A más de dos años desde su primer anuncio, HoYoverse se complace en anunciar que su más reciente ARPG de fantasía urbana, Zenless Zone Zero, ya está disponible de manera oficial en PlayStation 5, PC (HoYoPlayy Epic Games Store), iOS y Android para jugadores de todo el mundo.
Para celebrar el lanzamiento oficial, se han realizado una amplia gama de actividades en todo el mundo para entretener a los Proxies, incluyendo el lanzamiento de «ZENLESS» con el ganador de los premios Grammy DJ Tiësto, así como una Mesa Redonda de Creadores entre Zenless Zone Zero y Street Fighter 6.
Para celebrar el lanzamiento oficial, Zenless Zone Zero ha preparado una generosa recompensa dentro del juego para los jugadores de todo el mundo, incluyendo hasta 1600 Películas, 70 Cintas originales, 20 Cintas cifradas y 80 Bangbupones.
Los jugadores podrán obtener estas recompensas conforme avancen en el juego, participen en eventos globales en línea y prueben diferentes eventos como «Control parental» y «Cuidado por dónde pisas».
Acerca de Zenless Zone Zero
Zenless Zone Zero es el nuevo capítulo de ARPG de fantasía urbana de HoYoverse. En esta aventura postapocalíptica, nos gustaría invitar a los jugadores a ponerse en los zapatos del «Proxy» y embarcarse en la misión para derrotar a enemigos desconocidos y desentrañar los misterios detrás de Nueva Eridu, el último refugio para la civilización urbana debido a la calamidad de los Huecos.
Este título cuenta con un ambiente dinámico y un estilo artístico único, una experiencia de acción emocionante, así como una experiencia de vida urbana inmersiva. La próxima prueba de beta, conocida como la Prueba de Amplificación, introducirá mejoras significativas en los sistemas de combate y exploración de Huecos, optimizando su flujo y ritmo. También presentará nuevos contenidos y desafíos de combate, y muchas cosas más.
En cuanto al estilo artístico, Zenless Zone Zero realza la inmersión de los jugadores dentro del juego mediante un estilo artístico y musical único. La nueva beta cerrada del juego traerá una versión mejorada de la ciudad de Nueva Eridu con una completa actualización artística basada en la experiencia de la última beta.
A la par, la música del juego seguirá una línea más moderna, llena de vitalidad y ritmo. Tres nuevos personajes con trasfondos y encanto únicos también llegarán a Nueva Eridu para unirse a la lucha junto a los jugadores.
Por otro lado, la implacable experiencia de acción también es un rasgo muy característico del juego. Al potenciar el impacto y el ritmo de las animaciones de combate, y respaldado por el nuevo sistema de apoyos perfectos, el sistema de combate del juego ha sido completamente reestructurado, brindando una experiencia de juego muy amigable para los principiantes en juegos de acción.
Al mismo tiempo, el juego también introducirá un nuevo modo de desafío en la próxima prueba, la Cavidad Cero. Este lugar no solo ocupa una posición importante en la contextualización de la historia, sino que también brindará una experiencia de combate que cumplirá con las expectativas de los jugadores experimentados en juegos de acción.
«No entres en las Cavidades.
Sí, ya lo sé. Las Cavidades están repletas de recursos etéreos, objetos extraños y ruinas de civilizaciones antiguas. Todo lo que encuentres vale su peso en oro.
Pero no olvides que las Cavidades son espacios caóticos donde los monstruos merodean con total libertad. Después de todo, las Cavidades podrían engullir el mundo entero. No son lugares a los que pueda ir la gente normal.
Así que más te vale no acercarte.
O, por lo menos, no lo hagas sin compañía.
Si te gusta el peligro, puedes ir a Nueva Eridu.
Gente de todos los rincones llega a esta ciudad. Muchos de ellos dependen de las Cavidades; desde acaudalados magnates y bandas callejeras hasta conspiradores y oficiales despiadados.
Prepárate bien, rodéate de aliados poderosos y lo más importante… Encuentra un proxy.
Solo los proxies son capaces de guiar a la gente a través las Cavidades laberínticas.
Buena suerte.»
Características principales:
Doble identidad, dos vidas distintas – En un futuro próximo, tienen lugar misteriosos fenómenos sobrenaturales llamados «Cavidades». En medio de la catástrofe surge Nueva Eridu, una ciudad única por definición. Este último oasis domina la tecnología necesaria para garantizar la coexistencia con las Cavidades y alberga un conjunto de facciones caóticas, estrepitosas, peligrosas y muy dinámicas. Como proxy profesional, desempeñarás un papel importante conectando la ciudad con las Cavidades. Nueva Eridu será testigo de tu historia.
Construye un equipo y pelea en combates llenos de adrenalina – «Zenless Zone Zero» es el nuevo juego de acción en 3D de HoYoverse, con una experiencia fluida de combate. Construye un equipo de hasta tres miembros y comienza el combate con ataques normales y técnicas especiales. Utiliza evasiones y bloqueos para contrarrestar los ataques enemigos. ¡Al aturdir al enemigo, desata una serie de técnicas en cadena para acabar con ellos! Recuerda que cada oponente tiene sus particularidades, así que deberás usar sus vulnerabilidades en tu favor.
Sonido único, experiencia inmersiva – Zenless Zone Zero tiene un estilo artístico y un diseño visual únicos. Con las expresiones detalladas y los movimientos fluidos de los personajes, te sumergirás en mundo fascinante en el que desarrollarás tu propia historia. Por supuesto, el protagonista debe ir acompañado de una banda sonora única. Tus aventuras en Nueva Eridu irán acompañadas de música emocionante que harán de cada instante un momento inolvidable.
Facciones e historias entrelazadas – El videoclub Random Play no puede funcionar sin cintas de video, y los proxies no pueden hacer su trabajo sin agentes. En Nueva Eridu, clientes de todos los rincones llegarán a la puerta en busca de tus servicios, así que no te dejes llevar por su apariencia inocente y adorable, ni te dejes intimidar por su complexión imponente y mirada amenazante. Eso sí, habrá algunos clientes que dejarán el establecimiento lleno de pelaje… Habla con ellos, descubre su pasado, haz nuevos amigos y consigue aliados. Después de todo, si quieres llegar lejos, debes ir acompañado.
Requisitos Mínimos:
Requiere un procesador y un sistema operativo de 64 bits
SO: Windows 10 64-bit
Procesador:Procesador Intel Core i5 de séptima generación
Memoria:8 GB
Gráficos:NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970
DirectX: Versión 11
Almacenamiento: 45 GB de espacio disponible
Requisitos Recomendados:
Requiere un procesador y un sistema operativo de 64 bits
SO: Windows 10/11 de 64 bits
Procesador:Procesador Intel Core i7 de décima generación
Miren lo que tienen que decir acerca de ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree aquellos que ya visitaron el Realm of Shadow y vivieron para contarlo. Mira el trailer que confirma que ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree es la mejor culminación posible para el GOTY del 2022.
Pueden leer nuestro análisis de Shadow of the Erdtree en este enlacey el de Elden Ring en este otro link. También tenemos una extensa galería con más de 100 imágenes en 4K con detalles al máximo aquí.
Aquellos que quieran jugar a más de 60 FPS y/o tengan monitores con resoluciones ultra wide, pueden descargar mods para desbloquear tanto la tasa de cuadros por segundo como resoluciones 21:9 o 32:9. Todos los archivos e instrucciones los pueden encontrar en este enlace.
FromSoftware Inc. y Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. desean expresar su gratitud a los fans de ELDEN RING de todo el mundo, que han contribuido a que la expansión ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree haya superado el hito de los 5 millones de unidades vendidas en tan solo tres días (el juego base ha vendido ha vendido 25 millones desde su lanzamiento en febrero del 2022).
Llegando más de dos años después del original, ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree añade una nueva experiencia expansiva a ELDEN RING, el intrigante mundo creado por el director de FromSoftware, Inc. Hidetaka Miyazaki y George R. R. Martin, autor de la serie de fantasía «A Song of Ice and Fire».
En ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree los jugadores se adentran en el Reino de la Sombra para embarcarse en una nueva aventura llena de misterios y peligros, en la que se enfrentarán a jefes amenazadores y descubrirán nuevo equipo, habilidades, armas y armaduras.
