Incline Disco Elysium - The Final Cut - a hardboiled cop show isometric RPG

[Tigranes]

Yeah, I think I wouldn't want a lot of Empathy or even Inland Empire, and perhaps not even a lot of Perception. I might even leave points on the table for something like 1-2-5-2, then focus on shoring up skills of interest like Savoir Faire and Suggestion / Authority. It's my impression that Conceptualise / Logic / Perception plays a huge role in your competence as a detective - and it would be interesting for someone to be actually bad at stuff like autopsies and rely instead on their particular abusive form of people skills.

 

[KazikluBey]

So I finished my first run with a 5124 character (spent some skill points in int skills, a few in fys skills, but mostly mot), reasonably completionist though I see from comments here there are a few things I missed in the late game. The game was good but I'm conflicted as to whether I should start another run so soon, if going with another build is really going to be different enough to make me not just skim through the dialogs because they're mostly still fresh in my memory. Is a 1542 build or similar different enough? Help?

What's with the thought cabinet? I haven't read much criticism of it, but it seems really arbitrary to me, and like I'd have been better off skill-wise by just investing in skills than filling out and swapping out thoughts (I didn't look them up and unlocked all slots asap to see what kind of results they give and then started to swap out sub-par and RP/thematically uninteresting ones) and the flavor text didn't seem like enough reward (often tldr, especially on longer unlocks where if I no longer remembered what exactly unlocked it), and the pictures often don't look like there's a connection to the thought. Revacholian Nationalism punishing you for continuing to pick fascist dialogs is a weird choice game design-wise even if it works with the flavor text (and the bonus stopped working). How many thoughts have gameplay or dialog effects beyond the stated stat/skill bonuses and occasional check specific bonuses (like I think the door thought helped with every other door I needed to open), like do people believe you went sober even if you don't get the related thought?

 

[Will Zurmacht]

This game just gut punches you over and over but you love it because it's so well written. Eastern Yurop will save this godforsaken genre.

 

[Twiglard]

I think the game would benefit from having one less skill for each attribute. Merge Drama into Rhetoric/Suggestion, kill Pain Threshold, merge Savoir Faire into Hand-Eye Coordination, etc. The checks were slightly too random in some cases, with multiple skills underutilized.

do people believe you went sober even if you don't get the related thought?

Kim announces Harry keeping sober to his task force even without "Wasteland of Reality". I didn't see it come up a lot, but Harry is one barmy fuck whether sober or drunk. There was at least one option in the form of "but I'm sober!" to no effect.

Revacholian Nationalism punishing you for continuing to pick fascist dialogs

Can you elaborate please?

Speaking of nationalism, I liked that Rene fellow. He actually spilled blood for his country, doesn't brag about it, doesn't hate kipts or kojkos (at least overtly).

How many thoughts have gameplay or dialog effects

There's a wiki listing all TC bonuses, don't say I didn't warn you:

Spoiler

Last warning.

Spoiler

https://discoelysium.gamepedia.com/Thought_Cabinet

 

[TT1]

OMG, is possible to shot Cunoesse. This game is GLORIOUS.

 

[axedice]

Well I was expecting to see her brains blown out in gory detail, so I felt a little bit letdown. But just a little.

 

[vota DC]

I'd go with mostly FYS/MOT, tagging Authority and pumping it with items (and Thoughts if you can manage it without metagaming). 1-2-5-4? You'd start with Authority 3 and be able to pump it to 6 even without any Thoughts or items. Drop a bit of psychedelics and put an extra pip into it for 7. With items you'll be able to get that to 9 which is plenty.

Are you sure? Tag means +1 learning cap so every psyche will have 3 learning more except authority just because 1 is already used.

 

[Theldaran]

Is Disco Elysium the new Planescape Torment in terms of writing quality?

 

[AwesomeButton]

OMG, is possible to shot Cunoesse. This game is GLORIOUS.

Is it really an automatic Game Over?

Is Disco Elysium the new Planescape Torment in terms of writing quality?

I'd say it's better.

 

[Prime Junta]

Is it really an automatic Game Over?

Yes.

I'd say it's better.

I'm not sure. I'm not even sure it's possible to rank them nor what would be the point of trying. I'll have to replay PS:T one of these days to check.

-- The differences are as interesting as the similarities IMO though. PS:T reads very much like a young man's game, the philosophising about what can change the nature of a man is the kind of shit you do in your twenties when you're trying to figure out who you actually are. It's clear the DE writers have... lived a little. I do think that the Apricot-Scented One punches harder than Deionarra for example -- Deionarra is kind of a Gothic romance written by somebody who's read a lot of them but probably hasn't lived that many, whereas the ex-something feels agonisingly real. I don't think it's possible to write up heartbreak as vividly as that if you haven't paid your dues. (Note that this isn't intended as a criticism, the Deionarra story is beautiful and brilliant, it's just different.)

 

[Deleted Member 16721]

The writing quality and overall similarities are quite strong between PS:T and Disco Incline. Disco is one of my all-time favorite written games, the writing is just very expressive and also entertaining, over the top at times in a good way. Between it and PS:T I wouldn't be able to choose a favorite, although I do lean a bit towards PS:T since I think the setting is unmatched (although Disco Incline's setting is also very good.)

