As a Proxy who spent the last stretch of 2025 grinding the VR Challenge in Zenless Zone Zero, I can confirm this event was more than just another combat treadmill. It ran from December 8, 2025 at 10:00 server time until December 29, 2025 at 03:59 server time, and it asked for two things before entry: reach Inter-Knot Lv. 22 and unlock Expert Challenge in Chapter 2 of the Main Story. Once those were done, I spoke with Tyrone in Failume Heights and made my way to HIA to find Lyla, who ran the whole VR Challenge setup.
The event structure was clean but demanding. There were five Alliance stages, five Frontline stages, and three Martial Practice stages. A new themed stage unlocked each day, and finishing a themed Alliance stage opened the matching Frontline stage. The Martial Practice stages became available over time, so nobody could blitz everything on day one. This pacing kept me coming back daily, which I actually appreciated.
What really changed the way I approached each fight was the Tactical Buff system. Every event stage had its own Tactical Buff mechanic, and the game rewarded you for leaning into it instead of ignoring the stage gimmick. In Alliance and Frontline content, I could pick from available trial Agents and Bangboo to build around those buffs. That flexibility helped a lot when I wanted to match elemental weaknesses or trigger specific reactions.
Martial Practice was a different beast entirely.
In Martial Practice stages, I could only use the trial Agents provided for the challenge. There was no room for my usual comfort picks. The scoring system was brand new, and it forced me to think about how I was playing, not just whether I cleared the stage. Damage dealt and specific techniques executed during the stage generated points. On top of that, using Agent Banyue to launch different techniques within a specified time frame built up Technique Combos.
Those Technique Combos were the heart of the high-score chase. Each combo added score multipliers, and maintaining the combo state meant I had to keep using skills without long pauses. If I waited too long between skills, the Technique Combo state and its multiplier bonus disappeared. That added a rhythm-game layer to combat, and it punished button mashing hard.
The final score in Martial Practice was calculated from three parts: my Damage Score, my Technique Score, and a Time Coefficient based on how quickly I finished the stage. I noticed that a fast clear with solid technique variety was far better than a slow, safe run with high damage alone. The Time Coefficient could either inflate or deflate everything else, so I started treating each run like a speedrun rather than a survival check.
Here is the breakdown I used to climb the leaderboard:
| Score Component | What It Rewards | My Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Damage Score | Direct damage dealt during the stage | Keep aggression high, but do not overcommit to long animations |
| Technique Score | Specific techniques executed | Rotate through Banyue's moves instead of repeating one |
| Time Coefficient | Stage completion time | Finish fast, because time multiplies the other scores |
My first few Martial Practice runs were rough. I would start strong, drop a combo during a dodge, and watch my multiplier vanish. Once I learned to treat Banyue's kit like a rotation instead of a spam chain, the scores jumped. I also paid attention to which Tactical Buffs were active, because triggering them at the right moment often kept both damage and technique points flowing.
The rewards were worth the trouble. Completing event challenges gave Tuning Calibrators, Polychromes, and other materials that I put straight into building my roster. For free-to-play players, the Polychrome income alone made this event a priority.
Looking back, the VR Challenge was one of the better combat events I have played in Zenless Zone Zero. It had a clear structure, daily progression, flexible options in Alliance and Frontline stages, and a genuinely skill-based scoring system in Martial Practice. Banyue's combo mechanic especially stood out because it rewarded controlled aggression and matchup knowledge. If similar VR Challenge stages return in 2026, I will be ready.