Disco Elysium

 PC
  • Publisher: ZA/UM
  • Release Date: Oct 15, 2019
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1436 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,203 out of 1436
  2. Mixed: 96 out of 1436
  3. Negative: 137 out of 1436

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  1. WesternGermany
    Oct 30, 2019
    10
    There are some people who throw the term "pretentious" around when describing Disco Elysium. To do so is just sort of a bizarre self reflection - it's a role playing game based around a detective having lost his memory but needs to solve a murder. You don't have to play up the delusions or chemical abuse, but you can, and you choosing to do so represents your characters outlook and howThere are some people who throw the term "pretentious" around when describing Disco Elysium. To do so is just sort of a bizarre self reflection - it's a role playing game based around a detective having lost his memory but needs to solve a murder. You don't have to play up the delusions or chemical abuse, but you can, and you choosing to do so represents your characters outlook and how people respond to you in the game. The game is creative about how you set your stats as well as its thought tree which gives boosts and special dialogue, and your interactions and experience is determined by the players own want to embrace the "role playing". You can choose to be a despicable person who fails at every roll you do, mainly cause you didn't put much thought into your stats or the outcome, but that doesn't make the game pretentious - it just goes to show you shouldn't presume that the game is supposed to do what you want it to, and that if players can't learn to live with your consequences, it kind of reflects on you as a person.… Expand
  2. Pappeska
    Oct 30, 2019
    10
    An absolutely fantastic RPG, fantastically written and with great characters and voice acting. The art style and graphics fit the game perfectly and I can't think of a better look for the game. I'm far from done with it but I still feel no problems recommending it to others.
  3. Turnip
    Oct 28, 2019
    10
    I don't expect anyone to read this, but I want to bump up the number of reviews this game has, because it absolutely deserves all the praise it is being given.

    Games like these don't come often. If you played Planescape: Torment, Tyranny, Kotor 2 for the plot and decisions, this game delivers the same in spades. Set in a brilliant mundane alternative world, with just enough weird    I don't expect anyone to read this, but I want to bump up the number of reviews this game has, because it absolutely deserves all the praise it is being given.

    Games like these don't come often. If you played Planescape: Torment, Tyranny, Kotor 2 for the plot and decisions, this game delivers the same in spades. Set in a brilliant mundane alternative world, with just enough weird elements to make it familiar but slightly weird and even eerie.

    This game is not only a serious contender for game of the decade, but it will either be remembered as the most criminally underrated cult-classic or the strongest debut of a rising game company since Black Isle made Fallout 1.    … Expand
  4. alphaer
    Oct 28, 2019
    3
    Endless text windows (mostly not synchronised) - No real tutorial - completely un-motivating story/plot - no common theme noticeable, therefore no further motivation to move on - really tried it for 3-4 hours - in the end I was relieved quitting it
  5. Zworykin
    Oct 28, 2019
    10
    Hands down best writing since Plancescape. More important is how the game re-invents the way the writing is conveyed to the player. Truly magnificent!
  6. robomartion
    Oct 27, 2019
    2
    A self-indulgent point-and-clicker that forces its unsolicited ideology on you every chance it gets. The only real choice you get is when you've had enough...
  7. Cicada12
    Oct 27, 2019
    10
    It made me excited for video games again.
    Absolute masterpiece in every sense of the word.
  8. Mistr
    Oct 27, 2019
    10
    Best RPG I've played in years. It has easily the most engrossing writing since Planescape: Torment and it's and absolute pleasure to look at with the backgrounds looking like a painting. The music, Voice acting and general sound design are also top notch.
  9. chiroben
    Oct 27, 2019
    9
    I think it's dark and it looks like it's rain, you said
    And the wind is blowing like it's the end of the world, you said
    And it's so cold, it's like the cold if you were dead And you smiled for a second I think I'm old and I'm feeling pain, you said And it's all running out like it's the end of the world, you said And it's so cold, it's like the cold if you were dead And you smiled    I think it's dark and it looks like it's rain, you said
    And the wind is blowing like it's the end of the world, you said
    And it's so cold, it's like the cold if you were dead
    And you smiled for a second
    I think I'm old and I'm feeling pain, you said
    And it's all running out like it's the end of the world, you said
    And it's so cold, it's like the cold if you were dead
    And you smiled for a second
    Sometimes you make me feel
    Like I'm living at the edge of the world
    Like I'm living at the edge of the world
    It's just the way I smile, you said

