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. VG_Alex
    Dec 4, 2021
    9
    I don't have experience in CRPG,but it presents me with a very attractive world. Whether in political discussion or expression of values, the game is displayed from a completely different angle. In terms of thinking, the inner performance of the protagonist's 24 personalities is even more incisive, and the collision between different thoughts has created one wonderful spark after another.I don't have experience in CRPG,but it presents me with a very attractive world. Whether in political discussion or expression of values, the game is displayed from a completely different angle. In terms of thinking, the inner performance of the protagonist's 24 personalities is even more incisive, and the collision between different thoughts has created one wonderful spark after another.

    'DISCO ELYSIUM' has certain requirements for players' reading experience, but this does not prevent it from becoming a very excellent CRPG.

    Review of "Disco Elysium The Final Cut"

    Graphic/Art: 8

    Music/Sounds: 8

    Narrative/Performance:9.5

    Gameplay: 8

    Score: 8.8 (+0.4)    … Expand
  2. runner
    Nov 27, 2021
    9
    I have started playing the game for some time and about halfway got the Final Cut update. It's essentially still the same game, but I would refer to the Final Cut mostly.
    Now, this game is a unique and peculiar take on RPG. In fact, I personally felt this is more like a point and click adventure with only *some* RPG elements.
    In short, you have plenty of personality traits and those are    I have started playing the game for some time and about halfway got the Final Cut update. It's essentially still the same game, but I would refer to the Final Cut mostly.
    Now, this game is a unique and peculiar take on RPG. In fact, I personally felt this is more like a point and click adventure with only *some* RPG elements.
    In short, you have plenty of personality traits and those are your "stats" where you'd spread your skill points. Skill points would be gained by exploring the world, advancing with the main story but also for many, MANY other things you can find out and discover around you while exploring and talking with people.
    Many of the actions in the course of these explorations actually depend on those traits, and so your personality will have an effect on a large part of the story.

    Now, describing it like this may make it sound a bit laconic, and it really isn't. But what it does reflect correctly is that this game is not about being purely RPG but it is really all about the story.
    If you're into stories - you'll be fine. You'll be walking around, talking with people and finding out the bizzarre stories and characters of Revachol.
    The game has even much more to it, BUT - if you're lost when it's too much story oriented then this is probably not the game for you. The conversations are very lengthy and I think it's not an overstatement to claim these are the main contents of the game. The original version had it all in piles and piles of text, which made it rather tiring. The Final Cut had it all voiced-over, which I personally found much easier.

    Still, Disco Elysium is not easy to digest. It required your attention and patience. It took me quite some time to finish the game, more than a few months actually, and not because of its length - but because it can be hard to actually take the time to invest in this game when you have a busy schedule and just want a light gaming session at the end of the day, Still, once I DID take the time, I was never bored, and the world and environment were always intriguing and made me want to go on with the game some more.

    Speaking of length, this may vary a lot according to your playstyle. I don't think I played more than 30 hours overall. The true "meat" of the game is that you may restart it with different statspersonality, and while the main story is always the same - the way the world around you reacts may change significantly (or so I've heard, as I'm yet to try a second playthrough).

    What's beautiful about Disco Elysium is that you may truly do what you want and feel is best (or worst) for your characters. While there are a few "game over" occasions, I personally didn't hit that many while playing rather spontaneously. You may fail some (or many) of the tasks and challenges given to you, and this would still develop the story in an interesting way, sometimes even better than expected. At any rate, the autosave system will save you of most troubles.

    So, as stated, along with being a masterpiece it's one of the sort which may be tiring at once and need some of your patience and faith in it. The game is not perfect, but it is very close to it.

    Few irritating points which you may need to overlook - first, without any spoilers, early in the game if you're not careful you MAY make mistakes which would leave you stuck at the end of the day without a way to advance. As mentioned there are plenty of autosaves and manual saves are possible as well, so this shouldn't really be game-breaking, and as I mentioned I didn't encounter such points while playing very spontaneously and not reading too much walkthroughs, etc.
    Still, not completely player-friendly. Speaking of that, the game is generally not player-friendly. Many of the mechanics aren't really explained to you, and as this is a detective game, I'm guessing this is somewhat intentional. There IS some magic in figuring stuff on your own, yet some basic stuff are simply never explained. One technical issue is that loading times can be irritating and completely non-proportional to the content being loaded, whether you're moving to a full scale-city or a tiny room, you'll be encountered by a loading screen of around 10 seconds. This usually doesn't occur THAT much, but there are some points where it's really annoying, especially in a game which is based on exploring and traveling around.

