Disco Elysium PS5 review – The Final Cut

PC cult hit Disco Elysium comes to consoles with more content, improved controls, and a lot more weirdness.

It may be an acquired taste but for many Disco Elysium was one of the best games of 2019. The bleak, densely plotted role-playing game sees you taking control of a detective that knows as much about himself as you do. A ringing hangover, a single shoe, and a bloated body hanging from the tree outside are all you have to go on as you investigate Revachol, the wind-swept ex-capital left forgotten at the top of the world.

Through traditional simulated dice rolls and the, considerably less conventional, conflicting inner-monologue of the protagonist’s fractured mind it’s up to players to investigate what’s going on and solve the case.

The original was praised for reviving the isometric story-driven role-playing game, whilst imbuing it with modern themes about mental health and attempting to simulate abstract thoughts in a way too intricate for the genre’s pen-and-paper predecessors.

Depending on who you ask, its multi-novel word count and stringent focus on the roll of the dice are either its greatest assets or a crucial flaw. To some the original game was bloated and random, and to others an immersive world where you could be kicked while you were down and yet still pull off a miraculous comeback. Either way it was never boring.

As with any remaster or game of the year edition, this new ‘Final Cut’ won’t change anyone’s mind on the original game. There are no structural changes to the gameplay and any additional plot points are stacked towards the end of the game. That means the fantastic writing, detailed game world, and rich art are also unchanged.

The new additions to the Final Cut are not necessary improvements but the success of the initial release has allowed developer ZA/UM to take their time creating their ideal version of the game. This is made all the more clear by Final Cut being offered as a free update to all existing PC players.

The most notable addition to the Final Cut is the new voiceovers, given only around a third of the dialogue in the original version was voice-acted. The expanded vocal work really brings the prose alive, making a second playthrough a more vivid experience out-of-the-gate. The sporadic recording quality of the original has been replaced too, making the use of headphones a strong recommendation.

Anything read by Mikee W. Goodman, from the deep chill-inducing growl of Ancient Reptilian Brain to the shivering, nervous Limbic System, really shines when plugged right into your ears. This is helped all the more by the atmospheric score by British Sea Power, which will become the background music in your mind for days after playing. 

However, some fans will be disappointed by the re-recordings of Cuno’s lines, whose screechy but charming performance has been toned down, making it far less quotable – albeit more bearable in the long run.

There is another caveat with the full voiceovers, in that when a character’s dialogue is broken up by prose the text itself is, for some reason, not read aloud. While the additional lines are mainly to add inflections that are present in the vocal performances, some details are lost that may be missed by those sitting further from the screen.

While the line between PC and console games is continuing to blur, porting over a full point ‘n’ click role-playing game to consoles is not an easy transition. Being able to witness the games’ painterly artwork on your 4K TV is great, but what doesn’t work so well is reading over a million words over the course of a single playthrough. That being said, the PlayStation version is also capable of 60fps, which is perfect if you prefer slightly smoother walking animations in your role-playing game. 

Tweaks aside, Disco Elysium is clearly intended to be played on PC. Yet the expanded voice work and the easy selection tool helps retrofit this as a more sofa-friendly experience; without fundamentally changing any of the classic gameplay.

The transition to consoles also brings the additional option of controlling your character directly, instead of just pointing where you want them to go. However, the slightly irksome choice of not being able to walk directly through open doorways and staircases, into separate locations, is frustrating.

The final addition worth mentioning is the additional story content.

There are essentially three mysteries in the game: the case at hand, who your character is, and the setting. Your enjoyment of the game will depend very much on which of these mysteries you’re drawn to most and there are still issues where they bleed a little too much into one another.

When interrogating other characters it’s clear which lines of questioning will give answers about the protagonist but it’s harder to tell which will lead to useful information for the case or what will be a rabbit hole of world building. While some will love delving into the game’s lore, mentally journaling the drip-fed details of its tumultuous history, others may find it an unwelcome distraction from the central hook of the game.

The bulk of additional content expands on the political decisions you make, which are formed by building concepts in your Thought Cabinet, a secondary inventory to represent the conflicting ideas in the protagonist’s head. While in the original release these often led to extra lines of dialogue there are now four new quests that correspond to your political leanings and will create minor changes during the ending of the game. Alongside this there has been a slight expansion to allow more solutions to existing storylines.

The Final Cut is a lovingly crafted expansion of a game many already consider a modern classic. It feeds the hunger of fans desperate for more detail on the world and protagonists of Disco Elysium, even if it doesn’t necessarily fix any of the flaws of the original. It’s certainly the best version of the game so far and an experience that anyone can enjoy on any format.

Formats: PlayStation 5 (reviewed), Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Stadia
Price: £32.99
Publisher: ZA/UM
Developer: ZA/UM
Release Date: 30th April 2021
Age Rating: 18

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