Disco Elysium - The Final Cut

Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
97
Metacritic
93
Steam
96.517
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
Price
$39.99
Release date
15 October 2019
Developers
Publishers
Steam reviews score
Total
93 (76 724 votes)
Recent
92 (936 votes)

Disco Elysium - The Final Cut is a groundbreaking role playing game. You’re a detective with a unique skill system at your disposal and a whole city to carve your path across. Interrogate unforgettable characters, crack murders or take bribes. Become a hero or an absolute disaster of a human being.

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Disco Elysium - The Final Cut system requirements

Minimum:

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 7
  • Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: DirectX 11 compatible video card (integrated or dedicated with min 512MB memory)
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 20 GB available space
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cecirdr
cecirdr

I felt like I was really role playing in this game. Choices seemed to matter. I finished the game and that's saying a lot. I start many games, but often put them down before finishing. I played Disco Elysium mostly offline on my steam deck and the experience was perfect. I guess I probably took 60 or so hours to finish it. It's dark, funny, offbeat and completely worth your time.

Slycooper1926
Slycooper1926

Great art direction, visuals and sounds but the "GAME" is boring, all the hype and reviews and what not and is just a visual novel, is not a typical RPG, hardcore my ass, what's the point of making an rpg that is boring to play and yes I know how to read, I can read, the fans defending this game is just insane and super agressive, which makes things even worse.

If you want a tradional good rpg experience with combat and what not stay away from this game, this is roleplaying in the very old outdated board fashion way and not in the normal videogame. It can be refreshing for a particular kind of people but not for the standar gamer or RPG enthusiast, play other rpg instead.

c.allen0512
c.allen0512

i played on switch, but this game is just amazing, so artistic and well written. the news about the creators has wrecked my heart. disco elysium is very close to my heart

citizen Lynch
citizen Lynch

соевое душнилово, однако с затейливой и оригинальной ролевой системой. не пожалел, что начал, но закончить не смог. история, которая не побуждает дойти до конца - плохая история.

LyndaFromHR
LyndaFromHR

Disco Elysium is a sublime experience. Its one of the few games that I wish I could forget entirely so I could experience again. Describing anything about it would diminish your journey. The characters, world, and writing are perfect. I wish only to see them with fresh eyes.

ZA/UM's actions against the lead creatives behind Disco Elysium does not take away from the game itself, it just cements that the company won't get any more of my money. Imagine having the most bulletproof intellectual property in the last decade and throwing it away.

EuphoricBread
EuphoricBread

The game is a pretty great detective game so far I have 4 separate characters specializing in many skill trees, it's quite a bit of fun to unravel the mystery and see what each character has missed during the dialogue interactions

wer8888
wer8888

its so easy to enthralled by this game's rigorously constructed mystery and world. disco elysium is a wonderful and cool as fuck game that i encourage anyone who understood high school english class to play (i had to search up a few words lol)

ghaladh
ghaladh

It's just a book with overcomplicated and unrelated dialogues. LOT of pointless politics, lot of banal phylosophical digressions and a VERY slow paced story that seems to go nowhere. It runs out its charm after the first few hours. The characters are interesting enough and the atmosphere is pretty good, but I have to put effort into staying interested or even awake.

I was in for a detectve story. It starts with a murder on which you are supposed to investigate... if you could even remember that you are a cop, that is. You are in a part of the city in which you have no authority and everyone is hostile or merely unhelpful. I died trying to get a horrible tie from a ceiling fan. OK, I love a challenge.

So, about this murder... in one hour it solves by itself. The culprits confess; you just had to ask. Since you are no one, you can't even arrest or punish them, leaving you in a world without any reason to do anything. No objectives, no meaningful actions to perform and really nothing interesting to see.

I'm stuck trying to speak with the head of the union, and honestly I don't even know why the hell I should bother, since the only thing that is left to do is to remove the body from the murder scene asking for the help of the very people who killed the guy, and then go back home. Leave it there to rot and let them sort it out cleaning their own mess, I say. I feel my character is completely useless in this game and his presence totally pointless.

I will keep playing it for a little longer, but I will very likely get bored, uninstall and forget about this "game".

TheDatacist
TheDatacist

Disco Elysium is an awesome game about a lot of things. The design is beautiful and well done and its the best written game ive ever played

Snus
Snus

Disco Elysium is one of the best written games I played in recent years. The characters, the dialogues, the narration, the story (which is tied together in the end without apparent lose ends) are all great. It really feels like you are living in this world, and even many lore elements that seem excessive at first make sense as the story unfolds.

The game doesn't have any battle system, but it has character stats and checks. And I found these checks are the worst part of the game. See, despite it being a RPG, there is often only one way to proceed, and that's by passing a certain stat check. Even in the main storyline this is very common, and some side quests are simply impossible to complete unless you pass a specific check. Sure, the game allows you to unlock thoughts (acting as perks, essentialy) raising some of your stats and put skill points into stats directly, but a huge variety of different checks make it so a versatile character has much better chances to succed than the one who puts everything into intellect or physical power.

This, I feel, goes against the whole concept of roleplaying. What's the point in being smart or compassionate, if at some point you are only able to proceed via brute force or agility? Sure, you can save scum to pass a check, but that's also not a very fun to play the game. Granted, is some cases there are at least two ways to achieve your goal, but in others you need to pass a very specific check, or you are just locked from content forever. And the worst thing, despite all that the game has very low replayability, because the main story stays the same no matter what you do.

Don't get me wrong, Disco Elysium is still a great game, but if it were a classic point & click adventure instead of trying to be a RPG, I believe it would be even better.

glacier_racer
glacier_racer

You only get one chance to play this for the first time. It's a fantastic experience unlike any other game.

Birdo
Birdo

Bonafide art, raises the bar for narrative games. Have not seen writing on this level in any game and the fully voiced Final Cut has some really exceptional talent.

Made me feel like an ass for any fencesitting and showcased perspectives on life in a compelling way. Made me laugh and cry.

What the company did to the creators is disgusting, but they managed to create something really special here. I hope they can make something else in its spirit one day, and I would consider this a must-play, but probably not a must-buy since it will no longer support the minds behind it. Figure it out.

The Big LeBoweski
The Big LeBoweski

Great story. Very interesting gameplay mechanics but I found I could only enjoy it in 40-60 min sessions. Regardless it is a great experience that you will wish you could replay for the first time all over again!

🌻
🌻

this is my new favorite game and i'm not even finished with it yet. i love that it's letting me choose a side instead of trying to force me to stay neutral or come to some sort of "both sides are bad" conclusion.

also, i got to shout "god d*** right i'm a f*****" at a bratty child, which was pretty cool.

Dinkie Dinkerton
Dinkie Dinkerton

Disco Inferno's an interesting game.Despite what the store page told me, I find it's not really a detective game. The murders, the officer talk, the suspects, it's all window-dressing for what the game's truly about: Poverty, climate change, politics, celebrities, businesses, the homo-sexual underground, etc etc... And most of all, it's about the people of this world. The denizens that reside in Revachol, Martinese. Their lives, their problems and the things surrounding them, all neatly knotted with polish and care.
It's a one-of-a-kind game, something we may not see again (especially with all the recent drama with zaum), and it's something I think everyone should try out at some point.

Hardcore to the the mega!!!!

twentySix
twentySix

Absolutely gorgeous soundtrack, narrative and ambiance overall.
I am type of player that normally skips through dialogues, not in this case: voice acting mad dialogues intrigued and satisfying to follow.
Astonishing plot with twists, irony, satire characteristics.
Highly recommend.

roflstomp
roflstomp

There's a lot to wade through. This doesn't make it bad at all, quite the contrary, just don't expect to zip through it.

pestmant
pestmant

This game gives you amazing quotes to say in real life with no context in a super cool and sexy voice. All your friends will think you are schizophrenic, which, you will say "thank you" to, because the Disco Elysium protagonist is also schizophrenic.

