Disco Elysium

I probably shouldn't have trusted Authority after I failed the dice roll to intimidate the Hardie Boys, especially since Volition clearly thought it - that is, Harry threatening to shoot himself - wasn't a good idea.

I thought it would freak them out enough they'd tell me more, or that maybe the gun would jam (it didn't.)

It's been fun having a PSY skill of 5 and putting most of my points into those skills, with my core skill being Inland Empire. Harry is been having a weird time.

Edited by SilentColossus on May 3rd 2024 at 7:55:03 AM

I'm not sure whether Inland Empire or Shivers is the most "deranged" skill you can explore in the game, but they're both incredibly fun. And weird.

I think Inland Empire has to win because if you have enough of it, you can turn your tie into a firebomb.

I need to do another play through of this game

Inland Empire was convinced by the bookshop owner that a malignant entity is responsible for the Doomed Commerical District, so it believes in ghosts, at least. It also feels that this is a far more important topic to question the dicemaker about, as opposed to the murder investigation.

Edited by SilentColossus on May 3rd 2024 at 7:52:10 AM

What's even funnier is that the bookstore owner is almost right about that. It's actually much worse than a ghost.

As I said before, one of the most hilarious things about the player choosing the Doomsayer route is that he's absolutely correct, by accident.

I'm having an absolute blast with this and I can't believe I sat on it for so long.

High psyche, moderate intellect, and low physical abilities is how I'm building Harry.

Edited by SilentColossus on May 3rd 2024 at 10:46:48 AM

• I found my ledger. It had what was very obviously kitchen tissue stuck to it, but I peeled it off, and otherwise it's in acceptable condition.
  • I've only read two of the case files so far. Harry really did "solve" the so-called Impossible Case via drunken police brutality. But now I'm just the Sorry Cop.
• Empathy noticed that Kim was laughing at me when the mysterious and nice smelling smoking man left me. Why does everyone always leave?

Edited by SilentColossus on May 5th 2024 at 3:36:54 PM

A mostly spoiler-free caution: following up on that thought is not good for the protagonist's mental health.

Non-spoiler gameplay advice: reading the cases (along with the various books) "passes time" in the world, letting you move the clock ahead. If you're trying to cram work into the first few days of the game, you'll probably want to avoid that. Things can slow down after the third or fourth day, so it's more convenient to indulge.

Edited by Fighteer on May 5th 2024 at 11:52:19 AM

After a rather uneventful Day 2, Day 3 had quite a bit go down.

• Volition told me not to trust the others when it came to Klaasje, saying that they're all compromised. I lost it when he got called a boring condom for his efforts: this has to be one of the funniest games I've ever played.
  • I didn't arrest her, for the record. I hope I don't regret it. Despite the fact that the other Skills joined the "Wake Up Club", they all began to listen to Klaasje again when she started saying it might have been Ruby, but Volition still doesn't trust her. I love how they fight and argue and give questionable advice.
• I found a place to sleep aside from the Whirling-in-Rags. Didn't stop me from stealing (is it really stealing, if I was given permission by the kid in the house?) a taxidermied bird to give to Garte. Also, I appreciate how there is unique dialogue if you forgot the bird but still mention it to Garte.
• I forged the signatures for Evrart, and then got my gun back.
• I found my car. It's not in great condition, but the good news is I've found my badge. It didn't help with Joyce at all, though.
• After checking on the drug smuggling, Joyce did tell me more information about the victim and his mercenary friends. That military tribunal sounds very concerning.

Tomorrow I'll look for Ruby.

Wow, you are just tearing through the case. Good effort, Mr. Police Officer!

After passing the Authority check with Titus after three tries (rather, I failed three times, and then asked Kim for help), he opened up like a can of beans, which made me stick to the Whirling for most of the day. I felt like I had to make up for spending Day Two exploring.

I'm going to spoiler-tag this as a safeguard, but a very important FYI: encountering Ruby is a Point of No Return. Fortunately, there's a bunch of stuff left to do before you get there. Have you found the church yet?

Edited by Fighteer on May 10th 2024 at 9:18:25 AM

Yes, but I haven't gone inside. I didn't even try, aside from fiddling with the front entrance a bit.

Are there any chances I'll encounter Ruby too early?

