Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
" Groundbreaking RPG with profound writing and immersive dialogue but slow pacing and dense text "
Disco Elysium - The Final Cut Review
Disco Elysium - The Final Cut is widely regarded as a groundbreaking RPG that redefines narrative depth and player agency. The game immerses players in a richly detailed, post-revolutionary city through exceptional writing, complex characters, and philosophical themes. The absence of traditional combat is replaced by skill checks and dialogue-driven gameplay, creating a cerebral and emotionally challenging experience.
The Final Cut enhances the original with full voice acting and additional political quests, deepening roleplay opportunities. Its distinctive oil-paint art style and haunting soundtrack complement the game's melancholic and surreal atmosphere. However, the game’s unique style and pacing may not appeal to everyone, with some finding it slow or overly dense. Additionally, controversy surrounds the publisher due to a hostile takeover that removed the original developers, prompting many players to recommend pirating the game to support its creators indirectly. Overall, it remains a highly praised, unique narrative masterpiece with a dedicated fanbase.
Highlights
Players consistently praise Disco Elysium's exceptional writing and deep, philosophical storytelling, which stands out as some of the best in gaming history.
The gameplay mechanics emphasize dialogue, skill checks, and player choice over combat, offering a fresh RPG experience.
Visually, its oil-painting inspired art style and expressive character portraits are widely admired. The fully voiced dialogue in The Final Cut version enhances immersion, while the atmospheric soundtrack perfectly complements the mood.
The rich world-building and meaningful political quests add layers of complexity and replayability.
Criticisms
Common criticisms include the game's slow pacing and dense, text-heavy nature, which can feel tedious or overwhelming to some players.
Some found the gameplay loop repetitive, with limited traditional RPG mechanics beyond dialogue and skill checks.
Others experienced frustration due to unclear direction or clunky controls, especially early in the game.
Additionally, technical issues such as crashes have been reported.
The controversy around the publisher and the original developers being ousted has also led to ethical concerns about purchasing the game.
Pros
- • Exceptional and profound writing unmatched by most video games.
- • Unique RPG mechanics focusing on dialogue and skill checks.
- • Fully voiced dialogue adds emotional depth and immersion.
- • Rich, immersive world-building with meaningful political themes.
- • Beautiful oil-painting art style and expressive character portraits.
- • Atmospheric and haunting soundtrack enhances the mood.
- • High replayability due to branching choices and roleplay options.
Cons
- • Slow pacing and dense text can be tedious for some players.
- • Gameplay loop lacks traditional combat and may feel repetitive.
- • Unclear direction and clunky controls frustrate early gameplay.
- • Technical issues and crashes reported post-launch.
- • Controversy around publisher leads to ethical concerns on purchase.
- • Some players find the story overly political or pretentious.
- • Not suitable for those seeking fast-paced or action-driven games.
Rating Criteria
Disco Elysium - The Final Cut is a groundbreaking role playing game. You’re a detective with a unique skill system at your disposal and a whole city to carve your path across. Interrogate unforgettable characters, crack murders or take bribes. Become a hero or an absolute disaster of a human being.