(E.g. "Snap-snap, baby! Turns out, guns aren't that much for *protecting* as they are for *attacking* people. If you want to protect people, really work *for* them, you have to whip out your signature dual 9mm Villiers Finger Pistols. Who needs a real gun anyway? That conversation you just had? It would’ve gone better had you’d snapped those bad boys at ‘em. (NOTE! 9mm dual Finger Pistols do not count for an actual weapon in a gunfight.")

Gappy
Gappy

“Capital has the ability to subsume all critiques into itself. Even those who would *critique* capital end up *reinforcing* it instead…” JOYCE MESSIER

Bring back the original creators

Not Legato
Not Legato

Not only is it some of the most intelligent prose I've ever seen in a video game, it's also very raw and human. Great experience.

Gremblo
Gremblo

Absolute genius masterpiece of a game. I've never been into CRPGs primarily because of the combat, so the omission of combat in this game along with the insane amount of branching paths, brilliant writing, beautiful art, and the engaging world has made this one of my favorite games ever.

What ZA/UM did to the creators of this game is a tragedy and I hope they get their asses torn off in court.

Javivo
Javivo

A horrible, soul-breaking, and terribly funny trip. One of the best and most intelligent games to be played.

HazeEmDazeEm
HazeEmDazeEm

This is one of the best games I've ever played,

Don't buy it. The Money Men of the company ZA/UM kicked out the creative leads who built this game-world as a labour of love over DECADES and then stole the rights to it.

If you wish to play this game -- and I 100% suggest you do -- go ahead and sail the Seven Seas with the REAL creator's blessing.

edinpasovic
edinpasovic

Best written game of all times, way ahead of anything else in this medium. The world is fascinating and detailed, the lore refreshingly original and unique, the gameplay a clear evolution of the "Planescape: Torment" idea, and the characters extraordinarily crafted and multidimensional.
Apart from the loading time issues, I have no single complaint about the game and can only strongly recommend it.

oscar_n
oscar_n

One of the best games or even best pieces of media I've seen. Perfect balance of narrative and gameplay, brilliant characters and story, very funny, very sad and at times shocking. The best writing I have seen in a game, I think back to it often. Also very replayable, Ive just restarted it yet again

Skorpi05
Skorpi05

One of the best games I have played and with the most strange, unique and entertaining cast of characters.

Dodgy
Dodgy

✅️ Engaging story
✅️ Excellent narration
✅️ Gorgeous art style
✅️ Great sense of humour

❌️ Navigation occasionally confusing
❌️ Backtracking can be tedious

Stim The One
Stim The One

I gave this game to a friend of mine who did not do much gaming and he just fell in love with it. It understands what an RPG really is... not some endless slog of combat, but story. Some might consider that the conversations you have through your adventure IS combat of a sorts... conflict, but simplified.... the basics exploited well as you have the bottom tier character knowing nothing justified by your guy starting as they do. Shame to hear about the studio, I thought we had a DLC incoming or another game, maybe. Hopefully this can inspire game companies to follow suit.

The world is certainly more strange than initially apparent.... you think it's just some real life analogues until you start to see the stark differences, the situations leading to some misunderstandings you have. You gently start to learn more and more of the world, and of your past as you go.... which is sometimes not a good idea. But you, as a fine detective can go and do it.

A narrative game making you grow into the role of a great detective, distilling the essence of an rpg to what it truly is.

BrozoufDS
BrozoufDS

I will NEVAH get my 40 bucks back from ZA/UM. The real irony is that a game centered around how harsh and messed up the world can be fires their creative and thought provoking heads for money. This game is one of the best things I've seen in a bit and I'm sad that I don't get to see a new spin in the same world with different characters that's done like this. I will give it a 10/10 because I know that ZA/UM can't strike lightning twice without the people with talent and heart. If you want to play the game, pirate it. "In dark times should the stars go out?"

arzgaa
arzgaa

Great RPG-book/game with a lot of visually pleasing pictures thrown in there. Some cool and unusual skills to play around with. A couple of "forced" skillchecks felt a bit frustrating. The story manages to be hilarious, touching and crazy.

When I first finished the game I was almost satisfied, with a hint of "is that it?". I think it's because the game really got the feeling of "there must be something more to life" down so well and it's lurking there all of the way. A sort of contemplation on the futility and beauty of life and the different ways people try to handle all of it. No doubt it's a great game.

意味ちゃん
意味ちゃん

ZA/UM bad bad!
I hope this company realizes its mistake which damages creative people and content creators.

Thanks for the gift, Eric Draven!

dotNort
dotNort

Ridiculously superb writing. I can say almost without a doubt that this is the best RPG I have ever, and possibly will ever play.

Nansakana
Nansakana

A unique piece of art in the medium, I'm not much for CRPGs and came with very high expectations, but was still blown away by how much insanely well crafted this is

Fixit Frank
Fixit Frank

This game is one of the few games that really let you feel you have a personal connection with the characters, and the town you play it in. The ambiance of the world you play in is amazing due to the artstyle that is used. Revachol, the city you play this game in, is maybe not the biggest but will keep you busy for a long time to reveal all it's mysteries. Even after completing it I didn't discover everything. The game really gives you the feeling you are a real detective. For example what you will discover or ask a person first will infliuence on how they react. Make some small talk and they are more willing to give you an answer. Or ask a question in a different way to lure them in confessing something.

I said game at the beginning of my review, but sometimes this game is more an interactive book. There are hours of naration and conversation in this game. Maybe sometimes a bit too much. You will unlock more choices based on your skill points. Based on your skill points the other character will react positive or negative to your question. Same with actions like opening a door. If you don't have enough physics strength to open a door, you are unlikely to open it. There is also a max of skillpoints that you can unlock and is based on the character from the beginning. This can mean you never can get strong enough to open the door. There is a thought mechanic to rise the maximum but I never really understood how this worked. Also some items like cloths or even beer can raise the maximum of some stats. (Mostly by influencing another stat negativly).

Also you have to accept that not everything will have a positive outcome, and sometimes can not unlock everything unless you would play it again. But after 60 hours and a great story I didn't feel the need to replay the game again. But those locked doors and different outcomes keep itching. Maybe I will replay the game in a year. I recommend this game for people who love narrated stories and have a lot of patience. Also if you like adventure games this game can be for you, but keep in mind this game is much long-winded at some points. If you like action games this is not your game.

Contrast
Contrast

This game is a masterpiece. The existence of Disco Elysium makes me glad I exist in this moment of time. In this minuscule period and moment of time. Because I at least got to exist at the same time as this game.

I already played through the entire game, but if you haven't yet, you might not relate to my thoughts. In short, this game is very worth your time, it doesn't matter if you aren't used to reading some of the topics of the game, the story and the way it's narrated is very memorable and worth your time.

So much thought and soul was put into this game, you can see it while you play, I saw it while I played.

The protagonist is no supernatural being (how do I even explain this), you realise of this soon into the game. He is flawed, hurt, he makes mistakes, he loves, dreams, and idk, I adore him and I adore how you can construct who he is.

btw, Kim Kitsuragi is one of my favourite characters out of all the video games that are out there. He is so cool. I relate to his character greatly.

I always wondered since 2019 what does even Disco Elysium mean. The name of this game never allowed me to imagine what this game could possibly be about. Now I know. Disco Elysium.

The next part is a second review, much more personal that I want to leave recorded somewhere.

Now, my personal review that mostly reflects how I don't know anyone who I can discuss such heavy topics with. I don't have anyone with who I can talk about this.

I have always wanted to be born in the future, I am sad humans don't live more than 90 years. 100 years is not enough for a human mind. There is so much to learn and so little time. I am sad I was born in this time. I have always felt I was born too early. Knowing I have a countdown, knowing death is inevitable, knowing people age and deteriorate so rapidly, knowing other objects, both organic and inorganic, continue on and have the capacity to live longer, makes me feel absolutely awful.
With this sentiment that is ingrained in everything I do and am, finding things that make my life worth living, that give my life purpose, is rare.

I have only found joy and purpose in art, in the maximum way of expression and communication we, as an aware and conscious species, have. Video games are art, a way into the worlds others have created where anyone can express them without limits. In other words, art is my only way to explore so many worlds and realities, things that I could have seen in the future.