    No one is perfect though, right? and this are really the very few downsides I found. This is, again, very story oriented. In terms of production values, the game is rather top-notch, and while not having the super advanced graphics of AAA titles, it has a just-enough top-down vibe with terrific surroundings, soundtrack, and superb voice-overs, and has a highly complex story which is worth the ride.    … Expand
  3. Dpakowka
    Nov 19, 2021
    10
    An RPG miracle! Absolutely crazy and unforgettable game. Totally recommend.
  4. once69
    Nov 15, 2021
    10
    Одна из лучших игр, в которые я когда либо играл.
  5. jarvitom
    Nov 15, 2021
    9
    This game's athmosphere is fantastic, with the gameplay its one of a kind. Really solid rpg with lots of talking and detective stuff.
  6. MarsDell
    Nov 14, 2021
    9
    Потрясающе сделанные диалоги, их интересно читать, я не любитель читать книги в большом количестве и думал что будет скучно, но к счастью я был не прав. Диалоги в игре сделаны на высшем уровне.
    Они иногда провисают и становится скучно но в целом вести расследование очень интересно.
    Динамика повествования, локации, музыка на высоком уровне но местами встречаются недостатки. Небольшие    Потрясающе сделанные диалоги, их интересно читать, я не любитель читать книги в большом количестве и думал что будет скучно, но к счастью я был не прав. Диалоги в игре сделаны на высшем уровне.
    Они иногда провисают и становится скучно но в целом вести расследование очень интересно.
    Динамика повествования, локации, музыка на высоком уровне но местами встречаются недостатки. Небольшие придирки такие как музыка которая к середины игры мне настолько приелась что я её отключил, или огромное количество сюжетных миссий настолько тесно переплетающихся между собой что я забывал что я должен делать и приходилось наматывать круги по малюсенькой карте
    Но диалоги, персонажи и сюжет настолько круто сделаны что я испытал огромное удовольствие прохождения игры 9/10    … Expand
  7. meatmant
    Nov 7, 2021
    9
    Геймплей - 7/10
    Графон и визуальный стиль - 8/10
    Сюжет - 10/10
    Саундтрек - 10/10
    Общая оценка - 9/10
  8. infinity_1996
    Oct 30, 2021
    10
    Insanely elaborate story writing; amazing voice acting; intricate character development arc; more exciting control is definitely the cherry on top; a must-play masterpiece
  9. Oshiri_Maeda
    Oct 18, 2021
    7
    Looks like an amazing game, just not my cup of tea.
    Basically, it is another Planescape: Torment.
  10. FireRalin
    Oct 2, 2021
    0
    Смешно, что в игре, основанной на вероятностях и выборах есть несколько моментов, когда игра обманывает вас в них. Есть по меньшей мере 2 или 3 проверки, где вы всегда провалите. Думаете, что не увидели чего-то интересно? Перезагружаетесь десятки раз с целью увидеть интересный результат. Ложь и лень разработчиков, скрытая неумело и халтурноСмешно, что в игре, основанной на вероятностях и выборах есть несколько моментов, когда игра обманывает вас в них. Есть по меньшей мере 2 или 3 проверки, где вы всегда провалите. Думаете, что не увидели чего-то интересно? Перезагружаетесь десятки раз с целью увидеть интересный результат. Ложь и лень разработчиков, скрытая неумело и халтурно
  11. TomasLacerda
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    Just play this game.
    The freedom on how you can shape your character and how your decisions echoed throughout the story, this is a true RPG. Don't check trailers, just jump into it so you don't get any spoilers. It's gorgeous! I'm usually must more towards FPS and typical RPG like Fallout & Mass Effect, and this game just wow'ed me.
  12. Zski
    Aug 27, 2021
    8
    To start, I wanted to say that typically I am not a fan of these types of games at all. This game had a bit of a slow warmup, but after a couple hours, I was truly hooked and immersed into the world. I think that is part of the game, because you start the game as a character that has no memory of the past. At first, I was a little frustrated with this because I felt so lost, but as theTo start, I wanted to say that typically I am not a fan of these types of games at all. This game had a bit of a slow warmup, but after a couple hours, I was truly hooked and immersed into the world. I think that is part of the game, because you start the game as a character that has no memory of the past. At first, I was a little frustrated with this because I felt so lost, but as the story progresses, it really adds to the roleplaying experience. It’s an open world game where the immersion doesn’t come from the world itself, but from the relationships between the characters. This game gives you the closest experience any form of media has ever provided in taking on the role of a detective trying to solve a case. The acclaim this game has received for its writing is completely warranted, especially because the dialogue is not only with other characters, but its your character's thoughts as well. It really does some cool things that make you understand the psyche of the character as well. I went into this game somewhat hesitantly, but I am honestly blown away at how good it is. It takes a few mental adjustments from you, because its not like many other games, but once you get passed those, its a great experience. The greatest downfall of the game to me was the sometimes overly complex political storyline, it got to the point where I would completely disinterested. The other major issue with this game is that it’s just such a slow burn over the course of a very long time that it’s hard to finish it. I ended up stopping around 20 hours, it’s just too much content, but I enjoyed it while it lasted, I will likely return to it.… Expand
  13. Renaigse
    Aug 23, 2021
    8
    Игра кнш очень самобытна, такого объема умного текста, философских и политических размышлений нет нигде больше, только ради этого в принципе можно попробовать окунуться в этот мир. В остальном же, очень неплохая РПГ с интересным сюжетом, графика невзрачная кнш но и плохой ее не назовешь, быстро привыкаешь. Интересные персонажи, нет особого деления людей на заведомо плохих и хороших, уИгра кнш очень самобытна, такого объема умного текста, философских и политических размышлений нет нигде больше, только ради этого в принципе можно попробовать окунуться в этот мир. В остальном же, очень неплохая РПГ с интересным сюжетом, графика невзрачная кнш но и плохой ее не назовешь, быстро привыкаешь. Интересные персонажи, нет особого деления людей на заведомо плохих и хороших, у всех есть свои плюсы и минусы и все не совсем так как кажется на первый взгляд.… Expand
  14. kamgeforce
    Aug 19, 2021
    2
    If you like dialogue heavy games and have a testosterone levels and political views of a teenage female, this game is for you.
  15. tom_harding
    Aug 12, 2021
    9
    Disco Elysium takes the the classic point and click RPG format and brings it bang up to date. Complex mechanics, peerless writing, an intriguing setting and plenty of dark humour makes the game a pleasure to explore. The story on the surface seems straight forward but contains multiple layers of nuance and the political and social commentary is on-point.

