Disco Elysium

Finally, a roleplaying game where you play a role instead of “press button, make the number go up.”

Starting at $11.80Buy now

Disco Elysium is a single-player mystery turn-based strategy game with an awesome story. Its wonderfully unique game mechanics, full voice acting, and unprecedented freedom of choice provide countless role-playing opportunities, with beautiful visuals, atmospheric music, and poetic replayability, despite some bugs and heavy advertising. The game also offers new political vision quests and numerous customization options, demonstrating a faithful representation of desktop role-playing.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 35,456 reviews

story4,228 positive mentions

grinding232 negative mentions

story
10,272 mentions
41 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story of *Disco Elysium* is widely praised for its depth, complexity, and engaging narrative, blending elements of detective fiction with profound social and political commentary. Players navigate a richly detailed world filled with memorable characters, where their choices significantly impact the unfolding story, though some critiques highlight a lack of meaningful variation in outcomes and pacing issues. Overall, it is celebrated as a masterclass in storytelling within the gaming medium, offering a unique and immersive experience that resonates with players long after completion.
- “The story, environment, voice over, everything about this game is top notch.”
- “Amazing story and detective game with very clever and in-depth social and political commentary.”
- “The story is captivating, hilarious yet heartbreaking.”
- “The main story leaves a lot to be desired.”
- “But all of that wears off a couple of hours in and you're faced with dialogue that's mostly inane for anyone that's not immediately into the weird lore of the game, and a mostly non-existent story as you jump through hoops without much of a clue about how any of it serves the storytelling.”
- “The gameplay was boring, the story was not interesting, the dialogues and the content of them were pretentious.”
gameplay
3,045 mentions
28 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *Disco Elysium* is primarily dialogue-driven, featuring a unique blend of role-playing mechanics and skill checks reminiscent of tabletop RPGs. Players navigate a richly detailed narrative through extensive conversations, with choices influenced by a character's internalized thoughts and skills, which can lead to varied outcomes. While the game lacks traditional combat and action mechanics, its innovative approach to storytelling and character development has garnered praise, though some players find the gameplay slow and heavily reliant on reading.
- “The ingenious dialogue combined with fantastic voice acting makes for a constantly enjoyable and engaging gameplay experience.”
- “The gameplay features some original takes on the RPG formula, which are a positive addition.”
- “The writing is stellar, gameplay is engaging, and the sheer volume of mechanical checks happening against any of 26 different skills creates fascinating branches in conversations and investigations.”
- “If that's not you though, know you'll find no cool sci-fi art and worldbuilding, no big picture philosophical themes (a bit of superficial politics maybe) and absolutely no enjoyable gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is lacking.”
- “The concept of the game is great, as every playthrough of the game will be slightly different, however the gameplay itself feels atrocious and tedious.”
humor
2,806 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Disco Elysium" is widely praised for its cleverness and depth, often blending dark comedy with poignant moments. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke laughter through absurd situations and witty dialogue, while also tackling serious themes like addiction and politics. The writing is described as both hilarious and thought-provoking, making it a unique experience that resonates emotionally with players.
- “The game is also funny as hell, with many moments making me audibly laugh to myself.”
- “It has charm, wit, and humor woven throughout a reflection of the human condition that lingers long after you finish the game.”
- “The writing is witty, sharp, and often hilarious, but also deep, philosophical, and emotional.”
- “Way too pretentious and not funny.”
- “Jokes which are not funny, an invented world full of strange names that are only that... strange names.”
- “Was that supposed to be funny or make me feel compassion with aggressive weirdos that threaten to kill me?”
graphics
2,171 mentions
54 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Disco Elysium" are widely praised for their unique and beautiful art style, often described as reminiscent of watercolor paintings or oil paintings, which effectively sets the tone for the game's narrative. Many reviewers highlight the stunning visuals and character portraits, noting that the art complements the deep storytelling and immersive atmosphere. While some mention minor graphical issues or a lack of high-fidelity realism, the overall aesthetic is considered a significant strength, enhancing the game's emotional and thematic depth.
- “The graphics and art style are beautiful.”
- “The art style is stunningly beautiful, with oil painting-like graphics that create a unique atmosphere.”
- “The game has a beautiful, hand-painted aesthetic that looks like something straight out of a watercolor painting.”
- “Studio Za/um are turning remarkable artwork into a soulless husk, bereft of morals and the antithesis of what it once stood for.”
- “The graphics, though simple, convey the emotion of this world far greater than realism would.”
- “The graphics are not high-fidelity, by any stretch of the imagination.”
music
1,874 mentions
52 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in *Disco Elysium* has been widely praised for its haunting and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the game's emotional depth and narrative. Many reviewers highlighted the soundtrack by British Sea Power as a standout feature, noting its ability to evoke feelings of melancholy and nostalgia, although some mentioned that the limited variety of tracks can lead to repetitiveness. Overall, the music is considered a crucial element that complements the game's unique art style and storytelling, creating an immersive experience for players.
