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
The Fogged Mirror
Inside the bar, Cascade will reminisce for a bit. Go up the stairs up north and check out the various objects in the bar. You can pick up various drinks and smokes from around the place. If you check the toilet hanging on the wall, the bartender will tell you the history behind the wall decoration. After which you can talk to the Bartender. Ask her about Pseudopod. She will tell you that the man in the corner booth met with Pseudopod. Apparently, he has been waiting for Cascade. Ask her about the old man, exhausting all options.
You can talk about the other options too like the Miracle Line or Lucia’s background for flavour text. There is also a loose end, available which allows you to work for Lucia. This will get you 20 Sols. Now go speak to the strange man. Talking to him will open up a Nerve check that’s impossible to pass, almost.
Apparently, some people want Cascade’s heart. The Man with no heart knows a lot about you and the Organization since he is an old spy himself. You can talk to him about Pseudopod. Eventually, you will reach a dialogue option “What’s this *it* you speak of?” Asking him this will unlock the thought “The Quest for ‘IT’” You will also have a decent chance at a successful Records check.
You can also ask him about possible enemies, Reunion, the red disc Pseudopod was listening to, Bagman and Pseudopod himself. You will learn that EMTERR has set up a secret prison. He also tells you to talk to Carmuna. You will also hear about The Weeping Eye. End the conversation with him and then check if you have unspent skill points. I put another point in Personalism. Inspect the magazine about firearms you picked up earlier.
Reading through it will eventually get you to needing a Coin, 500G of hard plastic, and a can, which is a Loose End related to building a firearm. You will also get the undiscovered thought, “The Wang Way.” Do the same for Ombre Hombre, the comic book you picked up from the same library. You will have a coordination check to pull out a page, but if you fail it, you will destroy any value that the comic book might have had. You will discover a thought, “The Umbral Host”. Remember to condition any thoughts you have to get benefits. Exit the bar.
Party Alley
Go up the stairs and up on the alley you will find two costumed teenagers.
Speak to them but they will be quite rude as teenagers are. But they will give you a status effect “Advanced Foreboding” and will be able to answer questions about the red disc. You will also get a Dopplegang check to learn more about headphones guy, Pseudopod. Speak to them about Ultra Violeta and how she is missing. Once you have exhausted all dialogue options, leave the teens. Go back down the stairs towards Bootleg Bazar. Go past the GM and then the stairs heading north, bootleg bazar is to the east of here.
Jump the railing and go left. Hop on to the next rooftop and check the box there for a Pink Mini Skirt.
On the way back down you can stop and contemplate Bootleg Bazar and the world around you. There is a Blueprints check that you can do to learn more about the Bazar.
Go down south now, towards the river and you can pick up a pair of Feather White Sneakers near the houseboat.
Go east from here over the barge to the other side to pick up a pair of Elegant Black Gloves.
Now head north to the Bazar.
Bootleg bazaar
Speak to the Rare Media Vendor on the north side of the bazar.
You have a Personalism check to find out more about him. But exhaust the other dialogue options first to make the check easier. Speak to him about various things but mostly ask him about the Red Disc and the Eizeltone XR. This will update the task “What’s Wrong, Pseudopod?” He will also confirm what the teens told you, Ultra Violetta is indeed missing. He will also talk about various media formats. He will also give you some information about Pseudopod. Petre will also wonder if you are with The Weeping Eye. He will finally tell you that it is possible to reanimate Pseudopod. Once you are done with Petre. Check the music shelf on the right. Exhaust all the options. You can buy a Blood Golem Album for 25 Sols. Next check the small boy watching tv on the right. This will get you a Loose Thread, about his imported toy sword.
You will also learn about the show Sixty Six Wolves. You can also talk to them about schooling, Pseudopod and if they have seen or heard anything odd. That last part will lead to a Loose End, people have gone missing after using the Payphone at the west entrance of the Bootleg Bazaar. You can also get the sword from the Toy sword from the boy. For that you have two option, a Poetics check or make a deal for the sword. For either option, I didn’t have required stats to succeed or anything to make a deal with.
Up near the north side of the bazaar you can pick up an item, A Pellota ball holding up a door.
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.