    The games confident isometric    Disco Elysium takes the the classic point and click RPG format and brings it bang up to date. Complex mechanics, peerless writing, an intriguing setting and plenty of dark humour makes the game a pleasure to explore. The story on the surface seems straight forward but contains multiple layers of nuance and the political and social commentary is on-point.

    The games confident isometric style and detailed environment makes for a graphically stunning game. I wanted to explored every nook and cranny of the beautifully dark and grimy world. The user interface is superb, allowing walls of text and branching decisions to be easily read. It really is a credit to the developers exceptional writing and design choices that such a text focused game remains engaging and well paced throughout.

    I have some minor criticisms in how the story is wrapped up but these issues are far outweighed by nearly every other aspect of the game. This is the best point and click experience I have ever had and If you are a fan of this type of game then this is masterpiece that cannot be missed.    … Expand
  16. hello_world
    Jul 26, 2021
    9
    Disco Elysium is a great RPG for people who love role play and narrative. The narrative, despite being called a detective RPG, isn't actually all that great as a murder mystery. Sure there are twist and turns, but much of the information is just given to you via checks. There is actually very little detective work on part of the player. If you want that, you're better off with "Return ofDisco Elysium is a great RPG for people who love role play and narrative. The narrative, despite being called a detective RPG, isn't actually all that great as a murder mystery. Sure there are twist and turns, but much of the information is just given to you via checks. There is actually very little detective work on part of the player. If you want that, you're better off with "Return of the Obra Dinn." The story is better as a deep dive into the psyche of the main character, how he deals with loss, heartbreak and the crushing realisation that disco music just isn't cool anymore. Throw in an enduring buddy cop dynamic with a straight laced partner that has to put up with the player character's antics and a metric buttload of world building and you're in for a wild ride. The world, is vast and has a deep political history for sure, but most of my enjoyment came from the comedic writing and the relationship you forge with your partner.

    Gameplay wise, you will be doing a lot of reading (or listening now that 99% of the lines are now fully voice acted) and choosing dialogue choices, some of which requires a check. There is no combat, instead all of the skills are mostly ones that flesh out the personality of the main character. Are they capable of lying? Are they deductive like Sherlock Holmes? or are they an insane cop who listens to the wind and does enough drugs to kill a horse. Most of the time, these skills won't radically change the outcomes of any given quest, though some do have multiple solutions, but rather they colour your experience by giving you insight into the story because of what skills you have.

