Disco Elysium Video Interview, Tips and Reviews

Following the recent release of Disco Elysium, the game’s developers attended the EGX trade fair where, during a nearly 50 minute-long video interview, they discussed their project, its turbulent development, and the intricacies of creating a unique IP and then turning it into a video game without the benefit of heaps of experience. Check it out:

Then, you might also be interested in a couple of PC Gamer articles dedicated to Disco Elysium. The first one shares some helpful tips, and the second one focuses on the thoughts constantly swirling inside the protagonist’s head. A snippet from the latter:

It’s like carrying around a full party of BioWare companions. “You should drink that wine you found in the street,” is definitely something Varric would say. I’m the player who chooses companions based more on their personalities than their stats, so Disco Elysium is perfect for me. It’s never going to limit me to a party of three or six or whatever. There’s always room for more voices in my head.

Some of the skills go beyond this role as individual NPCs and become entire populations. Putting points into Empathy means there’s another layer in every conversation with actual people, letting me know what they’re thinking and what their body language suggests. Encyclopedia on the other hand is a skill that recites trivia—massive deluges of it. If you are into “lore” this is the skill for you, but if worldbuilding bores you, it’ll drive you nuts.

While Empathy lets me know what other people might be thinking, the Inland Empire skill gives interiority to objects. If you play Bloodlines as a Malkavian there’s a great bit where you argue with a stop sign. In Disco Elysium, with enough points in Inland Empire you can talk to everything from a mailbox to your own necktie.

And if reviews are what you’re here for, you can find links to a number of those below:

IGN 9.6/10:

Disco Elysium is a unique blend of noir-detective fiction, traditional pen-and-paper RPGs, and a large helping of existentialist theory. Its twisting plot, cast of memorable characters, and sheer depth of choice combine to create an experience that begs to be savoured. A few minor gripes aside, it hits on almost every single one of the marks it sets out to achieve and left me yearning to spend more time in its world.

Mirror Online 5/5:

Disco is an absolute powerhouse of a game with strong writing, great performances and intriguing mechanics that meant I honestly struggled to stop playing. This game is destined to be a cult classic and deserves to be regarded as a peer of Planetscape, Baldur’s Gate and Fallout, which is the highest praise I could offer.

Daily Star 5/5:

This detective story is full of everything you’d want in an RPG. Slick writing, dice rolls, bundles of stats to ponder and some of the most beautiful visuals you’ll see outside of the Tate Modern.

There’s depth, hundreds of hours of replayability and above all, an experience you won’t forget. With humour, panache, wit and genuinely touching moments, this is a hell of a story.

Critical Hit 8.5/10:

Occasionally obtuse and slow, Disco Elysium excels at delivering one of the best role-playing game experiences in a very long time with exceptional writing, world building and mechanical immersion

USgamer 4.5/5:

Disco Elysium wants to get you in touch with the voices in your head. This detective RPG calls back to the old Infinity Engine games like Planescape: Torment and Baldur’s Gate, but it put a unique spin on everything. With a beautiful oil painting aesthetic, it also features a system that treats your skill like additional party members, each with their own opinions on your actions. Ultimately, every lengthy run-though of Disco Elysium is about the consequences of your choices and actions, adding up to some fantastic stories. A great, surprising entry into RPG canon.

The Indie Game Website 10/10:

Disco Elysium blew my mind with its radically simple but deep approach to roleplaying. Its world and characterisation are brought to life by artistry and writing that are nothing short of astounding. Somehow, the stars aligned with absurd ambition, sheer fledgling talent and a decade of pen and paper storytelling in the Elysium universe to create something truly special.

Is Disco Elysium the best RPG of all time? I can’t make that call. Is it the best game I’ve played all year? Absolutely.