Disco Elysium - It's a unique experience. *sits on Evrart's chair*

Disco Elysium is a 2019 role-playing game developed by ZA/UM, and it is probably one of the most unique experiences I have ever had playing a video game in my life. I heard various stories about players enjoying this game years ago, but I initially suspected it was just the usual hype you hear.

No, the game is just that good.

The story follows a troubled detective with no memory of his identity or the world around him. It seems obvious from the very beginning that he lost his memory after drinking too much the day before. You are left in charge immediately as you wake up, and the world opens up in a typical point-and-click approach.

After a few scenes of trying to understand the controls, you learn that you are a detective sent by the police to solve a murder in the district of Martinaise in the city of Revachol. A fellow detective from another unit arrives to support you, but the path forward is up to you. What will you do first? Try to find your identity? Find your lost gun or car? Or simply talk to the residents to understand the world setting?

There are hours upon hours of voiced dialogue and so many different ways to approach the same problem. These approaches are all influenced by the stats you choose at the beginning of the game and those you gain from wearing different (and sometimes crazy) items of clothing.

The world is completely original. It is set in a bleak country ravaged by multiple wars in the recent past and still in the process of trying to recover. The oil-painting art style really manages to bring this bleak setting to life, and it is hard not to find yourself completely immersed in it after an hour or so.

There are multiple factions at play in Martinaise, and each one of them could be used to further your goal of finding the murderer. The Dockworkers' Union (led by Evrart Claire) is seeking to wrestle control over the docks from the Wild Pines company and their negotiator, Joyce Messier. They even try to use the detective's amnesia as a way to gain leverage.

You can also find various minor side quests in the game (all fully voiced). They do not directly affect the murder investigation, but they tangentially help or provide further information about the world. It is hard not to get lost just talking to every single NPC or inspecting every item to learn more.

The witty humor and social commentary are pretty much everywhere (I included a few screenshots of them), and I have to admit that I ended up giggling at the lines more than once. Kim Kitsuragi is an amazing partner character who really makes the protagonist even more entertaining to watch.

I really suggest you give this game a chance. It is a masterpiece in the RPG genre, and I feel everyone should at least try it. I have heard of various "spiritual successors" being in development for a while, but I wonder if they can manage to capture the exact same mix of content that made this game so successful.