Siguiendo los pasos de Miquella, las otrora empañadas legiones que ascendieron a Señor de los Elden puede que ahora tengan que dejar atrás su gracia, al adentrarse en un siniestro nuevo capítulo y desentrañar el lado oscuro de la historia de ELDEN RING.
La esperada expansión para el RPG de acción ELDEN RING, ganador del premio Juego del Año, ha superado el hito de los 5 millones de unidades vendidas en todo el mundo después de tres días.
FromSoftware y Bandai Namco están eternamente agradecidos a todos los Tiznados, Elden Lords y fans de todo el mundo por su continuo apoyo.
ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree ya está disponible en PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, y PC a través de Steam.
Ganador de cientos de galardones, incluido el Juego del año de The Game Awards y el Mejor Juego del año de los Golden Joystick Awards, Elden Ring es el aclamado RPG de acción épico ambientado en un vasto y oscuro mundo de fantasía. Los jugadores se embarcan en una búsqueda épica con la libertad de explorar y aventurarse a su propio ritmo.
La expansión “Shadow of the Erdtree” presenta una historia completamente nueva ambientada en la Tierra de las Sombras llena de misterio, mazmorras peligrosas y nuevos enemigos, armas y equipos.
Descubra territorios inexplorados, enfréntese a adversarios formidables y deléitese con el satisfactorio triunfo de la victoria. Sumérgete en la fascinante interacción de personajes, donde el drama y la intriga se entrelazan, creando una experiencia inmersiva para saborear y disfrutar.
«La Tierra de las Sombras.
Un lugar oscurecido por el Erdtree.
Donde la diosa Marika poso su pie por primera vez.
Una tierra purgada en una batalla nunca contada.
Incendiada por la llama de Messmer.
Fue a esta tierra a la que partió Miquella.
Despojándose de su carne, de su fuerza, de su linaje.
De todas las cosas Doradas.
Y ahora Miquella espera
el regreso de su Señor prometido.
ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree ofrece diferentes versiones para los millones de Sin Luz que se enfrentaron al original, así como para los nuevos jugadores, que necesitarán el juego base para jugar. Las siguientes ediciones ya están disponibles para preordenar; A menos que se indique lo contrario a continuación, el juego base no está incluido con la compra.
Ediciones básicas
ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree: la versión estándar de la expansión, disponible digitalmente en todas las plataformas.
ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree Edition: Paquete especial que incluye el juego base de ELDEN RING (disco) y la expansión ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree (digital); las versiones físicas están disponibles solo para PlayStation®5 y Xbox Series X|S. Disponible digitalmente en todas las plataformas.
Ediciones Premium
Premium Bundle: incluye la expansión ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree y viene con un libro de arte digital y contenido adicional de banda sonora digital para la expansión. Disponible digitalmente en todas las plataformas.
Deluxe Edition: incluye el juego base de ELDEN RING, la expansión ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree, y viene con libros de arte digital y bandas sonoras digitales tanto para el juego base como para la expansión.Disponible digitalmente en todas las plataformas.
Edición de coleccionista (cantidad limitada)
ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree Collector’s Edition: incluye un único código de cupón de la plataforma seleccionada para la expansión ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree y viene con una estatua de ~18″ (46 cm) de «Messmer the Impaler», un libro de arte físico de 40 páginas y una banda sonora digital. Las cantidades de ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree Collector’s Edition son limitadas y exclusivas de la tienda de Bandai Namco Entertainment (el envío está restringido a EE. UU. y Canadá).
Pedido anticipado de mercancía exclusiva (cantidad limitada)
Disponible solo en la tienda de Bandai Namco Entertainment en cantidades muy limitadas, los pedidos anticipados ya están disponibles para el casco de Messmer el Empalador de ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree.
Este artículo exclusivo incluye una pieza de exhibición única hecha para los más exigentes, distinguidos y empilchados Sin Luz. Esta elaborada réplica del casco del imponente Messmer el Empalador está elaborada con detalles precisos y viene con un certificado de autenticidad numerado.
Este artículo está disponible solo hasta agotar existencias y se enviará a partir del 28 de junio (el envío está restringido a EE. UU. y Canadá). Este es solo un artículo coleccionable y no incluye ningún contenido del juego.
Acerca de ELDEN RING
«Sumérgete en una aventura emocionante y decide el destino de un mundo vasto, repleto de intriga y poder. Lucha contra enemigos formidables usando el combate cuerpo a cuerpo distintivo de FromSoftware y descubre una amplia variedad de estrategias creativas que son posibles gracias a la jugabilidad ilimitada de este RPG de acción, ELDEN RING.
Hidetaka Miyazaki, autor de la prestigiosa y aclamada serie de videojuegos DARK SOULS, y George R. R. Martin, autor de la saga de fantasía más vendida de The New York Times, Canción de Hielo y Fuego, dan vida a un nuevo mundo lleno de saberes y relatos fantásticos.
Los jugadores se embarcarán en un viaje por un mundo diseñado con una meticulosidad artesanal y rebosante de sangre y engaños, que viene de la mano de una variedad de personajes con motivaciones únicas para ayudar u obstruir el avance de los jugadores, adversarios con antecedentes profundos y criaturas temibles. A lo largo de sus aventuras, los jugadores decidirán el destino de esta tierra maldita a medida que desentrañan sus secretos y mitos.
En un paisaje vasto y bien integrado con progresión natural de clima y hora del día, los jugadores se sumergirán por completo en el mundo de ELDEN RING cuando comiencen su viaje y decidan el camino que seguirán.
Viaja a pie o a caballo, a solas o en línea con amigos, por planicies herbosas, pantanos sofocantes y bosques exuberantes. Escala montañas en espiral, entra en castillos impresionantes y descubre otros lugares majestuosos en una escala nunca vista en un título de FromSoftware.
Las opciones de rol y personalización de ELDEN RING les permiten a los jugadores definir su propio estilo de juego único. Se fomenta la experimentación con una amplia variedad de armas, poderes mágicos y habilidades que encontrarás al recorrer el mundo; esto alienta a los jugadores a seguir caminos de avance inexplorados previamente.
ELDEN RING les da a los jugadores la oportunidad de diseñar su propio recorrido por el mundo. Decide si te lanzarás precipitadamente a batallas encarnizadas contra enemigos intimidantes o si aprovecharás los sistemas de sigilo y combate del juego para tomar la delantera. Depende de cada jugador decidir cómo superar la variedad de desafíos que se le presentan.»
Características principales:
Un extenso mundo lleno de emoción – Un extenso mundo donde los campos abiertos, con una amplia variedad de situaciones, y las enormes mazmorras, con diseños complejos y tridimensionales, se conectan con total fluidez. Al explorar, te acompaña el entusiasmo por descubrir amenazas desconocidas y abrumadoras, lo que produce una gran sensación de logro.
Crea tu propio personaje – Además de personalizar el aspecto de tu personaje, puedes combinar libremente las armas, armadura y magia que desees equipar. Puedes desarrollar tu personaje según tu estilo de juego, como aumentar tu fuerza muscular para convertirte en un fuerte guerrero o dominar la magia.
Un drama épico nacido de un mito – Una historia de múltiples capas contada en fragmentos. Un drama épico en el que los diversos pensamientos de los personajes se cruzan en las Tierras Intermedias.
Modo en línea único que te conecta indirectamente con otros – Además del modo multijugador, donde puedes conectarte directamente con otros jugadores y viajar junto a ellos, el juego presenta un modo en línea asincrónico único, que te permite sentir la presencia de otros jugadores.
Elden Ring se lanzó en PC vía Steam y consolas de PlayStation y Xbox el 25 de febrero del 2021 por u$s 59.99 o precio regional. También está disponible una Edición Deluxe por u$s 79.99 o precio regional, la cual incluye la banda sonora y el libro de arte en formato digital.
El juego también cuenta con una edición de coleccionista y una edición de coleccionista premium que incluirá una estatua de Malenia de 9″, un libro de arte de 40 páginas, un steelbook, una banda sonora digital, y el juego, y tiene un costo u$s 189.99. La Edición Premium incluye una replica 1:1 del casco de Malenia y costará u$s 259.99.
