@@JohannicusThose are completely different types of RPGs, not really fair to compare, but both have their time and place. (From someone who loves both disco elisum and souls games)
@@boohoo5419 lmao did you invent this game and then they fired you before giving you any credit? You seem unnecessarily salty about this games existence 😂
One of the things I love most about this game is how failure isn't just a game over or a penalty to the player, it often leads to a new outcome, which could be just as interesting as if you had succeeded. Granted, I did die early on from trying to get my tie down from the fan at the start of the game so failures does sometimes result in death hehe.
Some successes are actually failures in the game. If you succeed at trying to play petanque then you through a ball into the water. I love how this game works.
@@nBasedAce Right. In most games, if something is really hard to succeed at, it’s obviously beneficial. Here, sometimes succeeding at something actually isn’t great if the thing you’re trying to succeed at is a terrible idea in the first place.
The way Disco Elysium approaches politics is unparalleled in games honestly. It's such a beautiful, painful meditation on what it feels like to live in a place where a revolution failed. The physical scars decay of the city echo the political rot that led to their oppression, as well as the emotional turmoil wreaking havoc on your main character's mind. Disco Elysium is pure art, and one of the best games of all time. Great to see you review it.
Also, by satirizing all the ideologies (even noderate centrism), it doesn't feel preachy. And it's done in a way that makes it still all seem genuine and believable.
The designer's views on politics and philosophy is quite shallow and clearly leaning towards communism (being avowed Marxists and all) so for as good of a game as it is, it's not as deep as it portrays itself to be
@@bigboydancannon4325 They're absolutely Marxists, but they're not shallow -- unlike your understanding of the political beliefs outlined in Disco Elysium.
@@RuYourBoat Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you enjoyed baby's first look at philosophy - the game. Maybe it will even spur you to pursue this topic further
I cannot believe I didn't post a comment under this review! I'm one of those mentioned by Mortismal who requested it, and this is maybe my favorite video game of all time. For sure it's the most interesting and surprising I ever played, indeed. One thing for those who still didn't play this game, who're watching this review years later: the main driving of the narrative is solving the murder case, yes. But there are at the very least a couple of "side quests" alongside the investigation proper, which are even more central to the game itself. When the whole thing, no matter what drives the things you do as a player in it, is ultimately a way through which you will discover who you are in Disco Elysium, and what actually is Disco Elysium's world itself. Thanks for your reviews and videos!
@@RevanchistExcept he doesn't; He actually tries to save your ass by presenting Harry in a good light. He'll basically goes "He does drink a lot and do seemingly random bullshit; But he gets results".
One of the most significant rpg’s of the last decade imo, up there with say, baldur’s gate 2. Nowhere near as big in scale but the overall quality is off the charts both in terms of writing and gameplay, this is an rpg that feels like rpg in the word’s actual meaning
I love this game. It is funny, it's dark and ultimately, it's a *vibe*. It's disco, man. The world is so well realized, my memory of playing it feels like a memory of when I went to visit a physical place. The voice acting is so good too, the narrator (Lenval Brown) is fantastic. Kim is a legend, hardcore is life and most of all, Cuno doesn't give a fuck.
the game is ...weird, its not your typical character level progression, what i love most about what they ve done is the fact that if you level one 'ability' too much it starts to... take over your personality, all the problems you encounter, your mind tries to solve them using that ability, which is often not the correct solution! Brilliant imo! too bad you didn't like its art style, you would have enjoyed it more otherwise i think!
Good point! In my opinion it's an example of what happens to everyone if they focus too much on just one thing in life, it becomes a too big part of their personality and leads to them living in their own bubble too much. It was very well done in this game and I don't think any other game has tried to do it before that.
This was a review that I have been waiting for. I also had the similar thought, about the dialog system, that I would love to see it in other games. A Dune based game would probably benefit from it for example.
@@anthonytitone they aren't hiring for a new space game, the job requirement said that the writer should be passioned about sci fi. It could easily be disco Elysium content related to the pale.
I love how the game handles all the political ideologies. Whatever you chose, game scorns you for it, either marking you a boring person, an idiot, an aggressive ape or something else. Insulting the player on purpose is something i dont think ive ever seen and i love it. UPD just wanted to say that i love artstyle and music in game very much as well. Also lore concept is very interesting to me - combining this sorry bleak reality with analogue technologies, and practically magic stuff and then MAKING it a sorry reality. Just love it
Before Mort's review I saw some people complaining that the game is "communist propaganda ", like dude, if you ended up as a communist in this game, I don't know what to tell you, but maybe you have to rethink some of your believes because the game just calls you out for what you are 😂
It's cool too because the game devs clearly have their political views but their self aware enough to not make them be the proper choice if that makes sense.
I also think this game would show itself from a better angle to people who were born and raised in eastern europe. Lead writer is estonian (i think?) and, while im not, i can imagine how baltic post-sovietness would look exactly like the game depicts. Game oozes this feel, and while many people may think that this atmosphere is just about the game... no, its pretty much the feel of post soviet areas.