    Writing 10/10. Graphics 8/10. Interfacing 5/10. Inland Empire 11/10. Shivers 11/10.    … Expand
  10. Askebaske
    Oct 26, 2019
    10
    If you had to build yourself up as a person all over again, challenging all your opinions on things like politics, race, work, music and life in general, what would you do? While Planescape: Torment (a game that many people like comparing it to) asks the question of HOW the nature of a person can change, what experiences that can shift the core of a person's existence, Disco Elysium asksIf you had to build yourself up as a person all over again, challenging all your opinions on things like politics, race, work, music and life in general, what would you do? While Planescape: Torment (a game that many people like comparing it to) asks the question of HOW the nature of a person can change, what experiences that can shift the core of a person's existence, Disco Elysium asks the fundamental question of how WHY the nature of a man changes. Why do we cling to the past, why do we aim to change things, and what would we do differently if we had the chance to start over.

    Besides the incredible thematic use and setting, the game also includes a ton of fun game mechanics. The "skill system" is a superb way to integrate classic RPG mechanics like skill points into a dialogue heavy game, giving you not only bonuses to rolls but also suggestions, background info and opening new options. Different skillsets feel and play very differently, a monumental achievement in a narrative heavy game. Your companion Kim is a fully fleshed out character, and the entire cast is well written. The world itself is a huge piece of work, and learning about it is as exciting as exploring it.

    There are flaws (like the health system being superfluous and some skills being far less useful than others) and some common gripes (certain lore dumps are truly massive, and hard to put into context at the time you get them, voice acting is a mixed bag) but none that detract from the core experience. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to challenge themselves with a text-heavy but totally unique experience.

    I should also note that while some reviewers like to call the game "pretentious", I really can't agree. Pretentious entails trying and failing to achieve something deep and meaningful, and Disco Elysium is both extremely well written and knows exactly what it is doing. At some point, calling something "pretentious" is just a copout from actually commenting on the themes being adressed.    … Expand
  11. Crikhry66
    Oct 25, 2019
    10
    Perfect RPG in every way, very close to a paper game. A masterpiece. Buy it, play it and enjoy!
  12. Boomahly
    Oct 25, 2019
    10
    It's one of the best RPG that is not a crappy AAA . The aesthetic is so pleasing and the art style is very fitting.
  13. notor12
    Oct 25, 2019
    10
    This is mainly a text rpg with some old school click-search elements.

    But wow is it ever a good text rpg. The storytelling is amazing. The characters are so believably human and flawed you can connect with them instantly. It explores many of the most fundamental questions of existence in thoughtful ways, never quite answering but questioning. This game is so brilliantly designed    This is mainly a text rpg with some old school click-search elements.

    But wow is it ever a good text rpg. The storytelling is amazing. The characters are so believably human and flawed you can connect with them instantly. It explores many of the most fundamental questions of existence in thoughtful ways, never quite answering but questioning.

    This game is so brilliantly designed it almost teaches you who you are through your character rather than allowing you to escape into some other role. You may find yourself making choices in this game according to your own real sensibilities and the game will deftly expose both the virtue and the contradictions of your chosen identity. I can't really think of another RPG that didn't feel like an escape, but rather a journey to understanding with profound lessons about the best and the worst in all of us.

    It isn't for everyone as there is a ton of reading you'll need to do. But it is an amazing experience unlike any other game I've ever seen.    … Expand
  14. skohl
    Oct 24, 2019
    6
    I'm surprised how short, small, and linear the game is. If Revachol is not smaller than Sigil, it does feel smaller. The developers said there is an extensive underground area that requires a flashlight to explore, it seems that must have been scaled down massively. They said that Revachol would be full of guns, and it's not. You get a skill for improving your shooting, but you can'tI'm surprised how short, small, and linear the game is. If Revachol is not smaller than Sigil, it does feel smaller. The developers said there is an extensive underground area that requires a flashlight to explore, it seems that must have been scaled down massively. They said that Revachol would be full of guns, and it's not. You get a skill for improving your shooting, but you can't actually find a gun outside of one specific point in the story. There are numerous side quests that are unresolved or underexplored. And once you trigger the story's climax, you are locked in and railroaded until the end.

