Zenless Zone Zero: Mastering the Opening Mission 'The Hare and the Proxy'

Embarking on an adventure in the vibrant, chaotic world of Zenless Zone Zero can be an overwhelming experience for new Proxies. With its unique terminology like Hollows, Ethereals, and the Hollow Deep Dive (HDD) system, coupled with a fast-paced combat style, the initial dive into New Eridu demands a sharp learning curve. Fortunately, the game's inaugural story mission, 'The Hare and the Proxy,' serves as a meticulously crafted tutorial, seamlessly blending cinematic narrative, strategic puzzle-solving, and exhilarating combat to onboard players. This mission, the first chapter of 'Business x Strangeness x Justness,' automatically commences after the opening cinematic, thrusting the player into the role of a Proxy recruited by the charismatic Nicole, leader of the Cunning Hares, to rescue her missing team members, Anby and Billy.

The mission's core structure alternates between three key pillars: story-driven cutscenes, the puzzle-based HDD navigation, and real-time combat encounters. This tripartite design ensures players grasp the fundamental gameplay loop of Zenless Zone Zero. The journey begins not with a sword swing, but with a screen tap, as players are introduced to the Hollow Deep Dive System (HDD). This interface, represented as a grid of television screens, is the Proxy's primary tool for navigating the perilous Hollows between fights.

Navigating the HDD is intuitive yet strategic. Players move their avatar tile by tile across the grid, triggering events, collecting resources like Gear Coins, and inevitably stumbling into combat by landing on tiles occupied by creatures with glowing red eyes. The first HDD map in this mission is relatively linear, designed to teach basic movement. The initial objective is simple: move right to a magnifying glass icon to expand the map view. Early navigation also introduces resource gathering, prompting players to move right and then up to claim their first cache of Gear Coins, a currency vital for certain in-mission interactions.

However, tranquility in the Hollow is short-lived. Progress inevitably leads to the first combat tile, initiating a battle against minor Ethereals like Tyrfings and Alpecas. This initial skirmish is less about difficulty and more about acclimating players to the game's fluid, tag-team combat system. Successfully clearing the encounter returns the player to the HDD map, reinforcing the cycle of exploration and conflict.

The puzzle complexity ramps up after the first fight. Players find themselves in the bottom-left corner of the expanded map with a new objective: reach the checkered goal. The path involves moving right to a healing station for their Agents, a crucial mechanic for mission longevity. Progress triggers a dynamic event: an enemy pursuit tile spawns near the map's start, adding a layer of urgency. The solution involves strategic movement towards a red button that activates a network of conveyor tracks, allowing for rapid traversal across the grid.

A key narrative and gameplay choice emerges when players encounter a glowing orange "safety valve" tile. Here, the rescued team members, Anby and Billy, propose different solutions:

• Side with Anby: Spend all accumulated Gear Coins to open the safe cleanly.

• Side with Billy: Attempt to force it open for free, but Billy sustains a minor injury.

This choice, while not drastically altering the mission outcome, introduces players to the character-driven decision-making and resource management that can influence later gameplay. After resolving this, a final push down and right leads to the checkered flag, triggering the commission's climax: a boss fight against the Metro Goblin.

The Metro Goblin, an Ether Mutant-type Ethereal, presents the first real combat test. Its profile is straightforward:

The strategy for this fight teaches advanced combat mechanics. Players should focus fire on the Metro Goblin initially to build the team's Decibel Rating (a combo-like meter). Mid-fight, smaller Ethereals spawn, shifting the tactical priority. This is where Billy shines, as his area-of-effect abilities excel at crowd control. A well-timed use of Billy's Ultimate attack while adds are present can clear the field efficiently. When the boss is alone, switching to Anby to leverage her potent single-target skills and Ultimate is the optimal play. Mastering this tag-team dynamic is essential for victory.

Completing 'The Hare and the Proxy' is a rewarding endeavor, both narratively and materially. Successful Proxies are granted a substantial haul for a tutorial mission:

• 60 Polychrome (premium currency)

• 8 Official Investigator Logs (experience material)

• 2 W-Engine Power Supplies (equipment upgrade material)

• 14,640 Dennies (in-game currency, if collected in the HDD)

• 8 Trainee Investigator Logs

• 4 W-Engine Batteries

Most importantly, the mission's conclusion unlocks the three core Cunning Hares members—Anby, Billy, and Nicole—as permanently playable Agents. Furthermore, it marks the completion of the core tutorial, fully opening up the game's overworld, the bustling city of New Eridu, and the myriad of commissions, challenges, and stories that await. This first mission perfectly encapsulates Zenless Zone Zero's promise: a stylish, strategic, and character-rich action RPG where every decision, in both puzzle and combat, matters.