I want to share this about me to put into perspective, to whoever is reading, the unique and special game that Disco Elysium is, and will, hopefully, (because it deserves it) forever be.

Play it because it's really great. It does not matter so much if the story has elements you aren't used to reading, the experience is worth your time. So much thought and soul was put into this game, you can see it while you play, I saw it while I played.

To me, the highest rank or rate a thing can have is to make me happy to be alive. That means, if a thing gives you a truly unique and memorable experience, it makes life worth living. If being alive means being able to experience video games like Disco Elysium, then I feel content with this sentiment of mine about being born too early.

I don't even mean this in a profound way. If anything gives you a spark, a few hours of escape and good feelings, then it's awesome.

Wulfrann
Wulfrann

Just... stunning. A work of art. I don't want to ever finish it. Everything feels important and precious and you can really feel the amount of thought and care that went into this game - especially when it's at its silliest.

[H]exile «Foxy» (Ryder17z)
[H]exile «Foxy…

Good game, but ZA/UM has treated the original team like utter garbage.
Please don't support this kinds of business practices.

Sweaty_Cactus
Sweaty_Cactus

this game is almost magic...its immense. i can't really say enough about it, but basically theres nothing like it on earth

DapperJack
DapperJack

Some of the absolute best writing in video games with unparalleled voice acting. Gameplay is a little frustrating at times and the game is very slow. Take your time with this game and really let yourself get sucked into the universe. Warning, the game covers a lot of sensitive subjects, so be ready. Note, the company has recently ousted the main brains behind this game, so if you can get it without supporting the company, that's the way to go.

mrkomodo37
mrkomodo37

This game is an absolute masterpiece. The writing is the best I've seen in any game and is incredibly eloquent, thought provoking, evocative, and captivating. I actually felt like I was getting smarter by consuming this. And it managed to be hilarious too.

The plot is amazing, unexpected, emotional, and inspiring. I felt like all of my decisions had weight, and while I normally gravitate towards reloading when things go wrong, I felt truly immersed in the story and only reloaded once when i made a mistake. I'm also extremely impressed throughout all of the event branches and dialogue trees there was basically no point where I felt like it didn't "remember" my decisions.

The skills system is beautifully done and it all felt very novel and refreshing. And from a technical standpoint, the game is not resource intensive and loads really quickly.

11/10

....
....

Disco Elysium starts out with an amnesiac in his deepest and most self loathing state. You wake up and carry out on your way, discovering the facets of how the people are living in the world. As you go deeper, you discover that every character that you met are in the world are on the brink of survival. Some resort to drugs to cope, some wanted to change the world for the better, almost a playback to how you just started when you boot up the game.

You learn to connect with the various characters, embrace the failures day by day, but then get back up once more and come back to fight another battle. The game teaches you that no matter how much you fail in life, the most important thing is not to swallow yourself in self-pity, but to get back up and face them headstrong, even when every single thing around you is against you, and I love the game for that.

The story of this game is a work of masterpiece, not only tying itself in the game world with everything building to it’s final conclusion while weaving itself in it’s unique world building and lore, exploring different concepts of the world while touching in serious topics in a delicate and caring manner. It’s impressive how much care and thought came into the game and I’ll say that the game is ART.

monpekthephil
monpekthephil

I like it for what it was, but at the same time the dialogue only carried it so far for me personally. At a certain point, I became bored and wanted not action but just more interesting game-play mechanics, besides, walking to a place and waiting for the roll of the dice. Also with such bare bones game-play the map is very small. My playthrough was a little over 30 hours and I did not feel any need to play it again at that length. To that end it is still a unique project though I recommend it more for people that like to listen to audiobooks

Yellowshield
Yellowshield

An absolutely beautiful game. There's not a lot in my library that I would call a true work of art, but Disco Elysium deserves a spot in the Louvre. A relentlessly charming weave of murder mystery, cop drama, and philosophy textbook that will keep you hooked with impeccable humor and atmosphere. It's a damn shame that ZA/UM apparently forced the geniuses behind this game out of the company, but even knowing that I can't stop myself from recommending it to any human with two eyes and a heart.

lonnifer
lonnifer

This is a very wordy game. There's no fighting or puzzle solving, just hours and hours of conversation with NPCs, where you select your questions/replies from multiple-choice prompts. I'm not against wordy games in general, but I did not find this story very compelling. You play as a cliche alcoholic detective with a dark past, trying to solve a murder in a slum town where there is a workers strike happening.

This is all taking place in an alternate universe, complete with its own invented countries, races, and history. A lot of work has obviously gone into world-building here, but I found this world less than intriguing because it is such an obvious parallel to the real world, complete with all our real world social issues (unions vs corporations, racist nationalism, poverty, alcoholism, etc.). The alternate universe setting doesn't add much to the story and only serves to add linguistic confusion.

The graphics are beautiful, and the voice acting is fantastic, but the gameplay is just not fun. This is a detective simulator, and perhaps later in the game there is more puzzle solving and piecing together of clues, but in the 10 hours that I played there was very little of that. It was mostly just the standard RPG scavenger hunt of "bring item A to person B to obtain reward C", along with talking to NPCs and trying to get clues about the murder. I found the conversations long and tedious and I eventually started skipping the dialog and gave up on the game altogether.

c0ug4r
c0ug4r

Probably the best game I have ever played.
That said don't buy it, but get it some other way:

Lead writer and designer Robert Kurvitz, art and design lead Aleksander Rostov, and writer Helen Hindpere who all played an essential role in making Disco Elysium what it is had to involuntarily leave developer ZA/UM in 2021.

SolidOberon
SolidOberon

I don't understand what's going on, but I like it.
It's like DnD, but your attacks are dialogue options.

Anonymous
Anonymous

A complex game with an intricate narrative based around the insecurities of the main character, a drunken amnesiac detective, and his attempts to solve a murder. Vivid characters and a water colour art style make this a unique RPG that may not appeal to the average FPS player but if you're looking for something different with some depth, this a game for you.

PL4YW1N
PL4YW1N

If you want endless dialogue crime draga circle jerk, enjoy. Tons of talking. No options to manipulate anyone, I messed with the whole dialogue choose schema, going back and choosing all the options. Nothing changes. Total false advertising here.

Puppey Chef
Puppey Chef

The gameplay and history telling is amazing, your different skills and their voices make this game truly outstand.

My only issue is that your actions do not matter on the outcome of this story. I missed parts of the game because I didn't want to align with the union or the liberals and it just doesn't matter, it felt poor that such a detailed game doesn't have multiple endings (aside from some minor details)

yung machiavelli
yung machiavelli

A modern masterpiece... This game is one of the most beautiful displays of the immense creative power of the human mind, especially when driven by passion and a deep need to make something.

I am someone who feels burnt out a lot on the world, alienated at many times by the lack of care and love that people have for their work, and often feeling like a social outcast or like I'm just too "strange". In a world of generic, soulless knock-offs, of endless sequels and superhero movies and songs that didn't need to be made, this game has given me an immense solace. It reminded me of the beauty of the odd, of the importance of being what you are and of the profundity of carrying on even when things seem hopeless and pointless.

Please, play this game, and experience some of the good of what it means to be human.

A Nice Man
A Nice Man

Witty. Funny. Dark. Beautiful.

You may find that your own inner narrator engages after playing and you start REALLY noticing the world around YOU.

Incredible game. Glad I came back to it after starting an initial play through a few years ago.

oO Nick Oo
oO Nick Oo

Never could manage to finish the game. The world itself is very well realized, and our player character is interesting, funny and pathetic in the best way. Many other good characters too. The game is tiresome to play though, the way it waxes philosophical is better done in like Divinity original sin IMO. By far the worst part of the game however are the dice rolls. This game allows me to make specific role playing decisions. It allows me to CRAFT my character, and with it, my expectations. The game checks should be a simple yes or no, or something like that. Failing a 70 percent or higher roll is infuriating because I have clearly spec'd my character to pass those checks, and I EXPECT it. The crime itself unfolds quite well and is mostly interesting despite some pacing problems. game just hasnt stuck with me.