    Politics are a big part of the story, but every political dialogue you can choose is played for laughs. At no point do YOUR political choices affect the story, yet it's thrown in your face constantly. It's like they couldn't decide if they wanted the game to be a satire or not.
    This game has a **** of typos, way more than in any RPG I've played, and way way more than I expected of a writing team that's led by a published author. It's like they couldn't afford a proofreader.

    It's also buggy. At a certain point one of the four types of drugs in the game stopped functioning in my menu/UI, it's just disabled for the rest of the playthrough. Many of the thoughts are also bugged and don't work, and there's no way to tell unless you invest in them first, at which point you have to invest more to get rid of them or revert to a previous save. And the saves are also buggy. Beating the game seems to have broken the save system. Now the game either doesn't allow me to manually save, or it lets me then freezes. Autosaves sometimes trigger like normal, but won't show up.

    This game is saved by its excellent art, its large amount of solid writing, unique skill system, and the high points of its world & story. It's a breath of fresh air in the CRPG genre, but I would have been disappointed had I paid full price. It's no Planescape: Torment.    … Expand
  15. LazerDoofus
    Oct 24, 2019
    9
    - GET READY TO READ... RATHER A LOT.
    - This game starts in something of a tropey & weird place, but it goes someplace wonderful
    I'm not a big game reviewer, but I felt I owed the dev team a review after I had such a wonderful experience with my first playthrough of this game (this will be other playthroughs). I laughed, I almost cried, I actually felt ashamed of one of my decisions    - GET READY TO READ... RATHER A LOT.
    - This game starts in something of a tropey & weird place, but it goes someplace wonderful

    I'm not a big game reviewer, but I felt I owed the dev team a review after I had such a wonderful experience with my first playthrough of this game (this will be other playthroughs). I laughed, I almost cried, I actually felt ashamed of one of my decisions after everything panned out. I really did care for many of these characters and really enjoyed spending over 30 hours with them. This game has some very strong writing while handling some challenging themes. I only wish my decisions lead to better outcomes...

    oh well, hopefully next playthough :-)    … Expand
  16. CallumMcA
    Oct 24, 2019
    9
    Disco Elysium is an RPG that invites the player as a troubled Detective into it's torn world filled with colourful and dynamic personalities but the most interesting is yours. The game is all about approach asking the player what should your character wear, what drugs should they take or which tasks they would like to overcome and in what way.

    The skill system can feel complicated at    Disco Elysium is an RPG that invites the player as a troubled Detective into it's torn world filled with colourful and dynamic personalities but the most interesting is yours. The game is all about approach asking the player what should your character wear, what drugs should they take or which tasks they would like to overcome and in what way.

    The skill system can feel complicated at first and unexpected outcomes happen because of this in the first few hours of the game however after the first few tasks you can quickly piece it together.
    Investing skill points into specific areas allow extra (sometimes hidden) dialogue options or greater chances of success when trying to perform an action.

    You should take your time with conversations every action could potentially have an unexpected reaction, sometimes comical. World building is there if you ask the right questions and isn't forced upon you.

    The graphics and art are phenomenal and fitting to the grim setting of the game. The controls are very basic and it's ultimately a click to move experience which is welcome in this type of story driven game.

    Disco Elysium is dark, comical and filled with mysteries to solve. The question is how far do you stray away from your morality to solve them and what type of person do you need to be to get things done. Do you accept a bribe or not? Would things be easier if you pulled out a gun? Are you willing to lie?    … Expand
  17. AccordionHero
    Oct 22, 2019
    10
    Disco Elysium is a text-heavy isomorphic RPG in the vein of Planetscape: Torment

    [DRAMA[Medium: Failure] A moment sir- too formal! Spice it up! RHETORIC[Medium: Success] A game review should at least describe HAND-EYE COORDINATION[Trivial: Failure] teh gmae in some fahsion. VOLITION[Medium: Success] Pull it together- you can do this! Despite sharing none of the setting or    Disco Elysium is a text-heavy isomorphic RPG in the vein of Planetscape: Torment

    [DRAMA[Medium: Failure] A moment sir- too formal! Spice it up!
    RHETORIC[Medium: Success] A game review should at least describe
    HAND-EYE COORDINATION[Trivial: Failure]

    teh gmae in some fahsion.

