Happy AniverZZZary!
The Zenless Zone Zero second anniversary is finally here. Aside from the generous goodies the devs are giving players, there is a new, highly anticipated story chapter to enjoy. Since Season 2’s story was lacking in some areas, I was curious to see how Season 3 would go. Technically, Season 3 started in the patch just before the big anniversary, but how has it shaped up now?
Where We Came From
Patch 3.0 started off with the Proxies heading to the floating city of Roscaelifer to get treated for their powers running amok. I thought we were going to focus solely on their recovery, but that was merely an introductory note. The core of 3.0’s story revolved around helping Norma, the chief technician of the ESD, figure out why Bangboo were falling to corruption. I wasn’t too keen on Norma and her boss, Velina, when they were first introduced, but I found myself drawn into 3.0’s narrative, hoping that we could save the Bangboo victims. It wasn’t a story I thought I’d get invested in, but I’m glad I did.
More of the Proxies’ past was also revealed. The most notable snippet were two childhood friends, Truvia and Serpico. Due to an incident the player’s Proxy caused, Serpico died and Truvia distanced herself from them.
ZZZ has done the “childhood friend” route before, back in Season 2 with Ye Shunguang. However, the past connection with Shunguang felt forced, like it had been shoehorned in last minute to make her more attractive to the player base. If you took that detail out, she would have been the same character and you would have gotten the same story.
The setup with Truvia, who was confirmed to appear in 3.1, has a much better foundation. We heard about what happened between her and the Proxies beforehand, rather than the shoddy, miniscule flashbacks we got with Shunguang. Now, we’ll get to see their reunion, ill-fated or otherwise.
For a character note before getting into 3.1, there is one character I haven’t really liked much since their introduction. It’s not Norma, or Velina, kind of Cissia but not whom we’re focusing on today.
No, the character I’ve disliked, as controversial as it may seem, is Remielle.
Remielle Dan was introduced at the tail end of Season 2. She is a first generation Void Hunter accused of trying to assassinate Roscaelifer’s ruler, Eldreda Sunbringer. From the very beginning, she charmed her way into the Proxies’ lives and has been a sometimes-ally until now.
The only reason I plan to pull for Remielle is for utility’s sake. As a character, I find her charm deceptive and manipulative. If I were in the Proxies’ shoes, my first instinct would be to keep my distance. I got the same vibes from Jane Doe and Hugo Vlad, neither of which I’ve tried pulling for this very reason. These three use their charm to get what they want, which I find very ingenuine. Hugo, at the very least, had a redemptive arc in his story back in Season 1. Jane, however, has shown no change in how she operates.
When it comes to 3.1 characters I’m actually looking forward to, I’d have to go with Sigrid simply because one of her first scenes involved a lame joke and a quirky chuckle that her English VA did so well on. But, I digress…
Does Remielle change in this latest patch? Has the narrative improved after Season 2’s setbacks? Let’s find out. And, of course, Spoilers Ahead.
Where We Are Now
Story-wise, 3.1 is spectacular. What starts with searching for the culprit behind the previous incident spirals into discovering a secret resistance, taking down an imposter, and learning the truth behind Void Hunter weapons.
The Proxy’s reunion with Truvia did not go exactly how I expected. She was much more amenable with the Proxy when they met, even going on a walk together. However, when the conversation veered toward the past incident, she refused to revisit “that day” and excused herself. You could really feel the tension build between them, although something the Proxy says later caught my attention: “We talked about the past, but the way she spoke about it felt as though she were talking about someone else’s life.”
The investigation into the previous culprit led us to a Bangboo group called the En-Nah Gang and their guest of honor, Remielle. Remielle is, unsurprisingly, still mischievous and holding back info. She decided to assist us in our investigation.
Several groundbreaking things came to light. Remielle revealed the true nature of Void Hunter Weapons and monstrous Ethereals called Enchainers. The three Sunbringer sisters each hold a piece of the original Sunbringer’s weapon (called a Karma Core). The culprit, who looks like Serpico back from the dead, created a pathway for an Ethereal to abduct and possess the youngest Sunbringer, Dracaene.
Things take a really bad turn when Truvia is nearly killed and the Proxy is framed for the crime. Remielle sheltered them and finally showed some honest vulnerability when she shared her tragic past, one that sealed her in stasis for almost one hundred years.
Roping in Sigrid, the Deputy Commander of Air Space Patrol, they were able to stop the Ethereal and save Dracaene. Everything did wrap up nicely, but the culprit, referring to the Proxy as “our old classmate,” is still at large, and Remielle is still withholding key information to protect us.
What’s the Verdict?
Finally, we have that sense of mystery, and unseen forces scheming in the shadows, that we had back in Season 1. Season 2’s treatment of Sarah and the Exaltists did not create the same intrigue. They came off as mustache-twiddling villains who scurried away whenever their plan was seemingly foiled. Season 3 and 3.1 truly knocked it out of the park. I feel invested in the story again.
That being said, I’m still not happy with Remielle. For a moment, I thought she was finally letting us in and becoming worthy of our trust. However, thanks to some behind-our-backs cutscenes, we know that she’s still deceiving us to some extent. She was so close to redeeming herself. However, there may still be a chance for that. On the one hand, most characters have their spotlight patch and then make way for the newbies. I suspect Remielle will be a recurring character in Season 3’s story. On the other hand, the last character to hold repeated appearances throughout the story was Yixuan, who came off as an all-powerful savior even in plotlines where she was unimportant. I believe the devs have learned from this poor execution. Remielle could still be a recurring character, but since she’s currently recovering, she shouldn’t be swooping in all the time.
Overall, Year 3 for Zenless Zone Zero is off to a spectacular start. I can’t wait to see where the story takes us next.