Lovable Byron
Lovable Byron

Good game. Shame what happened to the original team and devs, the game is a work of art and it is being tarnished by corporate ghouls. (Do yourself a favour and pirate it.)

Keyboardsmash7534
Keyboardsmash7534

The game started out interesting but fell apart after about 10 hours in. The biggest turn off in this game is the strong possibility of being soft-locked out of nowhere. If you fail some dice rolls, you will need to prepare yourself to wander aimlessly around the maps for hours. In a lot of cases, you will need to reload. Oh, and the fact that you cannot skip time as much as you want does not help either.

Another thing I feel uncomfortable about this game is the amount of unexplained jargons and strange phrases it constantly throws at you in dialogues. Yes I get it, the devs are trying to create an immersive world. But more often these words just feel like a chore to remember and interpret. It is just not fun.

Now I am not saying this is a terrible game. There are some really great moments story-wise. The atmosphere is amazing. But between the confusing dialogues, soft-locks, and painfully grindy process to unlock quests, I just am not sure this can be called a good game.

Maybe the devs can somehow fix these issues. Judging from the recent updates, I really do not think that is ever gonna happen. Yeah, the last update this game had was fixing some crashes and introducing dyslexia friendly fonts (????). Clearly the company/devs behind this game got their priorities straight alright.

Fluttersnipe
Fluttersnipe

Writing this review after the creative heads of the game left the company following disagreements with their investors. It's true: capital subsumes all critiques into itself.

A tabletop-rpg-like following a buddy cop story solving a murder, you know this game is made by communists because it endlessly, RUTHLESSLY critiques and mocks communism. And every other political philosophy, for that matter.

It's very...what's the word? Ah, yes. It's very...disco.

Warsar
Warsar

I was not a fan on my first playthrough, I suspect my expectation were not set correctly for my initial run. Yet the game was very memorable and pulled me back to try again. I had a blast and could not put it down during my second try. The writing is superb and thought provoking, it does not shy away from discussing things considered taboo. Leaving you questioning your own morality.

It is a game about solving a murder, but it's more about how you figure it out ( which skills you choose to employ). Rather than actually figuring it out.

9.5/10 MUST PLAY

hamdawg87
hamdawg87

Excellent storytelling, great narration and the most in depth internal monologue I've ever seen in a game. Very good!

goatguts
goatguts

One of the best things I've played. I'm eternally obsessed with the solving of a murder, and this just is everything I want in that deeply personal human puzzle. Enough to guide you around this insanely beautifully put together mess of a world, but does not keep you on a track to finding everything. It feels real. Every aspect of it, from political to the personal. I hope to solve something else one day, be it the mystery of my own characters dilemma or another horrible event found elsewhere.

Lorbog
Lorbog

This is the greatest RPG ever made. Unfortunately, the company was stolen from the people who actually made the game. Do NOT spend money on this game, it'll only go to souless, worthless ghouls

Yuri
Yuri

Trying to describe this game will make it sound too mundane.
Unique, emotionally charged and bold piece of art.
Rare example in gaming.
"Something beautiful is going to happen"

tacos al vapor
tacos al vapor

Incredible game. Please pirate it, they fired all of the creative force behind this gem and robbed them of their creation. Do not support it. 10/10

xeryl
xeryl

this game is fucking fantastic and one of the best rpgs ever made, but if you plan on trying it; pirate it because the company known as "ZA/UM" that made the game has essentially forced out the original devs of disco and has stolen the company out from underneath them. Do not support ZA/UM!

LazloSociety
LazloSociety

Fantastic story-based rpg. Get the Final Cut (which includes full voice acting) and appreciate the experience.

RZeBRA-
RZeBRA-

idiot game
it's clear that they don't know about communism or such political issues but only tell you stories constantly
I played it 20 hours and it suddenly came to the end
someone believed that the story is a piece of the whole
honestly they can't even perfect the small part so please stop producing the whole bull shit

Bluemoonmoon
Bluemoonmoon

One of the only games I connected with on a spiritual level. You guys had what it took to be one of the best and then took a shit on it and then repeatedly shot it over and over again until all that was left was the corporate mindset. Fuck ZA/UM.

Feel free to pirate; just don't give them your money.

Anonymous
Anonymous

This is an awesome game.

It is very pleasing to explore and get surprised by an unexpected dialogue or action outcome. There are strong messages and hard subjects smartly embedded in the game. The initial profile character does really change the game experience. I played the whole game twice in a row, just to see a wider part of Disco Elysium.

I would definitely recommend this game.

feetfur
feetfur

Came in poppin and lockin. big bang in, big bang out. Hope they do more with the world and characters, and from the company in general

theneriea
theneriea

I love this game to pieces and have played it at least 10 times (mostly on PS5 then on Switch then lastly on PC when I learned I could cheat to unlock some dialog) and recommended it to all my friends, but the company ZA/UM took this game away from its creators. Please don't buy it anymore, just pirate. I'd follow its writers to wherever they go though.

Aprilcot
Aprilcot

Excellent game. Absolutely worth your time. Sadly, ZA/UM has cut ties with the devs responsible for making this game the masterpiece that it is, so I would suggest pirating this game to avoid rewarding the studio for their unethical behavior.

Noel⛧
Noel⛧

Art. But buying doesn't support the artists responsible, who were laid off by the corporate machine of ZA/UM. Pirate it. Fuck ZA/UM.

Анімешна ава - героям слава!
Анімешна ава -…

This game is for everyone, even if you've got a small attention span due to countless hours spent on TikTok. Sounds really strange but it cures since you need select options that gonna impact on ending. More pleasure you'll receive from politics and philosophy.

The game is charming by provoked curiosity to get more information about Elysium. The concept of pale as it's not just a strange matter but could be a condition. Uncoincedencly pale described by bourgeois as an inevitable threat to humanity. May it's not just unknown but unimaginable (however from a scientific perspective it's can be used interchangeably since imagination constructs from known) since pale just interacts with information.

Mocks political views with valid critiques i.e. centrism - saving the status quo; liberalism supporting exploitation not only regular workers on our wide understanding but cheering unpaid child labour on freezing air by a parent to make small business little more sustainable in the expense of education and health; leftists being fucked over by Mazov and in some cases dismiss purpose of theory/being blind. Inspires you to think about the real world due game being mimesis of it (if you are not braindead rightoid). Lots of allusions.

Necessary to play, but don't buy it - PIRATE, since this game made on Unity no longer belongs to its original devs (I was late to return when got this info).

Daddy Chill
Daddy Chill

I didn't expect this game to be all role play and no combat. But you know what? It was amazing from start to finish. I couldn't stop playing it.

|V|0|\|094|v|
|V|0|\|094|v|

Heard this game was "Wall of Text - The Game" so I avoided playing it cause I like actiony games.
Then, one day, for some mysterious reason I bought it and started playing.
I'm 20 hours in now and I gotta say this is a masterpiece.
True, all you do is walk around and talk to people, but it's so good I think I'm gonna replay multiple times, maybe even 100% it.
And the only games I bothered 100% were games like Sekiro and Elden Ring.
I'm even debating shaving my beard like the protagonist.
10/10 recommended to anyone.

Based Slav
Based Slav

[Authority:Difficult] Let's go disco style, baby.
1x1 dice throw
*fails*
Kim: Harry, put ya dick away Harry, I'm not having sex with you right now Harry.

Matthemus
Matthemus

A truly flavorful game that provides a refreshing take on isometric RPGs.

Drink yourself into a stupor, talk to dead bodies and neckties, or threaten everything that exists, including gigantic racists.

Disco Elysium is definitely wacky, but as every player tries to find out what kind of cop they are, they will probably have a good time. There is no traditional combat in this game, but it doesn't need it. The writing is as excellent as the art, and will keep you engaged.

I waited too long to play this game, don't make the same mistake!

Sir-Ex
Sir-Ex

This game is very relaxing to play, has a great sense of humour and wonderful quality of writing. I would recommend!