    VOLITION[Medium: Success] Pull it together- you can do this!

    Despite sharing none of the setting or lore, it mimics Ps:T in being aggressively weird- the vast majority of the discussion in the game will literally be your skills competing for time inside your head, bolstered by random thoughts about invisible insects or the nature of art criticism

    SHIVERS[Hard: Success] A breeze and the sound of a child close by. The mother looks for the lost toy
    EMPATHY[Challenging: Success] Wrap this up. It's too long and the readers are rolling their eyes.
    VOLITION[Hard: Success] Not without explaining what the game is like. It's too good to ignore.
    LOGIC[Medium: Success] Writing a compelling review will help sales, thus possibly creating more games like Disco Elysium.
    AUTHORITY[Hard: Success] JUST BUY THE DAMN GAME ALREADY!    … Expand
  18. Fuz
    Oct 21, 2019
    10
    A masterpiece.
    Don't be fooled by the camera angle, this is more a P&C adventure than a RPG. Oh, there's *a lot* of roleplayng there, there's an extensive stat/skill system, but there is no real combat system and most of the game is resolved through dialogues and skill checks. And this is where the game shines. The characters, the story, writing are *stellar*. I haven't seen a game so    A masterpiece.
    Don't be fooled by the camera angle, this is more a P&C adventure than a RPG. Oh, there's *a lot* of roleplayng there, there's an extensive stat/skill system, but there is no real combat system and most of the game is resolved through dialogues and skill checks. And this is where the game shines. The characters, the story, writing are *stellar*. I haven't seen a game so well written in decades. I'm really impressed and it can be pretty damn powerful at times.

    Again, a masterpiece. Buy it.    … Expand
  19. TwinkieGorilla
    Oct 21, 2019
    10
    The best-written cRPG since Planescape: Torment and the closest a cRPG has ever felt to tabletop RPG gaming to me. Its mix of humor and melancholy left me reeling after completing it. An absolute instant classic.
  20. WerN1211
    Oct 21, 2019
    9
    If you do not like reading or if you are looking for the usual RPG (whatever combat system, a conventional skill tree, etc.), do NOT bother playing this one.
    Those who miss the good writing and an original story should definitely buy this one.
    I sincerely hope that Disco Elysium is a commercial success, and that it will define the new standard of future RPGs. Also, in my view, being an    If you do not like reading or if you are looking for the usual RPG (whatever combat system, a conventional skill tree, etc.), do NOT bother playing this one.
    Those who miss the good writing and an original story should definitely buy this one.
    I sincerely hope that Disco Elysium is a commercial success, and that it will define the new standard of future RPGs.
    Also, in my view, being an 'adult' is a prerequisite to really enjoying playing that big drunk loser (i.e. the main character).
    9/10 to encourage big studios to follow the same path.    … Expand
  21. mercury1987
    Oct 21, 2019
    0
    It's just a regular text rpg without any visual representation. I don't get what's all the hype about.
  22. pppippp
    Oct 20, 2019
    10
    This game is only for people who enjoy reading adult stories with literary qualities, humour an poetry. Its depth reminds of Planescape Torment or Fallout 2, but without any combat system. The writing is stellar, atmosphere unique and it succeeds at sucking you in its story and characters where Tides of Numenera failed.

    As for gameplay, it really innovates in the sense that every    This game is only for people who enjoy reading adult stories with literary qualities, humour an poetry. Its depth reminds of Planescape Torment or Fallout 2, but without any combat system. The writing is stellar, atmosphere unique and it succeeds at sucking you in its story and characters where Tides of Numenera failed.

    As for gameplay, it really innovates in the sense that every situation, every choixe, every failure or success will shape the story in a certain way which allows for a great replayability. Failures don't make you reload your save because they bring their own consequences, that are not necessarily bad. The strength of this game is the huge work accomplished for making you feel like you're in a real pen and paper rpg.