Requisitos Mínimos:
SO: Windows 10
Procesador: Intel Core i5-8400 o AMD Ryzen 3 3300X
Memoria: 12 GB de RAM
Gráficos: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060, 3 GB o AMD Radeon RX 580, 4 GB o Intel Arc A380 6GB
DirectX: Versión 12
Almacenamiento: 80 GB de espacio disponible
Requisitos Recomendados:
SO: Windows 11
Procesador: Intel Core i7-8700K o AMD Ryzen 5 3600X
Memoria: 16 GB de RAM
Gráficos: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (8 GB) o AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 (8 GB) o Intel Arc A750 8GB
Kalypso Media Digital anunció hoy que la Edición Especial de The First Templar, el juego de acción y aventura lanzado para PCen el año 2011, se puede canjear canjear en forma gratuita para la plataforma GOGdel 3 al 6 de julio a las 10 AM ART. Los interesados pueden obtenerlo haciendo clic aquí.
Acerca de The First Templar
The First Templar sigue la historia de dos personajes: un templario francés y su compañera, una dama noble que ha sido acusada de herejía. Tomando el control de estos dos improbables aliados, el jugador deberá averiguar los misterios que hay tras la Orden de los Templarios, jugar un papel en una gran conspiración y descubrir el secreto del Santo Grial. A cada paso, los héroes se enfrentarán a poderosos enemigos, incluyendo sarracenos, el rey Felipe IV de Francia y la Inquisición.
The First Templar incluye modos para un jugador y cooperativos. Cuando juegue en solitario, el jugador podrá alternar entre los personajes, pasando el control del segundo héroe a la IA del juego. En cualquier momento, un segundo jugador podrá unirse y tomar el control del héroe controlado por la IA.
Características principales
Un extenso mundo de juego histórico: Regresa al siglo XIII, donde la cultura europea se encuentra al borde del colapso. 20 ubicaciones históricamente fieles de toda Europa han sido recreadas para que el jugador pueda explorarlas
Un jugador – Múltiples papeles: Alterna de forma instantánea entre los dos personajes controlables, centrándote en las mejores habilidades para la misión. ¡El modo cooperativo permite que un amigo te eche una mano!
Un frenético juego basado en la acción: Desbloquea furiosos combos para utilizarlos contra las hordas de desafiantes adversarios
Desarrollo de personajes inspirado en los RPG: Cada personaje tiene destrezas y árboles de habilidades únicas que los jugadores pueden ir desarrollando a medida que exploran el mundo del juego
Requisitos Mínimos:
SO *: Windows 7/Vista/XP
Procesador: 2 GHz Dual Core
Memoria: 2 GB de RAM
Gráficos: Compatible con Direct 9.0c y 256 MB de VRAM
Zenless Zone Zero boasts 17 characters for its version 1.0 launch period. Make no mistake: it will be extremely expensive to obtain all of them. That's why we believe the vast majority of players will only focus on a select few. As such, it's important to consider the ideal options for your squad. Here are the best characters in our Zenless Zone Zero tier list.
Zenless Zone Zero tier list - The best characters for version 1.0
Our Zenless Zone Zero tier list is divided into four ranks: S-tier, A-tier, B-tier, and C-tier. We also considered several factors, such as:
Character availability - You can make the most out of characters that can be unlocked for free, instead of spending a lot of real-world money on gacha banners. That means gacha-only agents need to be highly impressive right out of the gate.
Specializations and attack sequences - Characters have a particular specialization: Attack, Defense, Stun, Support, and Anomaly. Due to the core gameplay mechanic that involves building up an enemy's daze meter to trigger a chain attack, Stun-type characters might have better value in the long run. However, they can be outclassed by agents with faster animations and sequences, as successive hits also cause significant daze build-up.
Team composition and additional passive perks - To determine the best characters in Zenless Zone Zero, it's important to take note of how your three-person team composition affects passive perks:
An agent's core passive is always functional in battle.
However, an agent's additional passive ability can only be activated if they're in a squad with (a) someone from the same faction, or (b) someone with the same elemental attribute.
While you can always try a team composition that you prefer, you might miss out on powerful perks. Alternatively, trying to build a team that can maximize the potential of a character might be harder than usual.
S-tier: Nicole
Element/specialization: Ether - Support
Faction: Cunning Hares
Rarity: A-rank or 4-star; can be obtained for free
Nicole is one of the free characters you can get--call her default agent along with Anby and Billy. What makes her one of the best characters in Zenless Zone Zero is that she uses the Ether element, which inflicts corruption and deals extra ether damage. The only other Ether-based user is Zhu Yuan, and she's a 5-star with her own limited-time banner that's available during the second half of the version 1.0 phase.
Her kit is further bolstered by her Stuffed Sugarcoated Bullet EX special and Ether Grenade ultimate, both of which create gravitational fields that pull in enemies toward the center. If you've played Genshin Impact then think of Nicole's gravitational fields as akin to Venti's windy torrent pulls, albeit with smaller area-of-effect (AoE) coverage. In spite of this, she becomes invaluable since she can group enemies together, allowing teammates to bombard them with devastating abilities.
S-tier: Ellen
Element/specialization: Ice - Attack
Faction: Victoria Housekeeping Co.
Rarity: S-rank or 5-star; limited-time banner
The limited-time banner for the first half of the version 1.0 phase has Ellen up for grabs. You might be enticed to pull for her, and with good reason as she's at the top of our Zenless Zone Zero tier list.
Ellen combines fast and fluid movement, allowing her to avoid blows from hostiles with ease, as well as rapid attack sequences that hit multiple times. This shark-tailed lady even uses the Ice element, which can cause freeze, shatter, and frostbite. Let's just say that freezing your opponents in place is like triggering an extra stun effect.
S-tier: Nekomiya
Element/specialization: Physical - Attack
Faction: Cunning Hares
Rarity: S-rank or 5-star; default banner
We all know cats are awesome, and cat person Nekomiya certainly proves this fact. Her attack animations are so fast that you'd think everyone else is as slow as turtles. Her combo sequences are a sight to behold, allowing her to zip across the screen to rip apart targets and avoid nasty hits. Likewise, the fact that Physical damage also causes opponents to flinch (i.e. increased daze build-up) turns her into a Stun-type agent in her own right. While she can be hard to control at first (the only downside we've seen), almost all other characters pale in comparison to her overall output.
A-tier: Ben
Element/specialization: Fire - Defense
Faction: Belobog Heavy Industries
Rarity: A-rank or 4-star; can be obtained for free
As of the time of this writing, Ben Bigger is the only Defense-type agent in the game. This makes him unique in his own way, though it can also cause hassles when trying to gear him up. There are items only meant for him, but they're unlikely to be equipped by other party members.
In spite of this, the burly bear is an invaluable part of any squad that he's part of. His Guardian core passive grants 40% of his DEF as bonus ATK, and it allows for his Cashflow Counter EX special to grant shielding to his allies. Speaking of Ben's EX special, activating it blocks a ton of damage and unleashes a brutal counter, making him an obvious pick when dealing with late-game encounters. Oh, and you can get him for free, too.
A-tier: Billy
Element/specialization: Physical - Attack
Faction: Cunning Hares
Rarity: A-rank or 4-star; can be obtained for free
Billy joins you alongside Nicole and Anby very early in the campaign. Similar to Nekomiya, he deals Physical damage as an Attack-type character. The key difference is that he's ranged DPS with a playstyle that's hilariously easy to get used to.
Spamming the attack button causes Billy to happily fire his dual pistols, hitting foes around him. Yes, this means room-wide coverage and mob-clearing with barely any effort. This is further boosted by his Steady Shot core passive, where he gains +25% damage while in his Crouching Shot stance (i.e. just repeatedly press the attack button), though you need to avoid moving or getting knocked back.
A-tier: Rina
Element/specialization: Electric - Support
Faction: Victoria Housekeeping Co.
Rarity: S-rank or 5-star; default banner
Both Billy and Rina are exceptional ranged DPS agents. While Billy can shoot everyone around him, Rina focuses on smaller groups of targets, and she's got ridiculous range to boot.