    My main complaint for the game is how they handled clothes in the game. Clothes are treated like gear in a game and they provide buffs or debuffs to skills. The issue is that most of the time, there is no downside to exiting out of a dialogue tree when you see a check and switch clothes to give you the highest chance of success. This results in you constantly switching clothes which can be tedious at times. There is no real way to sort the clothes or have a way to easily identify which set of clothes provide which buff at a glance. I would prefer if the increase the benefits of clothes but made it a commitment such that you can't switch it out and it's just part of your character's build. Alternatively they could make it give buffs that aren't tied to skill checks so you aren't incentivised to switch all the time.    … Expand
  17. vijay11
    Jul 22, 2021
    8
    loved the game, story, writing and mostly characters and story. CUNO loved it as well :)
  18. TommY2033M
    Jul 4, 2021
    10
    Incredible achievement in interactive storytelling, proving games can truly be art. A perfect crpg and game, giving incredible amount of choice.
    The world is very haunting and story very personal.
    It would be an equivalent of reading an amazing book, and arguably even better than that.
  19. Prometheus1241
    May 28, 2021
    9
    Actually, everything about Disco Elysium is said in it's description. It is a groundbreaking roleplaying game, which is probably the one that can change the genre in the future, and also one of the best games of our time.

    9/10
  20. CheekyBeef
    May 24, 2021
    10
    The mystery and politics of Revachol and its characters grabbed me right from the start and did not lose its grip over the entire 40 hours of gameplay that this CRPG masterpiece holds.

    The incredibly original and exceedingly beautiful art style and atmosphere set a tone that exudes charm and is propelled to legendary status by the phenomenal soundtrack. Revachol, although mirroring many    The mystery and politics of Revachol and its characters grabbed me right from the start and did not lose its grip over the entire 40 hours of gameplay that this CRPG masterpiece holds.

    The incredibly original and exceedingly beautiful art style and atmosphere set a tone that exudes charm and is propelled to legendary status by the phenomenal soundtrack. Revachol, although mirroring many aspects of the real-world, has its very own history and lore that the player slowly unfolds as they explore various locations and converse with an extraordinarily diverse range of characters (now fully voice-acted in the free Final Cut). The unsolved murder that kicks off the game is truly just the tip of the ice-berg with the rest begging to be uncovered. Once it is, the player is rewarded with a story full of humour, intrigue and drama that delivers on all fronts.

    The RPG system that this game posseses is pure gold, players have a choice of 4 major skill trees, intellect, psyche, physique and motorics each with 6 unqiue skills. The genius part is that every one of the 24 total skills has its own flavour and 'personality' which affects moment to moment gameplay. For instance, 'Drama' speaks to the player in Shakespearean-esque language and assists them with telling and detecting lies, 'Visual Calculus' allows players to construct crime scenes in their head, 'Electro-Chemistry' convinces the player the take drugs and allows them to do so with less downside, 'Perception' lets you hone your senses and notice the smallest of details...shall i go on?

    Of course these skills also impact the success of the dice-rolls that feature in your tyipical CRPG, but the level of detail in the system takes it to a whole new level, creating tense and rewarding moments but also some crushing failures - both of which are tremendously impactful both for the player and the world. Every choice and action matters in Disco Elysium and the game constantly proves to you that what you do has lasting effects on characters and events.

    But there is more, the game accompanies all of this with a totally novel mechanic called the 'Thought Cabinet'. Throughout the game, the player will encounter ideas that appear in their thought cabinet, which can be 'equipped' allowing for the player to choose their ideals and idiosyncracies. Equipping thoughts initally provides a temporary set of skill point alterations (both positive and negative) and after some amount of in-game time, a thought is 'complete.' Upon completion, the alterations can change - for better or for worse - also bringing unique bonuses in the form of character abilities and options. All of this comes together flawlessly with the skill system and gives an unforseen level of agency in character creation and development.

