Nothing really is at the core of Esoteric Ebb's gameplay as much as the stats are.
Like yes, they are your strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom and charisma, but they are so so much more.
Just like in Disco Elysium these are, next to your partner Snell, your companions while playing the game and carry opinions on really anything.
Strength is not just about being strong. Strength is conservative. Strength is being what is expected of you. Strength is following Urth, is being THE Cleric, is being a MAN. Yes, strength is violent at times, but really its strength is defined by being the carrying foundation of how it has always been. And of course that politically affiliates it with the Party of Norvik.
Dexterity is also a fascinating case. It is about being fast but also about having fast fingers. It is about making the next big bucks. Dexterity is opportunistic. It keeps you out of trouble, not by staying out of it, but by being away again fast enough. It is hardcore Freestrider. It is liberal in that it wants the freedom to posess.
Constitution is by far one of my favourite voices in the game. It is simple, the voice of the body. Short sentences. It consumes. It feels pain. It is also stubborn. Yet it has its eloquent moments. It is the beast inside you, that wants to survive.
Intelligence is great at exposition yet it is also great at Ego. It is very much fitting, that in isolation intelligence, who is about information and ambition, has the mission to make you think you are better than anyone else. You could be mage king. You could rule them all, because you are smarter than them.
Wisdom at its core is a voice about the people. It is understanding the systems you are a part of. It is empathy for everyone. It is nonviolence. It is hope for a better future. Of course it is Azgalist. And most if not all times it is your voice of reason. Right next to Snell of course.
And lastly Charisma. Charisma talks a lot and yet has nothing to say. It markets you to the people around you, but it cannot let you be honest about it. You have to manipulate. You have to make them like you. Charisma has no ideas, has no values. It talks like it is more about social survival than it is about social integrity. And that is what makes it apolitical.
I have yet to finish a second playthrough, but my first was a high wisdom Azgalist run and it was really a story for the heart. At its core Esoteric Ebb is not about a murder. Esoteric Ebb is despite its marketing also not about being the worlds worst cleric. It is about what you believe. It is what you believe about people.
Where Disco Elysium talks about politics yet is more an examination of the self, Esoteric Ebb is about community and politics. It is about believing the best in people and understanding them that gives you the feeling of being a part of something greater. It opens doors in life to be a part of the community. To care. And the game wants you to care. Not just because it is immersive but because it matters to take part in something bigger an believe in a better future. You are not set in stone. You don't need to be strong all the time. You do not need to lie about who you are. Your people will hold you, even without any profit, even if you have lost all hope, that they have really thought this through. And it will not be painful or scary. It will make you whole.
