Zenless Zone Zero is already a major commercial success for HoYoverse, but how does it stack up against Genshin Impact, how are they different, and which is better?
The gacha game genre has grown considerably over the last few years and much of that success can be directly credited to Genshin Impact. HoYoverse knows this, too. While there are some major competitors out there with similar gameplay loops like Wuthering Waves, MiHoYo has gone through great pains to create its own challengers to Genshin’s throne.
Honkai: Star Rail is the biggest example of this. Instead of being an open-world action game like Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail takes its gacha mechanics into a sci-fi turn-based RPG. Zenless Zone Zero does much the same, but takes things into another direction. Here’s how the game fits into HoYoverse’s larger catalog and whether newcomers should play it, or look to one of its sister titles.
Is Zenless Zone Zero the same as Genshin Impact?
Zenless Zone Zero has a similar graphical style to Genshin Impact and uses HoYoverse’s signature gacha mechanics, but they are very different games.
Genshin Impact has a look and feel to its world and designs that fans love. Though the game heavily leans on cliched characters, the striking looks and stylized combat have proven successful with fans. That’s all intact in Zenless Zone Zero.
Like Genshin Impact, the game has a bright aesthetic despite taking place in an internally dark world. Most characters would look right at home in an anime series, and the creators offer ample fan service for those who want it.
Because the monetization model is largely based on incentivizing players to fork up cash for characters, each one is unique. Just among the starting characters freely available to players, Billy, Anby, and Nicole all feel completely different to play. This was also the case in Genshin Impact, but Zenless Zone Zero arguably takes this to another level.
How is ZZZ different from Genshin Impact?
Zenless Zone Zero has a very different setting from Genshin Impact and drops almost all exploration elements from the game.
Genshin Impact dropped fans’ jaws by delivering a console-caliber open-world experience on mobile devices. It was compared favorably with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, borrowing some of its gameplay elements and much of its aesthetic. While Zenless Zone Zero still has the same look of Genshin Impact, its story and themes are more akin to classic TTRPG Shadowrun. It brings together elements of fantasy and cyberpunk against a post-apocalyptic backdrop.
The difference is even more stark when it comes to gameplay. Zenless Zone Zero puts a much bigger emphasis on combat. With nothing to explore beyond a few city areas, the gameplay loop doesn’t include any paragliding and sprints through wide-open fields.
The gameplay loop of ZZZ is fighting to level up, then leveling up to fight what’s next. This is done across a series of enclosed environments that are segregated from the
Breaking up the monotony are Persona-style hangouts and relationship-building mechanics with party members. This makes ZZZ more of an RPG than it otherwise would be, since the game otherwise focuses almost exclusively on combat with just a splash of story.
Which is better to start between Genshin Impact and Zenless Zone Zero?
Players looking for exploration and RPG elements will likely prefer Genshin Impact to Zenless Zone Zero, while those wanting dynamic combat may prefer ZZZ.
Both games have progression tightly gated behind gacha elements, so there isn’t a superior value proposition one way or the other. This largely boils down to a matter of gameplay preference.
One area where Zenless Zone Zero has a potential advantage over Genshin Impact is its relative newness. Players can see the story, roster, and gameplay evolve in real-time with ZZZ, while Genshin Impact is largely set in its ways. That said, those looking for a more flexible experience with greater potential for casual gameplay might be better served by Genshin Impact.
