Gameplay Notes – Disco Elysium

We wrote this walkthrough using a combination of “The Final Cut” and the “Jamais Vu” update.

Character Creation

During character creation, you’ll get to select a signature skill. This will give you an extra point in the skill, plus increase the learning cap for all skills in the associated ability. So, for example, if your INT is 4 and you pick Logic for your signature skill, then Logic will start out at rank 5, and the learning cap for all INT skills will increase from 4 to 5.

You won’t be able to change your ability scores after character creation, but you’ll gain a skill point every time you gain a level.

The game is just as interesting — and sometimes more so — when you fail skill checks rather than pass them. And you can complete the game with any sort of character, even if you try to be the worst detective possible. So don’t obsess too much about character creation.

The higher your Perception is, the more things you’ll notice around you. Most difficult-to-spot containers only hold money or drugs, so you won’t miss much even if you have a low Perception. Still, if you want to see everything, then you should get your Perception up to around 8.

Miscellaneous

• Time only passes when you’re interacting with people and objects, and not when you’re walking around. There is a time limit in the game (10 days), but you’d have to try really hard to reach it.
• Sometimes you’ll get new responses when talking to people, even when a dialogue option is greyed out. So feel free to ask people things multiple times.
• When you lose your last point of Health, the game will give you time to take a healing drug before you die. So there isn’t any reason to heal yourself beforehand. Just make sure you have some healing drugs available. You can buy them at Frittte (in Martinaise East, east of the Whirling-in-Rags).
• Lots of tare (recyclables) won’t show a green border when you highlight items. So any time you see a bottle on the ground (including a few in your room at the Whirling-in-Rags), be sure to click on it. You can find over 50 tare bottles in the game, which can net you 5 real (or 10 real with the Hobocop thought).
• You can gain money from redeeming tare (at Frittte), selling items at the pawnshop, begging for money from people, taking bribes, and just finding cash lying around. Other than your bill at the Whirling-in-Rags, there isn’t much that you’re required to buy, and there are a few things that you can steal, so money isn’t too important. But note: anything (other than Lena’s Commemorative Pin) that you sell at the pawnshop will disappear from the game, so be careful not to sell anything that you might need later.
• If you wear the Horrific Necktie and have a moderate Inland Empire skill level, then the tie will talk to you at several points during the game.
• You can fast travel in the game. To unlock this mechanic, you’ll need to buy (or steal) the Map of Martinaise from the bookshop in the Doomed Commercial Area, and then you’ll need to explore Martinaise to unlock at least two of the three fast travel points: Whirling-in-Rags, Fisherman Shacks, and Church. Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to open up the map while you’re standing at one of the fast travel points and select the one you’d like to travel to. You’ll know you’re standing at the right spot if it says “You Are Here” under one of the fast travel points and “Travel Here” over the other two.
• It’s a good idea to keep some skill points unspent. That way, if you get to a white check that you really want to (or need to) pass, then you’ll have some options. For the same reason, try to collect as much clothing as possible. The more clothing you have, the more ways you’ll be able to rearrange your gear to make checks easier.