The Electric element inflicts shock, which can cause further damage or interruption if you attack a debilitated foe. Both her Quadruple Meter Gavotte EX special and Code of Conduct chain attack see her Bangboo dolls creating electrical fields with a decent AoE radius, enough to whittle down packs of enemies as she floats around. Meanwhile, her Mini Destruction Partner core passive ensures that penetration (and thus damage dealt) is increased for your squad.
A-tier: Grace
Element/specialization: Electric - Anomaly
Faction: Belobog Heavy Industries
Rarity: S-rank or 5-star; default banner
Although Rina and Grace are from different factions, you can ensure that their respective additional perks are activated since they're both Electric-based agents. In Grace's case, her Pre-Driven Needle core passive provides a buff that causes high Electric anomaly build-up, while her Tech Support perk boosts shock damage taken by a target. She's also got grenades that deal further Electric damage. Make no mistake: a Rina and Grace duo is ideal for those who want an Electric-focused team.
A-tier: Lycaon
Element/specialization: Ice - Stun
Faction: Victoria Housekeeping Co.
Rarity: S-rank or 5-star; default banner
Lycaon the wolf man has quick attack combos that deal Physical and Ice damage. His other abilities primarily make use of the Ice element, too, which can inflict the freeze, shatter, and frostbite status. Given that he's a Stun specialist, the multiple hits from his punches and kicks can incapacitate his targets.
The downside is that he's not that viable in non-Ice comps. He does, however, excel when in a team with Ellen and Soukaku, a pure-Ice comp that reliably freezes hostiles.
A-tier: Zhu Yuan
Element/specialization: Ether - Attack
Faction: New Eridu Public Security
Rarity: S-rank or 5-star; limited-time banner
Zhu Yuan is one of the best characters in Zenless Zone Zero, and she becomes available in her own limited-time banner during the second half of version 1.0. Her combo sequence, a flurry of martial arts combined with pistol shots, deals both Physical and Ether damage. Her amazing attack speed is further complemented by the Special Ops Ammunition core passive, which grants bonus damage especially against stunned targets. Likewise, there's the Tactical Coordination additional perk, which provides a massive +30% crit rate after you use her EX special, chain attack, or ultimate.
The only reason why we couldn't place her in the S-tier category is because there's currently no other character from the New Eridu Public Security faction. As such, maximizing her potential means that you should always have Nicole in your squad. Well, that, and we recommend Ellen as the 1.0 gacha pull (for those who prefer only one agent from a limited-time banner).
B-tier: Soukaku
Element/specialization: Ice - Support
Faction: Hollow Special Operations Section 6
Rarity: A-rank or 4-star; can be obtained for free
Soukaku holds the unfortunate distinction of being the worst Ice-based character right now, though this is mostly because Ellen and Lycaon are quite impressive already. The main drawback, outside of being the only HSOS6 member right now, is that her attack animations are significantly slower compared the two aforementioned Ice characters.
Nevertheless, her Rally/Fly the Flag special provides a massive ATK boost, which can be passed to her allies by way of quick assists or chain attacks. Her Group Set Meal additional perk is useful for Ice-focused squads, though Rally the Flag is great for any team comp.
B-tier: Koleda
Element/specialization: Fire - Stun
Faction: Belobog Heavy Industries
Rarity: S-rank or 5-star; default banner
There's something strange about Koleda's playstyle: she's a Stun specialist and her blows deal extra daze build-up, but her animations are slower compared to her counterparts. Thankfully, both her Boiling Furnace EX special and Hammerquake ultimate deal tons of Fire damage.
On her own, she might disappoint you at first. However, once Ben Bigger is part of your roster, you can make use of their unique combined assists and ultimates. The reason we've dropped her down a couple of notches is that Ben is viable regardless of the team comp, whereas Koleda needs Ben to improve her viability.
B-tier: Soldier 11
Element/specialization: Fire - Attack
Faction: Obol Squad
Rarity: S-rank or 5-star; default banner
At this point in our Zenless Zone Zero tier list, you might be wondering if the characters here are terrible. Well, no, they're not. In fact, Soldier 11 is quite decent: easy Fire application via her attacks and specials, a powerful ultimate ability, and increased Fire damage through her additional perk.
The problem is that she's currently the only agent from Obol Squad, so you'll miss out on her extra perk unless you bring another Fire-based character with you. That means getting Ben (great), Koleda (great if she's with Ben), or Lucy (so-so). The Ben and Koleda duo primarily focuses on the unique combos of those two, which leaves Soldier 11 at an odd spot.
B-tier: Lucy
Element/specialization: Fire - Support
Faction: Sons of Calydon
Rarity: A-rank or 4-star; default banner
Lucy has a minion-based playstyle with abilities spawn Guard Boars. These inherit her ATK and impact stats, as well as crit rate and crit damage if her additional perk is active. These critters independently attack your foes even while she's not the active character (i.e. off-field). Sadly, AI pathing is a bit wonky, and the quick movement of your characters leads to situations where the Guard Boars themselves don't even reach opposing mobs. The good news is that she does have abilities where she can just toss and smash them straight into foes.
Note that her Cheer On! buff affects the ATK of Lucy's allies and Bangboo (the increase is dependent on a percentage of her own ATK). However, we've noticed that the boosted effect is lower and the duration is shorter compared to Soukaku's Fly the Flag.
C-tier: Anby
Element/specialization: Electric - Stun
Faction: Cunning Hares
Rarity: A-rank or 4-star; can be obtained for free
If our Zenless Zone Zero best characters guide was solely for the free-to-play agents, then you can be sure that we'd rank Anby highly. But we have to consider all characters in the version 1.0 phase, causing Anby to drop several spots.
The extra daze application from her Fluctuating Voltage core passive requires you to do a Basic Attack: Thunderbolt, special attack, or EX special after the third hit of her regular attack sequence. The special attack and EX special are self-explanatory, but her Thunderbolt is triggered after a delayed button press or by holding down the attack button after you hear a ping sound effect. With combat being a bit too spammy and frenetic, you can end up missing your queue completely.
With no shortage of agents that have rapid animations and multiple hits, the very average Anby gets outclassed by other members of your roster.
C-tier: Corin
Element/specialization: Physical - Attack
Faction: Victoria Housekeeping Co.
Rarity: A-rank or 4-star; can be obtained for free
To be clear, Corin has the potential to be one of the best characters in Zenless Zone Zero. This is primarily due to dozens of hits from her chainsaw weapon and her ability to lower a target's Physical resistance. The problem is that this is only activated upon reaching Agent Focus/Cinema rank 2--i.e. Constellation 2, C2, or getting two more duplicates of her.
By default, you have to contend with slower sequences, and the fact that she has to remain on the field for prolonged periods to rev up her chainsaw. Worse, other Physical-type agents (i.e. Nekomiya and Billy) are significantly better in comparison right from the get-go.
C-tier: Anton
Element/specialization: Electric - Attack
Faction: Belobog Heavy Industries
Rarity: A-rank or 4-star; default banner
We tried hard to make Anton work during our playthrough, but he just wasn't cutting it. An Electric-type Attack-focused character requires him to stay on the field longer to deal damage while in Burst Mode. The issue is that the Grace-plus-Rina setup has you just alternating between the two (and it's pretty effective already), with barely any time for Anton to showcase his skills. It's certainly disappointing to see the main DPS get outshined by the Support and Anomaly classes.
C-tier: Piper
Element/specialization: Physical - Anomaly
Faction: Sons of Calydon
Rarity: A-rank or 4-star; default banner
Rounding out the pack is Piper who, just like Lucy, is also a member of the Sons of Calydon faction. We did test her capabilities in battle, but we found her sorely lacking in several departments. Firstly, her DPS throughput isn't as reliable compared to Nekomiya's or Billy's--you'd have to use her EX special or ultimate to regain a stacking buff. In the same vein, her attack animations are relatively slow, made worse by the notion that she has to stay on the field for longer than necessary. Even Corin at C2 or C4 is a more viable option for a Physical-focused team.
That does it for our Zenless Zone Zero tier list and best characters guide. We hope that our extensive testing gives you an idea as to which agents are worth it in the long run. While these are our findings, it's still a given that you should try out different team comps that might work well for you. For those who are just starting the campaign in New Eridu, we recommend checking out our beginner's guide and free-to-play agents guide.
