Combat isn’t really the focus, and instead Disco Elysium leans heavily on dialogue and story-driven sequences as you explore its open world.

But it’s the sincerity and boldness of everything from mechanics to dialogue that really set this tale apart, even if the current presentation could have benefited from a delay.įirst released in October 2019 as a PC exclusive, this top-down RPG feels like a modern take on the narrative ideas of Planescape: Torment. This premise sets you on a path of personal discovery that is harsh to unravel at times. The only thing you’re certain is that you’re at rock bottom, and getting back up on your feet won’t be easy. Where other stories try to replicate reality, you’re as clueless as the protagonist in this world. And you still have a case to solve - with no remnants of what happened, or what kind of person you were.Īmnesia is an overused trope in games, but it suits Disco Elysium perfectly. Last night’s party has fragmented your mind into dozens of different personalities, each acting independently as voices inside your head. You’re surrounded by empty wine bottles, a window that has been smashed from the inside with one of your boots, and your necktie hanging on the ceiling fan. The hero’s journey begins in a hostel room turned upside down. But ZA/UM Studio’s Disco Elysium sets a different foundation: you’re a sloppy detective and a disaster of a human being who has already been defeated by life itself. We’ve witnessed the journey of noble villagers rising to meet a glorious destiny dozens of times. RPGs often put us in the boots of a mighty hero in the making. Disco Elysium is about learning to exist at rock bottom.

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