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Disco Elysium is so goddamn good. everything is beautifully written! the solution description for Mazovian Socio-Economics is my absolute favorite.
0.000% of Communism has been built. Evil child-murdering billionaires still rule the world with a shit-eating grin. All he has managed to do is make himself sad. He is starting to suspect Kras Mazov fucked him over personally with his socio-economic theory. It has, however, made him into a very, very smart boy with something like a university degree in Truth. Instead of building Communism, he now builds a precise model of this grotesque, duplicitous world.
It’s pure gold.
One of my favourite lines from the game (MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR THE LAST 30 MINUTES)
spoiler
The Deserter: He opens his eyes and stares right through you. "It was real. I'd seen it. I'd seen it in reality."
Half-Light: Some kind of great terror. Worse than what you've seen. You: "Seen what?"
spoiler
The Deserter: "The mask of humanity fall from capital. It has to take it off to kill everyone - everything you love; all the hope and tenderness in the world. It has to take it off, just for one second. To do the deed. And then you see it. As it strangles and beats your friends to death... the sweetest, most courageous people in the world," he's silent for a second. "You see the fear and power in its eyes. Then you know."
You: "What?"
spoiler
The Deserter: "That the bourgeois are not human."
I tried to convince him I was a fellow communist and he called me a lib. 10/10 political discourse simulator
I know right? Like DE has three concurrent narratives; the murder case, the detective's mental state, and political struggle. The case is only really important as a vehicle for the others. Playing the game, it's really obvious that a), the devs are comrades, and b), they care a lot more about the political philosophy and how it manifests in Harry than the case itself.
spoiler
The deserter's island
resolves all the important parts of the game.
It wasn't the climax of the action and tension. The climax was
spoiler
when you have the shootout. Which ends act 2.
To be fair, the number of people saying that was shockingly few, considering gamers normally.
It's one of those games that I was a different gamer before and after. Before Disco Elysium, I believed we knew how a narrative game would play, what limits did it have, what types of choices could be done and the quality and quantity an indie game could deliver. After Disco Elysium, I knew all of that was wrong. And the best part is not that Disco Elysium doesn't just exceed your expectations and says 'this is the most you can ever expect now', they let you know clearly, there's still more to know and do when it comes to videogames.
Read an interview with the lead writer, and he had a philosophy of art that has stuck with me ever since:
“I want there to be fictional universes that talk about our own real life experiences. About the political problems we’re facing, the geopolitical structures around us, the problems of the modern world, etc. Universes which don’t leave us feeling numb, alone, and abandoned after we have finished exploring them. Universes which actually equip us with life tools and provide context for what’s happening to us. Which give us the strength to carry on with our lives, instead of making us feel empty to the point where we say, “Oh my god, I want to go back to the land of the Elves, but I can’t; I’ve already seen it all”.
The best aim behind this revolution in how worlds are built is that of changing how people interpret escapism. I want them to feel good when they return, better equipped, ready to accomplish things, with new tricks to use as they go about their business.”
One more reason Disco Elysium can change your life (as a gamer).
Disco Elysium and HBomberguy ruined RPGs for me. I'm not sure if I hate them or love them for that
You have to trascend into sadomasochistic gaming: when love and hate become meaningless, it's all an experience.
One of the best things about it is that it made g*mers/fascists very angry.
Honestly one of the best marks of a great game is that it reviews highly but g*mers hate it i.e. Disco Elysium, Last of Us 2
It’s a very leftist game and they also thanked Marx and Engels at the video game awards
Anodic dance music with communard messaging will bring about revolution all across the pale.
Not only is it well written, but I love the esoteric character traits. "No clue what SHIVERS is supposed to do for me, but I guess I'll level it up cause it sounds cool." Cut to 30 minutes later when I pass a SHIVERS check and get access to a beautifully poetic description of Revachol set to some wistful music.
The first night playing this I had to stop because I was afraid I'd wake up my neighbours from laughing so hard.
Hot Take: If you don't end up with the Sorry Cop ending on your first playthrough you are a lib
Disco Elysium is one of those games that I will stick with for 10 or so hours and then not touch for a couple months. Its hard for me to not just launch my usual multiplayer games out of habit.
Its one of a few games that I have bought after pirating. Totally worth it imo.
I rarely replay games, but this is one that I think I'm going to start up for a second time. Honestly, this game is what tipped the first domino on my path to recovering lib, and for that it's always going to have a special place in my heart.
The absolute melancholic mood really gets to me. I'm really looking forward to the english release of the novel and tabletop rpg