They did a great job at revealing the absurdity pouring out of any political belief being taken too seriously. Whatever you stand for, you've got to face paradoxes and contradictions in any ideology :)
It's not really "the game" that's making statements about political ideologies, or at least it's not making simplistic points about them . Everything you experience in the game is filtered through Harry. All of the options you have for engaging politically with the world are based on the fragmentary understanding that Harry has of those ideologies. He, Harry, the gym teacher turned cop turned drunken amnesiac, is not an educated man. So all of these ideologies are presented to the player in a heightened version of an everyman's understanding of politics. Communists, Harry thinks, are foolish, naive, and always shouting leftist slogans. Fascists are misogynist dude bros who are deeply insecure. Ultraliberals are money and power-obsessed ghouls who cloak their incredible selfishness in intellectual abstractions. These things are all that Harry knows about these beliefs, and you, the player, are helping Harry remember them. The game does have a broader point to make, though. It's basically left wing in nature: capitalism relentlessly crushes the poor. Think of the arc of the plot in relation to how the average person in Martinaise is benefitting. Who is actually doing the most good for the people, in material terms? Think about Evrart vs. Joyce, and think about what the Church kids represent in relation to them. The person you find more aesthetically appealing is actually the worst one.
You're absolutely right that I was only watching the video to see what you think about it, and you were very successful in burying your final recommendation until the end. Loved the video
Bought it on release, full price (or with a release window sale, don't remember), and it was definitely worth it. The highlight of the past few years for me, as far as new releases go. Most of my day1 purchases have been huge disappointments lately and this fact alone makes Disco Elysium stand out for me. I finished the game over a single weekend and even shed a tear during a particularly relatable scene. Definitely goes into the "I wish I could forget everything about this game so I could play it blind again" tier.
it's unfortunate about the game's presentation and its effect on you, but just think of it as an element of immersion as your actual brain gets to feel like the character's brain when waking up from a crazy bender. =) great content as always and congrats on an amazing July!
Hey mate, been following you since I think, 10k subs? Been rooting for you ever since! So proud of you and your work. You're articulate, balanced, and wholesome. I really enjoy hearing your opinions on games, and especially when it's a game I've already played!
One of my favorite games of all time that I hold in very high regard, because it's very close in writing prowess and narrative to my 1# which is Planescape Torment. Thank you for the review Mort!
Nice one! Really loved this game even though I'm not huge fan of games centered only in narrative side. The writing in this one is so phenomenal and I only wish that I could play it again for first time as its so memorable it makes it hard to replay with same magic as first time around.
The games isn't 100% based on the book, whilst they occur in the same world, the book takes places on a different continent (isola) and with completely different characters and plot.
You seem to know much more about the book than i have been able to research. Do you know if the translation is coming any time soon? I think people's been asking this since the game came out, and still no answer, but maybe you know :P
@@adahnyemeth6317 I've not read it as I don't speak Estonian. I tried to read a fan translation of it but the translation wasn't very good. They've been saying it's due out "soon" since 2020 so who knows 🤷 But there is one interesting very spoilerery thing regarding the fate of Revachol in the book (it takes place several decades in the future from the setting of the game).
Happy you liked this game, though it is far from being the standard for your average audience. Few words about the game: 1. it is much more about investigating who you are than who killed the poor man. 2. it has a way of breaking expectations of "standard" RPG players in several ways: for example, your skills can actually hurt you if you invest too much in them by taking over your thoughts and reactions. having a "special" dialog due to high skill is not allays good (but usually extreemly interesting and funny). 3. looking forward to your build guides for Disco Elysium, same as Pathfinder. Please start with the Hobo Cup and Art cup builds :) As usual, great content.
I played with high Physique and it was amazing. My signature skill was Shivers because it gives you so much extra info about the city and what going on in wider world. Rest I put to motoric and Psyche. I had no regrets playing this way. Your skills sometimes even mislead you or contradict each other so you have to think and chose accordingly. This game is really great roleplaying experience. I've built my character like I would like to be myself. And the game is so well written it let's you actually do that. I was blown away. Of course there's linearity but on your first playthrough it's not so obvious. I would wholeheartedly recommend this to anybody who loves roleplaying.
I think this type of game puts emphasis on the role playing in "role playing game", rather on micro managing stats for a build in an action game (which is a lot of fun too, but a different thing). I'd love to hear your thoughts later on how this story and text heavy game compares to Planescape Torment. I hope there will be more games that make failure interesting. A passed or failed check could open different unique branches in the story. For a game like this I wish there was an anti save-scumming mode, to protect people like me, from ourselves. It could maybe hide the dice rolls, and make it unknown (unless obvious) if I passed a check or didn't, one save per character with autosave only, and maybe the thoughts in thought cabinet shouldn't be actively internalized, but rather "forced" upon you, depending on the events you do to trigger their availability. Since one can't anticipate their positive/negative effects (unless looking up on the Internet), one gets apprehensive of choosing a thought to internalize, and spends points on skills instead, which is a shame. Maybe also somewhat less of hauling crazy wardrobes for stat bonuses. Maybe one could even hide stat bonuses, and let the player guess, or a even some of the skills hint at, a reasonable outfit for a particular task.
