Recently, the foreign portal IGN interviewed the Chinese company HoYoverse, which is working on the upcoming action role-playing game Zenless Zone Zero. The game’s producer, Zhenyu Li, explained in detail what the project is and shared some plans for the future. We have highlighted for you the most important things from the conversation, dividing the points into sections for convenience.
Gameplay
- Players control a team of three characters, fighting monsters in real time.
- Fast and fluid battles with an emphasis on combo attacks, stunning enemies and using unique character abilities.
- Locations with Roguelike elements.
- Players freely explore the city and its various areas, completing side quests, solving mysteries, and interacting with characters.
Setting
- Zenless Zone Zero takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. Civilization is destroyed, and people are forced to live in a metropolis surrounded by dangerous zones.
- New Eris is a huge city full of contrasts, where skyscrapers meet slums, and high-tech devices combine with archaic elements.
- Mutated monsters live in dangerous areas and pose a threat to people.
- A dark and tense atmosphere, but with glimmers of hope and optimism.
Characters
- The developers strived to create a wide variety of characters, not only in terms of design, but also in the story.
- HoYoverse has heard fans’ requests for better representation of different cultures in their games and said the city in Zenless Zone Zero provides them with a new opportunity to do just that.
- The team focused on creating original and never-before-seen character designs.
Development team
- Initially, the Zenless Zone Zero development team consisted of only 12 people.
- During development, the team grew to more than 400 people.
- The team includes developers from different countries, which facilitates the exchange of ideas and the creation of a more unique product.
- The authors are passionate about their work and strive to create a game that players will enjoy.
Development process
- A combination of traditional and modern methods. HoYoverse uses both time-tested game development methods and the latest technologies.
- The game uses modern technology to create a detailed world, smooth animation and breathtaking visual effects.
- The developers pay great attention to detail to create the atmosphere and make the game world as realistic as possible.
- HoYoverse actively collects player feedback and uses it to improve the game.
Inspiration
- From Persona 5, Zenless Zone Zero borrows the style of a metropolis, elements of social interaction and a turn-based combat system.
- The time mechanics in Zenless Zone Zero are inspired by the cycle of day and night and synchronized events from Digimon World.
- Zenless Zone Zero’s combat system takes inspiration from the fighting game Street Fighter 6, with an emphasis on fast-paced combat, combo attacks, and stunning enemies.
Artificial intelligence
- HoYoverse does not use artificial intelligence in the development of Zenless Zone Zero to generate content.
- The team does not rule out the use of artificial intelligence in future projects, but for now is focused on traditional development methods.
Release and plans for the future
- Zenless Zone Zero will be released on July 4, 2024 on PlayStation 5, PC and mobile devices.
- HoYoverse plans to release regular updates for Zenless Zone Zero, adding new content including story chapters, characters, zones, and game modes.
- New Eris will gradually expand, offering new places to explore.
- A multiplayer mode is being developed, but details have not yet been specified.