Scaryman
Scaryman

I feel proud of Estonia for making this game, it's just amazing! High replayability, nice jokes, soundtrack is so good, that I listen to it even after playing the game, graphics are beautiful and they don't need a cool PC to play, every storyline is well-written, especially the "Kol-do-mo-mo-dakva" and "2 mm hole". I also like the fact, that Disco Elysium is ported for Mac, thanks a lot, ZAUM.

Eightdown
Eightdown

This game makes me annoyed, mostly at myself because I hadn't played it sooner. The characters have a real depth to them and the intermingling of the different aspects of 'your' personality and how you choose to approach the investigation - and others - is thoroughly unique.

Chairman Deng Xiaoping
Chairman Deng …

I have nearly 7 hours on this game. I have recently got on semen retention and subscribed to Measurehead's advanced racial theories. stop drinking alcohol and eating potatoes you filthy inbreeders.

Lord Concertino
Lord Concertino

Good game, but be careful about every choice and random voice in your head choices.

Somehow, even tho every decision i made was fairly moderate, the characters at the end made comments on my fascism.
The only fascist choice I made was thinking about it once.

other than that great story, good characters

arren
arren

While the Game itself is Good, the Company of ZA/UM is a disgusting Shell that has forced out the lead creatives of this IP due to unbridled Greed.

The Company in its infinite wisdom forced out Its lead writer and creator of the world Robert Kurvitz, effectively stealing his creation from him.

Flurry
Flurry

my harry nearly died, broke down crying and ran out of money while calling his ex-wife on the payphone which was one of the most tense and uncomfortable scenes i've had to endure in a videogame

Zogu
Zogu

This game is one of the most impactful emotional experiences I've had within the digital medium, unfortunately I cannot recommend this product anymore as the company has completely sacked its original team of creative writers including the person who spearheaded the world of Disco Elysium, Robert Kurvitz. I would only ever consider buying anything from this company again if at a bare minimum Robert was involved, otherwise the game would be a shell of its former self. To those interested in trying the game I would advocate finding less direct means to or simply watching a playthrough online, its not worth rewarding this company for the achievements of those who are no longer allowed to be associated with it.

eloquence0924
eloquence0924

Unique and deep RPG, filled with mystery, amazing voice acting, enthralling dialogue, enticing visuals, and lots of customization through various items you can collect, as well as an immense skill tree system.

Grue
Grue

The best writing I've experienced in my 30+ years of gaming. The lore is so intricate and beautiful while still keeping the player engaged and entertained.

This will make you laugh and possibly cry too.

Worth every cent.

Tanuki
Tanuki

The best RPG ever made - a singular work of art destroyed by its own brilliance.

Goodbye, ZA/UM.

Un jour je serai de retour près de toi.

Jericho_Smericho
Jericho_Smericho

There has been so much though, love, and care put into this game. The characters are well rounded, the dialoug is witty and hilarious, and the story is beyond interesting. Definitely worth it to play.

davidwave4
davidwave4

The story is engrossing, the mechanics are well-implemented, and the characters are intriguing and oddly sympathetic. This game lives up to the hype.

kasualkaymer
kasualkaymer

11/10 best long depressing russian novel i ever read

however, my heart is broken because I didn't finish communist book club before [redacted] and apparently that breaks the quest chain, so make sure you finish that before crawling under the [redacted] building.

Enigma.exe
Enigma.exe

Amazing. I never thought I would be eager to keep playing a story-heavy game that's mostly reading, but this game is so damn engaging. The art is fucking gorgeous, especially all the icons for the stats you level up. The voice acting is iconic, and I could really feel myself getting closer to characters. The skill checks are interesting, with the game giving you plenty of opportunities to show off the skills you leveled up (and the ones that you didn't lol). My only minor nitpick is that the interface is sometimes fussy if you try to use drug items (the hitbox to click to use drugs is quite small and makes it look like you can't use the item). Again, you should know that this is mostly a talking game. A LOT of it. I actually like that the game doesn't put you in many fights or violent scenarios because I didn't feel desensitized to violence like I would be in a first-person-shooter. When a character could get seriously hurt or die, my heart was genuinely pounding. But I found the worldbuilding to be extremely engrossing as you experience it firsthand, never feeling confused, but always left with more to learn. I'm gonna have to wait a long time before I play it again with a different character build (because I still remember a lot and just finished it), but this is one of those games I'll remember.

8BitMonkey
8BitMonkey

This was honestly. Incredible. The voice acting was spot on and the story was super compelling with unexpected twists. I really loved the skill system where every one of your 24 skills talks to you and gives you insight into the world and the people you are talking to, each from their own unique perspective.

Anyone that enjoys talking to people in video games. Or if you like detective video games. Loves a good story. Likes deep worldbuilding. Or likes talking about philosophy should try this game out. 10/10.

Vomov
Vomov

It's kinda like a Sherlock and Watson dynamic duo. With several large and many smaller stories woven together into some kind of insane and beautiful tapestry, with a complex and fascinating cultural backdrop.
Oh, and this Sherlock is insane. What kind of insane, that you can decide; different aspects of his mind and personality have voices, and you choose which one to listen to and act upon. And based on that different routes present themselves, which are often hilarious, thoughtful, and at times works of art. It is, however, unclear what the tie represents, when it screams at him.

mrnx
mrnx

Now and then I have wondered what the fuss was about. But in the end, even after only having finished the game once, I am convinced it is a unique experience. It contains wonderful ideas in terms of gameplay, narration and depth.

Note that it is really aimed at a mature audience, not primarily for adult content, but for its philosophical side. At least I am sure I would not have had the same experience with this game in my early twenties.

thing
thing

A commodity appears, at first sight, a very trivial thing, and easily understood. Its analysis shows that it is, in reality, a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties.

HokPlays
HokPlays

A thought provoking ride that has you constantly questioning your own moral beliefs in a way I never thought a game could.

TheMuffinMan
TheMuffinMan

Definitely something special, the voice acting is superb, this world is simply intriguing, and the characters draw you in so much! Didn't realize what i was getting into, but its worth the time and exploration of your morals and the Detective himself. Talk about a cracked personality, the internal thoughts in this game really make you want to listen. One of a kind game that is different every time I play it and it's beautiful as f***.

1152
1152

i cannot possibly describe in words how cathartic and capitivating this experience is. i dont think i will try. play it.

Sovi3t_yog4
Sovi3t_yog4

Very smart and philosophical, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, always interesting. Makes you want to search for cryptids

Biha
Biha

It's one of those games where you hear about it from your nerdy friend, get sick of hearing about it so you push it aside, and play it half a year later, only to hate on yourself for not starting sooner (thank you my nerdy friends). Game is a poetic masterpiece, highly recommended for full price.

개인적으로 인생갓겜, 글이 많긴한데 개쩌는 책 한권 읽는다고 생각하고 입장하면 재밌게 즐길수 있습니다.

Hobo art simp (for you know who, and you know who only) cop is the way. 100/10

Monene
Monene

It drags for too long, and the fact that they played dirty with the writer makes me regret my buying decision. I do not support that.

BrighterTerra
BrighterTerra

Probably the best written game I have ever had the pleasure of playing.

Setting.
In an effort to be original with it, I'll call it Psychological Fantasy.
It's intriguing. The scenery feels heavy from the get-go. It smells of industrial air, tastes of stale cigarettes.
All of it is soaked in a muddy mix of everything human, both visually, and contextually.

Characters.
As close to Unconventional Archetypes as humanly possible. Given that this term is an Oxymoron by itself,
this should tell you how impressive they are, in my eyes at least. Every single person in the game feels like they are carrying their own world, worn down by the one they live in. All of them deal with life differently, but each, even the weakest and smallest, has an incredible amount of heart put into each and every word they utter.

