Second game from studio behind Disco Elysium launches, controversy leads to negative Steam reviews

As a look at SteamDB shows, the game already has over 2,300 players playing the title at the same time. That's pretty good for an indie adventure, even if the record of 8,081 players set by Disco Elysium is a long way off. In general, Zero Parades: For Dead Spies is not yet as well received as ZA/UM's first game, as the Metascore of 83 out of a possible 100 points shows – Disco Elysium scored 91 points.
 

Even more shocking: the 111 Steam reviews are currently "balanced" - not a result that developers would want for a new game. However, the negative reviews are largely not due to the game itself, but to a controversy involving the developer studio. The investors at ZA/UM forced the minds behind Disco Elysium out of the company in 2021 and 2022.

Despite the hostile takeover of the studio, Zero Parades: For Dead Spies is inevitably reminiscent of Disco Elysium due to its unusual graphic style and isometric perspective. There are also overlaps in the gameplay, as the single-player role-playing game places more emphasis on dialog and creative solutions than on combat, while the psyche of the main character once again plays a central role.