    If you don't like reading and interacting with text and thoughts and prefer killing your ennemies and become powerful, don't play this game, it's just not for you.    … Expand
  23. Coastal2009
    Oct 19, 2019
    10
    Phenomenal game. Very deep. You’ll see references to Planescape Torment and they are valid. But it’s so much more than that.
  24. Fousch
    Oct 19, 2019
    2
    It's just a reading simulator. The devs should have at least hire voice actors to voice the endless dialogs. At this state it feels like a book reading and not a game. It burns you pretty fast.
  25. Plopsy
    Oct 19, 2019
    5
    Pretentious and dull, but rich in dialogue choices and so on. If money is tight, I wouldn't risk paying full price for Disco Elysium, but I can see how some people would love it.
  26. anihavoc
    Oct 19, 2019
    10
    Absolutely out of left field, never heard of this game til it released and WOW! What a pleasant surprise. The writing is phenomenal, the story telling is astounding and the atmosphere is just oh so perfect. I couldn't recommend this game enough for RPG fans that crave a good uncanny valley Nior mystery story. By far my GOTY. Anyone who is on the fence due to the amount of dialogue. I wasAbsolutely out of left field, never heard of this game til it released and WOW! What a pleasant surprise. The writing is phenomenal, the story telling is astounding and the atmosphere is just oh so perfect. I couldn't recommend this game enough for RPG fans that crave a good uncanny valley Nior mystery story. By far my GOTY. Anyone who is on the fence due to the amount of dialogue. I was as well, until i realized how much the writing sucks you in, making you crave more and more.. not allowing you to put the game down.… Expand
  27. OfCourse
    Oct 18, 2019
    4
    First i wanted to note that i played Planescape: Torment right before the release of this game, so any comparisons i make have nothing to do with nostalgia or rose tinted goggles.
    Unlike the greatest written game of all time - Planescape, Disco Elysium falls into every possible pitfall of its genre. In no particular order:
    1) The writing is bloated and self-indulgent. Unlike what most    First i wanted to note that i played Planescape: Torment right before the release of this game, so any comparisons i make have nothing to do with nostalgia or rose tinted goggles.
    Unlike the greatest written game of all time - Planescape, Disco Elysium falls into every possible pitfall of its genre. In no particular order:
    1) The writing is bloated and self-indulgent.
    Unlike what most people claim, Planescape was very concise and to the point. It respected your time and didn't waste it on meaningless paragraphs on paragraphs of text, that in the best postmodernist fashion mean absolutely nothing to the player. Planescape was never a diarrhea of words. Lore dumps were contained and almost entirely skipable(especially important on the subsequent playthroughs). Planescape trusted you to be smart enough and figure out less important parts of the world yourself.
    Disco Elysium is the opposite of that. Prepare to spend tens of hours of playtime on the text that has absolutely nothing to do with the tasks at hand or the dialogue. It came to the point that i now believe that you could cut 2/3 of the text and the players wont miss anything but fluff. The fluff is not as terrible and boring as in Pillars of Eternity, but there's more of it and its there to pad the playtime and validate someones degree in writing.
    2) Show - don't tell.
    The game is all "tell - don't show". You will read so much interesting(and unnecessary) history and lore that you will ask yourself, "why im in this boring **** looking for bottles, instead of those cool places".
    3) The humor is cringeworthy.
    Authors seem to think that "im so random an quirky" is funny. Needless to say if you don't like this type of humor, all of it will fall flat on its face.
    4) Politics and other controversial topics are all bark, no bite.
    Authors said that they will tackle politics and they did. Its done in the most limpdicked way possible, consisting mostly of "im a nihilist Morty" style of writing. One moment the game pretends to be edgy and dark(you can kill a minor and say you want to **** one), another its censoring words that you used when you were in a middle school. In the SAME scene.
    It laughs at every stance(by representing them as stupid), while trying(and failing) to pretend that it doesn't have a dog in the fight. If you do all 4 political stances as a separate playthroughs you will easily figure out what are the politics of the authors.
    5) The only actual gameplay is "collect the bottles".
    At first i though it was a joke aimed at Life is Strange, with its meme bottle collecting gameplay. How wrong i was. The rest of the game is walking and reading simulator with a dice game thrown in every once in a while.
    Say what you want about Planescape being a book and not a game, but it had a robust rule set, decent combat and fantastic spellcasting. On top of having better writing and story.
    6) Soundtrack is all over the place and almost never fits.
    Quality of the OST varies greatly and yet again reminded me of LiS. I also currently playing Persona 5 and i nearly threw up in my mouth after listening to some of the Elysium compositions. Ironically soundtrack of the game is a far cry from the fabled "disco life".
    7) Environments are nothing special.
    Given the lack of gameplay, one would expect it to look absolutely fantastic. In my opinion(and this is the first and the last time i will use this word) Planescape looked more atmospheric and interesting.
    8) Bugs
    I started the game with get the shoe quest being impossible to finish because the second shoe disappeared after i interacted with it, without giving me the usual internal dialogue. Reloading fixed nothing, i had to quit the game and start a new one.
    Dialogue window sometimes locks up with no text being displayed, and no option to close the window.
    I wasted a day researching an idea, only to then notice that it bugged out and stopped despite claiming that its internalizing.
    Some other minor bugs i cant remember from the top of my head.

