Skip To...
It’s been one year since Zenless Zone Zero launched, and it effortlessly proved that it is a cut above the other HoYoverse titles. Even if combat seemed similar to Honkai Impact 3rd, it proved way more accessible and impactful. With the arrival of Version 2.0, ZZZ has a bigger challenge: to bring the same quality as other HoYoverse games have done with their second major update. And you know what? It does. Zenless Zone Zero has demonstrated this throughout the year with a consistent story and characters that are constantly involved and do not remain forgotten. On top of that, we can’t forget the exceptional fights and unforgettable events. With that in mind, Zenless Zone Zero Version 2.0 opens the curtain to an excellent second season.
Next Stop: Waifei Peninsula
If you’ve already played the main story of Version 1.7, you know the 2.0 breadcrumbs are there. Yixuan has opened the stage for the Proxies’ next adventure. However, it’s not like HSR, where the Trailblazer skips to the next planet, or Genshin, where the Traveler walks to the next nation and ventures into the unknown. Here, Yixuan becomes a guide and teacher in the Waifei Peninsula. Since the Proxies can now enter Hollows, Yixuan and the other members of the Yunkui Summit faction are here to teach them new skills that will be very helpful in navigating through these Ethereal-infested areas.
It is also interesting how Wise and Belle will have to adapt from their urban New Eridu to the more traditional Chinese map of the Peninsula. There are new stores to visit, NPCs to meet, and other activities, such as Proxies taking care of the temple as if they were some Shaolin monk apprentices. However, Phaethon’s journey is not only for study or vacation but also to continue investigating their missing teacher and to pursue the Sacrifices. So the story of Zenless Zone Zero version 2.0 continues well with the original story and where the last patch left off, and plants new mysteries.
One important thing to note is that during the beta version, the 2.0 story was not completed, or rather, it had many placeholders, which is normal to avoid spoilers. In that regard, I can’t talk much about the overall plot or even rate it, but I will do so once Version 2.0 becomes available for all of us.
A New Exploration Perspective
Among the significant upgrades in version 2.0 is the new and improved map. It moves away from the static zone-selecting menu we had in favor of a more interactive way to navigate the new areas. The new interface makes it much easier to move around the cities, just like the mini-map does. The Hollows also got a glow-up for this update, and even if our visits are still somewhat “linear,” the maps feel wider and more open, with more freedom. They remind me a bit of how the Honkai Star Rail area map works, especially since it now has teleporters that will recover HP from the characters in the Hollows.
The Hollow itself will have challenges beyond just taking out enemies. Although the TV mode had a certain charm, having the Proxies or other characters walk freely feels more immersive; changing our team at any time within the Hollow is also helpful. We will have to solve new puzzles using the skills from Yixuan’s training. Besides that, Proxies can see where they are going in Hollows; they will have to eliminate barriers of spikes full of contamination, similar to the Whitering Zones in Genshin Impact. Also, Proxies can now use Ki or something like that to see beyond and break barriers or arrange circuits to deactivate machines, which makes exploration much deeper and more dimensional for the Waifei Peninsula.
Home, Sweet Home
For now, the Proxies must leave their Sixth Street home behind and move to the Waifei Peninsula temple, and for a moment, it feels like leaving behind a lot of the modernity they’re used to. With a change of home also came a change of look, something Genshin and Honkai should replicate equally, as MCs feel better blended into their temporary home.
Beyond the clothes, the Proxies adapt quickly to their new responsibilities at the temple, mainly in making deliveries for visitors to help rebuild the temple. Yes. The temple where the protagonists are staying is not in the best condition, but they can get maintenance resources by making talismans. Of course, you also need materials for crafting objects. Wise and Bell can get them around the map or by sending Bangboos to explore. So, both mechanics are similar to the Serenitea Pot and the assignments system, but with their unique twist, so it doesn’t feel like a copy and paste.
A Promising Season
Zenless Zone Zero starts with the right foot in its version 2.0. However, since it is a live service game, we will have to see the direction of the gameplay and story in future patches. The developer’s team did a great job in its first year, and it seems that in the future, they will continue to innovate. Furthermore, the characters get the spotlight with incredible animations and new combat mechanics that continually reshape the meta.
I hope that even if this is a new season, we can continue to see familiar faces participating in the main story and not just for random events without much context. Zenless Zone Zero 2.0 has a lot of potential, and it opens the new stage with a bang, which I’m sure will only get better as our siblings delve into the mysteries behind this Peninsula.
