Zenless Zone Zero: What You Should Know Before Launch — Story, Characters, and Combat System

Zenless Zone Zero, the upcoming action-RPG from HoYoverse, is already making waves across gaming communities in early 2025. While the full release is slated for mid-2025, a closed beta and multiple previews have provided valuable insights into its futuristic narrative, dynamic characters, and innovative combat. This article breaks down the core elements you need to know before jumping into this highly anticipated title.

Storyline and Setting of Zenless Zone Zero

The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by supernatural disasters known as “Hollows”. Humanity has retreated to the last known safe city — New Eridu — where advanced technology and mysterious energy sources shape a dystopian society. The narrative centres around “Proxies”, specialised agents who venture into the Hollows to retrieve valuable data and resources.

What makes the story particularly compelling is its layered structure. Instead of a linear plot, players interact with multiple factions, each with their own agendas and ideologies. These include corporations, mercenaries, hackers, and resistance groups — all shaping the player’s choices and alliances. The storytelling style uses interactive cutscenes, branching dialogues, and decision-based outcomes.

As of February 2025, early feedback from beta testers indicates that the narrative is rich in lore and character development, featuring multiple timelines and parallel events. This deep world-building brings the post-disaster atmosphere to life in an engaging and coherent manner.

Main Characters and Faction Dynamics

Zenless Zone Zero features a rotating cast of playable characters divided into different factions, each offering unique backstories, combat styles, and motivations. Notable characters include Belle and Wise, the twin “Proxies” who act as the player’s primary interface with the world and its secrets.

Other standout figures include Nicole, a mechanical tactician from the “Cunning Hares” faction, and Billy Kid, a cybernetically enhanced sharpshooter. Each character’s abilities are directly tied to their lore, creating a strong connection between gameplay mechanics and narrative progression.

The faction system significantly impacts missions and progression. Aligning with certain groups unlocks specific quests, equipment, and hidden story arcs. As of the current beta, these choices appear to be irreversible, adding weight to every narrative decision.

Combat System and Roguelike Mechanics

Zenless Zone Zero departs from traditional turn-based mechanics, embracing a fast-paced, real-time action combat model with hack-and-slash elements. Players control a team of three characters, each assigned specific roles — damage dealer, support, or controller — and switch between them mid-fight for combo chaining.

The combat system also introduces a unique “Assist Follow-Up” mechanic, enabling players to seamlessly execute counterattacks when switching characters at critical moments. Timing, precision, and synergy between characters are essential for mastering high-level encounters.

New as of 2025 is the integration of roguelike elements in exploration zones. Players navigate procedurally generated Hollow maps filled with traps, puzzles, and mini-bosses. Each run offers distinct rewards, including modifiers that influence future battles, creating a loop of risk-reward gameplay.

Interface and Tactical Design

The UI is inspired by cyberpunk aesthetics, featuring neon palettes, dynamic maps, and glitch-style animations. Players interact with digital terminals to unlock areas, track enemy locations, and modify loadouts. These in-game terminals also serve as narrative tools, revealing encrypted logs and hidden broadcasts.

HoYoverse has also added strategic layers to the combat interface. For instance, a character’s stamina and cooldowns are clearly displayed on radial HUDs, and synergy ratings help players build optimised teams. Feedback from beta users praises the responsiveness and clarity of these systems.

Moreover, hacking mini-games embedded in the interface act as both puzzles and combat triggers. Solving them can disable enemy shields or unlock powerful environmental hazards. These elements add variety and challenge beyond the core combat loop.

Visual Design and Music Composition

Visually, Zenless Zone Zero blends anime-inspired character models with urban decay settings. The city of New Eridu is divided into districts, each with distinct colour themes, architectural motifs, and soundscapes. Environmental storytelling is subtle but impactful — graffiti, broken billboards, and AI announcements all reinforce the game’s tone.

Character animations are fluid and expressive, utilising motion capture and dynamic physics systems. Combat sequences are punctuated by particle effects and slow-motion finishers, offering a cinematic experience without compromising gameplay responsiveness.

Music plays a vital role in establishing mood. The soundtrack — composed by in-house HoYoverse talent — mixes lo-fi beats, synthwave, and experimental jazz. These tracks adapt in real time to gameplay situations, intensifying during combat or calming during story-driven scenes.

Audio Design and Voice Acting

The game supports multiple languages with full voice acting, including English, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese. Each voice cast brings distinct personalities to the characters, enhancing immersion and emotional impact during cutscenes.

Sound effects are meticulously crafted. Gunshots, blade clashes, and enemy roars vary depending on location and weapon type. Environmental audio, such as rainfall or electrical hums, adds depth to the urban environment of New Eridu.

As of February 2025, beta impressions highlight the high production value of voice direction and ambient design. Players commend how sound and music are tightly integrated with story pacing and player actions, making every moment feel deliberate and alive.