ZA/UM's new demo for Zero Parades puts players in the role of Hershel Wilk, a spy-era protagonist navigating weird, often political encounters. The Next Fest build blends investigative RPG beats with surreal characters and an inner chorus that frequently argues about ideology. The release arrives amid the studio’s well-documented upheavals, making this first hands-on glimpse feel like a check-in on ZA/UM's creative direction.

  • Demo access: A playable slice of Zero Parades is available via Next Fest, offering a short sequence of story-driven scenes and dialogue-heavy interaction rather than a full-feature preview.
  • Moral pressure: Early scenarios force practical decisions—such as whether to compromise safety reporting or walk away from the job—that can reshape how NPCs and organisations respond.
  • Surreal cast: Expect oddball encounters, from a self-styled simian merchant claiming strange titles to phantom co-workers, all delivered through a script that swings between deadpan and absurd.
  • Political inner voice: One of Hershel’s internal personas repeatedly injects ideological commentary, turning some moments into debates about commerce and authority rather than quiet reflection.
  • Echoes of the past: The demo often evokes the tone of Disco Elysium—its investigative feel and surrealism—while layering in spy-thriller trimmings and a different narrative focus.

Source: Rock Paper Shotgun

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