Mechanics.
Very old-school feel, slow and methodical play style is required. Character progression is tied exclusively to narrative and exploration. An element of time-management is present. No grinding and over levelling to be found. Engrossing with its strong hooks, no questline feels unnecessary. The Roleplaying is a delightfully original take on the tried-and-true class system, approaching stats as aspects of the human psyche, letting the player fully customize the way their "Nameless Gendar' "'s brain functions. The first game, in which even your stats have personalities, letting the player know how they perceive certain situations, making sure the player gets a flavourful experience all the way through.

Story.
Tense, consuming, human. It starts and ends ambiguously, just like many other great stories. What really stands out is the many ways the narrative can take you to the end destination. A unique path forms for every single playthrough, taking in account how the player decides to approach interactions, what their views on their own character are, how they decide to approach the world itself, how they decide to behave, and what political meta-idea they align with.

Politics.
A clever, satirical view on many political meta-ideas. It cannot be overstated how both truly funny and disturbing these life motoes are. Presented as excuses for the main character to internalize and align with while hitting rock-bottom, they embody the human need to fit into a specific ideology, despite the absurdity of all of them.

This game, at least for me, is undeniably a modern classic, that should go down in gaming history as a truly unique piece of art.

rebi
rebi

Disco Elysium is not only one of the best RPGs that I have ever played, it is also among the best literary works that I have ever read.

HamstermanFromAmsterdam
HamstermanFrom…

You play as a depressed dude who says funny things.

vics
vics

Found myself not being able to step away once I started playing. Appreciated the themes and storylines you get to explore.

wolf_
wolf_

I love Disco Elysium. its perfect to me and I feel grateful to be alive to expirence it. :)

Camarada Pernalonga
Camarada Pernalonga

Um jogo excelente, com uma história emocionante. Vale cada segundo.

kr3
kr3

This game is linear and one of the most overrated game I ever played. Maybe can impress some kids, but overall is pretentious and dumb. Want something none linear where choice matter? Go play Torment Planescape from 1999.

CaptainLaz345
CaptainLaz345

This game is so cool, I wish alcoholism was real

HonestlyAshamed(OfMyself)
HonestlyAshame…

Very Cathartic. I made a rich white woman cry because she realized she's an ultraliberal while discussing metaphysics. I love this game.

-Magick-
-Magick-

I AM THE LAW!

Seriously, a great game.

Thisidfor
Thisidfor

Its hard to put my finger on what makes this game so special. But I recommend it.

Lancer
Lancer

Detective noir taken to its extreme: A detective thats so ground-down he can barely function. Your character's skills are also your sidekicks. Long enough to have some fascinating depths, but not so long as to feel padded.
Don't be fooled into thinking that this is a premade character; your choices and decisions shape the main character's past and identity, not just their present.

mamdraycsne
mamdraycsne

I love it but when do i get to kiss Kim its important.

Paladin #savetf2
Paladin #savetf2

Probably one of the best games I Have played ever. Made a dumb dumb like me think.

Harry Du Bois
Harry Du Bois

This game has been one of the best narrative experiences i've had in a good long while. This game with all its dialogue, choices that help with skill checks, and overall art style and narrative choices that effect the story, is pretty freaking good my guy. I cant begin to explain what kind of art work this game is when it comes to all that is involved with it. My first play through was spectacular and i will deffinately go back for more. I recommend to everyone who loves dialouge and all the multifacited things that can be done with it.

dino_inc
dino_inc

the greatest visual novel ever to exist ever

buy this game right now. do it.

pelisaari
pelisaari

Bought this from summer sales and haven't regretted. I understand now how the usual full price would also have been totally acceptable.
Before actually trying the game a 30 € price for an indie game felt a little bit too steep, not anymore. And by that I mean that Disco Elysium is really ambitious and brilliant, and really stands out among the other games of this genre.

Don't believe those "ThIs GaMe Is LiTeRaTuRe, NoT a GaMe"- reviews. That simply is not true. It's a solid detective RPG- GAME. It has a lot of dialogue, yes, but that's quite expected from a detective -RPG game don't you think?
Yet, if you for some reason bought a detective RPG even though you don't like dialogue, you are still able to roleplay this game as a drug addict heavy-lifter cop who doesn't really give sh!t about discussions.
There is also a lot of lore which can get a little tedious at times, but diving into the lore is even more optional than dialogue. You can roleplay the game without getting into politics or relations of the different factions if that's not your cup of tea, just focusing on your duties as a cop.

MasterTheWill
MasterTheWill

A unique experience that I suspect will stay with you for a long time.

The game is very slow, but once you are hooked you won't be able to put it down. It took me a long time but it was worth it in the end.

shromplets
shromplets

i finally get to play as a 40 year old recovering alcoholic who's always on the verge of having a breakdown or a breakdance, or both

Gezin
Gezin

the most important game ive ever played, quite literally changed me as a person. play it pls, worth full price :)

imdavidfindley
imdavidfindley

lot better than I thought it would be. ... just wish I had a big bag of marijuana to go with it. ...of course, now that it's legal it doesn't come in bags any more, does it..? I think I remember getting some in little film canisters, ... blackened medicine bottles? .... I remember watching KILL BILL for the first time, high as a kite, first row of an empty movie theater .... I can't believe how amazing that was... Why I wish I had some for this game... it's illegal here...

lmere
lmere

a game that does something different, very refreshing to play

dreadmaster
dreadmaster

Inspiringly written. Disco Elysium has to be one of the most engaging, preposterous and hilarious games I have ever played.

Pamimoo
Pamimoo

While I definitely understand that this game isn't for everyone, this is probably by far a new favorite game of mine. I just finished my first play through, but I am definitely looking forward to playing it again with different builds and such to explore the game even more.

Pros
- Made me think more than any video game I have played (for the first time) in years.
- Loved learning about all of the characters and the history of the setting itself.
- The main story kept me hooked and had me thinking about this game even when away from my computer.

Cons
- A bit slow paced, had a couple times where I felt like I was "filling time" to get to a time based event.
- Very text heavy, while I don't really mind this, I understand that can be a barrier for many people.
- I occasionally got a little lost because I forgot what I was doing.

Robert Edwin House
Robert Edwin House

It would be perfect if Turkish language support is brought in a short time. The player base in Turkey is very large and a significant portion of this audience enjoys Rpg games with heavy stories. If Turkish language support comes to an excellent production like Disco Elysium, even other players will love these genres. I convey my love to your team and wish you success in your future productions

sidefect
sidefect

nonsense dialog anyone who played to the fist part in book store will understand
you approach a bookshelf that has atleast 6 dialog options each opening its own separate 6 dialog options the contents of the dialog is nothing but useless nonsense about a fictional character no one care to hear about and the dialog repeats the ridiculous fictional characters name 3-4 times each and oh yeah there are many book shelves
what is the point is has nothing to do with game
why did the spend so much time time creating confusing nonsense filler dialog that has nothing to do with anything
maybe they should have spent more time making an actual game
voice acting cant save this
main dudes voice is solid but quickly grew tired of it do the nonsense dialog
tired of "dialog"? me too...

JanusXi
JanusXi

Honestly, i dont get people, that are saying there is too much writing or that it is bad. Its neither of them for me, and i am an avid reader of books.
Likewise i dont understand, why people say it isnt an rpg.
You have a character, you can build that character, you can choose what he wears, what to equip, he says, you can determine how you act. Only thing that it doesnt have, that has been aligned to make rpgs is combat. Didnt miss that.
Enough games out there, that focus more on combat, than on good story telling, good world buildung and believable characters. This game has it. Thanks for reading.

Patrice
Patrice

Unique and very interesting game.

Canada Malting Co. Limited
Canada Malting…

Generally, games are either about the journey or about mastery. Disco Elysium is about the journey. It's a game for people who like to read. It's a very good RPG that offers a gaming experience of a kind that you won't get in any other game made in the last decade, or maybe ever.

It's a very tightly made choose-your-own-adventure story using the medium of a videogame, because nothing else would do. The writing is its biggest strength (serious without being humourless and intelligent without being pretentious), but the visuals, music, and controls are all vital to the experience.

It's not perfect, but it's a genuine work of art.

Change Your Way
Change Your Way

The Litany of Contact Mike; followed by the Long and Short Sun.