I agree with your suggestion. Many people can't enjoy this game because they can't stand knowing they missed something or failed a roll. But accepting those things is how to play the game. Once you start hitting the guides and minmaxing the game is over. Which is why he liked his first playthrough best. People who can stop themselves can really savor this game and enjoy several playthroughs.
I was sat on the toilet earlier today and this game popped into my head. Now a few hours later this video is on my feed! Sorry to hear the art style didn’t agree with you as I absolutely loved it!
This is exactly what I've been waiting for, this is exactly and I don't mean to sound to like Katt Williams, but this is exactly what I've been waiting for.....
I had a lot of fun with it. I played through twice when it came out but haven't played the final cut yet. Inland Empire is one of my favorite "skills" always pretty funny
i tried going full drugged up super star on my first playthrough, but when i realised i had disappointed kim, i couldn’t carry on. kim made me a better man.
Starting my first playthrough now. Starting build is a electrochemistry shivers main, with heavy focus on endurance and half light with hopes it will let me live a drug fueled psy-detective run 🍄🕵♂️🍺
I just finished this recently. Absolutely love it! I started Planscape Torment a few days ago. I am loving that game as well. I'm looking forward to eventually getting around to Tides of Numenera and another game I became aware of recently that seems to be in the same vein, Gamedec. If anyone has any suggestions for other similar story-driven, dialogue-heavy games, please let me know! :)
I like how these absolutely extreme political parodies manage to make a world that is so cohesive and well built. The world building also leaves a huge window for more games in this universe. Loved it.
so few experiences like this that this has to be 10/10, yet so many ways to develop this genre/story/atmosphere further, hopefully other devs can jumpstart new projects based on this success and we'll see even better stuff soon
I love this game. It took me a while to really get into the story, but once you get to know the different characters and their backstories it becomes totally engrossing. By the end, I was genuinely sad to leave this strange city with its decaying buildings, windswept beaches and that beautiful melancholic soundtrack. The scene at the end involving the plasmid was the cherry on the cake, it brought tears to my eyes ! An incredible experience.
I didn't have a problem with politics as they didn't come across preachy and one sided where I felt I was getting a lecture. The world is really messed up and a large part of that involves politics. This is reflected in real life as much as it is in the game. There were quite a few times the subject matter hit close to home where I was thinking it was sorta creepy though.
Yes, you are right, the game is awesome, we already played it and we just want to hear your opinion. Hopefully their next game is one that doesn't give you headaches.
A game where i died when failing the first ever check: a game to my taste! I'll have to dive again in the title to finish it, but i had a blast when playing it.
Inland Empire + Shiver + Conceptualization, aaand that one thought that makes you think you're a supranatural detective make for a great Lynch/Twin Peaks/X-files playthrough
i had to actually spend a lot of time reading freaking cockatoo book :) (cuz of the freezer melting situation) that was frustrating. I finished all the side missions, i reloaded game when i failed the white checks, eventually hitting good rng. because otherwise i have to read books again to pass the time. Yeah so time management was bad in this game, it needed a witcher 3 type clock. i liked the game and recommend it, game really opens up after day 3 so be patient and go thru with it. My fav missions were around the old church. I think physique is the least fun and useless section. Motorics are important in very dire situations. My fav skills are empathy, rhetoric, volition, authority. Don't forget to change your clothes to get through your checks.
Something I noticed now for the first time, and I don't think I've heard anyone mention before, is how there is one wall with the same pattern as the floor in The Shining. It's a very distinct pattern so it is likely intentional. I assume it has something to do with madness. Before I ever played the game or knew anything about it the art style of the opening menu made me think of Van Gogh, causing me to guess that madness is a theme in the game, which is stort of accurate actually.
I got to Day 9 on my playthrough but I only did because I made a lot of mistakes early on and right at the end. Basically I made a "custom class" that soft locked me of a lot of stuff that would have made the game go much faster (like getting into the docks) and I didn't fix it with the level ups, so it took me 6 days to find Ruby. And when I did, due to some mistakes I was very low in health and had no health items (I didn't buy any at that point and I called Dora so much I was nearly dead when I found Ruby) so I was basically forced to leave because I couldn't get through that encounter the way I was. And because I left and the ending seemed near I decided to do as much as I could before facing Ruby, which ultimately lead me to getting into the docks that night and finally getting the dead body down early in day 7 (which makes Kim leave so I couldn't/didn't want to face Ruby without him). Although to be honest this was for the best because those two extra days helped me finally find my gun, which seemed kind of important during the shootout and the final portion of the game, and I ended up getting the best ending.
vampire the masquerade should be made as this kind of rpg.. combine this with pillars of eternity 2 and make a vampire the masquerade game.. along with its day and night cycle mechanics, sure they might lose the majority of the bro crowd but who cares.. table top games are by its nature a game like this, and there have never been a true Isometric RPG vampire the masquerade game.. and also maybe than we could choose out of all the 13 ++ clans
*Make failure interesting* First playthrough, dies by trying to grab a tie from the fan in 5 min Second playthrough, dies by turning on the light in 5 min
I have NOT played this game yet and am considering buying it while it’s on sale $9.99. I have thought about buying it before but never pulled the trigger.l, so I appreciate the review.
