ZA/UM’s Zero Parades launches amid legal turmoil, struggles to shed Disco Elysium’s shadow
Developed by studio ZA/UM, the new title follows a spy seeking redemption but is criticised for lacking the narrative elegance of its predecessor.
Zero Parades: For Dead Spies has launched on PC, marking the latest chapter in a fractured saga that began with the 2019 release of Disco Elysium. Developed by studio ZA/UM, the game follows protagonist Cascade, a spy seeking redemption after a failed operation in the city of Portofiro. While the title shares mechanical DNA with its acclaimed predecessor, it is heavily burdened by the real-world legal and ethical disputes between ZA/UM and former founding members, including allegations of IP theft and workplace toxicity.
The release occurs against a backdrop of significant controversy. ZA/UM is embroiled in a prolonged dispute with former founding members, including lead writer Robert Kurvitz, art director Aleksander Rostov, and writer Helen Hindpere, who were dismissed in 2022. The conflict involves allegations of IP theft, workplace toxicity, and grueling development conditions, with some former employees being labelled 'scabs' and receiving death threats. Kurvitz has previously stated that the company "destroyed the lives of four of my closest friends," a sentiment that continues to resonate within the gaming community.
From a design perspective, Zero Parades retains the core mechanic of 15 skills inhabiting the protagonist's mind, which inform dice rolls and dialogue. It introduces a fatigue, anxiety, and delirium system that can be exacerbated to improve dice roll chances, reflecting Cascade’s psychological state. However, critics argue that the absence of key creative minds results in less elegant writing and worldbuilding. The fictional story seems to inadvertently mirror the studio's real-world internal conflicts, with the narrative playing it safe and characters lacking depth.
The review notes that specific dialogue options, such as "now kiss" and "big, if true," were perceived as online memes, while phrases like "dreaming is bourgeois" felt like odd attempts to reclaim the original game's anticapitalist spirit. The city of Portofiro is described as condensed, and the overall experience fails to forge a distinct identity separate from Disco Elysium. The success of the original game, which sold over 5 million copies, has arguably converted a romanticised art piece into a product, antithetical to its primordial spirit.
As Cascade, players must manipulate old friends and deceive others to assemble a crew for a final job, choosing the mask they wear to justify their actions. The ongoing problems within and outside of ZA/UM linger throughout the experience, leaving much up to interpretation. Zero Parades: For Dead Spies launches on May 21st on PC.