Sulfuras26
Sulfuras26

Disco Elysium is quite possibly the crowing achievement in RPG games, as a whole. We love our games such as Planescape: Torment, Fallout 2, The Witcher 3, and all the Mass Effect Games and choose those games on a regular basis to represent the best of the best from the genre, but Disco Elysium stands out against these games for some truly spectacular reasons.

More so than any other RPG I have ever played, the world of Disco Elysium was the most immersing setting I have ever seen in fiction. A (mostly) bug-free experience, with stellar performance and jaw-dropping art direction, the world of Disco Elysium reflects a world completely unrelated but similar to our world during the cold war. Coming from the mind of lead writer Robert Kurvitz, REVACHOL sports tons of unique characters, sub-plots, and locations for you to explore through. And the best part is, not a BIT of the writing here feels wasted. It's all spectacular.

Controlling the main character of the game, you will be faced with many bits of dialogue that are such high quality in writing AND voice acting (thanks to the final cut) that they left an impression on me more so than even games like Mass Effect 2. More so than even the best, most human-experience centric films like Citizen Kane, or dare I say it, Ikiru. Saying any more would spoil the game, plain and simple, so while I cannot really defend this viewpoint with examples, you'll get what I mean if you play it.

Moving further, the basis of dialogue is what ends up making the bulk of Disco Elysium's game time. For some, having to *read* for 27-40 hours may seem like an arduous undertaking, but thanks to the Final Cut fleshing out voices to having every interaction voiced, and alongside the quality of the performance, just *talking* becomes the game's most fascinating part. Disco Elysium's writing team hit it out of the park with fleshing out every single character, that by the end of your first blind playthrough you're left realizing that all the interactions you've had over the course of the entire game have been a reflection of you, yourself. You end up playing the game for ~30 hours, so engrossed in the storytelling simply for the fact that the story itself is so malleable thanks to the high variance of mentalities that pop in throughout dialogue, that as you build your character, it ended up not being about min/maxing for the best results, but inserting yourself into the game's system and world.

That is what make's Disco Elysium so goddamn special. It transcends itself from being a video game. The intricacies of dialogue, the easily-empathized-with characters, and the believability of the world coming from art direction and voice acting coalesce into not just a video game, but a totally immersive experience. This game, and its characters, may very well stick with you for the rest of your life.

And because of all these things, it too ends up being the best RPG of all time, in my opinion. Succeeding totally at immersing the player in its world and its characters is something that RPGs are specifically designed to do. Many fail, and end up feeling too video-gamey or by having poor character/story writing. Others may not have the most bombastic and tearjerking story for you to play through, but may have very good and addictive gameplay and combat mechanics that keep you coming back. Games like Planescape: Torment, The Witcher 3, and Mass Effect 2 somehow succeed totally at meshing all components of an RPG and bundling them into all-time masterpieces of the videogame art form...

...but Disco Elysium might as well tower above all the rest. This is not my *personal* favorite video game of all time (that goes to Fallout: New Vegas), but I seriously have no complaints at all here. The story is amazing, the characters are amazing (literally all of them are interesting), and the gameplay, while lacking any form of combat, is centered around dialogue (the main interest of the game) and is STILL extremely intricate and unique. If I had to be a critic, I would easily say that, in my opinion, this is the greatest video game ever, and the greatest accomplishment for the art medium as a whole. It proves that videogames are a truly special and essential way of telling stories. I recommend you play this game.

Easiest 10/10 in my life.

Hiver #saveTF2
Hiver #saveTF2

*Inland Empire Check*
100%
{passed!}
You need to play this game. Now. Do it.

Finsie
Finsie

I've never been so immersed in a story. 10/10

IndieEric
IndieEric

It is a dark and disturbing story, but it pulls you in. Imagine The Hangover, but when you woke up from a night of debauchery, you are in some post apocalyptic world as a detective. I wasn't sure I would like it, but it really gets you invested in the story. I recommend this one

Nu
Nu

It's like a choose your adventure detective novel. This game is all about the story, so if you're the sort of person who skips through every dialogue option it might not be for you. The voice-work is amazing, and every single character is voiced in The Final Cut version of the game.

I can assure you that you've never played a game like this and I can't recommend it enough!

Jackpot7
Jackpot7

An existential crisis at the end of the world.

nypintha
nypintha

So far I'm intrigued, four hours in! It's nothing like anything I've ever played before. Except possibly - and I mean this as a very high compliment Planescape: Torment. I can't wait to unravel the mystery. I don't understand how to "win" and it's better that way.

nimbyest
nimbyest

Damn good as a cop game, even better as a book.

AwfulFries
AwfulFries

This is the type of game that sticks with you for a long time and makes you retroactively hate other games for not having the attention to detail, humor, characters (inner psyche included), and overall story that this game has. I can't gush about this game enough and I hate that it took me this long to check it out

💐
💐

Played this game for an hour and didn't enjoy it at all. The dialogue is long-winded and redundant, the comedy is unoriginal and for all the talk about the choices you can make, it's truthfully just a point and click adventure game. The story takes place in a dystopian world that is incredibly racist, homophobic and sexist, as are most of the characters, so if exploring that kind of world is not fun to you then you're out of luck.

There is a very pretentious culture surrounding this game where if you don't like it, then that's perceived as a failing of you. I could immediately tell that this game wasn't made to appeal to someone of my life experience. I didn't find this fictional universe fun at all, and I'm not going to force myself to play a game that isn't fun. To each their own, but I wouldn't recommend the game.

No one
No one

I completely agree.

I purchased this game after reading endless reams of praise. It seemed like something totally up my alley, as I love the old infinity games and story-driven experiences.

I genuinely think that, if you don't read that much, a game like this is going to seem incredibly novel in its depth and characterization. If you already read a lot, all of the dialogue and political and philosophical explorations can come off a little sophomoric.

I think more broadly it is the novelty of many things in this game that people are reacting to, rather than the true quality of those things in themselves. This is a common phenomenon: When something is put together that we haven't seen before, it sometimes initially feels better than it really is, and we eventually see this in time.

I also agree with you about all the problematic shit going on in this game. I like its realism, and I like the idea of having to confront complex moral issues in a game, but the fact that one can "play along" with being racist, is that a good idea?

I wanted to write something here, or anywhere, just to vent my frustration at all the revelatory praise that I am reading.

Calebadger
Calebadger

Incredibly thought out writing and world building. Its like a free roaming interactive novel. Every character feels alive and fleshed out. And the story is willing to take you to deeper places with more complex ideas than most. If you want something story rich drenched in the many dynamic emotions of existence and all the self reflection that comes with it: this is it right here.

Lion[tdb]
Lion[tdb]

A truly very special game. If you are into the CRPG genre this is a must play.

Spare 15
Spare 15

An absolutely fantastic story driven game

Destructogan
Destructogan

Beautiful. MUST BE LITERATE!!!

Sakarov
Sakarov

The game teaches you what failure is all about. Failure seems to be the crucial thing on this game for the reason is that, there is still chance to redeem your choices and learn from your mistakes.
The game is fun and funny because of the 24 personalities, the characters you will meet has the variety that will make you hate them at first but eventually loving them in the end. Overall this game is fun if you have the ability to read the texts and do not fall asleep while playing.

Enimatek
Enimatek

Extraordinary! The dialogue doesn't feel like you're playing a game but rather having a conversation with your own psyche.

Optimus Luke
Optimus Luke

This is the greatest rpg ever made. If you have every enjoyed words in game then you should play this.

Kromer Man
Kromer Man

There is one, surefire way for me to tell if a game is amazing. It has to make me cry. Not out of annoyance, not out of frustration, or anger, stress, or any negative emotion. It has to make me cry out of love. Disco Elysium made me cry out of love.

DinkStink
DinkStink

A unique experience, my brain was trying to soak in as much lore and info as much as possible. Play it if your the type who likes immersing yourself .

oUlash
oUlash

It is not often I play a video game that truly mixes art and philosophy. Disco Elysium truly does that. Many times I have stopped and thought about my own life, the world we live in and my part in it. For that alone it deserves a thumbs-up.