    There are several other problems i have with the game and its developers, but i will not drag this out any longer and force you to read another blanket of text. Leave that to the game.    … Expand
  28. MangaDude
    Oct 18, 2019
    10
    Got some 15+ hours into the game so far and it is truly amazing. It's not going to be for everyone since it has a very unique style and a lot of mature content. The writing is nothing short of great and the characters are deep and really come to live. The came is difficult to describe but if you were around in the 90's and played the adventure and RPG's of the time then it feels rooted inGot some 15+ hours into the game so far and it is truly amazing. It's not going to be for everyone since it has a very unique style and a lot of mature content. The writing is nothing short of great and the characters are deep and really come to live. The came is difficult to describe but if you were around in the 90's and played the adventure and RPG's of the time then it feels rooted in that. Planescape, Fallout (1 & 2) as well as the point and click adventures of the time are perhaps the closest thing to Disco Elysium. I feel nearly as lost as the main character playing the game. It is a discovery process in so many ways and a new page keeps being turned. The graphics are again a bit controversial and will not be for everyone but I personally find them very beautiful, so much love must have gone into making the oil painted canvas that is the gaming ground. Everyone with the slightest interested in grown up games, adventure and RPG's should try out Disco Elysium. I believe the game will become a benchmark for RPG's/adventure just like Fallout and Planescape did two decades ago.… Expand
  29. Drael
    Oct 18, 2019
    9
    After three solid days (and I mean, a marathon, three actual full days), of playing I've finished Disco Elysium

    It's wild. It's soaked in radical politics, drugs, hallucinations, and mostly driven by you talking yourself. I finished play as a fascist smoking speed junkie. Well more of a woman hating nationalist. I avoided heart attacks and psychic collapse, and glimpsed the end of    After three solid days (and I mean, a marathon, three actual full days), of playing I've finished Disco Elysium

    It's wild. It's soaked in radical politics, drugs, hallucinations, and mostly driven by you talking yourself.

    I finished play as a fascist smoking speed junkie. Well more of a woman hating nationalist. I avoided heart attacks and psychic collapse, and glimpsed the end of the world.

    Seriously, check it out. It's batty, and very compelling. Also, the music, the sound effects, the plotting, and the graphics of this engine are amazingly polished for an indie studio. The graphics blend 3d and 2d effects pretty seemlessly in a manner that impresses as much as Pillars of Eternity 2, partly due to the oil painting style art, but also shadows and lighting effects that really you wouldn't expect from a small indie (it's not easy to blend 3d and 2d in an isometric game like this)

    It's anachronistic, dreamlike and a super compelling setting. Get ready for lots of text though (thankfully, voice overs too, great ones)    … Expand
  30. rustyfeeder
    Oct 18, 2019
    0
    I dislike politics in video games and this game is full of it. We have enough of that crap in real life, keep it away from video games.
  31. opkenobi
    Oct 17, 2019
    10
    Disco Elysium is a very weird game in the absolute best kind of way. It's an open world RPG with a focus on dialogue and role playing any type of detective you want by shaping his mental capabilities. While there is *some* combat it takes place in the dialogue system and doesn't come up often (most instances of combat can be avoided too). Some points:

    -Skill system is deep and fun to    Disco Elysium is a very weird game in the absolute best kind of way. It's an open world RPG with a focus on dialogue and role playing any type of detective you want by shaping his mental capabilities. While there is *some* combat it takes place in the dialogue system and doesn't come up often (most instances of combat can be avoided too). Some points:

    -Skill system is deep and fun to experiment. Even the lesser used skills have hundreds of cases where it's useful. Certain skills will do some truly cool and unexpected things and even open up hidden quest lines and skill checks if you level them up enough. Each skill has a personality that talks to you and gives advice (sometimes awful advice), with that personality becoming more prominent the more you level it.

