The writing in Disco Elysium really felt like it stood out? why is that? I’d like to know. Let’s start with a simple test.
Is it the writing or the execution? Let’s strip things out and compare.
In the intro, when the Limbic System gives us a clue about what’s out there, I remember that during my first playthrough, this is when I started to really lean in. Let’s take a closer look at that
Now let’s take away the VO and only run it with music.
And finally, let’s just do VO.
If I were to give a very subjective take, I think the strength of the VO is more in establishing a tone. It’s bizarre, weird, and the delivery is decent, but it doesn’t transform the text.
The music and SFX really help with the mood and also keep me focused and engaged. Try muting the video and see the difference. Suddenly, the experience is worse than reading a book.
But ultimately, I think it’s the written idea here — that our conscious experience is nothing more than being an evil ape competing against other evil apes on a giant ball — that is humorous and thought-provoking.
I’m going to give Robert Kurvitz’s book Sacred and Terrible Air a read next. It has recently been fan-translated from Estonian.