I have this game on download while watching this review and it's made me want to play it so much more now lol !!! hurry up and download already! good review thanks dude 👍
I sat on an uncomfortable chair. 3 unavoidable failed checks later I gave up being a detective from morale failure. So I got my money back. TBF it was not running well on my old PC which magnified the frustration so I am looking out for it on sale to try again.
If anyone watches this review, I think you should know that while it's hilarious and absurd, the story also has beautiful, touching, and sad moments as well. It's not all "zany"
Did you get the random phone dialing event with you-know-who in your playthrough? I don't think I'll ever forget that. Some of the tonal shifts in this game are just amazing.
Totally, when I hear "zany" I think of something like Hitchkhikers Guide. This has moments of humour, and they're very well done, but the general mood of the game is a lot more subtle. Its sad and nihilistic at times but there are also moments that make you beam with child-like joy :)
Thorough review, you touch so many points people who are likely to purchase and play the game might have questions or doubts about. Thanks for the not spoil anything, especially for these heavily narrative games you want to experience those things yourself. You got yourself a new subscriber ❤️
Making failure interesting is really a big feature in this game.
This is why I love Outward over other Soulslike games. It makes failure part of your story. Not a grind.
Was done in Numenera: Torment before, but not as deep as here.
@@JohannicusThose are completely different types of RPGs, not really fair to compare, but both have their time and place. (From someone who loves both disco elisum and souls games)
this man actually worked through a splitting headache to get this video out. You are an absolute champ man.
I was just about to say this :')
Wow such a man of the people 👏
Hardcore!
Hardcore to the mega!
Volumetric shit compressor. He got his shit together
The only game that actually made me too scared to pick an option.
it's purpose is to Skinner box you into being a commie.
@@boohoo5419 You seem very smart, hope that keeps working out for you.
Lmao damn I won't be able to hang then. I'm TERRIFIED of progressing dialogue in games 😅😅
@@boohoo5419 lmao did you invent this game and then they fired you before giving you any credit? You seem unnecessarily salty about this games existence 😂
@@boohoo5419 your criticism doesn't even make any sense
One of the things I love most about this game is how failure isn't just a game over or a penalty to the player, it often leads to a new outcome, which could be just as interesting as if you had succeeded. Granted, I did die early on from trying to get my tie down from the fan at the start of the game so failures does sometimes result in death hehe.
Some successes are actually failures in the game. If you succeed at trying to play petanque then you through a ball into the water. I love how this game works.
@@nBasedAce Right. In most games, if something is really hard to succeed at, it’s obviously beneficial. Here, sometimes succeeding at something actually isn’t great if the thing you’re trying to succeed at is a terrible idea in the first place.
funny i died too by turning on the bulb at the start of the game too :P
The chair. Good god the chair.
@@jamesbudd437 that chair in the office killed me multiple times
Blue tinged shades and Ibuprofen.. yup, you played Disco Elysium alright :P
The way Disco Elysium approaches politics is unparalleled in games honestly. It's such a beautiful, painful meditation on what it feels like to live in a place where a revolution failed. The physical scars decay of the city echo the political rot that led to their oppression, as well as the emotional turmoil wreaking havoc on your main character's mind.
Disco Elysium is pure art, and one of the best games of all time. Great to see you review it.
Also, by satirizing all the ideologies (even noderate centrism), it doesn't feel preachy. And it's done in a way that makes it still all seem genuine and believable.
@@d4n4nable Especially moderate centrism.
The designer's views on politics and philosophy is quite shallow and clearly leaning towards communism (being avowed Marxists and all) so for as good of a game as it is, it's not as deep as it portrays itself to be
@@bigboydancannon4325 They're absolutely Marxists, but they're not shallow -- unlike your understanding of the political beliefs outlined in Disco Elysium.
@@RuYourBoat
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you enjoyed baby's first look at philosophy - the game. Maybe it will even spur you to pursue this topic further
Thanks for including the chapter time stamps on this video - Really helps!
Great review!
I cannot believe I didn't post a comment under this review!
I'm one of those mentioned by Mortismal who requested it, and this is maybe my favorite video game of all time.
For sure it's the most interesting and surprising I ever played, indeed.
One thing for those who still didn't play this game, who're watching this review years later:
the main driving of the narrative is solving the murder case, yes.