    -Writing is great and sometimes very funny/clever depending on your choices. If you're into hard-boiled cop novels then this game will be your jam. People calling the writing pretentious probably have never read a book in their lives and are used to the lazy, predictable writing of most video games.

    -A fairly large open world to explore, with years worth of lore that you are free to explore and learn about at your own pace (sort of, there are timed quests). All the environments are made by hand with no assets being reused, so every location in the world looks unique.

    -Yes, there is a few lore dumps. Hell, there is a skill JUST for getting more info about the world and what certain words mean.. It's all super interesting but if you're not into the world of Elysium then you might not like this game.

    -There is a lot of politics in the world of Elysium, and you can decide the opinions of your character to the point where you can make him a misogynistic communist if you so desire. If reading and engaging in fictional politics that occasionally mirrors our own world upsets you, then yeah, don't play this game (I think you can remain neutral politically but not 100% sure).

    -Amazing soundtrack. And the art is strange, abstract, and just cool as hell.

    In conclusion this game is absolutely enthralling IF you have the patience for it, which you should because there is some truly unique things going on here that's never really been done in a video game. I think future RPGs will look up to Disco Elysium for its storytelling, skill system and how it tried to do something fresh and different.    … Expand
  32. Matzeofdoom
    Oct 17, 2019
    9
    A lot to read, but it's my biggest Gaming-Hit 2019.
    There are not many games like this, this is RPG at it's best. Taking place in an great scenario (alternative 50's) your "Job" is to "get your sh*t together" solve a murder case wrapped in a thrilling "i want to know more" plot-blanket.
    not 10 because: The graphics are okay (could be better) and dialogs switch between voice acting and    A lot to read, but it's my biggest Gaming-Hit 2019.
    There are not many games like this, this is RPG at it's best. Taking place in an great scenario (alternative 50's) your "Job" is to "get your sh*t together" solve a murder case wrapped in a thrilling "i want to know more" plot-blanket.

    not 10 because:
    The graphics are okay (could be better) and dialogs switch between voice acting and reading due to the sheer amount of text…

    i recommend this game, it's really something    … Expand
  33. Bootdisk
    Oct 17, 2019
    10
    Best game of the year - hell, it's probably the best CRPG I've ever played. Still have to finish it so I can say with certainty.
  34. stevegroundhog
    Oct 17, 2019
    10
    Bizzare, lots to read (yes you have to read, the horror!), multiple choices affect just the tiniest game play, you can be racist cop, compassionate cop, dirty cop, horny cop, empathy cop, crazy John Mclain cop. I just died an hour in because I wanted to punch a kid and I missed, then died of a heart attack. I told a pretty blond I wanted to have sex with her and just kept banging on herBizzare, lots to read (yes you have to read, the horror!), multiple choices affect just the tiniest game play, you can be racist cop, compassionate cop, dirty cop, horny cop, empathy cop, crazy John Mclain cop. I just died an hour in because I wanted to punch a kid and I missed, then died of a heart attack. I told a pretty blond I wanted to have sex with her and just kept banging on her door to freak her out. It's an amazing world.… Expand
  35. Syrona7
    Oct 17, 2019
    0
    It's just a glorified reading simulator.
    The universe is boring and graphics are bad.
    If you didn't like Torment: Tides of Numenera, you won't like this one either.

