” Combat seems like your standard action RPG affair, with combos and finishers.
Welcome to the new reality
Zenless Zone Zero‘s reveal trailer shows two different sides of the game. Almost taking a page out of Persona‘s book, ZZZ splits gameplay between action and sim-like moments. The city of New Eridu can be explored, and there appear to be shops you can visit.
As for whether the game will continue the gacha element of Genshin, well, it most likely will. I doubt HoYoverse is going to mess with a formula that brought the developer so much moolah. The Chinese developer has reportedly raked in more than $3 billion USD since the launch of Genshin Impact.
If you’re interested in trying Zenless Zone Zero, there will be a closed beta. You can check out the sign-up page and throw your name in today. The PC specs for the beta are pretty fair as well. To play the game, you’ll need at least a GTX 970 with 8 GB of RAM.
