Let me start by saying I am sure that Disco Elysium is going to appear on many games of the year lists! This is a fantastic and incredibly well-made adventure/RPG/point-and-click style game that is one of the most memorable game experiences I have had for quite some time. So much so that I really do not think I can do it justice in a simple review, but read on to see why this is a must-play game.
How to Download Disco Elysium
You can get the game from Steam or GOG. Click on the Download button to choose.
The Game Review
The premise of the game starts off very simply. You are a detective and you need to check out a dead body that is hanging from a tree. While the premise is simple, getting to the bottom of this is certainly not. Over the course of the 30 plus hours it will take you to get to the bottom of this you deal with many strange characters, your own psyche and lots of other weirdness in this macabre tale.
What Is This Game Actually?
It would be so easy to class Disco Elysium as an RPG, but it is so much more than that. It is part RPG, part point-and-click adventure game and part tabletop (think Dungeons & Dragons) game as well. It is a very odd mix of styles, but they have absolutely nailed it and it works perfectly.
Decisions, Decisions…
Many decisions you make will be done with the roll of a dice. You do this for many different things ranging from dealing with an undesirable to making a big jump. The roll of the dice, plus the accompanying stats of your own skills, the person you are dealing with and so on will determine your fate. It is a very interesting idea and one that adds a great deal of fun and tension to the game.
Choose your Play Style in Disco Elysium
You get to decide what kind of detective you want to be in this game. You have three choices of detective which are, Bruiser, Intelligent or Sensitive. Each one has its own strengths and weakness and will dictate how you proceed through the game. Being a bruiser, for example, lets you lean on suspects a bit more. Being sensitive will let you talk to your necktie to get information…. yep that is a thing!
You get to tinker with the kind of detective you are more than that. What is basically the games skill tree is your brain and it is made up of four main parts. Psyche, Intellect, Physique, and Motorics. Each one of these has different skills that you can use skill points on to beef your detective up. Many of these are a lot of fun and it is cool the way you “talk” to your brain. It sounds strange I know, but it is awesome and very well done.
The Visuals
The game is played from an isometric point of view and it looks fantastic. I love the different character designs and this dark, moody and kind of depressing world is a lot of fun. The game has a wicked sense of humor and if you like dark, dry and rather odd humor, you will be in for a real treat here. Many moments will make you actually laugh as the writing is very witty.
The Bottom Line. Is Disco Elysium Worth Your Time?
I really cannot praise Disco Elysium highly enough. This is a wonderful game and a game that deserves all the praise it is getting. It is one of the most interesting, funny, unique and fun adventure games I have ever had the pleasure to play.
