2025-11-05 09:00

I remember the first time I logged into Zenless Zone Zero, feeling that familiar mix of excitement and apprehension that comes with any new HoYo game. As someone who's spent probably too many hours across Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact 3rd, I approached ZZZ with both anticipation and wariness - would this be another game where I'd spend weeks grinding before reaching the truly engaging content? To my pleasant surprise, the commission system here feels refreshingly different, and understanding how to navigate it could be your key to maximizing that online trading success the title promises.

Let me break down what I've discovered about commissions in ZZZ. There are three main types you'll encounter: Story, Combat, and Exploration commissions. Now, if you're anything like me, you're probably thinking "just give me the story missions already!" - and you'd be right to think that way. Story commissions are where ZZZ truly shines, blending those gorgeous TV board sections with combat sequences and actual narrative development. I recently completed one called "The Empty Cradle" that had me completely hooked - the way it wove character backstory with strategic combat choices felt like playing through an interactive anime episode. These missions typically unlock as you progress through the game, but here's the catch that veteran gacha players will recognize: they're often locked behind level requirements that force you to engage with other content first.

This is where many players hit that frustrating wall. I've lost count of how many times I've been deep in an intriguing story thread only to be told "Reach Agent Level 25 to continue." It's that classic gacha game dilemma - you're enjoying the main course but suddenly told you need to eat your vegetables first. The combat commissions, while mechanically solid, can start feeling repetitive after the tenth similar mission. And exploration commissions? Well, let's just say running around collecting 15 scattered items across the same map area doesn't exactly get my heart racing.

But here's what makes ZZZ different from previous HoYo games in my experience: the grind feels significantly shorter. Where Genshin might have required 4-5 hours of daily commissions and resin burning to make meaningful progress, I found myself leveling up enough to access new story content within 2-3 days of casual play in ZZZ. The commissions themselves are quicker to complete - most take under 10 minutes rather than the 15-20 minute slogs I remember from earlier titles. This pacing change makes all the difference psychologically. Instead of feeling like I'm doing homework before getting to the fun stuff, it feels more like brief warm-up exercises before the main event.

I've developed a personal strategy that might help you too. I typically dedicate my first 30 minutes each session to knocking out the necessary combat and exploration commissions. There's something satisfying about getting the "chores" out of the way efficiently. I've noticed combat commissions give approximately 125-150 EXP each, while exploration ones net about 80-100 EXP - these numbers aren't officially confirmed but represent my consistent experience across 40+ hours of gameplay. By batching these less exciting missions, I create uninterrupted blocks of time to properly enjoy the story commissions later. It's like eating your vegetables quickly so you can savor dessert.

What truly sets ZZZ apart, in my opinion, is how the commission system integrates with the broader online trading ecosystem the title references. Your success in commissions directly impacts your ability to acquire better agents and resources through the game's proxy system. I've found that completing at least 8-10 commissions daily provides enough resources to make meaningful pulls every 10-12 days. This creates this beautiful cycle where engaging with commissions (even the boring ones) fuels your progression in both story and collection aspects.

The beauty of this system is that it respects your time more than previous HoYo games while still maintaining that compelling progression loop that keeps you coming back. I no longer dread the level gates because I know it's only a matter of days rather than weeks before I'm back to the narrative content I love. And occasionally, even the combat commissions surprise you - last week I stumbled upon one that had this unexpected mini-boss fight that completely changed my approach to team composition.

If there's one piece of advice I can offer from my experience, it's this: don't resist the commission system. Embrace the variety, power through the less exciting missions with efficiency, and treasure those story commissions when they arrive. The developers have struck a much better balance here between mandatory grinding and rewarding gameplay than we've seen in previous titles. Your online trading success - whether that means acquiring your favorite agents or mastering combat strategies - hinges on understanding this rhythm. After two months with ZZZ, I can confidently say this commission structure has kept me engaged far longer than I typically stay with gacha games, and that's coming from someone who's abandoned at least seven similar titles out of grind fatigue.