Something Beautiful Is Going to Happen
Disco Elysium by Robert Kurvitz takes place in an universe that is raw, merciless, and devoid of empathy. In an era of political upheaval, where the survivors of a brutal war are still wiping the blood from their faces, everyone is searching for the remnants of happiness. Detective Harrier Du Bois, known simply as Harry to his few friends and many enemies, wakes up one morning in a run-down seaside hotel with no memory of his past or the world around him. Alongside his temporary partner, Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi, Harry has been called to the once-idyllic seaside village of Martinaise to solve the gruesome murder of a cocky soldier.
The dilapidated world of Disco Elysium is filled with fascinating stories, perspectives, and characters. The game feels like a talkative novel that pulls me in and overwhelms me with its never-ending chronicles. Whether I guide Harry through the mystical church, the small convenience store, or the desolate swamplands, the history of a place that shouldn’t even exist begins to unfold. Disco Elysium thrives on its freedom of choice and the unpredictable nature of chance. This freedom starts before Harry opens his eyes and continues until the bitter end, when I realize the path I’ve taken, unaware of what I may have missed. But by then, it’s already too late.
Harry’s case is a quest for self-discovery, disguised as a crime adventure. Do I confront the town’s inhabitants as a drunk bigot? An all-knowing philosopher? Or a charming rogue? I must forgo distractions and become one with the living painting that unfolds on the screen. I have to become Harrier Du Bois. Disco Elysium is an experience unlike any other in both form and intensity. Although Martinaise represents only a fraction of the world shrouded in the ever-encroaching fog, I can sense the drama hiding just beyond my reach. With each conversation, each question, and each new idea, I inch closer to this epic, but I’ll never be able to fully grasp it.