Rook
Rook

10/10 can do cocaine and punch children!

Herobrine
Herobrine

I failed a 97% check
I failed a 82% check
I failed a 92% check
(all of these happened multiple times)
All in one playthrough.
10/10 game, full of rich lore, good gameplay, great humor, overall amazing experience.

Captain Plutonium #transrights
Captain Pluton…

Superb Writing. Nice graphics and great humour. the first true "point and click" I've played in a while.
Playing this felt like reading an excellent novel. There was genius at work here.

Razaele
Razaele

THis game if ducking amazing

GAMEPLAY: POINT CLICK CHOOSE DIALOGUE BUT WHOLY SHIT THE VOICES DIALOGUE IS SO GOOD SO FUNNY
ILl admit i cheated to get max stats for everything but i wanted it so i cud hear all their voicessss

UltraSexInferno
UltraSexInferno

Interesting story but it's not a game, just a point and click novel. Too much reading pointless items and decisions mean nothing at all.

Stats
Stats

God you really gotta experience this to realize why it's such an award grand slam. It's the literature combined, a span of complexity from Kerouac to Joyce or Derrida. It's postmodernism plus retrospective historical narrative... or not. It's just an enormous bunch of text embedded in thoughts, conversations and popups that are carefully weaved together. Nothing great at all maybe. But I just recommend everyone to give it a try. It is the art of our times.

I'd give it 96/100 merely deducting on the movement controls and game-freezing bugs (twice in 12h, we'll see).

Josh
Josh

Pros:
- Unique gameplay that focuses on branching dialogue options. Similar to the Fallout series if combat were taken out. The result is a novel experience that plays out really well.
- Good voice acting
- Lots of worldbuilding
- Good soundtrack

Cons:
- The dialogue often feels very unnatural. The writers appear to have gone a little nuts with the thesaurus in order to make the game seem "smart," but the result is that characters are often hard to believe and have a tendency to sometimes misuse "big" words.

dinocrois
dinocrois

I manage to cry just thinking about some of the characters and philosophies in this game

xDHx Blade-D-Kratos
xDHx Blade-D-Kratos

A Masterpiece. Loved every minute of it. Thank you!

Mordschlag
Mordschlag

Man, I wish my mind and organs were this cool.

Firefly
Firefly

I dont generally like "cerebral" or "art" games.

But I thoroughly enjoyed this game.

Sure the main storyline is about solving a murder, but at the core of it, youre playing as a broken man who's made some mistakes in life and is given a second chance to turn it around.

I would give this game a hearty recommendation

kases8880
kases8880

a funny game with mainly serious tones, pretty dialog heavy but the game and you as the player overall benefit from it. honesty a steal for the price it is set at, I would easily buy this game for $100.

bugsnnuts
bugsnnuts

Unlike anything I have ever played before, definitely a fun ride so far.

govi92
govi92

Wonderfully immersive game with some of the most interesting ways I've seen tabletop mechanics being incorporated into the narrative. I once saw someone describe it as "if Neil Gaiman and Douglas Adams wrote a game together," and that sold me on the game. Maybe it'll help convince you too.

It's made me laugh out loud several times, while other lines have blown me away by their absolute beauty. Very eye catching art style, especially in the portraits and menus. The gameplay itself can be a bit hard to maneuver (especially walking around the world), but honestly, that's just part of the charm.

(blows a kiss to the sky) For Lt Kitsuragi

Slippy
Slippy

A masterpiece, replayable (2-3 times at least and you would still miss some things) couldn't recommend it enough and I dont play these kind of games usually but this game built different.

Potato Guy
Potato Guy

Drunk Detective Simulator

Originally I wrote an in depth review but I mis-clicked and it didn't save. So I'm just going to say that it plays like a ttrpg as in everything you say or do will most likely be determined with dice and there are stat modifiers within the game.

Every line in the game is voiced with the exception of a few small things. If you like visual novels or ttrpgs then this game is definitely worth the price. There is a lot to do in this game.

Overall score: 8.8/10

Leovigild
Leovigild

He's a bit crass. He's a bit ass. He's got a lot of sass.

And he's all Disco.

An exploration of substance abuse, politics, how much cops suck, and being a very sad, self-destructive, middle-aged man in a world slowly being erased by the perception of humanity.

Also Kim is the best.

I highly recommend this game.

Do yourself a favor and play it over a nice weekend or two like you might a detective novel. Don't rush it.

djs9pd
djs9pd

I want to read every piece of dialogue in this game

dedwait
dedwait

WOW EXTREMELY POG WOWOWOWOW OBSESSED WOWOWOWOWOW!!! such immersive dialogue and gameplay :D WOW !!!!!

Dora
Dora

stellar game if you're interested in the multifarious aspects of politics and the so-called "morality" principles in a dystopian world

Potches
Potches

Best self-destructive simulator out there

devant
devant

This game is just a work of art. Nothing even compares to it. It's got wit and depth. It's entertaining and beautiful.

small_orca
small_orca

Just finished my first playthrough, and I absolutely adored this game. It's been a long time since I had such a great time playing a game, and I fully intend to replay and continue to enjoy it. There are so many wacky options to choose throughout the game as well as deep philosophical discussions, and I truly could not step away from the game. With politics, superstar detectives, and so many possibilities to replay, I honestly don't know how you can go wrong.

wiglet1
wiglet1

it's like if you were a schizophrenic except all the voices in your head were snow white's seven dwarves

X1|Nick
X1|Nick

It's got me walking around the house running a monologue of every possible action and then analyzing each possible outcome while striking a pose like I'm a drunk superstar detective who has been assigned a tough job that no one can handle.

Like deciding what's for dinner, how many possible outcomes can there be? Let's roll the dice, looks like I've failed my roll, looks like leftovers tonight. How about ice cream from the freezer? I hover my hand over the ice cream, I don't have the skill to lift it out of the freezer, impossible it says, unsure of what to do I close the freezer and enjoy my leftovers.

I do like that the game requires you to have some kind of minimum level of common sense, but also throws you for a loop most of the time. Hard to figure out what you should and shouldn't be doing, but hey, wing it, see what happens.

I wouldn't recommend sleeping in the dumpster.

RoofCat
RoofCat

I'm torn. The main character, story is all great and fresh. Dark, but good.

But then
- it's more of a "try on" game than rpg character development. Decisions still count, but your personality is mostly left to changing clothes all the time depending on challenges at hand. Which ruins it a lot both as a lasting connection to your alter ego and a backpack rummaging pause in the game flow
- the pace is probably too realistic (slow) to the point you can feel bored for the day at times
- it's focused on the job at hand. Don't expect open world romances or other free spirited deviations from the main dark detective plot. You are where you are, the world is very limited. Probably to keep the atmosphere and due to limited development, but still I missed my usual freedom.
- even the brighter spots still feel dark. In other deep story games like Detroit: Become Human you can fight for the hope. In this world you have lost before you started. Eager to lose more? It's a punishing game even when you do it right.

I will try to max complete it eventually, but it's not as much daily fun as I would like to have. Fresh game, but not my cup of tea.

Spliceddaddy
Spliceddaddy

Cuno and all his friends in night city say this game is lame.

wiseworm
wiseworm

Awesome voice acting and character interaction. It feels real and complex, and like every choice causes consequences. You can also choose how to dress and behave, which changes your stats and personality in the game, [spoiler]although you still have the brutal background of a drunk regardless, so how much can you truly change?[spoiler]

Ram
Ram

I sat on a chair and got a heart attack.

10/10 would recommend and would die to the chair again.

karminus
karminus

Literally best (hardcore) game in the world. Ever.

Pisces in a bowl of Chaos
Pisces in a bo…

best game i have ever played
the point of the game is to be yourself and Everything will be ok will be the worse that will happen ( yawn)
if you want to meet characters that you care about that are not some stupid super hero or dragon this is the game you want
say hello to Idiot Doom Spiral and listen to his stories

tico santa cruz oficial
tico santa cru…

I cried when I found stick bug 8/10