Zenless Zone Zero: The Most Chaotic Cozy Apocalypse You’ll Ever Vibe To
aka: “What if Persona 5, an arcade cabinet, and a stray cat formed a gacha game”
So, Zenless Zone Zero finally dropped, and after living inside New Eridu like a sleep-deprived proxy with debt and questionable life choices, I think I can safely say:
This game is not what anyone expected—
and that might be the best part.
ZZZ isn’t trying to be the next world-saving epic.
It’s not begging you to care about a dying god, or twelve nations at war, or cosmic space cults.
It’s literally:
“Hey, you run a VHS rental front and illegally explore corporate-owned eldritch holes for cash. Want a side gig?”
And honestly?
Yeah. Same.
✨ The Vibe Check: It Just Feels… Homey??
People keep saying “it’s Persona-coded,” and they’re not wrong—but it’s not dramatic-glasses-kid-summons-god Persona.
It’s:
- slow-burn slice-of-life
- gig economy simulator
- “my coworker is unhinged but I love them” energy
You’re not the chosen one.
You’re not amnesiac royalty.
You’re just a sibling duo running a suspicious shop, taking commissions, and somehow ending up in ethically-gray situations because rent exists.
It’s grounded in a way gacha games never are—no apocalyptic race to the finish line, no emotional exhaustion.
Just… vibes.
And the city feels alive.
NPCs remember you.
Side gigs come in like text reminders you forgot to answer.
There’s a cat you can pet and eventually unlock at specific times of day.
I didn’t know I needed time-gated feline interactions but here we are.
⚔️ Combat: Mashable, Flashy, and Actually Gets Good
Let’s be honest:
the first few hours are baby mode with sparkles.
You will mash buttons.
You will win.
You will wonder if this is Genshin with a filter.
But then—
- dodge timings start mattering
- assist swaps click
- parry windows become mini heart attacks
- bosses ask you to please stop mashing, you gremlin
Every character feels wildly different:
- Nekomata = caffeinated parkour knife-cat
- Koleda/Ben = union-approved construction violence
- Soldier 11 = serious voice, unhinged behavior, 10/10 queen
And the best part?
You don’t pull characters just to see their ult.
You pull them to actually play them.
A shocking gacha twist.
📺 The TV Maze: Love It, Hate It, or Both at 3AM
The TV-channel navigation is the most “HoYoverse, are you okay?” design choice ever.
It can be:
✅ clever
✅ nostalgic, like dungeon crawlers with CRT static
✅ low-stress exploration
But also:
❌ zooms in on every single thing ever
❌ turns five-minute missions into fifteen-minute errands
❌ makes you pay gear coins just to be told “lol no”
It’s charming when it works, but when it doesn’t, it feels like being stuck behind someone in the grocery line who wants to pay in expired coupons.
The roguelite version, though?
Chef’s kiss.
More of that and fewer “you cannot open this door” lectures.
🎭 Story: Saturday Morning Cartoon With Corporate Trauma
If you’re waiting for universe-ending revelations, don’t.
ZZZ is:
- small-scale
- character-driven
- grounded in capitalism, not destiny
The biggest threat so far isn’t a god—it’s a company cutting safety corners.
And somehow?
That hits harder.
It’s comfy, funny, and slowly building towards something bigger.
Not every scene lands (some arcs feel like filler anime episodes), but the factions have:
- chemistry
- personality
- actual screen time (looking at you, Genshin)
It feels like the writers finally learned the phrase:
“let characters breathe.”
🎧 Music: I Would Pull for a Character Just to Hear Their Theme
HoYoverse said:
“What if every track slapped harder than my rent reminders?”
And they delivered.
- gacha music? permanently installed in my brain
- battle themes? stylish and aggressive without being noise
- the city ambience? lo-fi apocalypse to study/work/commit crime to
If this OST keeps going, it’s entering the “best in the genre” conversation.
🧃 The Annoying Stuff
Let’s be real:
- The tutorial is a hostage situation
You don’t get full gameplay for like… 10+ hours. - UI sometimes feels like it’s designed by a console ghost
- text spacing and localization errors exist (and multiply)
- loading transitions are ✨too frequent✨ on mobile
- TV mode needs a speed buff like yesterday
- mobs early on feel like potted plants that hit back
Also:
the standard banner is a clown fiesta.
Why can I lose to five weapons in a row?
Who approved this.
Justice for A-rank characters.
✅ Final Verdict: Should You Play It?
If you want:
✔ cozy yet stylish urban fantasy
✔ character chemistry over cosmic lore dumps
✔ combat that rewards actually learning it
✔ slice-of-life gacha that doesn’t scream at you
Then yes.
Absolutely yes.
If you want:
✘ instant depth
✘ massive open world exploration
✘ early-game difficulty or high stakes
✘ zero fluff
Maybe wait a patch or two.
Score:
⭐ 8/10 with room to glow-up
but also
❤️ 10/10 for vibes, cat-petting, and Soldier 11’s voice alone
If HoYoverse keeps scaling the combat like the Chapter 3 boss, fixes the UI migraines, and stops treating the tutorial like a tax—
Zenless Zone Zero might become their best game.
And honestly?
I’m here for the ride.
Even if the ride is illegal and requires paperwork and three Bangboos to operate.