But there are at the very least a couple of "side quests" alongside the investigation proper,
which are even more central to the game itself.
When the whole thing, no matter what drives the things you do as a player in it,
is ultimately a way through which you will discover who you are in Disco Elysium,
and what actually is Disco Elysium's world itself.
Thanks for your reviews and videos!
"Kim truly trusts you" is one of the few times a video game made me cry a little bit
I felt like seeing that was a really hard and rare thing. But the feeling was so cool. Kim is the best partner you can have in a game.
But then in the end he still rats you out to the other cops lol
@@Revanchist Thanks for the spoiler. I'm playing through it atm.
@@Revanchist what he does depends on your choices throughout the game
@@RevanchistExcept he doesn't; He actually tries to save your ass by presenting Harry in a good light.
He'll basically goes "He does drink a lot and do seemingly random bullshit; But he gets results".
One of the most significant rpg’s of the last decade imo, up there with say, baldur’s gate 2. Nowhere near as big in scale but the overall quality is off the charts both in terms of writing and gameplay, this is an rpg that feels like rpg in the word’s actual meaning
@@robertchmielecki2580 yeah it’s for sure the devs have played their fair share of tabletops
I love this game. It is funny, it's dark and ultimately, it's a *vibe*. It's disco, man. The world is so well realized, my memory of playing it feels like a memory of when I went to visit a physical place. The voice acting is so good too, the narrator (Lenval Brown) is fantastic. Kim is a legend, hardcore is life and most of all, Cuno doesn't give a fuck.
Is it, though ? Is it really?
Wow kEwL
Major props to the narrator doing all the voices
@@chrisf1600yes it is
You've inspired me to dive back in! Thanks for the great review.
the game is ...weird, its not your typical character level progression, what i love most about what they ve done is the fact that if you level one 'ability' too much it starts to... take over your personality, all the problems you encounter, your mind tries to solve them using that ability, which is often not the correct solution! Brilliant imo!
too bad you didn't like its art style, you would have enjoyed it more otherwise i think!
Good point! In my opinion it's an example of what happens to everyone if they focus too much on just one thing in life, it becomes a too big part of their personality and leads to them living in their own bubble too much. It was very well done in this game and I don't think any other game has tried to do it before that.
Wonderfully done, really appreciate your review. This was the motivation I needed to finish the game.
Empathy: He got headaches doing this review, you should at least write a comment
My colleagues in work officially adapted "volumetric shit compressor," as serious point of reference when doing business stuff.
This was a review that I have been waiting for. I also had the similar thought, about the dialog system, that I would love to see it in other games. A Dune based game would probably benefit from it for example.
A Dune Disco Elysium style game sounds really interesting, the devs ZA/UM are hiring for a space game next so u might get somethin close to your wish
@@anthonytitone I hope its a new IP to be honest. Devs tend to be more free to develop their vision when its their own property.
@@anthonytitone they aren't hiring for a new space game, the job requirement said that the writer should be passioned about sci fi. It could easily be disco Elysium content related to the pale.
@@AhbibHaald certainly possible although I think it would still be a new game, I don’t see them releasing a Final Cut 2
On blue light glasses, you can cancel all the blue light on Windows by kicking on "Night mode" which will turn off all the blue light from the source
This is one of my favourite games for sure. Absolutely fascinating world and story.
Probably my favourite game of all time. It's stuck deep in my heart and thoughts.
I love how the game handles all the political ideologies. Whatever you chose, game scorns you for it, either marking you a boring person, an idiot, an aggressive ape or something else. Insulting the player on purpose is something i dont think ive ever seen and i love it.
UPD just wanted to say that i love artstyle and music in game very much as well. Also lore concept is very interesting to me - combining this sorry bleak reality with analogue technologies, and practically magic stuff and then MAKING it a sorry reality. Just love it
Before Mort's review I saw some people complaining that the game is "communist propaganda ", like dude, if you ended up as a communist in this game, I don't know what to tell you, but maybe you have to rethink some of your believes because the game just calls you out for what you are 😂
It's cool too because the game devs clearly have their political views but their self aware enough to not make them be the proper choice if that makes sense.
I also think this game would show itself from a better angle to people who were born and raised in eastern europe. Lead writer is estonian (i think?) and, while im not, i can imagine how baltic post-sovietness would look exactly like the game depicts. Game oozes this feel, and while many people may think that this atmosphere is just about the game... no, its pretty much the feel of post soviet areas.
They did a great job at revealing the absurdity pouring out of any political belief being taken too seriously. Whatever you stand for, you've got to face paradoxes and contradictions in any ideology :)
It's not really "the game" that's making statements about political ideologies, or at least it's not making simplistic points about them . Everything you experience in the game is filtered through Harry. All of the options you have for engaging politically with the world are based on the fragmentary understanding that Harry has of those ideologies. He, Harry, the gym teacher turned cop turned drunken amnesiac, is not an educated man. So all of these ideologies are presented to the player in a heightened version of an everyman's understanding of politics. Communists, Harry thinks, are foolish, naive, and always shouting leftist slogans. Fascists are misogynist dude bros who are deeply insecure. Ultraliberals are money and power-obsessed ghouls who cloak their incredible selfishness in intellectual abstractions. These things are all that Harry knows about these beliefs, and you, the player, are helping Harry remember them.
