Zenless Zone Zero vs. Wuthering Waves: My 1st Pick?

Launched within the gap of 1-1.5 months, both Zenless Zone Zero and Wuthering Waves captured our attention. Besides, before them, there was no major threat to Genshin Impact’s nearly four-year reign.

So, we decided to give these games a try.

I would be honest here, I’m not here to tell you which is better and which one you should play. Instead, I’ll let you know which one I enjoyed most from these two Gacha games based on their –

• Combat System.
• Dodging.
• Progression.
• Abilities.

So, are you ready?

Zenless Zone Zero vs. Wuthering Waves: Combat System

Basic Combat Features

Both games share some basic combat features:

• Three-member Teams: Both games let you control teams of up to three characters.
• Parry and Dodge Systems: Each game has a system for dodging and parrying enemy attacks.
• Character Swap Attacks: You can switch characters during fights, using their regular attacks, skills, and powerful moves.

Dodge and Parry Systems

Zenless Zone Zero

In ZZZ, the dodge and parry systems are interactive to use:

• Dodging and Parrying: An indicator shows up on the enemy – red means dodge only, yellow means dodge or parry.
• Parry Effects: Parrying triggers unique animations and distortion effects.
• Parry Meter: This meter drops when you parry; when it’s empty, you must dodge it to avoid damage.

Wuthering Waves

In Wuthering Waves, the focus is more on dodging:

• Dodge Mechanic: You dodge by dashing into an attack at the right time, using stamina.
• Stamina Management: Stamina is used for dodging, special attacks, and canceling attack chains.
• Limited Parry Windows: Only some enemy attacks, marked with visual cues, can be parried.

Combat Flow and Difficulty

Zenless Zone Zero

When playing Zenless Zone Zero for the first time, it felt easier to handle with an ample amount of support:

• Support Mechanics: Teammates can help during fights, and character dodge attacks make you invincible during the move.
• Elemental Reactions: Combining different elements can cause effects like burning, freezing, stunning, or burst damage.
• Balanced Difficulty: These support features make the game easier for players who might struggle with tougher mechanics.

Wuthering Waves

Wuthering Waves turned out to be more challenging:

• Punishing Attacks: Poor stamina management or dodging mistakes can lead to big damage or even death.
• Echo System: You can capture echoes from defeated monsters, which gives advantages in fights like freezing enemies or blocking attacks. Unlike ZZZ, you get these by playing, not through a Gacha system.
• Limited Boss Parry: Fights against bosses are more about strategic dodging and stamina management due to fewer parry opportunities.

Zenless Zone Zero vs. Wuthering Waves: Progression

Zenless Zone Zero

Progression in ZZZ is closely linked to its TV system. This system includes moving through a grid, solving puzzles, and completing story missions.

Sadly, this ruined my gameplay by breaking the immersive combat experience.

While the combat stages are great, getting to them felt like a boring task.

Wuthering Waves

On the other hand, WuWa combines its progression with an open world full of things to explore, rewards to collect, and lots of chances for combat.

This setup keeps you hooked and offers a constant stream of rewards and upgrades, making progression much more enjoyable.

Zenless Zone Zero vs. Wuthering Waves: Ultimate Abilities

ZZZ

The separate resource bars enable the casting of all three characters’ ultimates simultaneously if you desire. This also enables a more immersive and varied combat experience as you can use all characters’ abilities effectively.

Wuthering Waves

Due to the single resource bar system, you’re limited to casting one ultimate per resource pool.

This restricts you from choosing the ultimate that either does the most damage or provides the best effect, often sidelining the other characters’ ultimate abilities.

Zenless Zone Zero vs. Wuthering Waves: New Player Experience

Zenless Zone Zero

When playing ZZZ, I rarely got any major rewards.

After playing for 12 hours, I had few characters because there weren’t many chances to get new ones. This can make the game feel frustrating and not very rewarding, especially when compared to other Gacha games. However, ZZZ is currently in its early phase and you can expect new characters after some major updates in the future.

Wuthering Waves

WW, on the other hand, gives a very generous experience for new players. It has lots of launch rewards and many chances to get new characters, helping you build strong teams quickly and level up fast to increase your in-game rewards.

This makes new players feel less frustrated and keeps them interested in the game. The game also has a better drop rate for weapons, providing a more satisfying experience.

Zenless Zone Zero vs. Wuthering Waves: Side-By-Side Comparison?

Both games have their appeal:

1. Zenless Zone Zero is more forgiving with lots of support and flashy visuals.
2. Wuthering Waves is harder with an emphasis on precise dodging and stamina control, attracting players who enjoy a tougher challenge.

Choose the game that fits your combat style – whether you like more support and visual effects or enjoy managing your actions with precision!