

Disco Elysium is a role-playing game developed and published by ZA/UM. It is set in the fictional city of Revachol, where players assume the role of an amnesic detective investigating a murder. The game emphasizes dialogue and skill-based choices, with character attributes represented by internal voices that influence decisions and interactions. Its narrative explores themes of politics, philosophy, and personal identity, and it is known for its unconventional gameplay and deep storytelling. In the impoverished district of Martinaise within the city of Revachol, a detective wakes up in a trashed hostel room with no memory of who he is. A severe hangover and what appears to be drug-induced amnesia have erased his identity entirely. He is met by Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi, who informs him they have been assigned to investigate the death of a man found hanged in an empty lot behind the hostel. The victim's identity is unclear, and the scene suggests he was lynched by a group. As the amnesiac detective and his partner explore the district, following leads and helping residents, the detective gradually learns he is Harrier ""Harry"" Du Bois, a decorated officer of the Revachol Citizens Militia. Something broke in him years ago, triggering a catastrophic spiral that culminated in a three-day drinking binge around Martinaise just before the case began. Now he must piece together both the murder and himself, navigating the political tensions of a city still under foreign occupation decades after a failed communist revolution, while the union dockworkers' strike and a squad of rogue mercenaries threaten to engulf Martinaise in violence.
Role-playing (RPG)AdventureIndieThrillerDramaMysterypsychological explorationpoliticsdetectivedrugspoliceself-discoveryalternate historywarmultiple endingsmurder mysterypsychedelicdialogue treesPC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
- Addiction
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Character
Contemplative, meticulous, richly built and prestige.
- contemplativerelentless
- rawmeticulous
- sparerichly built
- unpretentiousprestige
- character-ledplot-driven
Who loves it, who doesn't
9 profiled raters. Loved most by The Empaths.
Reviews
We read them all: the case for is yuki.reads's, funniest is quinn.ironist's. Marked below.
- quinn.ironistFunniestThe Ironist★★★★★
A game that lets you be a disgrace and then feels sorry for you. The internal monologue is the best writing in the medium and it is mostly insults.
- yuki.readsThe case forThe Empath★★★★★
The only game I have finished, because it is a novel that happens to have a map. Kim Kitsuragi is the best character in any medium this decade.
About the game
- Platforms
- PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
- Developer
- ZA/UM
- Publisher
- ZA/UM
- Released
- October 15, 2019
- Modes
- Single player
- Perspective
- Bird view / Isometric, Text
- Engine
- Unity
- Time to beat
- 19 h rushed · 33 h main story · 45 h completionist
IGDB rating 9.1/10 from 1201 ratings.
Screenshots





Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Curator Co. Other media included when they land close.
Both contemplative.
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Else Heart.Break() 201549% alikeClose across the board.
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Planescape: Torment 199947% alikeBoth contemplative, richly built; this one is more epic.
Fallen London 200944% alikeBoth contemplative; this one is more unpretentious.
Twin Peaks 199062% alikeSeries · Both contemplative, meticulous; this one is more nostalgic.
Film · Both meticulous.
Often played with
Similar games per IGDB. Opening one adds it to Curator Co.








