A strange side effect of Disco Elysium being as popular as it is is that Iâll occasionally see internet personalities I follow talking about it the same way you would talk about likeâŠthe new Pokemon game (graphics, mechanics, the story, it was pretty good, 9/10, I recommend it etc.) and Iâm justâŠmystified.
Did we play the same game?!? HOW are you talking about it like that. Unless youâre trying to spare people from spoilers I donât understand how that is your takeaway.
Disco Elysium is not an experience that you can rate out of ten at the end like youâre grading a fucking dog show!!! Itâs a game that is constantly pulling you apart and ripping out your insides and telling you to decide what you think of them.
I feel like âthe writing was good; it made me laugh a lotâ is not accurately reflecting the experience here!
Disco Elysium doesnât let you play it without getting your hands dirty unless youâre failing to pay attention to the things being said or intentionally ignoring them. The game is constantly challenging you with the consequences of your actions and beliefs. Even staying neutral is a position that the game criticises you for taking, challenging what you consider to be âneutralâ. Why even in a confined pretend world you feel the need to not take a stance.
And you just played that and were likeâŠyeah pretty good. I liked the story. It was funny when x thing happened. No reflection, no examination of why x thing happened, no discussion of how your identity played into how you saw the game and the choices you made, no thoughts on the central ideas of the story in a game thatâs basically ALL story and personal introspection? No. Okay. Cool, whatever.
