Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
PC / Mac / Playstation 4 and 5 / Xbox / Nintendo Switch / Stadia
ZA/UM
 

SOME years ago, Disco Elysium made video game history — and it did so by breaking all the rules.

Developed by the indie studio, ZA/UM, it not only achieved instant commercial success but received unanimous praise from critics, as well as a number of prestigious awards.

Although such acclaim isn’t unusual in itself, what is unusual is that it was lavished on a team who publicly thanked Marx and Engels for their “political education.”

More recently, it’s been making waves again, with a fully voice-acted “final cut” and an update, featuring improved readability for dyslexic players.

But even now, as the dust finally settles, it’s easy to overlook how this quirky, non-combat role-playing game has redefined what sells; proving, beyond all reasonable doubt, that there’s a market for titles willing to challenge the conveyor-belt creativity of the big AAA studios.

But what is Disco Elysium? Honestly, I’m not even sure where to begin. The sober explanation would be an isometric, narrative-driven detective story, set in a fictitious open world.

Sobriety though, is exactly what this game rejects. Rather, it’s a psychedelic, drug-induced, alcohol-fuelled journey through purgatory in reverse.

Impressively, you do still play a cop; albeit one who’s lost their gun, their badge, their car, their clothes, and memory, following one wild night on the town.

In effect, you’re a blank slate. Or at least you would be, if it wasn’t for your fractured psyche, acting as a skill tree and constantly steering you towards self-destruction.

These inner voices are exquisitely written, however, and often blur the lines between poetry and prose.

Character dialogues too, are expertly handled. The diction and registers are those we hear around us, in our homes and on our streets. They are real and immerse us in the strangeness of a jaded, Estonia-inspired environment, rendered in a captivating, oil-painted art style.

The voice-acting, admittedly, isn’t always great. But the words that are spoken never feel false and together, with a haunting, listless soundtrack, we wake up in a world that seems a little too familiar.  

And I mean that in the best possible way. Disco Elysium is a revolutionary game that sets an exciting precedent. Indeed, it’s probably the first work of interactive art to seriously consider material conditions and why we are the way we are.