 

[vota DC]

I think the game would benefit from having one less skill for each attribute. Merge Drama into Rhetoric/Suggestion, kill Pain Threshold, merge Savoir Faire into Hand-Eye Coordination, etc. The checks were slightly too random in some cases, with multiple skills underutilized.

If the sequel is X4 times bigger they can keep it, if it is "only" X2 times they could merge.
In motorics I would merge Savoir Faire and Reaction Speed. Hand-Eye is more similar to interfacing maybe, anyway if the sequel will have more shooting it would be a very powerful combo.
Agree with rethorics+drama.
Pain Threshold is used even in warhammer: it means that you will less likely get damage when hit. It is difficult which skill merge in that field. Half Light right now just unlock funny quotes but if you aren't a cop you would use it more often not rely on authority for threatening people. It could be merged with physical instrument but then you couldn't play as an aggressive midget.

 

[Will Zurmacht]

What's with the thought cabinet?

The main issue is that final bonuses should be listed along with research penalties. Similar to the classic Fallouts there are tons of noob trap perks in Disco and the "trial and error that costs you skill points lol" system is unacceptable.

One funny quirk is that most of the commie and capitalist perks are pretty shit but the ones taught by that racist beefcake are among the best in the game.

 

[Kyl Von Kull]

The main issue is that final bonuses should be listed along with research penalties. Similar to the classic Fallouts there are tons of noob trap perks in Disco and the "trial and error that costs you skill points lol" system is unacceptable.

Just look up the wiki if you want to spoil yourself. Half the point of the thought cabinet is that you're picking up an idea and you don't know where it's gonna go.

 

[Forest Dweller]

The main issue is that final bonuses should be listed along with research penalties. Similar to the classic Fallouts there are tons of noob trap perks in Disco and the "trial and error that costs you skill points lol" system is unacceptable.

Just look up the wiki if you want to spoil yourself. Half the point of the thought cabinet is that you're picking up an idea and you don't know where it's gonna go.

Agreed. That's the whole point of the system. It's actually a pretty good representation of how it works in real life.

Some of them open up dialogue options as well, and from a narrative perspective it's important you wouldn't know that ahead of time.

 

[Deleted Member 16721]

Don't spoil yourself. It's worth playing blind. There's no reason to min/max in the game.

 

[vota DC]

The main issue is that final bonuses should be listed along with research penalties. Similar to the classic Fallouts there are tons of noob trap perks in Disco and the "trial and error that costs you skill points lol" system is unacceptable.

Just look up the wiki if you want to spoil yourself. Half the point of the thought cabinet is that you're picking up an idea and you don't know where it's gonna go.

Some that I didn't even tried seems odd because final result is far more worse than research bonus. Lonesome road is ok because you lost that +1 to ENC but you get the perception cap high that can be very useful if you have low motorics but I seen some on the list that give you huge research bonus for a couple of hours and you have nothing when researched.

 

[Tigranes]

OK I went 1-2-6-3 with Authority tagged

First day highlights: learnt Advanced Race Theory and then beat up Measurehead anyway because fuck me I always thought if you're going to subscribe to being a Free Thinker with a clear eyed view of Scientific Racism then you're not going to suck some Youtuber's arsehole like some desperate otaku cuck, you're gonna beat the shit out of him on your zen quest to blood purity

Task Complete: Regaled Friend Garte With Tales of Cock Carousel, Garte Very Appreciate

 

[Prime Junta]

I seen some on the list that give you huge research bonus for a couple of hours and you have nothing when researched.

That's the trick right there. Use them as a temporary stat boost when you need them.

 

[Life of the Party]

Svet Kompjutera gave it 94.

I was expecting Miodrag Kuzmanović but it was some other guy, probably because of Qzma being a bit too Codexian for such an agitprop of a game.

He called it an inexplicably functional mishmash of Torment, Fallout, Sanitarium, Nordic noir, Hunter S. Thompson, Terry Gilliam and Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union.

 

[Prime Junta]

He called it an inexplicably functional mishmash of Torment, Fallout, Sanitarium, Nordic noir, Hunter S. Thompson, Terry Gilliam and Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union.

Fair.

 

[Prime Junta]

God damnit they put in this beautiful moment of Communism and I missed it. "A hug a day keeps the bourgeoisie away."

Spoiler

Edit: god damn the comments on that tweet though, I really don't want to live on this godforsaken planet anymore

Spoiler

"Don't hug people without their consent tho."
"I do agree. No hugs without consent irl."

 

[AwesomeButton]

"Nordic noir" is a good point. It did remind me a bit of "Insomnia" (2002).

 

[fantadomat]

God damnit they put in this beautiful moment of Communism and I missed it. "A hug a day keeps the bourgeoisie away."

Spoiler

Edit: god damn the comments on that tweet though, I really don't want to live on this godforsaken planet anymore

Spoiler

"Don't hug people without their consent tho."
"I do agree. No hugs without consent irl."

Welcome to Revachol .!.

 

[vota DC]

God damnit they put in this beautiful moment of Communism and I missed it. "A hug a day keeps the bourgeoisie away."

Spoiler

Edit: god damn the comments on that tweet though, I really don't want to live on this godforsaken planet anymore

Spoiler

"Don't hug people without their consent tho."
"I do agree. No hugs without consent irl."

That was Batman's girlfriend, she changed her surname to Segal because Measurehead suggested that al ghul is bad.