The Disco Elysium team returns, and they’re introducing something new, weird, and very psychological to the RPG world. ZA/UM has officially revealed Project C4, an espionage RPG where failure isn’t only possible—it’s part of the experience.
Spies, Betrayal, and the Stench of Failure
Essentially, Project C4 positions you as an Operant, an in-field operative for an international superpower. Your operations? Covert, high-stakes missions with secrets to be revealed, power to be garnered, and webs of shifting allegiances to be managed. The costs? Death, exposure, and repercussions that resonate.
ZA/UM is embracing the gritty, morally ambiguous world of spy thrillers—Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, not James Bond’s high-stakes hijinks. It’s espionage minus the high-tech gadgetry and suave charm—it’s about lying, compromising, and living in a world where trust is currency.
Dice Rolls, Drugs, and Psychological Warfare
If you enjoyed the tense, dice-roll-based gameplay of Disco Elysium, you can look forward to more of the same below. Decisions will have consequences, and failure is integral to the experience, not as a penalty but as a necessary component of narrative. ZA/UM wants players to experience “the stench of failure” as they make their way through dialogue options, dangerous actions, and the unpredictable mess of espionage.
And then there’s this: you’ll be able to use psychoactive substances to erase, change, or alter violent events. What does that mean in practice? ZA/UM is keeping quiet, but it suggests a game where reality itself is flexible—if you’re willing to pay the price.
At this time, information is still limited, but Project C4 looks to be something special. ZA/UM has already demonstrated that they can make rich, offbeat RPGs, and this plunge into spying and mind games is already looking like one of the most compelling of the new wave.
For the time being, you can watch the teaser trailer here and begin preparing yourself for a world of secrets, lies, and do-or-die decisions.