You're given a warning from your conscious that something is about to happen if I remember right. But otherwise you won't just stumble on her accidentally.

She's not in the church if that's what you're worried about.

Edited by Spirit on May 10th 2024 at 2:32:24 PM

There is no chance of "accidentally" stumbling on Ruby too early. Hint: There is a very difficult Shivers check involved, which becomes easier the more side content you do.

Day 4! Events not in order:

• Upon awakening, I began to think about organizing myself to ensure that communism can be built. I had to find comrades, by searching for them by scent. They evidently smell of Failure.
  • The Hardie Boys are social democrats, not communists, so they weren't helpful. But Cindy the Skull was, and she directed my to the super secret meeting of "hardcore" communists. She wouldn't tell me the password, though, which I had to get from Mañana.
  • So I went to the super secret book club, and they obviously knew more than me. They found my lack of knowledge of even the most basic of history and theory to be embarrassing, but they were strapped for members, so I have a shot! I just need to pass a skill check.
• Speaking of Cindy, I found her friends thinking about vandalizing Kim's car. I had to beg, but one of them gave me their awesome jacket! I feel bad for Kim, though. I couldn't get one for him.
• While I was waiting for the book club to start, I worked on the Hanged Man case. I questioned the villagers, and they told me to look down the coast, which I did. I found a very suspicious mural with a very high Shivers check. I left it alone for now.
• I shaved off my mutton chops! Kim seems to not like the new look, and to be fair, I now look even older and sicker than before.
  • Still can't wipe away The Expression.
• I finished thinking about the Homo-Sexual Underground. I thought about it so much, for hours, and then I thought I should stop thinking about it.
  • I told Kim that I stopped thinking about it. He was unimpressed. Upon talking about the subject further, it turns out he is a member of the underground! As a side note, I now ship Harry and Kim even harder.
• I found a body on the boardwalk. I took the task and told his wife. It was sad. But it turns out that I met him before! I dismissed the possibility that she was actually Billie's husband.
• I talked to the people in the tents outside the church, and they wanted to start a music club. And also a drug lab. I put a stop to the latter, but I didn't arrest them.
  • I am Honor Cop. That is, I was for moments, until I refused to stick my thumb up my ass.
• Went inside the church and thought about Dolores Dei.
  • Something tells me Harry wasn't thinking about Dolores Dei.
  • I spoke to the people in there. Crab Man gave me some good advice.
• The real doozy of the day was that I managed to open the secret compartment of my ledger. There was a note. My subconscious begged me not to read it, but I ignored their warnings, and passed out.
  • I haven't had water in how long???

Day Five coming up!

> I haven't had water in how long???

Harry is a drinker for sure,just not the non alcoholic type

Alcohol sterilizes water. It's actually healthier!

Kim has some incredible depth of character if you get to know him well enough. He's amazing.

I am hoping you follow up on the church questline, because it's my favorite in the entire game.

Edited by Fighteer on May 15th 2024 at 9:38:17 AM

I can't break into the ice cream maker yet.

I always think Kim's portrait makes him look like he has a halo,sort of like those paintings of saints,it's probably coincidence but consider he's more or less Harry's shoulder angel at times its fitting.

Edited by Ultimatum on May 15th 2024 at 2:46:00 PM

I'm trying to ensure he likes Harry, but I'm not sure I'm succeeding. At least I got the achievement saying he really respects me.

Then you did a good job. There are lots of ways to dig into Kim's character and it's very unlikely you'll find all of them in a single playthrough. There are, in fact, two massive red check tests of how Kim feels about you later in the game. One is kind of frivolous, the other is really freaking important.

As for the ice cream maker, it's only necessary to break into it for a very specific quest, and it's one you haven't gotten yet (unless you're farther along than last reported). It is associated with something you've already partially investigated, though, so keep it up.

Edited by Fighteer on May 15th 2024 at 9:55:31 AM

Yeah, I need to get something for Soona. It's apparently in the ice cream maker and she even gave me a multitool, but I failed the skill check, which was very difficult.

I hadn't unplugged it, though, until after failingm. Maybe it thawed out over night.

Edited by SilentColossus on May 15th 2024 at 10:10:05 AM

I didn't really care for the church questline until the end. Everyone involved striking up a surprise rapport with each other was rather wholesome.