Disco Elysium is one of the best games I've played in years. It’s an easy 10/10 and would place it in my all-time top five video games. I can’t recommend it enough and would insist on it being a must play for anyone interested in exploring its themes of post-war politics, heartbreak, substance abuse, existential philosophy, and absurdism. Surprisingly, this murder mystery detective story is also the funniest game I’ve ever played, full of dark humour and political caricatures. Beyond its content, the way it brought to life its world and story through thoughtful writing created a piece of fiction that could easily stand alone as a fully realised novel. It certainly deserves all the accolades and awards it has received since its launch in 2019, including The Game Awards and BAFTA selections for best narrative. Disco Elysium comfortably ticked all my boxes for what I want in a role-playing game (i.e. meaningful choices, character building, story-first presentation, top-shelf world building). At the same time, the 35-hour game is mostly just reading and choosing from various dialogue options from a list — so it won't be everyone's cup of tea. However, I think anyone could appreciate what it's trying to do with its story, the unique art direction, and how complex and strange the world and systems interact. It stands on the shoulders of many of my favourite late-90s CRPGs (viz. Planescape Torment) and joyfully wrestles with big ideas through its million-plus word script. In turn, the game successfully builds itself into a compelling narrative — one that is well versed in historical materialism — and looks deep in the mirror to explore your (player character's) own psyche.