There are 17 agents that are part of Zenless Zone Zero version 1.0 (also known as the launch version of the game). While the vast majority come from its gacha feature called Signal Search, some can be yours without spending a single dime. Here's our guide on how to unlock all free characters in Zenless Zone Zero.
How to unlock free characters in Zenless Zone Zero tips - Free-to-play characters guide
As of the time of this writing, we know of the following free Zenless Zone Zero characters:
Nicole
Anby
Billy
Corin
Soukaku
Ben
You don't need to spend anything to obtain them in-game. However, if you want to max out their capabilities, you need to obtain their respective Agent Focus, usually by earning duplicates from Signal Search (i.e. gacha wishes) or by purchasing from the Signal Shop.
Note 1: You explore New Eridu as Proxies named Belle and Wish, but you don't actually control them in combat as they're not agents.
Note 2: To learn about the ideal characters for your roster, you can check our best agents tier list.
Nicole, Anby, and Billy
The three members of the Cunning Hares, Nicole Demara, Anby Demara, and Billy Kid, are the Zenless Zone Zero free characters that you can get at the earliest time. They actually join up near the beginning of the campaign. This is primarily because combat in the game involves having a three-person squad, which means you need three agents to learn all there is to know about battle mechanics.
Nicole is a Support-type that uses the Ether element, which can wreak havoc when it triggers the corruption debuff.
Anby, meanwhile, is a Stun specialist that can help your team incapacitate foes. She also has the Electric element with its shock debuff, causing additional damage to a foe that's attacked while afflicted.
Lastly, Billy is a ranged Attack specialist who wields dual pistols. His shots deal Physical damage, which can inflict the assault debuff (interruption and high Physical damage), and flinch (increased daze build-up).
Since these three characters become part of your roster early on, you're going to make use of them for quite some time. Likewise, they're part of the same faction (Cunning Hares), which means their additional passive perks are activated in battles.
Corin
Corin is a demure maid from Victoria Housekeeping Co. Similar to Billy, she's an Attack specialist who deals Physical damage, with the difference being that she's a melee character who needs to be in the thick of the fray.
The burly bear Ben Bigger bashes and beats baddies. Currently the only Defense-type agent in the game, he provides his teammates with invaluable shielding and protection, coupled with extra Fire-based abilities.
Ben Bigger joins your squad upon completion of a "Rookie on the Road" event objective, which entails reaching Inter-Knot level 23 and finishing Chapter 2.
Soukaku
Soukaku is another free character in Zenless Zone Zero. She has the Ice element, and she's a Support class that grants bonus ATK and Ice damage to her allies.
Soukaku can be yours once you're finished with Chapter 2 - Interlude and reach Inter-Knot level 30. This unlocks the Shiyu Defense activity, and you must clear Shiyu Defense Stage 3 to earn her as a reward.
Free 5-star or S-rank character from the Star-Studded Cast banner
While this guide is primarily about the Zenless Zone Zero free characters you can unlock, it's worth noting that there are S-rank (or 5-star) agents that can be yours if you get lucky in Signal Search (i.e. gacha wishes/pulls).
The Star-Studded Cast banner has a promo where 10 pulls only cost 8x Master Tape (i.e. premium gacha currency). Moreover, you're guaranteed one S-rank character within 50 pulls. Technically, you can just amass enough Master Tape through early-game tasks for a single 10-pull and hope for the best. If you don't get the agent you want, you can just make another account or "reroll" to go through the initial stages of the game.
Here are the S-rank agents that are available in the Star-Studded Cast banner:
Grace: Electric; Anomaly-type; Belobog Heavy Industries faction.
Rina: Electric; Support-type; Victoria Housekeeping Co. faction.
Koleda: Fire; Stun-type; Belobog Heavy Industries faction.
Lycaon: Ice; Stun-type; Victoria Housekeeping Co. faction.
Last but not least, even if you don't get the agent that you prefer, there's a long-term pity mechanic of sorts. Once you've done 300 pulls (a very costly endeavor), you can select the S-rank agent that you really want.
That does it for our guide on how to unlock free characters in Zenless Zone Zero. As you're getting set to step foot on New Eridu, we encourage you to check our beginner's guide for more tips. We also have a best agents tier list so you know how these free-to-play characters fare in the long run.
The city of New Eridu awaits you in Zenless Zone Zero. As humanity's last bastion against the cataclysmic effects of the Hollows, it's up to siblings Belle and Wise, known as Proxies, to aid various agents in navigating a dangerous world. We know you're eager to hop in and start your adventure, but there are a few concepts you might want to check out. Here's our Zenless Zone Zero tips and beginner's guide to help you as you begin your journey.
Zenless Zone Zero tips - 20 things to know before you start playing
Our Zenless Zone Zero beginner's guide is filled with tips to help newcomers familiarize themselves with the challenges posed by the Hollows. We discuss various gameplay mechanics, including combat, grid-like exploration, minigames, and more.
Familiarize yourself with the Hollow Deep Dive (HDD) System
You'll spend a lot of time in the Random Play video store. This is also where you'll find the Hollow Deep Dive system or the HDD, a terminal that grants access to various missions. These are generally broken up into three categories:
Story Commissions - Main quests that advance the story further. These tend to have cutscenes and dialogue, as well as combat and exploration portions.
Combat Commissions - These lead directly to battles against the denizens of the Hollows. Some scenarios are straightforward, while others have a clear objective, such as time trials or challenges (e.g. defeating a number of opponents via specific types of attacks).
Exploration Commissions - These are presented in grid form, where your Bangboo avatar moves across tiles. More on this gameplay mechanic later.
Consider additional passive activations when building your three-person squad
Your Zenless Zone Zero squad is comprised of up to three characters, also known as agents. Agents from the same faction, or those with similar elemental attributes, have their additional passives activated for the duration of that mission. This is denoted by a yellow smiley face icon in the upper-right corner of the screen. This means you must think properly about your squad setup in case you want to have certain buffs present.
Here are some examples based on the image above:
Soukaku and Lycaon are from the HSOS6 and Victoria Housekeeping factions, respectively. However, because they both use the Ice element, their extra passives are in play if they're in the same squad:
Soukaku: Group Set Meal - When Soukaku consumes a vortex to activate Fly the Flag, the Ice damage of the squad is increased by 20% for 22 seconds.
Lycaon: Elegant Predator - When Lycaon hits an enemy, the target's stun damage multiplier increases by 35%.
Conversely, the third member, Billy Kid, comes from the Cunning Hares faction and he uses Fire as an element. Because of this, you won't be able to make use of his Third Starlight passive.
Take note of agent specializations when leveling them up
Our Zenless Zone Zero beginner's guide wouldn't be complete if we didn't mention agent specializations (or specialties):
Attack types are pure DPS characters, able to dish out a lot of damage in a short span of time.
Defense types help with survivability, protecting teammates when the need arises.
Stun types have extra perks that further build up an opponent's daze/stun meter, leading to chain attacks (more on this later).
Support types have additional buffing capabilities or utility functions.
Anomaly types excel at applying weakening debuffs to your foes.
As for leveling up, you'll notice similarities if you've played other HoYoverse games, such as Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. Characters use items known as Investigator Logs to gain XP. Upon reaching a threshold (i.e. every 10 levels), you need to use a Certification Seal to "ascend" them to the next threshold.
W-Engines and Drive Discs further boost your characters
Agents in Zenless Zone Zero already have a default weapon that's equipped. Gearing up, therefore, is relegated to giving various components to your characters:
W-Engines - These are singular core components for certain specializations. For example, the Deep Sea Visitor W-Engine is for Attack specialty characters, greatly increasing the Ice damage that they deal.
Drive Discs - You can equip up to six of these, so think of them as accessories or artifacts. They even have 2-piece and 4-piece bonuses.
Note that high-tier W-Engines come from gacha banners. However, you can also purchase a few from the Gadget Store on Sixth Street. Drive Discs, meanwhile, can be purchased from the Music Store just across from the Random Play building.
Master fast-paced and fluid combat by way of normal attacks, special attacks, and dodges
One Zenless Zone Zero tip to remember is that combat moves at a frenetic pace. You'll have to make use of each character's normal attacks, often pressing the spacebar to swap to other teammates. Dodging enemy blows is also a given, as these animations grant temporary immunity from the damage that you'll otherwise receive.
