Disco Elysium - Unique Isometric RPG Gets a Release Date

Developers of the unique isometric detective RPG Disco Elysium presented the official release date of the title on PC. The game will debut on Steam and GOG.com in mid-October.

Disco Elysium is a unique and ambitious new look at the classic isometric RPG formula, which was created by an independent Estonian studio ZA/UM. The developers announced today that we will be able to start our detective adventure on PCs on October 15. The title will be released on Steam and GOG.com. The exact price of the game is not yet known.

Disco Elysium takes place in the seaside town of Revachol, part of a completely original urban fantasy universe that combines realities of the 50's with fantastic elements and retro-futuristic technologies. Players take on the role of a discredited detective who has had the best years of his life behind him, and whose desk lands a new case. It can be his chance for rehabilitation or the final step on the way to a complete fall.

Disco Elysium is built like a classic isometric RPG such as the Baldur's Gate series, but instead of fighting countless opponents, the title focuses on exploration of Revachol and talking to NPCs. Both are key components of our investigations, whose open and flexible design allows us to choose our own style of play, in which we are helped by a comprehensive system of 24 different skills and equipment. We can become an exemplary guardian of law, as well as a corrupt and manipulative criminal.

The system of exploration, dialogue and combat is based on unique mechanics. The devs wanted the player to feel like a hero of a criminal novel. While exploring the world, the character is surrounded by a circle of symbols, responsible for information obtained from different senses. Their location indicates the source of e.g. sound, smell or inspiration, and when you click on the icon you get more detailed descriptions.

Conversations between characters take on a more complex form than usual, reminiscent of a logic game. Players can engage in verbal fencing, manipulate their interlocutors and deduce conclusions that are not directly conveyed in the conversation. What's interesting, battles with opponents are also largely based on text manipulation, as we are asked to choose descriptions of the action, trying to create something that would resemble a literary battle scene. At the same time, the engine in the background functions as in traditional RPGs, performing checks of our skills. Disco Elysium also offers elegant stylized graphics with hand-drawn locations and backgrounds filled with details and animations.