Zenless Zone Zero

The player assumes the role of a Proxy, a character who helps others explore alternate dimensions called Hollows. Over time, the Proxy will recruit new party members known as Agents to fight hostile entities called Ethereals and other enemies. In addition to the Proxy, players use rabbit-like robotic assistants known as Bangboos. The game features an in-game clock system, with the days split into morning, afternoon, evening, and midnight. == Story ==

Setting and characters Zenless Zone Zero is an anime-styled gacha urban fantasy game that takes place in an post-apocalyptic universe that is a futuristic haven known as New Eridu. Large pocket dimensions called Hollows plague the world, engulfing the land and spawning hostile monsters called Ethereals, who have wreaked havoc on humanity. After the fall of Eridu, a group of survivors established a bastion against the invaders known as New Eridu. The group survived the oncoming onslaught by extracting a substance called Ether from the Hollows, which is used as a potent energy source for the entirety of New Eridu. The story follows Belle and Wise, two siblings who are proxies and are secretly the legendary Phaethon. The siblings possess a special technology known as the Hollow Deep Dive System, which allows them to remotely monitor and navigate Agents within Hollows through the use of their Bangboo, Eous. As the player progresses through the game, they meet new factions and their proxying capabilities are expanded with the addition of the A.I. Fairy, who can analyze Hollows. Despite falling into the "futuristic" category, Zenless Zone Zero adopts a retro and analog aesthetic, which is explained by the notion that modern technology is susceptible to corruption from overexposure to Ether. Characters operate flip-phones or mobile phones reminiscent of models from the 2000s and 2010s. The two main protagonists reside in a video store (known as Random Play), where New Eridu citizens can rent VHS tapes. CRT television sets reminiscent of those from the early 1980s to the 1990s are commonly seen throughout the game. There are also references to 1990s media as well as grunge or street-style designs present throughout New Eridu. Plot Season 1 Wise and Belle are two siblings who operate as Proxies under the pseudonym "Phaethon". During a mission, a powerful artificial intelligence called "Fairy" installs itself into Phaethon's Hollow Deep Dive (HDD) system when they're knocked unconscious trying to force out an external hacker. With Fairy, Phaethon's Proxy capabilities are greatly increased, allowing them to help multiple factions, including the Cunning Hares, Belobog Heavy Industries, and New Eridu Public Security (NEPS). As they investigate, they uncover and stop a conspiracy headed by NEPS Inspector Justin Bringer and Sarah, a member of The Exaltists, whose goal is to "refine" humanity by embracing the Hollow Disaster. Along the way, Phaethon builds alliances with Section 6, a specialized operational unit, and the Sons of Calydon, a biker gang in the outskirts of New Eridu. They additionally reveal themselves to be the adopted children of Carole Arna, a scientist who is blamed for Old Eridu's fall. Phaethon, believing Carole Arna to be innocent, is working on clearing her name by attempting to find the true culprit. In a mission requested by the Mayor of New Eridu, Phaethon investigates Sacrifices, a special type of Ethereal made only by human manipulation. With the help of the phantom thief group Mockingbird, Phaethon uncovers a conspiracy involving human and Sacrifice manipulation. During a battle, Phaethon unknowingly uses a mysterious power to save Vivian Banshee, a member of Mockingbird, from corrupting into an Ethereal. In the aftermath, the Mayor sends Phaethon to Waifei Peninsula along with Yixuan, the High Preceptor of Yunkui Summit, for further investigation. Season 2 Arriving in Waifei Peninsula, Phaethon and Yixuan learn that miners were corrupted by defective Ether-resistance medicine, with Porcelumex, a company that mines Porcelume, stalling the compensation. The investigation uncovers that Dr. Lohr, a secret Exaltist collaborator, is backing the union’s actions and that Overseer Mevorakh is gathering Miasma, a concentrated form of Ether, and luring miners into the Lemnian Hollow. Yixuan defeats Mevorakh, and Porcelumex issues compensation to the rescued miners. Later, Phaethon attends a Porcelumex conference and uncovers a separate conspiracy involving Porcelumex co-CEO Ferox. With help from Spook Shack’s Ukinami Yuzuha and Alice Thymefield, they expose Ferox as an Exaltist collaborator, leading to his arrest. The Mayor then sends Phaethon to monitor General Lorenz of the New Eridu Defense Force and his subordinate Isolde. Phaethon meets with Obol Squad's Orphie, the squad's gunner, and Magus, a digital consciousness inhabiting Orphie's tail. Both Magus and Isolde are former members of "Agamemnon Squad", which was wiped out during the fall of Old Eridu while protecting a train of refugees. Isolde later reveals that the train was actually full of Porcelumex assets, with Lorenz colluding with Ferox. Magus refuses to kill Lorenz, so Isolde kills him before fleeing into the Hollow. Isolde reveals herself to be Overseer Mevorakh, and dies in a duel with Orphie and Magus. The Proxy meets Ye Shunguang, the sister of Yunkui Summit member Ye Shiyuan and wielder of the Qingming Sword, a powerful weapon capable of destroying Miasma at the cost of memory loss upon use. Unbeknownst to them, Ye Shiyuan has been working with Sarah to summon the Creator, in exchange for the Creator supposedly being able to free Shunguang from the Qingming Sword's curse. After realizing Sarah lured Shunguang to the ritual location, Shiyuan attempts to interrupt the summoning ritual, mortally injuring Sarah in the process. Sarah merges with the Creator, and the Creator possesses Ye Shiyuan. Ye Shunguang then defeats the Creator and frees her brother. ==Development==

