
02/19/2026, 01:00 PM
Zero Parades Preview: An Intricate Spy RPG Emerging from a Shadow
ZA/UM, the studio behind Disco Elysium, introduces new concepts in their upcoming espionage RPG, Zero Parades, which seems to deliver a more conventional gaming experience, possibly sacrificing some of its artistic depth.
In the city of Portofiro, Hershel Wilk awakens in a run-down apartment, uncertain of her situation. Her supposed partner, known only by the codename "Pseudopod," is unresponsive, lounging in his underwear and staring blankly ahead. Among his belongings, she finds an invoice for socks and a lipstick-marked business card that cryptically states, "All you need is miracle." Hershel isn’t the only one in need of a miracle; the developer, ZA/UM, faces a challenge as well. Zero Parades: For Dead Spies is an espionage RPG that mirrors the structure of the studio’s acclaimed title, Disco Elysium, beginning with a bewildered protagonist awakening in a shabby environment. This new game maintains a focus on dialogue and exploration, much like its predecessor, but replicating the success of Disco Elysium is no small task. Fortunately, it introduces innovative elements that enhance ZA/UM’s approach, resulting in a title that seems more conventionally polished, albeit potentially at the expense of some artistic intrigue. I recently dedicated approximately six hours to exploring Zero Parades, experiencing the entirety of the upcoming demo for Steam Next Fest along with additional gameplay. This involved traversing a wide-ranging area of Portofiro, a lively city rich in cultural diversity, influenced by Central American and Southern European aesthetics. The city is partitioned into six districts, featuring bustling docks, a central market, narrow alleys, and a hillside residential complex. While it may not rival traditional RPGs in size, it offers a significantly larger environment compared to Disco Elysium, a fact reflected in the expansive gameplay. Portofiro feels vibrant and alive. Unlike Revachol’s decaying backdrop, this city buzzes with activity. Each street is populated by eccentric characters, each with their own unique viewpoints and often peculiar dilemmas in need of resolution. In the "Bootleg Bazaar," two kids are captivated by Sixty-Six Wolves, a cartoon that raises suspicions of being propaganda. Nearby, there’s Petre, a "Format Fetishist" obsessed with a peculiar type of vinyl record that erases itself after one play. Up the road, Kurt, a fashion-obsessed individual, struggles under the weight of debt due to his compulsive spending. Each character serves as a glimpse into a society where personal obsessions are manipulated by darker forces. To fully evaluate Zero Parades' narrative depth, I will need to complete the game, especially considering the doubts stemming from ZA/UM's controversial dismissal of key creative talents from Disco Elysium in 2022. This event has left many fans concerned about the studio’s direction and the current team’s capability to deliver something meaningful. However, based on my demo experience, I remain optimistic about the writing quality, albeit with some reservations. The skills that reflect your fractured psyche and comment on your choices and environment seem to lack distinct personalities, feeling somewhat interchangeable, except for Statehood, which loudly proclaims your home country's political stance. However, the array of characters in the city suggests the writing team has crafted a cast rich with a blend of literary flair, surreal elements reminiscent of Lynch's work, and offbeat political humor. By weaving their narratives together, I began to uncover the complexities of this troubled world, where techno-fascist regimes, communist states, and financial institutions vie for dominance, wielding secret police as tools and pop culture as weapons. Portofiro takes shape as a complex web of interconnected quests, reminiscent of the cities in Baldur’s Gate and Athkatla. Initially, finding my footing among all these intertwined stories felt daunting. As a spy, I must disrupt and manipulate these tensions for my state’s benefit. Yet, without a clear mission, Hershel’s journey begins as a search for relevant threads to pull. Fortunately, the city is teeming with potential leads. A representative from EMTERR, the world’s mega-bank, could help unravel Kurt’s fashion-related financial crisis. A group of grizzled veterans eagerly awaiting their turn on the "Miracle" sex line suddenly clarifies the significance of that business card. Meanwhile, Dr. Gonza, a troubled physician, holds the key to addressing Pseudopod’s condition, but I must first procure the teeth of a medical board “narc” to prevent his suicide attempt. As I gather these clues, Portofiro evolves into a complex diagram of overlapping quests, much like the iconic cities in BioWare’s classic RPGs. While Disco Elysium flirted with traditional RPG concepts, Zero Parades embraces them more openly. This is evident not only in the city’s expanded scope but also in its more robust gameplay mechanics, including regular skill checks and a system that encourages players to embrace failure. Players manage three pseudo health bars: Fatigue, Anxiety, and Delirium, which fill up as you navigate conversations and interactions. For instance, dragging out an early phone call with irrelevant questions can elevate your anxiety levels. If you fail too often or delve too deeply into troubling memories, you risk incurring lasting penalties to your stats. This system introduces intriguing mechanics. Skill checks typically involve rolling two dice, but players can choose to "exert" themselves, adding an additional die to improve their chances, albeit at the expense of one of their pressure bars. Therefore, managing stressors becomes essential to maintaining balance among the bars. For example, smoking can alleviate anxiety, thereby allowing another opportunity to exert yourself. Another notable feature is the “Dramatic Encounters,” which transform critical moments into turn-based decisions, injecting a sense of urgency into a game devoid of conventional combat. This mechanic reimagines Disco Elysium's late-game tribunal sequence as a defined gameplay feature. During my demo, I had to evade an enemy agent in a bustling marketplace, making choices akin to classic spy narratives: Should I analyze the situation or act instinctively? Should I attempt to flee or conceal myself? Succeeding in a skill check for my “Nerve” stat—testing my composure under pressure—allowed me to blend into the crowd and escape my pursuer. Even in this relatively low-stakes moment, I felt the tension as I contemplated my next move, eager to see if my choice would yield success. I'm particularly curious to see how this gameplay style will be applied to other spy-related tasks—perhaps in tracking, deploying surveillance devices, or even carrying out assassinations—because how well these elements come together will be crucial in distinguishing Zero Parades from its predecessor and truly establishing it as a unique espionage RPG, rather than merely a variation of Disco Elysium with a different theme. Ultimately, Zero Parades leans more into traditional gaming than the avant-garde art project that its predecessor represented.