Following in the footsteps of a masterpiece like Disco Elysium is an unenviable task for any developer. For a studio as fractured as ZA/UM, that weight is even heavier. Following public legal disputes that saw many of the original creative minds depart, the remaining team faces the daunting challenge of defining their identity while carrying significant baggage.

In our Zero Parades: For Dead Spies review, it becomes clear that the studio is intentionally trying to distance itself from its previous hit. While the game functions as a spy thriller with a distinct tone, certain elements remain inescapably familiar. This looming shadow of imitation occasionally prevents the game from reaching the same creative heights as its spiritual predecessor, even if it manages to stand on its own feet through several fresh ideas.

A Gritty Espionage Narrative

The opening of Zero Parades: For Dead Spies leans heavily into the noir aesthetic. You begin the experience waking up on the floor of a cramped, filthy apartment, disoriented and lacking context. You play as Hershel Wilk, codename Cascade, an agent currently embedded in an espionage mission.

The narrative setup is immediately intriguing:

  • Hershel Wilk (Cascade): An operative with little memory of her specific objectives.
  • Pseudopod: A mission partner who is found unresponsive and sitting in a chair in his underwear.
  • Portofiro: The grimy, urban setting viewed through dirty windows.

As you rummage through the belongings of your indisposed partner, you find nothing but an invoice for socks and a cryptic business card that reads, "All you need is a miracle."

Navigating Cascading Choices

While the game struggles with some uneven footing, the core gameplay loop attempts to carve out its own niche within the genre. The tension of being a spy in a city like Portofiro provides a solid foundation for the narrative's progression. However, players should be aware that the sense of imitation is a constant presence.

The cascading choices presented throughout the story attempt to mirror the heavy consequences found in high-level RPGs. While it may not quite capture the sheer philosophical depth of ZA/UM’s earlier work, there is enough substance here to keep players engaged with the mystery of Cascade's mission and the strange disappearance of her partner.