Welcome to Into Indie Games’ Zero Parades: For Dead Spies Walkthrough.
From the creators of Disco Elysium, ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies drops players into a tense, surreal espionage RPG full of political intrigue, broken alliances, and psychological chaos. You step into the shoes of Hershel Wilk, a disgraced operative dragged back for one last assignment in the decaying city of Portofiro, where nearly every conversation can spiral into danger. Like its spiritual predecessor, the game leans heavily into dialogue, skill checks, and player choice, but adds new systems built around mental pressure, dramatic encounters, and spycraft. This walkthrough will guide you through the game’s investigations, choices, puzzles, and branching outcomes while helping you survive its strange and often overwhelming world.
Table of contents
Photo Shop
After you exit the room above the Photo shop, head down the stairs. In the shop, you will see the Photo Lady yelling at a man. You can choose to intervene to remove the man. Constanz, the photo lady will appreciate your stepping in. Speak to her about the man who just left. She will give you the Items Screwdriver and Operant Toolkit.
You will also gain a new Loose End, Constanz wants you to fix the fax machine in the shop. This will also give you a new task “What’s Wrong, Pseudopod?” A little further into the chat with Constaz will update the task as well as give you options to find out more.
There is a Personalism check that is quite difficult to pass at the moment. I would suggest following through the conversation till you can come back to the check with better odds of success. Ask about the fax machine, which will increase your Fatigue. Even if you fail the check, Cascade will offer options to push her but eventually you will be forced to tell her about what happened to Pseudopod. Continue this line of questioning to find out more about Pseudopod’s last hours. Eventually, she will suggest moving Pseudopod to the ground floor. Suggest her to see about a doctor, this will update the task “What’s wrong, Pseudopod?” This will also give you the Destination, Dr Hugo’s Clinic.
Proceeding the story will update the task “The Unassigned Assignment” once she starts talking about the Bootleg Bazar. Ask her how to get to the Bazar. Next, ask her about the sensuous card and she will give you another destination “Fogged Mirror” a bar to the west. Finish up the conversation and check the room now. Check the fax machine near the window.
Removing the panel will give you a Technoflex check with 72% success rate. If you succeed, snap the paper tray in place and it should work. This will lower Delirium by 2. Check the tv next to the display area and jot down down the number of the bagman on the tv. You will get a new Loose End. If you have followed the walkthrough so far, you should level up and receive a skill point. Use it to level up a skill of your choice, I went for Personalism. Exit the shop.
Party Alley
You will now be on Party Alley. If you check the trash bin to the left you can find a bottle of Oxen Bock. Keep moving down the alley and check the various objects around the alley. You will soon reach Quisach Roundabout.
Quisach Roundabout
At the roundabout, below the tram platform is a man. Speak to him.
Ask him about Bootleg Bazar and Pseudopod. He will inform you that he is waiting for Tram Line 9, which is supposed to be running but isn’t. This will get you the Loose end. Keep heading east and speak to the Slick Talking Hustler at the parking lot. His name is Goat Eyes.
Ask him about Bootleg Bazaar, Pseudopod and his services. If you ask about his services you will see he has a few things for sale.
Now head back west. Go south from the roundabout and you can drop down the opening at the railing.
The Canals
Go down and to the right to find a ladder. Check the ladder and the device on the other side. There is a control room somewhere nearby for the water lock. Talk to the man on the right. They are looking at the barge. Go back up to the streets. Head east to find a door with an intercom.
Quisach Roundabout
If you peel off the plastic film on the intercom you will receive a status effect “ Freshly Peeled Plastic”. Press the call button next. Talk to the door keeper and ask her about the building. This will get you a new Loose End, where you need a reason to be let inside the building with the intercom near the Quisach Roundabout. Try to get in and you will see a very hard Cold Read check to open the door. Tell the doorkeeper that you ripped the plastic off. If you fail the check you wont be able to get in so leave. There is an advertisement hoarding behind you, that has a path behind it. Take that path.
Go down the ladder on the other end and go past the guard. Check the rubbish bin next to him. There is a hard Blueprints check to find out more about this place. If you finger the vermin layer, you will increase your anxiety by 2 but eventually you will receive a new Loose End, zip cuffs.
Leave the rubbish container and speak to the guard. He is the Party Alley GM. Ask him about Pseudopod, Miracle Line (which will lead to a Destination), the doctors, the barge, the gang who attacked the barge, and, finally, why he is blocking the door. He is guarding the water lock behind the door. You can’t make your way in now, so climb back up and back to the roundabout. Move to the west side of the roundabout now. Once you inhale the air in the area you will have reached the Bootleg Bazar.
But first go a little bit up north and check the pay phone. Pressing the dolphin’s nose will lower Anxiety. You can call Bagman, a random number or Melita for 2 Sols. But honestly, it is a waste of time. Save your money. Move north till you reach the Renotel Technician.
Speak to him about Pseduopod and the Miracle Line. Speaking to him will lead you to discover a thought, “The Unrealised Loss”. He will also give you the location of the payphone for the Duchess. Ask him about the device in his hand. Ask him about the arteries, the wireless network connecting all payphones in the city. You should exhaust all dialogue options with him. Once you are done pick up the item “Twinkle Lights” from the railing near the Technician. Climb up the ladder he was talking about where he needs to fix a transmission box up top.
Check the box and open it. Turn on the terminal. Once you have the Available Commands, check all the options. “HELP” or “LINEDIAG” won’t do anything really. Keep moving north and eventually you will reach a boy called Marco.
Speak to him. Exhaust all the options with him. Go north from him to reach Dr. Gonzo’s office.
More indie games
For more articles on other indie games, please check out the links below:
Videogames.
Gym.
My dog.
Sneakers.
Manga.
In that order.