    With a stellar script, visual style and score, Disco Elysium takes the player on an unforgettable journey and a rollercoaster of emotions. It is really one of the greatest of the greats, a superb feat in the CRPG genre and a game that showcases the absolute best of what video games have to offer.    … Expand
  21. plusRichman
    May 19, 2021
    10
    Disco Elysium is a work of genius. It's RPG in it's purest form with unparalleled mature writing, that doesn't scare away from being artistic, political, meta or outright silly. It's character development and gameplay is totally out of the box with your skills being personified representation of you character inner self that try to influence you. The outcome may not always be successfulDisco Elysium is a work of genius. It's RPG in it's purest form with unparalleled mature writing, that doesn't scare away from being artistic, political, meta or outright silly. It's character development and gameplay is totally out of the box with your skills being personified representation of you character inner self that try to influence you. The outcome may not always be successful for your character but it is always interesting. The amazing writing and the novel gameplay are complemented by an aesthetically impressive artwork, making the whole game a masterpiece. Although this game is not for anyone, if you are into rpg genre you should totally play it.… Expand
  22. Carlst3n
    May 12, 2021
    9
    It was a very interesting game, I didn't give this game a 10 because i think that the dialogues sometimes was a bit to long and confusing. Since i'm not a political guy i found it hard to understand all the political statements and they didn't seem to catch my interest either. Although i think they did a great job at explaining alot of the stuff for you with Kims dialogue. I think that KimIt was a very interesting game, I didn't give this game a 10 because i think that the dialogues sometimes was a bit to long and confusing. Since i'm not a political guy i found it hard to understand all the political statements and they didn't seem to catch my interest either. Although i think they did a great job at explaining alot of the stuff for you with Kims dialogue. I think that Kim is the best character of the game and there were actually numerous times that this game made me laugh. I would've like to continue to Jamrock for a Sequel for sure!!… Expand
  23. demned
    Apr 27, 2021
    1
    Игра отстой. В первую очередь потому что при попытке использовать старую систему РПГ создатели не знают как работает эта система .За частую игра противоречит сама себе. Создается впечатлеие что ты смотриш скучный сериал с середины.Игра отстой. В первую очередь потому что при попытке использовать старую систему РПГ создатели не знают как работает эта система .За частую игра противоречит сама себе. Создается впечатлеие что ты смотриш скучный сериал с середины.
  24. podzorama
    Apr 24, 2021
    2
    What am I missing here? This just ain't happening for me. Reams of static scenes reading endless streams of dialogue about...who knows what. Moving from place to place and interacting with objects and NPC's an absolute joke.
  25. Topfpflanze
    Apr 23, 2021
    3
    A talkative, extraordinarily lame what-the-hell game where you don't get to see any perspective at all. It seems to make no sense whatsoever.
  26. Eliotsan
    Apr 11, 2021
    7
    This game is beyond great in terms of story, but just like Cyberpunk it's filled with outrageous number of bugs, including ones that does not allow You to continue the game. And it's completely random, You may or You might not stumble upon a bug that will force You to start over, because no matter what You do, [Continue] button does not appear (it does appear in another play throughThis game is beyond great in terms of story, but just like Cyberpunk it's filled with outrageous number of bugs, including ones that does not allow You to continue the game. And it's completely random, You may or You might not stumble upon a bug that will force You to start over, because no matter what You do, [Continue] button does not appear (it does appear in another play through however...). It seems that developers are aware, and does not care. The game is also filled with a lot of inconsistencies, including weird story hooks, bad english translations, and just plain misunderstandings of some political concepts which makes You a fascist where You clearly aren't. Some say that this is greatest RPG game of them all, i say : far from it. From such a technically simple game with aspiration to be "greatest" i would expect less game breaking bugs, less storyline shortcuts, and less old school point and click heritage of searching illogical places for clues.… Expand
  27. Kunray
    Apr 9, 2021
    9
    Me, for my part enjoyed it. I recommend this game!.This games art style is awesome. It’s got a great soundtrack. Is both beautiful and creepy, but mostly charming.
  28. mikepatyaev
    Apr 9, 2021
    9
    Disco Elysium is an open world role playing game. You’re a detective with a unique skill system at your disposal and a whole city block to carve your path across. Interrogate unforgettable characters
  29. cmp
    Apr 5, 2021
    10
    10 de 10. No creo que vaya a encontrar algo similar a esto. Sin combates, con un buen diseño y unos personajes muy dispares donde tienes que crear la personalidad del personaje desde cero y que hará que esto influya en las decisiones y en las opciones.
  30. chronicrenegade
    Mar 19, 2021
    10
    The best game I've ever played. All games are political inherently, but I'd argue this is the only game that gets it right. The narrative and characters are captivating. Gameplay is smooth and intriguing. The choices you make in game have weight and I often found myself agonizing over paths to take because I was that engrossed. The Communist playthrough is my favorite so far. Cannot waitThe best game I've ever played. All games are political inherently, but I'd argue this is the only game that gets it right. The narrative and characters are captivating. Gameplay is smooth and intriguing. The choices you make in game have weight and I often found myself agonizing over paths to take because I was that engrossed. The Communist playthrough is my favorite so far. Cannot wait for the Final Cut to release on console in March.… Expand
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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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
  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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