The game does have a broader point to make, though. It's basically left wing in nature: capitalism relentlessly crushes the poor. Think of the arc of the plot in relation to how the average person in Martinaise is benefitting. Who is actually doing the most good for the people, in material terms? Think about Evrart vs. Joyce, and think about what the Church kids represent in relation to them. The person you find more aesthetically appealing is actually the worst one.
You're absolutely right that I was only watching the video to see what you think about it, and you were very successful in burying your final recommendation until the end. Loved the video
Bought it on release, full price (or with a release window sale, don't remember), and it was definitely worth it. The highlight of the past few years for me, as far as new releases go. Most of my day1 purchases have been huge disappointments lately and this fact alone makes Disco Elysium stand out for me. I finished the game over a single weekend and even shed a tear during a particularly relatable scene. Definitely goes into the "I wish I could forget everything about this game so I could play it blind again" tier.
it's unfortunate about the game's presentation and its effect on you, but just think of it as an element of immersion as your actual brain gets to feel like the character's brain when waking up from a crazy bender. =) great content as always and congrats on an amazing July!
Hey mate, been following you since I think, 10k subs? Been rooting for you ever since! So proud of you and your work. You're articulate, balanced, and wholesome. I really enjoy hearing your opinions on games, and especially when it's a game I've already played!
One of my favorite games of all time that I hold in very high regard, because it's very close in writing prowess and narrative to my 1# which is Planescape Torment.
Thank you for the review Mort!
Nice one! Really loved this game even though I'm not huge fan of games centered only in narrative side. The writing in this one is so phenomenal and I only wish that I could play it again for first time as its so memorable it makes it hard to replay with same magic as first time around.
Oh yes!
First video from this creator I’ve seen. Worth a subscribe.
Great work sir! A true gamer effort =)
EZLN flag profile picture? Awesome.
All power to all people ◔‿◔
Power to the people comrade =)
=D
We waited, and you answered.
The games isn't 100% based on the book, whilst they occur in the same world, the book takes places on a different continent (isola) and with completely different characters
and plot.
You seem to know much more about the book than i have been able to research. Do you know if the translation is coming any time soon? I think people's been asking this since the game came out, and still no answer, but maybe you know :P
@@adahnyemeth6317 I've not read it as I don't speak Estonian. I tried to read a fan translation of it but the translation wasn't very good. They've been saying it's due out "soon" since 2020 so who knows 🤷
But there is one interesting very spoilerery thing regarding the fate of Revachol in the book (it takes place several decades in the future from the setting of the game).
@@catika505 yup, i know. Damn, my next playthrough im maxing shivers
Don't know why I've been so hesitant to pick this one up. Guess I gotta give it a try now 😀... Great review brother!
Happy you liked this game, though it is far from being the standard for your average audience.
Few words about the game:
1. it is much more about investigating who you are than who killed the poor man.
2. it has a way of breaking expectations of "standard" RPG players in several ways: for example, your skills can actually hurt you if you invest too much in them by taking over your thoughts and reactions. having a "special" dialog due to high skill is not allays good (but usually extreemly interesting and funny).
3. looking forward to your build guides for Disco Elysium, same as Pathfinder. Please start with the Hobo Cup and Art cup builds :)
As usual, great content.
Blue Light Glasses, Ibuprofen and Breaks - that's dedication Mortismal!
Things you would never forget? Hardcore!
I'll never not be amazed by Mortems ability to 100% all these games. Ty for your service!
Definitely the go to channel for reviews. Getting dicey out here nowadays with games on a downhill decline
Can't believe I missed the premier for this. The game is amazing, glad you liked it. That headache thing is weird though!
Love your vids. Keep it up ( healthily ).
I played with high Physique and it was amazing. My signature skill was Shivers because it gives you so much extra info about the city and what going on in wider world. Rest I put to motoric and Psyche. I had no regrets playing this way. Your skills sometimes even mislead you or contradict each other so you have to think and chose accordingly.
This game is really great roleplaying experience. I've built my character like I would like to be myself. And the game is so well written it let's you actually do that. I was blown away. Of course there's linearity but on your first playthrough it's not so obvious. I would wholeheartedly recommend this to anybody who loves roleplaying.
Thanks
Thank you!
I think this type of game puts emphasis on the role playing in "role playing game", rather on micro managing stats for a build in an action game (which is a lot of fun too, but a different thing). I'd love to hear your thoughts later on how this story and text heavy game compares to Planescape Torment.
I hope there will be more games that make failure interesting. A passed or failed check could open different unique branches in the story.
