Zenless Zone Zero 2.0 marks a new chapter in storytelling for HoYoverse’s action RPG title.
The newest kid on the block has gone through much more major changes in its first year compared to Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail when they were first released.
The biggest change is to its TV game mode mechanic, which the developers did away with for subsequent quests, permanently shifting to first-person perspective after receiving feedback from the community.
These changes fundamentally reshaped the way the game developers approached storytelling in ZZZ. Producer Zhenyu Li shares with ONE Esports on the biggest lessons learnt from version 1.0 and what fans can look forward to from version 2.0 onwards.
How Zenless Zone Zero’s storytelling sets itself apart from other HoYoverse titles
HoYoverse’s approach to storytelling in its major titles has sparked considerable discussion within the community, especially after the release of Honkai Star Rail 3.0’s Ampherous region, the game’s longest arc so far.
A consistent theme across all these games is the reliance on extensive, script-driven dialogue as the primary method of narrative delivery. This emphasis on long character dialogues has been a central point of much of the feedback received.
Right from release, however, Zenless Zone Zero was different — it gives players the option to skip dialogue. On top of this, they’re constantly refining how narratives are told.
Specifically for version 2.0, the game developers reinterpreted Waycraft — the special and abstract powers and implied spirits that Yunkui Summit draw from — to better align with Zenless Zone Zero’s urban fantasy setting, incorporating modern social values and spontaneity, Zhenyu tells ONE Esports.
Their goal is to maintain a “people-first” individual narrative approach that observes and drives events forward from the perspective of ordinary people rather than heroes.
“In the early narrative of Zenless Zone Zero, we focused on presenting self-contained story chapters within each version, providing players with complete story experiences through well-structured plot developments,” said Zhenyu.
“Starting from Season 2, we’ll place greater emphasis on long-term main story development and setup, exploring deeper character depths and showcasing more complex, multidimensional character relationships,” he added.
On top of expanding gameplay mechanics and combat stage upgrades, the ZZZ team are starting to integrate storytelling with core gameplay elements. For example, by combining story sequences with 3D stage experiences, they hope that players can become more immersed in Zenless Zone Zero’s story through exploration and combat.
Combat experience upgrades from Zenless Zone Zero 2.0 version onwards
That said, combat is still the defining trait of the ARPG. The game developers have put a lot of time and effort into improving the combat experience for ZZZ players.
In the Lemnian Hollow of Version 2.0, for example, the team explored and upgraded their sandbox-style combat stages by incorporating Zenless Zone Zero’s unique gameplay features. Players can now experience 3D combat stages with greater freedom, broader exploration possibilities, and more fluid combat experiences.
“Our entire team is determined to perfect the unique stages that define Zenless Zone Zero. In Version 2.0, players can venture deep into the Hollow, utilizing Break, Reveal, and Seek for exploration,” said Zenyu.
“Eous’ abilities will also receive enhancements, adding more excitement and gameplay elements to Hollow exploration. The evolution of stage formats is also closely tied to the future expansion of Zenless Zone Zero’s gameplay and content,” he added.
One thing that players may not have noticed is how the ZZZ team delved deeper into the connections between existing game content. In the temple management gameplay for example, it’s intentionally linked to the interactive experiences between various shops in Failume Heights.
As a result, players are able to immerse themselves more deeply in the world of New Eridu through this structured cyclical gameplay experience and feel the self-contained city life.
Looking forward, Zhenyu reiterates that the Zenless Zone Zero development team remains committed to listening attentively and polishing content to serve every player in this long-term service-oriented title, integrating player feedback with design philosophy and game requirements.
And perhaps most importantly, ONE Esports pointed out that there’s an overwhelming number of female compared to male characters currently in the game — and actually got a response from the producer.
“The world of Zenless Zone Zero is an urban fantasy realm free from labels and predefined notions, where diverse races and richly-designed characters coexist harmoniously in New Eridu during this post-disaster era. We want every player to form their own interpretations while experiencing the game and different characters’ stories, rather than following our predetermined answers,” Zhenyu replied.
“Zenless Zone Zero will definitely feature more male Agents in the future, including both A-Rank and S-Rank ones. While we can’t reveal who they all are right now, we will continue to introduce various characters as the game versions iterate and the story progresses,” he said.
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