Meanwhile, activating special attacks requires energy, which is seen in gauges/pips just below a character's HP meter:
Pressing the "E" key when you don't have the energy causes the character to do their special attack.
However, if the energy meter has been filled up, pressing the "E" key triggers their EX special attack, which deals more damage and can interrupt a target's actions.
Stun opponents and choose allies for your chain attack
As you continuously hit enemies, their respective daze meter builds up until they're stunned. When you follow this up with another heavy attack (i.e. the last hit of a basic attack sequence, special/EX specials, and the like), you'll trigger a chain attack instance.
When the chain attack prompt appears, choose another agent in your squad who will do the action (i.e. left-click or right-click, depending on the teammate). Since agents have their own chain attack effects, you need to be mindful of which character does that particular action.
Note that you can trigger two consecutive chain attacks when fighting elite foes, and up to three consecutive chain attacks when you're up against bosses.
The ultimate ability gauge is shared among teammates
In battle, you should see a point system on the left-hand side of the screen. This represents the decibel resource. At 3,000 points, you can unleash an agent's ultimate ability by pressing the "Q" key. Note that the decibel gauge is shared across your whole three-person squad, which means you can swap to a different character if you prefer to use their ultimate at that moment.
Bangboos act as a fourth party member of sorts
When creating your squad, it's possible to include a Bangboo (i.e. small creatures that look like rabbit dolls). These Bangboos act like a fourth party member of sorts. You can't control them, but they can independently attack hostiles. Moreover, when you trigger a chain attack, the combat Bangboo will also be part of the sequence.
Buy food from General Chop to gain temporary buffs
Instead of tackling one battle after another, we recommend visiting General Chop's noodle store on Sixth Street. This fella sells different kinds of food in exchange for dennies, the game's basic currency. The noodles you eat grant temporary buffs:
Here are some examples of dishes that you can buy:
Vegetable Noodles: +30 ATK
Pumpkin Soup Noodles: +15% HP and +15% physical damage.
Red Chili Meat Noodles: +15% HP and +15% fire damage.
Green Pepper Meat Noodles: +15% HP and +15% electric damage.
Seafood Noodles: +15% HP and +15% ice damage.
Fried BBQ Noodles: +15% HP and +15% ether damage.
Bone Broth Noodles: +30% damage against bosses.
Exploration has a grid structure with roguelike mechanics
In general, Exploration Commissions, as well as some Story Commissions, present a grid structure. No, you're not going to roam around a massive open-world environment. Instead, your Bangboo avatar is meant to navigate and move across several tiles to reach objectives.
Certain events may occur depending on the current mission (i.e. you have to push blocks or avoid corruption that lowers your team's HP). Enemies, represented by red or purple "demon slime" tend to be present as well. Likewise, icons that look like funnels usually mean that they transport you to another layer or floor of the grid. In some cases, it might be possible to check all tiles or go back to the previous layer in case you missed rewards.
Some tiles offer rewards and others need to be unlocked via coins
While navigating across tiles in the grid, you might pick up some rewards, including Dennies (basic currency), Polychrome (akin to Primogems/premium currency), and Gear Coins. The Gear Coins are used to unlock tiles that have a particular cost, and these paths tend to have extra rewards, too. Additionally, you could find Ether Dewdrops, which fully restore the HP of all party members.
Resonium cards grant boosts and they can be fused together
Other exploration-type grids, like the Qualification Assessment in Scott Outpost, let you collect Resonium. These are cards that provide beneficial effects to your party. Examples include:
Critical: Tactical Goggles - +2 stacks of insight.
Critical: Muzzle Compensator - Deal +15% crit damage when hitting enemies from behind.
Critical: Doombringer - Gain +20% crit damage.
Duel: Baseball Bat - Basic attacks inflict +10% more daze.
Duel: Ergonomic Brick - +30% chain attack damage.
Duel: Gong of Jubilation - Reduce an enemy's attack by 15% for 30 seconds after it has recovered from being stunned.
Obtaining Resonium cards of the same type unlocks a fusion variant with stronger effects. All of this ties into the roguelike nature of grid exploration.
Explore new locations and tackle side quests
One of the most important tips in Zenless Zone Zero is to check all the areas that you've unlocked in case there are new side quests and activities. This can be done by pressing the "M" key to bring up the locations that are available and then fast-traveling to those spots.
You might discover that NPCs have errands that can be completed. Likewise, there might be a few area-specific tasks that are part of the Mewmew's Medals objectives.
The Inter-Knot might have new tasks for you
The Inter-Knot can be accessed by pressing the "E" key. This is akin to a social media app or a message board of sorts, where you can see posts from other citizens of New Eridu. If you click on the drop-down list in the bottom-right corner of the screen, you can select the "Help Request Info" option. This brings up posts that lead to side quests.
VR combat simulations in the HIA Club grant Inter-Knot XP, but you need to be mindful of battery charges
All activities in the HDD, as well as the side quests that you tackle, grant Inter-Knot XP. Think of this as akin to "World Level" or a means of overall progression.
However, there will be moments when you feel that you've already done everything, yet you still lack XP. If this is the case, then you need to head to the Hollow Investigation Association or the HIA Club. The VR simulations in the HIA Club allow you to select from different combat challenges. These allow you to farm for materials, such as Investigator Logs (character XP), W-Engine components (W-Engine leveling), and Plating Agents (Drive Disc leveling). Moreover, completing these runs nets you Inter-Knot XP, too.
However, be forewarned that farming for materials in Zenless Zone Zero also depletes your energy meter. While energy points are restored gradually, it will likely take hours for the meter to be filled up. To alleviate this, you can buy coffee from the Coff Cafe on Sixth Street. Alternatively, you can spend Ether Batteries or Polychrome to restore +60 energy.
Text and meet up with other agents to build relationships
Pressing the "Q" key while exploring New Eridu brings up your phone. In it, you can see text messages from other characters, including agents that you've unlocked. Texting agents allows you to meet up with them, scheduling the activity depending on the time of day. Your interactions here also helps boost their trust in you (i.e. affinity), which leads to further interactions and companion missions.
To view your relationship/affinity with an agent, go to the Random Play hub, interact with the Workbench, and select Partner Archive.
Check the arcade to play minigames like Snake
God Finger arcade on Sixth Street has minigames for those who want to take short breaks. These include Snake Duel, which is akin to playing the old Snake game on mobile phones, and Soul Hounds, which is a bit like Dig Dug. Events may also appear from time to time.
Use the Camera gadget to take photos of the world
You obtain the Camera gadget early in the Zenless Zone Zero campaign. Once you have it, hold the "F" key, select it, then left-click for activation. This lets you take pictures of your surroundings in New Eridu. Some errands even require you to photograph people and pets in the area.
Use the Video Archive to replay cutscenes and dialogue
Eager to fight enemies and don't have time to sit through dialogue? That's fine, you can skip those parts if you want. But if you want to rewatch them, you can do so via the Video Archive in the Random Play hub. The chapters and scenes that you've completed appear as VHS tapes.
It's a free-to-play game with gacha mechanics, so be wary of potential spending
An important thing to keep in mind when playing Zenless Zone Zero is that this is still a free-to-play game with gacha mechanics. That means there's always a chance that you might feel compelled to spend extra, and you need to beware of potential expenses. Currently, we've seen the Star-Studded Cast banner, which has six S-tier (i.e. 5-star) agents available: Grace, Rina, Koleda, Nekomiya, Soldier 11, and Lycaon. Because of RNG, you might end up with rewards you don't even need (i.e. low-tier W-Engines).
In any case, that does it for our Zenless Zone Zero beginner's guide. We hope these tips help prepare you for your adventures in New Eridu and beyond. Of course, if you're worried that you might spend extra, note that there are unlockable free-to-play characters. Lastly, if you want to learn about the ideal agents to have in your party, you can take a look at our best characters tier list.
Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ) is HoYoverse's third game launch in four years. You'd think that HoYo's formula would get stale with yet another free-to-play gacha RPG dropping just 15 months after the release of Honkai: Star Rail, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The developer has managed to create another familiar but distinct gameplay experience by once again learning from past missteps to deliver a game that is both iterative and innovative at the same time. The downside here, however, is that ZZZ puts several new and interesting elements together but forces you to spend the most time with the least interesting of the bunch.