    PS: The 10/10 ratings are clearly from the devs themselves.
  36. TheDoomSlayers
    Oct 16, 2019
    10
    Long time im waiting this game, and is really really amazing and genious. Probably my game of the year.
  37. emorcen
    Oct 16, 2019
    1
    Clumsy controls and an ultra-slow burn. Pretentious writing and generally restrictive choices in dialogues. Another one of those titles hyped by hipsters or people who never grew up playing titles better executed.
  38. grimbuddha
    Oct 16, 2019
    10
    Is it perfect? No, but no game - nothing, really - is. As it stands, it's a fantastic and above all refreshing experience, setting new grounds for what games for grown-ups can, and should, be.
  39. Marko986
    Oct 16, 2019
    10
    Amazing atmosphere, brilliant writing, refreshing and intellegent skill system. Masterpiece.
  40. AcerolaOrion
    Oct 16, 2019
    0
    *edit2: restarted after the softlock - now i get a bug where THE FIRST QUEST IN THE GAME has a bug where an item you pick up simply doesnt appear as it should (shoe) THE FIRST QUEST IN THE GAME THAT IS LITERALLY - PICK UP SHOE - DOESNT WORK! NICE! Expect greatness!
    *edit: got it to run with help from a steam customer support guy. Got hardstuck right at the start of the game - there is a    *edit2: restarted after the softlock - now i get a bug where THE FIRST QUEST IN THE GAME has a bug where an item you pick up simply doesnt appear as it should (shoe) THE FIRST QUEST IN THE GAME THAT IS LITERALLY - PICK UP SHOE - DOESNT WORK! NICE! Expect greatness!
    *edit: got it to run with help from a steam customer support guy. Got hardstuck right at the start of the game - there is a place that softlocks the game if you dont have certain "stats" - you always take guaranteed 3 morale damage and die. AHAHAHAHAHA wow just wow. Other people are talking about more softlocks later on in the game. Definitely should wait for a patch.

    Doesnt run - first a black screen because of windows 7 (they fixed that) - followed by another blackscreen that apparently only i experience. I am well above recommended requirements and i tried every graphics option available.    … Expand
  41. AllNewSuperfake
    Oct 16, 2019
    2
    If you are easily impressed by pretentious walls of text and think that a mixture of stereotype dark noir characters, alcoholism and unappealing environments make for a deep experience, you are in for a treat. Just soak in that negativity, revel in pointless exchanges and a skill tree that adds a constant rain of arbitrary checks with every step you take. Never forget that you are playingIf you are easily impressed by pretentious walls of text and think that a mixture of stereotype dark noir characters, alcoholism and unappealing environments make for a deep experience, you are in for a treat. Just soak in that negativity, revel in pointless exchanges and a skill tree that adds a constant rain of arbitrary checks with every step you take. Never forget that you are playing a masterpiece, and every seemingly wasted minute you put into this will inevitably elevate you above those who dare question it's genius. Don't forget the planetscape reference.… Expand
  42. Jaxowaraxa
    Oct 16, 2019
    10
    This game is awesome. We need more such a rich RPGs. You can do in this game such a mindblowing things. You need to check it by yourself.
  43. claven
    Oct 15, 2019
    10
    This game has the best written dialogue since Planescape Torment. It's a crazy, unique, philosophical, hilariously funny isometric narrative RPG unlike anything you've seen since PsT came out. A strong game of the year candidate and a definite sleeper hit.
  44. purepablo
    Oct 15, 2019
    10
    The most astonishing RPG of 2019. It is difficult not to fall in love in this game from the beginning. It looks great, it feels great, it tastes great. Pure masterpiece.
  45. Popey99
    Oct 15, 2019
    10
    It's a true masterpiece!!
    Compelling story line, beautiful art style and also lot of reading.
  46. Ubykh
    Oct 15, 2019
    10
    A unique Game of a kind, that revolutionize the RPGs with a level of writing rarely achieved elsewhere.
    True Detective plus Bukowski meets Pixar’s Inside Out where your thoughts and psyche are your skills and they talk to you.
    Just a masterpiece.
  47. pumpclub
    Oct 15, 2019
    10
    Back to the old cool way of playing games, lovely artwork, sound acting and writing, really enjoying this one. Runs nice on my low end pc!
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best PC Game of 2019
15
#15 Most Discussed PC Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 64 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 63 out of 64
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 64
  3. Negative: 0 out of 64
  1. Adventure Gamers
    Apr 10, 2020
    100
    A murder mystery set in a rich, fictional setting, Disco Elysium is told with sweeping profundity and hilarious absurdity. With no combat to impede story progression, this is a choice-driven role-playing adventure that deftly raises the bar of quality for the medium.
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  2. Gamersky
    Mar 28, 2020
    95
    Disco Elysium is a very special RPG that most of your time will be spent on reading. It features a well-written detective story, various tricky skill trees, and memorable characters. This game might be the best one of its kind. But if you can't stand reading for a long time, just don't try it.
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  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Feb 28, 2020
    80
    Unconventionally conceived adventure game with excellent visuals and world worked out to the smallest detail. But it will satisfy only those of you who are not afraid of the huge amount of English dialogue, because it makes up the vast majority of gameplay. [Issue#299]
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