Review: Zero Parades: Director’s Cut (Switch 2)
By Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
How does a studio proceed after an epoch-defining work without the initial creative minds behind it? The response, for better or worse, is to replicate the experience nearly wholly.
ZA/UM emerges from a scandal far too intricate to elaborate on here with a sequel to the existential crisis simulator Disco Elysium. Zero Parades once again revolves around an ambiguous character of dubious authority and talent, meandering through a politically charged city in search of redemption or oblivion. It’s poignantly lovely and perpetually stimulating, yet also quite familiar for enthusiasts of Harry DuBois’ escapades in Revachol.
The intricate and multi-faceted narrative tracks Hershel Wilk — whose secret name is the markedly cooler CASCADE — as she is reactivated after being sidelined following a failed assignment. She wakes up in her apartment with a foggy memory and her partner, Psuedopod, slumped in a chair. The crux of the tale sees CASCADE attempting to uncover why her partner is in a state of unconsciousness and what precisely the Operant, her enigmatic overseers, desire from her.
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
Hershel/CASCADE steps into the vibrant streets of Portofiro, an ideological quagmire that struggles and revolts under the vigilant gaze of various factions. The societal clock has been reset to zero following the Latour-Woolgar Treaty, and CASCADE’s supervisors gather intelligence for the ruling communist regime of the Superbloc. In the meantime, propaganda and hearsay regarding the techno-fascist group La Luz infiltrate every discourse she engages in.
ZA/UM does not guide you narratively; the environment surrounding you is an absolute enigma to the player and, in many instances, the protagonist. You are tasked with piecing together the unfolding story from vibrant NPCs scattered throughout the city.
Not a conventional mainstream RPG experience by any means, the game unfolds more like an investigative tabletop journey. You traverse dialogue branches while passive and active skill assessments dictate when and where information becomes accessible.