Zenless Zone Zero has more style and aesthetic excellence than both Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, all in a much smaller package in terms of world size and scale of locations. At this point, Genshin Impact's open-world has become almost too large and sprawling to facilitate a comfortable or compact mobile gaming experience, meaning it's best experienced on PC or console. Meanwhile, Star Rail is the exact opposite because its turn-based combat and auto-battle features are a perfect fit for mobile devices. Zenless Zone Zero sits squarely in the middle of those two experiences by combining roguelike puzzle dungeons, fast-paced action combat, and chill life-sim activities into one varied gameplay loop.
The story also deviates from what we've come to expect from HoYoverse. The world-building is still strong, but it's scaled back considerably. Instead of high-stakes conflicts with gods and higher powers, so far, Zenless Zone Zero has you follow the daily lives of two tech-genius siblings--Wise and Belle--as they find ways to make money legally and illegally. You get to pick which sibling you play as, but no matter who you go with, both remain in the story as characters who get regular dialogue. The main difference is that you choose what your protagonist says and control them while exploring the city of New Eridu.
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Diablo fans can snag a great deal on The Horadric Vault - The Complete Collection, a box set featuring four books exploring the lore and stories of Blizzard's iconic action-RPG series. The collection released last November for $100, but right now you can purchase the set for only $58.68 at Amazon. This massive 41% discount probably won't be available for long, so Diablo fans should snag it while they can.
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Though this set is dubbed "The Complete Collection," there's actually one more Horadric book that complements these lore books: Diablo: Tales from the Horadric Library. This short story collection is available in hardcover format for $18 (was $30) at Amazon.
Book of Cain covers the lore and history of the war between heaven and hell as told by fan-favorite Deckard Cain, while Book of Tyrael recounts important events from Sanctuary’s history through the eyes of the Archangel Tyrael. Book of Adria is a bestiary detailing the many demons, beasts, and undead creatures players face in the games. Book of Lorath looks at the numerous magical relics that Sanctuary’s heroes and villains seek to control.
The Steam Deck is an okay-looking device, but device customization retailer Dbrand exists in hopes of making it look even cooler. If you're in the market to pretty up your Deck, whether original or OLED, you can take advantage of Dbrand's summer sale. The retailer has a bunch of customization gear on sale for Steam Deck, including the sleek and protective Killswitch case.
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Prime Day 2024 officially runs July 16-17, but plenty of Lego sets are on sale ahead of the popular shopping holiday. So while we're expecting some pretty great Lego Prime Day deals, these price cuts are mighty enticing for anyone searching for a Lego set ahead of the event. From Indiana Jones and Super Mario to Star Wars and Disney, there's no shortage of great Lego deals for you to peruse. You'll find both playsets designed for kids and collectibles designed for adults--so there's bound to be something that catches your eye.
Once you're done checking out all these discounts, be sure to check our round-ups of even more deals available online ahead of Prime Day. And swing by our Prime Day hub to see all the latest discounts that crop up between now and Prime Day.
This massive Lego Optimus Prime set clocks in at over 1,500 pieces and features a bunch of accessories--including an ion blaster, Energon axe, and jetpack. Best of all, it can convert from a robot to a truck, making it a fully functional Transformer. It's designed for builders aged 18 and up, as it's quite complex and is better suited for established Lego enthusiasts.
A handful of Indiana Jones Lego sets are on sale ahead of Prime Day, though the coolest might be the Temple of the Golden Idol Building Set, as it's a recreation of the iconic scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. It'll take a while to complete at over 1,500 pieces, so be sure to check out the other sets up for grabs if you're looking for something smaller in scope.
Lego Super Mario Adventures: Peach Starter Course (354 pieces)
$35 ($48)
This Peach Starter Course is down to one of its best prices of the year and serves as a great entry into the world of Lego Mario sets. We've already seen it go in and out of stock, however, so you'll want to check it out soon. The set includes an interactive Princess Peach figure as well as a Lava Bubble, a Lemmy figure, a Yellow Toad figure, and plenty of other obstacles. Princess Peach works with all Lego Mario expansions, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for price cuts on these sets as we get closer to Prime Day.
Lego Super Mario Bowser's Muscle Car Expansion Set (458 pieces)
$25 ($30)
Speaking of Lego Mario expansion sets, the Bowser's Muscle Car set is seeing a slight discount to $25 (down from $30). You'll get to build both Bowser and a stylish muscle car, which can fling bombs out of it when pulling on a lever. When paired with the Peach Starter Set above or its Mario or Luigi variants, you'll get even more interactivity.
A ton of Lego Marvel sets are discounted right now, including the popular Avengers Quinjet which includes five minifigures and 795 pieces. Other great deals include the 3,772-piece Daily Bugle Newspaper Office Building and Hulkbuster action figure. If you're looking for a great centerpiece for your home theater, be sure to check out the Marvel Infinity Gauntlet, as it comes with a stand to show off your masterpiece.
One of the coolest Lego Star Wars sets is down to one of its best prices of the year, as you can purchase the 6,187-piece Razor Crest UCS Set for $455 (down from $600). The massive kit comes with a display plaque and a few minifigures, making it a good choice for dedicated Star Wars fans with serious building chops. Plenty of other Star Wars sets are on sale, including both playsets and collectibles, so be sure to check out all the deals leading up to Prime Day.
All sorts of Disney and Pixar Lego Sets are on sale, including the adorable Up House for $48 (down from $60). The 598-piece set lets you build the iconic house from Up and comes with two minifigures, an animal figure, and heaps of accessories. Other good deals include the Stitch Building Kit and Belle and The Beast's Castle building set, though the Hocus Pocus Sanderson Sisters' Cottage might be the coolest of all--clocking in at a hefty 2,316 pieces and featuring six minifigures.
This massive Lego set lets you build a replica of the Atari 2600. Along with the console, you'll get to build a wired controller and 3D vignettes for three classic games. The cartridges can even be inserted into the console or a buildable cartridge holder, giving you plenty of ways to display the work of art.
From the Statue of Liberty to the Paris Skyline, a bunch of Lego Architecture sets are seeing nice price cuts. The Taj Mahal is one of the larger sets up for grabs, featuring over 2,000 pieces and designed with a removable chamber so you can view the inside of the building. For something smaller, you can piece together the New York Skyline with just 598 bricks.
Plenty of other Lego sets are discounted ahead of Prime Day, including a cool Bonsai Tree, a collection of cacti, and a Fender Stratocaster replica. You'll find our favorite deals below, and be sure to check back closer to Prime Day as more are bound to go live as we get closer to July 16-17.
The biggest shopping holiday of the summer, Amazon Prime Day, is just around the corner on July 16-17. Ahead of all the early Xbox Series X Prime Day deals we're expecting to see in the next few days, there are already a few great discounts to peruse--including price cuts on video games, headsets, controllers, and more.
If you haven't picked up an Xbox console yet, consider taking a look at the Xbox Series S (1TB), which is available for a generous price drop ahead of Prime Day. You can also pick up the Xbox Series X Diablo 4 Bundle, and now is a good time to dive in, as the Vessel of Hatred expansion arrives later this year. If you already have a console, you'll find a handful of games on sale, including Elden Ring and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Some of the best Xbox deals ahead of Prime Day are for controllers and headsets. Several versions of the Xbox Wireless Controller are discounted, as is the premium Xbox Elite Series 2. You'll even find great options from 8BitDo and ASUS on sale, giving you plenty of options to choose from.
There's a lot more to discuss than the few items listed above, so we've pulled together all the best Xbox Series X deals below. Be sure to also check out our round-ups of even more early Prime Day sale, and keep tabs on our Prime Day Hub for all the latest discounts.
If you need a new gamepad, it's hard to go wrong with the standard Xbox Wireless Controller. Plenty of styles are discounted ahead of Prime Day, including Robot White and Carbon Black, as well as flashier designs like Shock Blue. Here's a look at all the price cuts available right now.
