Zenless Zone Zero's second beta tones down jiggle physics to the dismay of players
Nov. 24, 2023Hoyoverse also nerfed some violent imagery
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Zenless Zone Zero, the upcoming gacha game from Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail developers, has nerfed the gore and suggestive animations in its new beta - a decision that’s stirred some fans in the community.
Zenless Zone Zero is the kind of gacha game that you’d expect from developer Hoyoverse, this time in an urban fantasy setting, and its second closed beta kicked off earlier today, November 24. The test gives players another early preview on PC and mobile, but the biggest discussion point so far centers on what’s changed since the last beta.
One shockingly controversial change comes from the game’s slightly less suggestive character animations. On Twitter, one player posted side-by-side clips showing how Nicole’s menu animations had been adjusted between betas. The camera no longer looks up at Nicole and the ‘jiggle’ physics are less pronounced than they once were.
CharactersSoldier 11andNekomataalso saw some design changes, covering up a spare inch or two with extended shorts/lengthened tights. Again, the changes aren’t dramatic, but some players were left irked anyway.
Those relatively minor changes left some players in shambles, with severalReddit postscriticizing the alleged censorship. ”Whose bright idea was it to change one of the major selling points?” reads one comment. “Why can’t we have nice things?” asks another Redditor.
The other (more understandable) criticism stems from changes made to the game’s kind-of-violent imagery. “Nicole’s tiddies aren’t the only thing that got censored,” reads oneReddit postthat compares a cutscene from the first and second betas. Both screenshots show a character being ripped and twisted by a Black Hole-esque effect. The first beta’s depiction goes into slightly more detail, however, as you can see the character’s jaw come apart, while the second beta leaves out some graphic details.
Many players focused on Zenless Zone Zero’s 16+ age rating which promised a more mature gacha experience compared to Genshin Impact’s 12+. “The first [screenshot] looked so much cooler and if they were going to censor it, why did they even put the rating?” one player said on the subreddit.
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Zenless Zone Zeroinitially received tons of attentionthanks to its faster-paced combat, roguelike progression, unique setting, and, of course, those now-nerfed jiggle physics that were actually significantly dialed up from Genshin Impact’s. We’ll just need to wait until the full release sometime next year before the blood and boobs are set in stone, though.
Check out thegames like Genshin Impact to playwhen you’re done with Hoyoverse’s multiple universes.
Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that’s vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he’ll soon forget.
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