Disco Elysium 2019

About

Disco Elysium came out on October 15, 2019 for PC, then for Mac on April 27, 2020. On Steam, 93% of 119,161 player reviews are positive (Very Positive). 1,224 people are playing it on Steam right now, with a peak of 2,014 in the last 30 days. It is Verified on Steam Deck. The main story takes about 19 hours, doing everything about 45 hours. It won 9 awards, including Mac Game of the Year and PC Gamer Game of the Year.

Disco Elysium is a role-playing game developed and published by ZA/UM. It is set in the fictional city of Revachol, where players assume the role of an amnesic detective investigating a murder. The game emphasizes dialogue and skill-based choices, with character attributes represented by internal voices that influence decisions and interactions. Its narrative explores themes of politics, philosophy, and personal identity, and it is known for its unconventional gameplay and deep storytelling.

Story

In the impoverished district of Martinaise within the city of Revachol, a detective wakes up in a trashed hostel room with no memory of who he is. A severe hangover and what appears to be drug-induced amnesia have erased his identity entirely. He is met by Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi, who informs him they have been assigned to investigate the death of a man found hanged in an empty lot behind the hostel. The victim's identity is unclear, and the scene suggests he was lynched by a group. As the amnesiac detective and his partner explore the district, following leads and helping residents, the detective gradually learns he is Harrier ""Harry"" Du Bois, a decorated officer of the Revachol Citizens Militia. Something broke in him years ago, triggering a catastrophic spiral that culminated in a three-day drinking binge around Martinaise just before the case began. Now he must piece together both the murder and himself, navigating the political tensions of a city still under foreign occupation decades after a failed communist revolution, while the union dockworkers' strike and a squad of rogue mercenaries threaten to engulf Martinaise in violence.

What is happening now

Disco Elysium is a narrative-driven RPG that earned critical acclaim upon its 2019 release, establishing ZA/UM as a distinctive voice in indie gaming. The game presents a detective story grounded in dialogue and character interaction rather than traditional combat mechanics. The studio has faced a turbulent period recently. Following the commercial underperformance of their latest release, ZA/UM announced layoffs affecting up to 32 staff members across all departments. The developer has been navigating ongoing public and legal disputes since Disco Elysium's launch. Despite these challenges, the studio has stated its artistic standards remain unchanged. Meanwhile, the original game continues to find audiences through bundled sales, including a recent inclusion in Humble's CRPG collection.