Summary
- Zenless Zone Zero producer Zhenyu Li says that the game's combat was inspired heavily by the Street Fighter series.
- Fans have compared ZZZ's gameplay to Devil May Cry and Genshin Impact, with its dungeon-crawling aspect and day and night cycle similar to Atlus' Persona series.
The producer for Zenless Zone Zero revealed that HoYoverse's upcoming free-to-play title took direct inspiration from Street Fighter 6. With the release of Zenless Zone Zero on the horizon, HoYoverse fans are gearing up to explore every nook and cranny of the futuristic city of New Eridu. The highly anticipated action RPG promises to be a thrilling new title for fans of the urban fantasy sci-fi genre, with stylish combat and a vivid post-apocalyptic setting in which humanity is on the brink of extinction.
Since its reveal, HoYoverse fans have compared elements of Zenless Zone Zero to several other beloved video game franchises. In terms of gameplay, players noted ZZZ's fast-paced and combo-focused combat system seemed to blend the action found in Devil May Cry with the quick-swapping mechanics of HoYoverse's Genshin Impact. Its flashy, urban fantasy setting combined with its dungeon-crawling gameplay and day and night cycle might also feel familiar to players of Atlus' long-running Persona series. But while the upcoming action RPG wears most of its influences on its sleeve, some fans may be surprised to discover that the latest entry in a beloved fighting game series also majorly influenced Zenless Zone Zero.
During an interview with IGN, Zenless Zone Zero producer Zhenyu Li revealed his obsession with Street Fighter, having sunk thousands of hours into the series. His history with Capcom's beloved 2D fighter franchise went on to influence his vision for ZZZ's combat, with Li explaining that Street Fighter taught him the importance of conveying the weight of every hit and how to make it so that each strike carried the appropriate momentum through its animation.
Street Fighter 6 Influenced Zenless Zone Zero
The producer also applauded the latest entry into the Street Fighter franchise, Street Fighter 6, which notably made an effort to introduce gameplay mechanics at set intervals to avoid bogging down newcomers to the fighting game genre with too much information. Despite the differences in combat between both games, Li claimed the developers of Zenless Zone Zero attempted to emulate Street Fighter 6's tutorials to the best of their ability and purposefully paced the introduction of new gameplay elements to better suit a diverse player base.
Zenless Zone Zero is shaping up to be one of the biggest gacha games to debut in 2024 and has amassed over 40 million pre-registrations at the time of writing. However, that's not to say it won't face its own challenges. Notably, there are already plenty of similar free games on the market, such as HoYoverse's Genshin Impact and Kuro Games' Wuthering Waves.
Zenless Zone Zero
- Released
- July 4, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Don't go into the Hollows.
I know, I know, there's Ether in the Hollows, bizarre creations, even heritage of the old civilization, all precious treasures. But don't forget, there's also spatial disorder, monsters and mutants running rampant, and ultimately, a disaster that could swallow the world. They are not a place where ordinary people should go.
So don't go into Hollows.
Or at least, don't go in alone.
If you insist on getting into danger, go to New Eridu first.
This city where the good and the bad mix has many people who need the Hollows: Powerful wealthy tycoons, gangs that stalk the streets, conspiracy nuts, and ruthless officials.
Make your preparations there, find strong allies, and most importantly—
Find a "Proxy".
Only they can guide people out of the maze-like Hollows.
Good luck!
- ESRB
- T (Teen) - Suggestive Themes & Violence
- Developer(s)
- HoYoverse (Formerly miHoYo)
- Publisher(s)
- HoYoverse
- Engine
- Unity
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC, Android, iOS
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