For a game like this I wish there was an anti save-scumming mode, to protect people like me, from ourselves. It could maybe hide the dice rolls, and make it unknown (unless obvious) if I passed a check or didn't, one save per character with autosave only, and maybe the thoughts in thought cabinet shouldn't be actively internalized, but rather "forced" upon you, depending on the events you do to trigger their availability. Since one can't anticipate their positive/negative effects (unless looking up on the Internet), one gets apprehensive of choosing a thought to internalize, and spends points on skills instead, which is a shame. Maybe also somewhat less of hauling crazy wardrobes for stat bonuses. Maybe one could even hide stat bonuses, and let the player guess, or a even some of the skills hint at, a reasonable outfit for a particular task.
I agree with your suggestion. Many people can't enjoy this game because they can't stand knowing they missed something or failed a roll. But accepting those things is how to play the game. Once you start hitting the guides and minmaxing the game is over. Which is why he liked his first playthrough best. People who can stop themselves can really savor this game and enjoy several playthroughs.
There is one genuine reason to save-scum DE: at one pivotal moment, Kim must be saved at all costs!
Oh, and another: HARDCOP!
I want to thank you first and foremost for suffering thru discomfort to play this masterpiece of gaming. Thank you for this Mortismal!
I was sat on the toilet earlier today and this game popped into my head. Now a few hours later this video is on my feed! Sorry to hear the art style didn’t agree with you as I absolutely loved it!
This is exactly what I've been waiting for, this is exactly and I don't mean to sound to like Katt Williams, but this is exactly what I've been waiting for.....
Great video but it fails to answer the most pressing question;
Does Cuno fucking care?
I got excited about the thot cabinet but I've been sorely disappointed.
I love how well you made this review, you just gained a new subscriber
I had a lot of fun with it. I played through twice when it came out but haven't played the final cut yet. Inland Empire is one of my favorite "skills" always pretty funny
i tried going full drugged up super star on my first playthrough, but when i realised i had disappointed kim, i couldn’t carry on. kim made me a better man.
it is like true addiction, you end up swallowing a lot of secrecy and shame and compartmentalization
Starting my first playthrough now.
Starting build is a electrochemistry shivers main, with heavy focus on endurance and half light with hopes it will let me live a drug fueled psy-detective run 🍄🕵♂️🍺
you made me redownload it, i quit early just because of the high checks in the tutorial, gonna give it another chance
Don't worry too much about the high checks on the game, failed skill checks is part of the fun on this type of games
Just got this on the Steam Summer Sale 2024! Thanks for introducing me to this game. Excited to try it.
You can also choose to spend a skill point to forget a thought youve internalized
You did it!!!!
Getting Kim to cut some shapes on the dance floor, is genuinely one of the most enjoyable moments I've ever had from a video game.
My brother has been pushing this one on me for a while, think I’ll take a look once I’ve cleared a couple more things from the backlog
I just finished this recently. Absolutely love it! I started Planscape Torment a few days ago. I am loving that game as well. I'm looking forward to eventually getting around to Tides of Numenera and another game I became aware of recently that seems to be in the same vein, Gamedec. If anyone has any suggestions for other similar story-driven, dialogue-heavy games, please let me know! :)
I like how these absolutely extreme political parodies manage to make a world that is so cohesive and well built.
The world building also leaves a huge window for more games in this universe. Loved it.
so few experiences like this that this has to be 10/10, yet so many ways to develop this genre/story/atmosphere further, hopefully other devs can jumpstart new projects based on this success and we'll see even better stuff soon
I love this game. It took me a while to really get into the story, but once you get to know the different characters and their backstories it becomes totally engrossing. By the end, I was genuinely sad to leave this strange city with its decaying buildings, windswept beaches and that beautiful melancholic soundtrack. The scene at the end involving the plasmid was the cherry on the cake, it brought tears to my eyes ! An incredible experience.
In terms of art direction, Disco Elyiusm is miles ahead of Borderlands. Much more refined.
I didn't have a problem with politics as they didn't come across preachy and one sided where I felt I was getting a lecture. The world is really messed up and a large part of that involves politics. This is reflected in real life as much as it is in the game. There were quite a few times the subject matter hit close to home where I was thinking it was sorta creepy though.
Hardcore, yeaaaahhh!
Citizen Sleeper uses those mechanisms to some degree, with quite good results too!
Having a constant headache would actually kinda put you in character for Harry though.
Great review man, thanks!
One of the best games I've ever experienced
16:36 man if I knew this scene pops up after u slept in XX area..
This actually made me cry. This scene is so sad
Been waiting on this!
I still can’t believe how quickly you got through the game. I’m still on day 3 and I started in February.
a masterpiece gets reviewed by mortismal, it's a good day
Oh, you forgot about your trusty tertiary companion - talking (if you awaken it) Horrific Necktie!
100% a game while battling a headache during? I salute you. May YOU wander in wisdom and have an amazing day
Yes, you are right, the game is awesome, we already played it and we just want to hear your opinion. Hopefully their next game is one that doesn't give you headaches.