- “The music is beautiful, the art is gorgeous, and the story is pretty good.”
- “The music, the writing, the art, the overall atmosphere... it's all so bleak and melancholic in the best of ways, with small bits of hope sprinkled here and there.”
- “The soundtrack is haunting and ethereal: a perfect backdrop to the visuals and the introspective nature of the game.”
- “The only issue with the soundtrack is that it isn't deep, and you will hear the same songs constantly at the same place.”
- “The music is surprisingly catchy and for 10 bucks this was a home run!”
- “The music is ambient most of the time and melancholic, adding to the atmosphere of the decaying periphery of once great city.”
emotional
997 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Disco Elysium" is widely praised for its profound depth and complexity, often leaving players feeling a range of intense emotions from joy to heartbreak. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create genuine connections with its characters and narrative, making them feel invested in the protagonist's journey of self-discovery and redemption. The writing is noted for its sharp wit and poignant moments, resulting in an experience that resonates deeply and lingers long after gameplay, often prompting players to reflect on their own lives and choices.
- “One of the best games I have ever played; it made me feel almost as if I am the main character rather than simply controlling them and even made me feel genuine emotion for the characters, which very few games have done before.”
- “I do not think I will ever experience literature in any form that accomplishes what Disco Elysium does in invoking raw emotional power.”
- “The whole of the setting and plot come together to produce an experience that is at turns heart-wrenching, ecstatic, surprising, cataclysmic, hilarious, endearing, redeeming, and meaningful.”
- “I wanted to like this game; honestly, it's a boring game with a boring story. It probably gets better, but the story is so bad I couldn't force myself to keep playing.”
- “This game is terrible. There's no guns, no FPS mechanics, no cool cutscenes, and just a boring story about some alcoholic police dude with a beard and a melancholic look in his eyes.”
atmosphere
783 mentions
61 % positive mentions
37 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Disco Elysium" is widely praised for its immersive and richly detailed world, characterized by a melancholic and gritty tone that enhances the narrative experience. Reviewers highlight the game's stunning art style, atmospheric music, and exceptional writing, all of which contribute to a unique ambiance that captivates players and evokes deep emotional responses. The combination of intricate world-building, engaging dialogue, and a haunting soundtrack creates a memorable and thought-provoking atmosphere that resonates long after gameplay.
- “The atmosphere is absolutely incredible.”
- “The atmosphere, music, stories, and writing are all top-notch.”
- “Disco Elysium is a wonderfully atmospheric point-and-click RPG hybrid, which delights in throwing essays of dialogue, beautifully realized three-dimensional characters, an incredibly captivating mystery, all with heavy political tones, an unforgettable soundtrack, and humor abound.”
- “The atmosphere of the world is eerie and broken down.”
- “The atmosphere, writing, world, and especially the music really pull you in.”
- “The atmosphere is dead on along with the fascinating retro-futuristic setting.”
replayability
623 mentions
38 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a prominent feature, with many players praising its extensive branching paths, character customization, and the impact of choices on dialogue and outcomes. While some reviewers note that the core storyline remains largely the same across playthroughs, the variety of skills and approaches available encourages multiple runs to explore different experiences. Overall, the consensus is that the game offers significant replay value, making it worthwhile for players who enjoy experimenting with different character builds and narrative choices.
- “Replayability is through the roof with this game.”
- “The diverse nature of approaches to the game means that the story is highly replayable, if only to see what hilarious or deplorable actions you might have missed the first time around.”
- “The skill levels are also capped to encourage replay value.”
- “However, even though some people have said that there is quite a lot of replayability, I'd disagree on that.”
- “The main downside to this game is probably a limited replay value.”
- “I don't think it holds a lot of replay value as after you finish it, the mystery of most of it is gone.”
grinding
260 mentions
2 % positive mentions
9 % neutral mentions
89 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is often perceived as tedious and frustrating, with players frequently expressing dissatisfaction with the excessive dialogue, inventory management, and backtracking required to progress. While some appreciate the unique storytelling and character development, many find the lack of traditional combat and the need to repeatedly engage with the same mechanics to be a chore, leading to a sense of boredom and fatigue over time. Overall, the game is described as a mix of engaging narrative and tedious gameplay, making it best suited for those who enjoy slow-paced, text-heavy experiences.
- “What surprised me is that this game doesn't have combat, so even casual gamers can take it up without the fear of getting stuck somewhere because of choosing incorrect skills at the start or not grinding enough experience.”
- “Its very forgiving in awarding experience points, so you have the freedom to explore and there is no grinding.”
- “Excellent writing and all the best parts of RPGs with no grinding, love it.”
- “The grinding for experience points was never fun.”