Zenless Zone Zero was produced by Zhenyu Li. The development team cited Persona 5, Digimon World, and Street Fighter as influences for Zenless Zone Zero, influences from Street Fighter can be seen within the animation of characters during combat while the influences of Digimon World can be seen in the implementation of the in-game clock system. The development team stressed that Zenless Zone Zero has a unique style. Characters in Zenless Zone Zero have different designs based on their faction; For instance, the design for Victoria Housekeeping characters is based on Victorian-era butlers and maids with tropes from horror movies. gunslinger. During the planning stages, these non-human characters were not intended to be present in the game but the team did find them fun and later incorporated them into the game. The developer has adjusted gameplay elements after player feedback. Late in 2024, the TV Mode was largely truncated due to generally negative reception of the puzzle-based design. The version 2.0 update in July 2025 optimized the hub world design and user interface to improve player's experience. ==Marketing and release==

miHoYo revealed the game in May 2022 and began holding closed beta tests, known as "Tuning Tests", for PC and iOS in August of the same year. A second closed beta test, called an "Equalizing Test", was also held for PC and iOS in November 2023. A third beta test, called an "Amplifying Test", was held for Android, PC, and iOS, in April 2024. During Sony Interactive Entertainment's State of Play presentation in January 2024, a PlayStation 5 port of the game was announced as a timed console exclusive. A technical test was held for the PS5 in April 2024. The release date was announced in late May of that same year. The game was released on July 4. To promote the game, HoYoverse collaborated with several graffiti artists to create Zenless Zone Zero-themed graffiti in 19 cities in Indonesia. An advertisement campaign on the Manila Light Rail Transit in the Philippines was held. A series of launch events titled "New Eridu City Tour" is being held in 19 locations worldwide. Another series of events titled "Zenless Dazzle Expo" is held within six comic conventions. In July 2024, HoYoverse, through a collaboration between them and Lofi Girl, released a Zenless Zone Zero-themed Lofi Girl video featuring the character Belle though its HoYoFair YouTube channel, which features lo-fi remixes of select Zenless Zone Zero soundtracks. == Reception ==

Prior to the game's release, the Chinese video game news website 17173 noted that HoYoverse had significant experience with action games, considering Zenless Zone Zero as both a return to the genre and a potential breakthrough for the company. They believed that HoYoverse had yet to encounter significant rivals in the action game category and that Zenless Zone Zero could "stabilize and expand the user market." 17173 also emphasized the game's strong stylized design and trendy visual elements, noting that it inherited HoYoverse's expertise in the action category while presenting a distinct and unique work. Eurogamer said that the combat and day-to-day exploration exciting, and the world setting unique and immersive. PC Gamer criticized the combat system by calling it "mindless mouse clicking". The mobile version of the game grossed almost million in its first 11 days and million in its first month. Chinese video game news website GameLook estimated the total revenue from all platforms of the game for July 2024 to exceed billion (million.) Accolades == Notes ==