A game where i died when failing the first ever check: a game to my taste!
I'll have to dive again in the title to finish it, but i had a blast when playing it.
You could have made the video twice as long! really enjoyed this one
High points into Inland Empire makes for a very different experience; much more Lynchian/Twin Peaks surreal vibe.
Inland Empire + Shiver + Conceptualization, aaand that one thought that makes you think you're a supranatural detective make for a great Lynch/Twin Peaks/X-files playthrough
Some thoughts give no benefit and only harm you when internalized though. Just like real life!
i had to actually spend a lot of time reading freaking cockatoo book :) (cuz of the freezer melting situation) that was frustrating. I finished all the side missions, i reloaded game when i failed the white checks, eventually hitting good rng. because otherwise i have to read books again to pass the time. Yeah so time management was bad in this game, it needed a witcher 3 type clock. i liked the game and recommend it, game really opens up after day 3 so be patient and go thru with it. My fav missions were around the old church. I think physique is the least fun and useless section. Motorics are important in very dire situations. My fav skills are empathy, rhetoric, volition, authority. Don't forget to change your clothes to get through your checks.
One of my favorite games ever!
Something I noticed now for the first time, and I don't think I've heard anyone mention before, is how there is one wall with the same pattern as the floor in The Shining. It's a very distinct pattern so it is likely intentional. I assume it has something to do with madness. Before I ever played the game or knew anything about it the art style of the opening menu made me think of Van Gogh, causing me to guess that madness is a theme in the game, which is stort of accurate actually.
I got to Day 9 on my playthrough but I only did because I made a lot of mistakes early on and right at the end. Basically I made a "custom class" that soft locked me of a lot of stuff that would have made the game go much faster (like getting into the docks) and I didn't fix it with the level ups, so it took me 6 days to find Ruby. And when I did, due to some mistakes I was very low in health and had no health items (I didn't buy any at that point and I called Dora so much I was nearly dead when I found Ruby) so I was basically forced to leave because I couldn't get through that encounter the way I was. And because I left and the ending seemed near I decided to do as much as I could before facing Ruby, which ultimately lead me to getting into the docks that night and finally getting the dead body down early in day 7 (which makes Kim leave so I couldn't/didn't want to face Ruby without him).
Although to be honest this was for the best because those two extra days helped me finally find my gun, which seemed kind of important during the shootout and the final portion of the game, and I ended up getting the best ending.
The skill menu looks so horrifying.... And I got a minor headache halfway through the video.
Love this game so much , was disappointed when i finished because i wanted it to continue, doing more investigation etc, thanks for the review
vampire the masquerade should be made as this kind of rpg.. combine this with pillars of eternity 2 and make a vampire the masquerade game.. along with its day and night cycle mechanics, sure they might lose the majority of the bro crowd but who cares.. table top games are by its nature a game like this, and there have never been a true Isometric RPG vampire the masquerade game.. and also maybe than we could choose out of all the 13 ++ clans
*Make failure interesting*
First playthrough, dies by trying to grab a tie from the fan in 5 min
Second playthrough, dies by turning on the light in 5 min
Third playthrough, killed by a chair
@@PacopicooftheDuty ow yea the chair is special
I have NOT played this game yet and am considering buying it while it’s on sale $9.99. I have thought about buying it before but never pulled the trigger.l, so I appreciate the review.
Mr. Mortismal is helping me review after 100%.
Mr. Mortismal is helping me review after 100%.
Never played this type of game, but this one intrigues me. May have to pick it up
I have this game on download while watching this review and it's made me want to play it so much more now lol !!! hurry up and download already! good review thanks dude 👍
I sat on an uncomfortable chair. 3 unavoidable failed checks later I gave up being a detective from morale failure. So I got my money back.
TBF it was not running well on my old PC which magnified the frustration so I am looking out for it on sale to try again.
my first playthrough I didn't know I could heal during dialogues so I died a lot lol
If anyone watches this review, I think you should know that while it's hilarious and absurd, the story also has beautiful, touching, and sad moments as well. It's not all "zany"
Did you get the random phone dialing event with you-know-who in your playthrough? I don't think I'll ever forget that. Some of the tonal shifts in this game are just amazing.
Totally, when I hear "zany" I think of something like Hitchkhikers Guide. This has moments of humour, and they're very well done, but the general mood of the game is a lot more subtle. Its sad and nihilistic at times but there are also moments that make you beam with child-like joy :)
great review
You should review Geneforge mutagen
Great vid
I'm not really into games with so much writing. Although I feel compelled to give this a try.
Ah, the total immersion run, playing the game on ibuprofen while having a splitting headache
Thorough review, you touch so many points people who are likely to purchase and play the game might have questions or doubts about. Thanks for the not spoil anything, especially for these heavily narrative games you want to experience those things yourself. You got yourself a new subscriber ❤️
I do love the voice acting in game, I'm just terrified of the cost that comes with for an indie studio like this.