Following the monumental success and subsequent turbulence surrounding Disco Elysium, all eyes have been on ZA/UM. Their latest offering, Zero Parades, arrives with the gargantuan task of proving the studio can still deliver high-level narrative depth. While it isn't a sequel—featuring an entirely different world and cast—it feels like a spiritual successor in many mechanical ways.
The story follows Hershel Wilk, alias CASCADE, a spy pulled from "the Freezer" by the mysterious Opera for one final mission. Upon arriving in the city of Portofiro, she finds her contact catatonic and must navigate a web of colonialist politics, communist Superblocs, and global banking interests. However, Hershel is far from your typical suave operative; she is an agent defined by her failures, her drinking, and her tendency to tell strangers her real name during high-stakes interactions.
A polished evolution of the isometric RPG
Despite the narrative friction, Zero Parades is a beautifully crafted experience. It retains the painterly art style that made ZA/UM famous, offering environments that are just as lush and evocative as before. In fact, the world feels more tactile; Hershel can navigate rooftops with ease, and the UI has received a significant upgrade, feeling sleek and responsive to every click.
The game introduces several new systems to manage Hershel's mental state:
- Fatigue, Anxiety, and Delirium meters: These track her mental decline during stressful encounters.
- Skill Check Exertion: You can choose to take a hit to your stress levels in exchange for an extra die roll.
- Conditioning: A sophisticated evolution of the Thought Cabinet where you shape Hershel's psyche for tactical bonuses.
The Conditioning mechanic is particularly strong, allowing players to lean into the idea that Hershel is a professional, even if her personality suggests otherwise. One standout thought, "Jar of Faces," rewarded high levels of Personalism and Entanglement as long as the player refrained from covering their face—a clever nod to espionage literature.
The brilliance of Dramatic Encounters
The absolute highlight of this Zero Parades experience is the Dramatic Encounter. This mechanic represents a cinematic shift in gameplay, narrowing the focus during high-tension moments into an inflexible, opposed skill check.
When a Dramatic Encounter triggers, the world loses its color, leaving only Hershel and her target under a harsh spotlight. The skills available to her manifest as vibrant, grotesque imagery. In these moments, the game finally captures the essence of being a spy. Hershel stops being a rambling, angst-ridden mess and becomes a specialized tool of statecraft, driven by bone-deep training rather than neuroses.
A spy who lacks subtlety
Unfortunately, the game's greatest strength is also its most underused feature. While Dramatic Encounters provide the tension a spy thriller needs, much of the standard gameplay feels disconnected from the genre.
Hershel is often as subtle as an air raid siren. The narrative rarely acknowledges her need for covertness; she frequently gathers intelligence simply by asking pedestrians blunt questions. In one instance, you can locate a secret jail just by asking a random civilian, "Hey, you hear of any secret jails around here?" without any social consequences.
While the individual dialogues remain well-written and intellectually stimulating, there is a persistent disconnect between Hershel's identity as an agent and her actual methods of operation. Zero Parades is a mechanically impressive RPG that occasionally forgets it is supposed to be a game about secrets.
