Three days from now, the studio responsible for one of the most acclaimed RPGs of the past decade releases its follow-up – and if you’ve been quietly wondering what ZA/UM has been building since Disco Elysium, the wait is nearly over. Zero Parades: For Dead Spies launches on PC this Thursday, May 21, for $39.99.
A Spy Story, Not a Cop Story
Zero Parades is not a sequel or spiritual successor to Disco Elysium – ZA/UM has been clear about that. Where Disco Elysium was a cop story set in a crumbling city of ideological conflict, Zero Parades is a spy story. You play as Hershel Wilk, codenamed CASCADE, a brilliant but burnt-out operative recalled from disgrace for one final assignment. Five years ago, she led her team into catastrophe. Now, she has a chance to prove herself again.
The setting is Portofiro – a coastal city in the grip of a three-way struggle between international bankers, foreign techno-fascists, and shadowy forces that include a paranoid TV presenter and a man with a box for a heart. Very much in the Disco Elysium tradition of surrealist political drama.
New Systems Built for Espionage
Mechanically, Zero Parades builds on what Disco Elysium established while adapting it for the spy genre. Fifteen skills span three faculties – Action, Relation, and Intellect – and they talk to you, offering advice and commentary as you navigate situations. Conditioning replaces Disco Elysium’s Thought Cabinet: by reinforcing Hershel’s internal beliefs, you shape her identity and unlock new approaches to problems.
The pressure systems are entirely new. Fatigue, Anxiety, and Delirium track the mental and physical toll of being a spy. Exertion lets you push skill checks in your favor – but you’re gambling with your health each time you do. Tactical View pauses time during confrontations so you can plan your moves carefully, but don’t expect clean wins: failed dice rolls are built into the design, and consequences compound.
ZA/UM’s First Release After a Messy Split
It’s worth noting the context around this release. Zero Parades is ZA/UM’s first major release since the studio’s original creative leads – including writer Robert Kurvitz – departed following a contentious ownership dispute. The game is being developed by the remaining ZA/UM team, and represents the studio’s attempt to establish its identity on its own terms.
Early reviews have been encouraging. Zero Parades: For Dead Spies launches on Steam and GOG on May 21 for $39.99. A PlayStation 5 version is planned for later in 2026.
