“Disco Elysium” is a role-playing video game developed and published by ZA/UM. It was first released in October 2019. The game is set in a city still recovering from a war decades prior to the game’s start. Players step into the shoes of an amnesiac detective who has been charged with solving a murder mystery.
In “Disco Elysium,” the internal dialogues of the protagonist play a significant role. The detective’s skills and abilities can talk to him, help or hinder him in different ways, and affect the course of the investigations. The choices you make as a player shape the kind of detective you become and influence how the story unfolds. The game does not rely on combat, instead it focuses on dialogue and decision-making.
Disco Elysium Facts
- Development Team: “Disco Elysium” was developed and published by ZA/UM, a team formed by Estonian novelist Robert Kurvitz. The studio has a background in literature and music, which heavily influenced the game’s development.
- Setting: The game is set in a fictional city called Revachol, a once-glorious metropolis now in severe decline following a failed revolution. The city, and the broader world, have their own histories, cultures, and political ideologies.
- Inspiration: The universe of “Disco Elysium” was initially created for a novel titled “Sacred and Terrible Air”, written by Robert Kurvitz, the lead designer of the game.
- No Combat: Unlike most RPGs, “Disco Elysium” has no traditional combat. Conflicts are resolved through dialogue trees and skill checks.
- Skills and Dialogues: The game has 24 skills, each representing different aspects of the protagonist’s personality. These skills converse with the player, giving advice, hindrances, or commentary, and greatly affecting the outcome of the narrative.
- Thought Cabinet: One of the game’s unique mechanics is the Thought Cabinet, where players can choose to internalize certain thoughts. These can grant various bonuses, penalties, or even open up new dialogue options.
- Voice Acting: The original version of the game did not have full voice acting. However, “Disco Elysium – The Final Cut,” the definitive edition of the game, added full voice acting for all characters.
- Art Style: The game’s art style is inspired by painters like Ilya Repin and Johannes Vermeer. The character portraits were all hand-painted by an artist named Aleksander Rostov.
- Awards: “Disco Elysium” won several awards upon its release, including four at The Game Awards 2019: Best Narrative, Best Independent Game, Fresh Indie Game, and Best Role Playing Game.
Disco Elysium Gameplay Tips
- Explore the Skill System: Each of the 24 skills represents a different aspect of your character’s psyche and will impact your gameplay in a variety of ways. For instance, “Empathy” helps you understand others’ emotions, while “Endurance” can make you tougher in physical challenges.
- Use the Thought Cabinet: The Thought Cabinet is a mechanic where you can “internalize” thoughts. This means your character can ponder an idea over time, and once fully formed, these thoughts can give you various bonuses, penalties, or new dialogue options.
- Talk to Everyone: Much of the game’s depth comes from its dialogue, so be sure to talk to every character you meet. You never know where an interesting or helpful piece of information might come from.
- Save Often: There are many decisions to make and dialogues to navigate, with each one potentially leading to a variety of outcomes. Save your game regularly, especially before important decisions, so you can go back and try different paths if you wish.
- Don’t Fear Failure: In “Disco Elysium,” even failures can lead to interesting outcomes. Don’t reload a save just because you failed a skill check. Often, these situations can lead to some of the most memorable moments in the game.
- Explore Your Surroundings: The game is set in a rich, detailed world. Take the time to explore every location and interact with everything you can. Many objects and locations will have detailed descriptions that can deepen your understanding of the game’s lore.
- Choose Your Character Build Wisely: When starting the game, you can choose from one of three predefined characters or create your own. Each has a different focus: intelligence, physical prowess, or emotional sensitivity. Consider which approach you want to take before choosing.
- Invest in Shivers and Inland Empire Skills: The “Shivers” skill allows you to connect with the city for hints and lore, while “Inland Empire” can provide unique dialogues and interactions, making the gameplay even more exciting.
Disco Elysium characters, objects, places, weapons, buildings
Characters
- The Player Character: You play as an amnesiac detective, later referred to as Harry Du Bois, who wakes up in a trashed hotel room with no memory of who he is.
- Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi: Kim is your partner from Precinct 57, tasked to oversee the murder investigation. He is methodical and professional, often serving as a moral compass.
- Titus Hardie: The leader of the Dockworkers’ Union’s muscle, the Hardie Boys. He’s a key character in the murder investigation.
- Evart Claire: The current head of the Dockworkers’ Union and a highly influential figure in the city of Revachol.
- Joyce Messier: A representative of the company Wild Pines. She provides valuable insights into the ongoing dockworkers’ strike and the broader economic tensions in the city.
Objects
- Tie: Your horrific necktie is one of the first objects you interact with and seems to have a mind of its own.
- Ledger: Your detective’s ledger is an important tool used to record your thoughts and breakthroughs during your investigation.
- Shivers: While not a physical object, “shivers” is a skill that provides a sense of the city around you, often revealing important information.
Places
- Whirling-in-Rags: The hotel where the player wakes up and where the murder victim was last seen.
- The Fishing Village: A dilapidated part of town that holds valuable clues and interesting characters.
- Docks: This is where the Dockworkers’ Union is based, and it plays a crucial role in the game’s plot.
Buildings
- Whirling-in-Rags Hotel: A central location for the story, the hotel also serves as your base of operations.
- Feld Building: This abandoned commercial area houses the mysterious “Feld Mural,” which becomes significant as the game progresses.
- Church: An old, abandoned church plays a key role in one of the game’s quests and is a location for many intriguing discoveries.
Reviews
- Metacritic: At the time of my last update, the game had a Metacritic score of 91/100 for its PC version, indicating “universal acclaim”. User reviews were also very positive.
- IGN: The popular game review site IGN gave “Disco Elysium” a 9.6 out of 10, praising its deep storytelling, intricate world-building, and unique mechanics.
- GameSpot: GameSpot rated the game 10 out of 10, stating that it’s a “story-driven isometric role-playing game about being a total failure”. They further appreciated its complex detective narrative, moral uncertainties, and deep character customization options.
- PC Gamer: PC Gamer gave the game a 92 out of 100, with praise for its dialogue, characterization, and the depth of its world.
- The Guardian: The Guardian awarded the game 5 out of 5 stars, praising its intricate narrative, complex mechanics, and the freedom it gives to players to shape their character.
