'Zenless Zone Zero' Review (2025): Is This the Next Big "Anime-Gacha" Hit?

When Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ) launched in July 2024, the question on everyone's mind was whether HoYoverse (the creators of Genshin Impact) could strike gold a third time. Expectations were incredibly high.

Now, almost a year and a half later in November 2025, we can look back and answer that question. ZZZ is not the "next Genshin Impact," and that is exactly what has made it a sustainable success.

This is a state-of-the-game review for Zenless Zone Zero in 2025.

What is 'Zenless Zone Zero'? (A Refresher)

Unlike Genshin Impact, ZZZ is not an open-world RPG. It is a session-based urban fantasy action RPG.

The premise is:

• The Setting: New Eridu, the last remaining metropolis in a post-apocalyptic world.

• The Problem: Supernatural disasters called "Hollows" distort reality and create monster-filled labyrinths.

• The Player: You are a "Proxy," a professional who guides teams of "Agents" (the collectible characters) through these dangerous Hollows.

What ZZZ Did Exceptionally Well

ZZZ's success was not due to copying Genshin. It was because it differentiated itself in key areas that attracted a different audience.

1. The "Style" Factor

This is ZZZ's biggest triumph. The game is visually flawless. It's not just "anime"; it's an "urban pop art" aesthetic. The user interface (UI), the funk and hip-hop music, the character menus—everything is designed to look like a CRT monitor, a VHS cassette, or street art.

In 2025, no other gacha game comes close in terms of sheer stylistic presentation.

2. The Combat: Fast and Reactive

ZZZ focused on faster action combat. The core of the game is building teams of three Agents and executing "Chain Attacks" and "Stuns." It is a faster, more aggressive combat system than Genshin's, but more accessible than Honkai Impact 3rd's.

It has proven to be an excellent combat system for short play sessions, ideal for mobile players who have 15 minutes to spare.

The State of the Gacha and "Endgame" in 2025

This is where the fate of a "live-service" game is decided.

The Gacha Model

The gacha system (where you "pull" for characters) is the HoYoverse standard. If you've played Genshin or Star Rail, you understand it: there is a "pity" system that guarantees a 5-star character and a "50/50" that determines if you get the featured banner character.

• State in 2025: The model holds up. There has been "power creep" (new characters being stronger than old ones), but this is standard for the industry. The game's main content is still clearable with launch characters. It is fair, for a gacha.

The Gameplay Loop (The "Endgame")

ZZZ's main point of criticism at launch was the "endgame" loop. Exploring the Hollows is done on a grid of TV screens, a semi-roguelite labyrinth system.

• State in 2025: This remains the most divisive point. HoYoverse has added new game modes (like timed combat challenges and story events), but the core loop of "enter the Hollow-TV, fight, exit" is still repetitive.

If you didn't like this loop in 2024, you will not like it in 2025.

Verdict: Is It a "Big Hit"?

Yes, but in a different way.

Zenless Zone Zero did not replace Genshin Impact. Instead, it successfully captured an entirely different market: the player who wants HoYoverse production quality, story, and characters, but does not have time for a 100-hour open world.

ZZZ is the perfect "commuter game." It is the answer for the player who prefers a linear, mission-based action RPG.

It has firmly established itself as the third pillar of the HoYoverse empire, proving the company is not a one-trick pony. It is a massive, stylish, and focused success.