The Elite Series 2 is one of the best controllers for competitive gaming, and right now you can snag it for one of the best prices of the year. Along with adjustable triggers and thumbsticks, it comes with tons of swappable components--making it easy to build a controller that fits your needs. For something just as premium but with fewer swappable parts, be sure to take a look at the Elite Series 2 Core.
A nice alternative to the Elite Series 2 is the ASUS ROG Raikiri. This is available in two formats. The more affordable version gets you back buttons, adjustable triggers, customizable lighting, and premium buttons that are great for fast-paced multiplayer games. Step up to the Raikiri Pro, and you'll add a built-in OLED display that lets you quickly check your settings or swap profiles.
As far as third-party controllers are concerned, it's hard to beat 8BitDo. The company has been churning out reliable (and affordable) gamepads for years, and many of them are discounted ahead of Prime Day. This includes the 8BitDo Ultimate with Charging Dock, the officially licensed Arcade Stick, and the retro-inspired M30 Wired Controller.
Arguably the worst part of the standard Xbox controller is its requirement for AA batteries. Consider righting that wrong with the 8BitDo Charging Dock, which comes with two rechargeable battery packs and a docking station that holds two controllers. Not only will it save you money on batteries over the years, but it helps keep your gamepads charged and ready for your next gaming session.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is one of our favorite Xbox headsets, offering hot-swappable batteries for unlimited runtime, support for Spatial Audio, impressive noise cancellation, and premium drivers that can properly reproduce booming explosions or the softest of footsteps. It's discounted right now, as are a handful of other great SteelSeries headsets. Here are the best ones to check out.
With support for Dolby Atmos, flip-to-mute microphone, supportive headband, and several EQ modes to find the best sound for every game, the Astro A50 Wireless Headset is a nice companion for Xbox Series X. It's usually quite expensive at $300, but the premium headset is seeing a generous discount right now.
The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro is one of the most expensive headsets of 2024. However, it's now seeing a big price cut ahead of Prime Day, making this a good time to add it to your collection. Along with a comfortable (and eye-catching) design, it gets you loud 50mm drivers, great noise cancellation, advanced EQ options, and a boom mic that captures crisp audio. There's a lot more to love about the headset, so be sure to give it a look while it's down to one of the best prices of the year.
At less than $100, the Razer Kaira Pro is a solid option. Its slim and streamlined design makes it comfortable for long gaming sessions, while its 50mm drivers and hyperclear supercardioid microphone make it easy to chat with teammates. There's also a dedicated EQ and Xbox Pairing button, making it easy to get up and running without much fuss.
Pick up the Xbox Series S (1TB) for $350 (down from $380) ahead of Prime Day. Or, snag the Xbox Series X Diablo 4 Bundle, which gets you both the console and hit ARPG. And with Diablo 4 getting its first DLC later this year, now is a good time to dive into the hellish action.
If you're looking for a quick and cheap way to gain access to hundreds of games, it's hard to beat Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Membership is currently discounted, giving you a chance to add a one or three-month subscription to your account for cheap. Keep in mind that Game Pass Ultimate gets you not just games on Xbox, but also PC and mobile games, as well as access to online multiplayer.
Prefer to actually own games instead of relying on a monthly subscription? Then you'll be glad to know tons of titles are on sale leading up to Prime Day. Hit games like Elden Ring and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor are on sale, making it easy to fill up your game room for cheap. Here are some of our favorite price cuts.
Amazon Prime Day isn't until July 16, but deals are already hitting the retailer, including on its Kindle Scribe tablets. The Scribe version of Amazon's famous ereader adds a digital notebook so you can use it for writing as well as reading, but it maintains the simplicity of Amazon's E-ink display. Amazon is already offering a bunch of Scribe bundle deals, which come with handy accessories, at deep discounts, so it's a great time to pick up the best Kindle device in 2024.
The bundles include the Kindle Scribe device and pen, a magnetically attached brush print leather folio cover in Storm Gray, and a power adapter for charging. Premium bundles include the Scribe Pen with an eraser function, while the Basic version of the bundle comes with the standard pen without an eraser.
Amazon is offering three versions of the Kindle Scribe Premium bundle for different versions of the Scribe. The most expensive bundle packs a Scribe with 64GB of internal storage, but you can also grab the bundle at 32GB and 16GB of storage. All three versions include the Premium Pen. As for the Basic bundle, it includes a 16GB Kindle Scribe.
To take full advantage of a Kindle Scribe, you might want to include a subscription to Kindle Unlimited, Amazon's service that makes it easy to snag ebooks and audiobooks. If you're a Prime member, you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free right now. Prime members can also get three months of Audible Premium Plus for free, which you can then use to claim and keep three audiobooks from Audible's extensive catalog. Both of those promotions require a Prime membership, but you get a free 30-day trial to Amazon Prime if you're a new member. If you're not eligible for the trial offer, you can purchase a one-month subscription for $15, which will grant access to all Prime Day deals.
Evercade is responsible for some of the most popular retro hardware on the market, with the Evercade handhelds and and home console boasting a library of over 500 games across 50-plus cartridge compilations. Arcade games have been a major component of Evercade's approach to bringing classics to the modern era--the Evercade EXP and upcoming EXP-R even offer TATE mode, which has a vertical screen orientation that's ideal for some arcade games. And later this year, Evercade will introduce an even more authentic method for playing arcade games. The Evercade Alpha is a countertop arcade machine releasing on November 28. Preorders are live now at Amazon for both editions: Street Fighter and Mega Man. You can preorder either cabinet for a $20 discount, but this early-bird pricing is only available during the preorder stage. The price will jump from $230 to $250 at launch.
The Evercade Alpha is available in two styles--the Mega Man Alpha Series and the Street Fighter Alpha Series. Both are designed as bartop units and come preassembled so you can start playing right out of the box. Each includes six games, though both cabinets are also compatible with existing Evercade cartridges, allowing you to play over 500 titles using the dual cartridge slots on the front of the machine. The cabinet is designed for solo play, with competition-grade controls for a single player. For multiplayer, you'll find two USB ports that support a variety of controllers, including Evercade VS gamepads and third-party controllers.
Other notable features include a vibrant 8-inch display, stereo speakers, headphone jack, and Wi-Fi support for updates. There's even a swappable light-up marquee if you want to change your style. Each cabinet includes a few additional marquees, while others will be sold separately.
The specs are the same across the pair of Evercade Alpha cabinets, but their game lists are completely unique. Here's a look at what you'll find on each. Most of these games have never been available for Evercade. The company previously included a built-in library of 18 Capcom games with the Evercade EXP and a smaller library of Capcom titles in the budget-friendly Super Pocket.
Early into Stardew Valley, Willy will give you a fishing pole, which unlocks fishing. Fishing is a big part of Stardew Valley and a great way to make money early on in the game, but there are a few mechanics you won't be able to use right away. One of those mechanics is bait, which can be used to cause fish to bite faster.
How to use bait
The reason you can't use bait right away is that the Bamboo Pole Willy gives you doesn't have the ability to use bait. Instead, you will need to upgrade to the next tier of fishing pole, the Fiberglass Rod, which has a slot for bait. The Fiberglass Rod costs 1,800G and is unavailable until you reach Fishing Level 2, which will require you to do some fishing. Every fishing rod you unlock after this point will have a bait slot. Bait is also used in Crab Pots, which will only catch something if it has a piece of bait in it, and which you have to refill. Holding bait and interacting with the Crab Pot will place it inside.
Once you get a fishing pole that has a bait slot, you can equip bait directly from your inventory.
The fishing rod itself can have the bait added directly to your inventory by moving it to the fishing rod. Fishing rods can hold a large amount of bait, so you don't have to reload in between fish.
After what feels like an age of alpha and beta testing periods, The First Descendant has finally arrived on PS5. This free-to-play looter shooter is a little bit like a third-person Destiny, but instead of creating your own protagonist, you select playable heroes from a roster. Each of them is equipped with their own specialisations and abilities, and of course, if you want to bypass the grind, you can cough up real cash to unlock more of them.
In fact, The First Descendant's microtransactions are already a hot topic. Especially expensive in-game purchases have been highlighted, with comparisons to long-standing titles like Warframe proving to be pretty damning for the new kid on the block.
Conectar
Zenless Zone Zero is easily the most stylish entry in HoYoverse's fast-growing catalog of free-to-play RPGs.
