There’s something exciting about settling into a new city. From discovering new cafes to ingratiating yourself into the broader culture, moving to a sprawling municipality is a thrilling new adventure. Yet in these uncertain times filled with world-ending portals and corrupted monsters, starting a new life can be somewhat… nerve-wracking – which is why we’ve put together a handy newcomer’s guide to help you settle into Zenless Zone Zero’s bustling metropolis – New Eridu.
New Eridu is a stylish, sci-fi-imbued oasis – and now, it’s your home! On behalf of the New Eridu City Administration, welcome! Now, before you can get settled in, it’s time to explain the rules of your enviable new home.
Your Hollow, Our Home
As we join New Eridu we find nearly all of civilisation outside the city has been invaded by matter-absorbing portals known as Hollows – deadly dimensions that appear without warning. They swallow everything whole and corrupt the people inside, turning them into Ethereals.
Terrifying, right? Thankfully though, you’ll be nice and safe here in New Eridu!
While other human cities have fallen, by harnessing the Hollow’s mysterious energy source, Ether, savvy New Eridu Citizens have managed to not only keep those pesky Hollows and Etherals at bay but also turn Ether into our own awesome tech. The result? An Ether-powered metropolis that is one of the coolest, most vibrant cities on Earth!
Sure, the city is full of gangs, Hollow Raiders, conspirators and, of course, Hollows, but you don’t have to think about all that when there’s fun to be had! New Eridu offers a whole host of wonderful distractions in order to keep you sheltered from the horrors of the apocalypse, from video stores and arcades to convenience stores and divine food stalls! Worth it, right? Still, we know why you’re really here: to work! You’ll soon be diving into those deadly hollows in a bid to keep the rest of us safe.
Proxy warfare
Like many people who move here, you are a Proxy, a secretive professional who guides brave fighters through various Hollows in order to defeat enemies and unravel the mysteries behind New Eridu.
While everyone’s Ether tolerance is different, it can rapidly corrupt weaker humans, causing a thick substance to slowly encase their bodies with painful crystals. As the transformation takes hold, a Core forms in the victims’ heads, and when this happens it is sadly too late to save them.
To avoid all that terrifying Ether corruption, Proxies enter the Hollows via the H.D.D system, which appears as a floppy-eared robotic rabbit called a Bangboo. These cutesy companions will become your best friends in and out of the Hollows, helping you run errands around New Eridu as well as being your conduit to the world of the Hollows. Making the most of these robotic helpers is essential, and as proxies guide them through each Hollow, they can help any enlisted warriors to battle Ethereals and wade through all the Ether while the proxy (that’s you!) remains at a safe distance. Bangaboos, to the rescue!
Please note that while you will naturally want to save anyone you encounter in the Hollows, not all humans you’ll find there are friendly. Thanks to the wonderful things it can do, you aren’t the only one after Ether, with malicious gangs, city administration, and proxies like yourselves all competing to extract the precious energy from the portals. We have also received intel that some particularly deadly Ethereals have even been known to mimic human speech and behaviour, so, watch out!
Enjoying New Eridu
Still, it’s not all work here in New Eridu; as a populace – we strongly believe in clocking off and chilling out. While many around the world have found themselves irreparably poisoned by the Ether, New Eridu’s tasty tech means that those horrors are (largely) a thing of the past! That means that you can kick back, grab a coffee and soak up the city’s good-time vibes – apocalypse or no.
In our Ether-powered paradise, citizens love to take a load off by sitting back and enjoying a movie, picking one up from one of the helpful Bangboo’s running the counter at the beloved video store, Random Play. If that sounds too sedentary for you, take a stroll down Sixth Street where you can grab a bowl of ramen, chat with people sitting outside, or even rack up a high score at the arcade! The life of the Proxy can be a demanding one, so if you need to gear up quickly for the next mission, head to the local convenience store 141, and let an adorable Bangboo offer you the necessary materials to level up your team!
Archiving the Hollows
With the Hollows still presenting a mystery to everyone from proxies to the wider authorities, we still have yet to discover the true breadth of the various dimensions that await you. What we do know, however, is that different mysteries and stories await you in each new Hollow.
A whole host of combat-testing creatures await those brave enough to explore the deadly hollows, such as the deadly Dullahan, a superior Ethereal that resides in the metro junction of the Cretan Hollow.
Among the varied and dangerous Hollows in New Eridu, the largest and most impactful is Hollow Zero: the beginning and the end of many things. Before officially exploring Hollow Zero, players must complete the Association’s Qualification Assessment, upon which they will be granted an exclusive Investigation License. After reaching the required License Level, you can claim Polychromes, Plating Agents, Booressure, and other rewards.
In addition to the routine investigations in Hollow Zero, the New Eridu Defense Force has organised an operation named Shiyu Defense. Players who can suppress and defeat the hoards of Etheric Matter stored inside Shiyu within the Time Limit will receive enticing rewards!
Want to find out more about what awaits you in the Hollows? Then you’ll have to sign up for Zenless Zone Zero and explore New Eridu yourself!
Zenless Zone Zero is available to download right now on PlayStation 5, Android, iOS, and Microsoft Windows