- “Having game progress locked behind a skill check that's RNG-based is tedious to say the least.”
- “The endless grind of dumpster-diving for loot, ping-ponging between NPCs on 'quests,' prebuffing as a lead-in to challenge-free grinding fights, min-maxing stats to achieve modest incremental changes that yielded merely more points to min-max, dialogue trees that were like administrative checklists... all of this conspired to make me throw in the towel.”
character development
208 mentions
54 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
Character development in "Disco Elysium" is widely praised for its depth and complexity, allowing players to explore a rich narrative through a unique skill system that influences dialogue and choices. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to intertwine character growth with storytelling, creating a compelling experience that encourages introspection and engagement with the world. The writing, voice acting, and character design further enhance this aspect, making it a standout feature that resonates with players seeking a profound RPG experience.
- “Disco Elysium is a captivating and immersive role-playing game that stands out for its unique storytelling, rich character development, and masterful world-building.”
- “The character development and dialogue are masterfully done with deep decision trees that have the realest impact on character development I've ever seen in a game.”
- “This game is a masterpiece of character development and storytelling.”
- “This game is not an RPG; it has very limited character development.”
- “I feel like the devs spent a lot of time on writing and almost zero on character design/gameplay.”
- “There are a few characters and sub-stories that I wish had been expanded a bit more, but whether this would counteract the amnesiac cop-centric character development and its delivery is a fair question in itself.”
stability
155 mentions
5 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with many users reporting a variety of bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, such as freezing, visual inconsistencies, and dialogue mismatches. While some players note that these issues can often be resolved by reloading the game, the overall experience is marred by the frequency and severity of these technical problems, particularly on certain platforms like Macs and older systems. Despite these challenges, many still find the game enjoyable, suggesting that the engaging content can sometimes outweigh the frustrations caused by its instability.
- “Runs great on the Steam Deck as well!”
- “So far, it has been completely bug-free.”
- “Almost completely bug-free to boot, which is impressive as hell.”
- “The game is also buggy and unpolished.”
- “It is 2022-10-27 and the game is still buggy... really good voice acting, some cool concepts but bugs, really crappy travel/movement system, inventory etc. max worth 10eur/usd.”
- “I had to stop and restart the game multiple times because it just freezes, for no reason at all.”
optimization
131 mentions
24 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, long loading times, and inconsistent frame rates, particularly on certain hardware configurations. While some users experienced smooth gameplay, others noted that the game felt unpolished and poorly optimized despite its relatively simple graphics. Overall, the optimization challenges detract from an otherwise engaging experience filled with stellar voice acting and captivating writing.
- “The art style makes it look like a painting come to life - gorgeous yet pretty well optimized.”
- “Talking about game performance, my playthrough was done on a late 2014 Mac Mini and I didn't experience any major game-breaking issues, and frame rate stayed in the 30 to 40 range at 1080p with everything set to high except anti-aliasing which was turned off.”
- “Very well optimized and if you're reading this just buy it.”
- “With the inability to upgrade the four primary attributes, the punishment is being forced to drag yourself through the route unoptimized for your build, or worse, at odds with the character you're attempting to build the protagonist into.”
- “Your partner, Kim Kitsuragi, follows you around jittering and stuttering as he runs, and the overall performance of the game appears unpolished.”
- “The optimization is not great; the movement and the environment feel choppy, and the interaction mechanics are very aged, with tons of loading screens in some places which are annoying.”
monetization
30 mentions
10 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
57 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism, particularly regarding the company's shift towards profit-driven strategies after the original creators were ousted. Reviewers express concern that future titles will prioritize microtransactions and live-service models over creative integrity, suggesting a move away from the unique vision that characterized the original game. This has led to a perception that the game's quality may suffer as it becomes more focused on maximizing revenue rather than delivering a fulfilling player experience.
- “Za/um are also hiring people to help them develop monetization strategies in the future.”
- “Another thing to mention is that this new Za/um team is hiring people with a goal to turn the next Za/um product into a game with microtransactions, DLC, and live-service features in order to 'maximize revenue'.”
- “Good news, though, they're hiring monetization experts!”
- “The original creators were booted by the company in the name of monetization, which is really ironic considering the game's stance on such topics.”
- “Another thing to mention is that this new Za/um team are hiring people with a goal to turn the next Za/um product into a game with microtransactions, DLC, and live-service features in order to 'maximize revenue'.”
- “Za/um, the publishers of the game, have fired the main leads that developed this story; this world full of depth for over a decade, took their IP, and is now moving towards a monetization approach that no longer follows the vision the original creators had in mind when building the world of Disco Elysium.”