Free-to-play and gacha games are a dime a dozen these days, with varying degrees of quality. Like Honkai: Star Rail and Genshin Impact, Zenless Zone Zero stands out, promising a sleek urban action experience with stylish combat.

The visuals and animation work are gorgeous, while the soundtrack is one of the year's best. However, at its heart, Zenless Zone Zero does a compelling job of telling the story of Belle and Wise, fleshing out the setting of New Eridu (and the Old World), and giving you reasons to care about its cast. Of course, the excellent combat helps, especially when you start to embrace the system's nuances.

Despite a slow-paced opening, some pacing issues and a few performance issues, Zenless Zone Zero is a fun hack-and-slash experience. It borrows its fair share of fundamentals from miHoYo's best, but its style is undeniable.

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