Forget what you know about being a detective. That’s right, leave your trench coat and magnifying glass behind. We want you to invent your own detective in Disco Elysium – The Final Cut and give you the chance at the character creation screen. The game launches on PS5 and PS4 March 30.
There are four attributes to take into consideration here:
- Intellect: brain power
- Psyche: emotional intelligence
- Physique: raw strength
- Motorics: agility
Should you prioritize being smart? Or is it better to be physically tough? Perhaps both at the expense of social awareness? It’s not an easy decision to make, especially in a game like ours which cuts off certain options and opens up others based on your skill levels.
If you find yourself overwhelmed, we’ve provided three archetypes so you don’t have to create a character from scratch. Each archetype provides a unique journey through Disco Elysium so it’s just a case of figuring out which you prefer.
Thinker
The defining attribute of the Thinker is having high Intellect. This means you could be good at connecting evidence, coming up with original ideas, and presenting arguments. If you plan on being a right little Sherlock then this is the best choice to make.
If you do want to focus on solving the case, then increasing the Visual Calculus skill will help you draw conclusions from evidence in your surroundings. You can see this in action right at the start of the game inside the trashed hostel room you wake up in.
Interact with the broken window in your room and you’ll be able to use Visual Calculus to figure out how the damage was caused. A neat graphic shows you that the shards went outwards which means the damage came from inside the room. Perhaps it was you who smashed it, then… In any case, you should be able to see how this will help you solve other mysteries.
Sensitive
Psyche is the main attribute of the Sensitive type. You could read people’s emotions, impose your authority on them, and get hunches and gut feelings. It’ll also expose you to Disco Elysium’s paranatural side so any fans of Twin Peaks should opt for this one.
This archetype will help you connect with the citizens of Martinaise on all levels. Improve the Empathy skill and you’ll be able to learn more about their backgrounds and figure out what they’re choosing to not tell you. Similarly, the Esprit de Corps skill will tune you into copspeak so you can understand your partner better. This will come in handy.
You’ll also benefit from having a high Suggestion skill early on when getting information out of Joyce Messier about the hanged man you’re investigating. Unfortunately, she insists on seeing your badge before she imparts her wisdom, but you probably don’t have it. Using Suggestion will let you strike a bargain with her instead – get her some info on the local drug trade, and she’ll share what she knows.
Physical
You’ll be championing Physique if you go with the Physical archetype. You could force your way into buildings, tune into the urban body to hear its secrets, and even shake off a cardiac arrest. If you prefer to act first and think later then this will be the best choice for you.
You’ll benefit from this early on simply by being able to avoid death in some common places. For example, a lot of people die when trying to pull the tie off the ceiling fan at the start of the game. But with high Physique you get more health and should be able to survive, no problem.
You can also make your way inside the Doomed Commercial Area early with high Physique. Head inside the bookstore opposite the entrance to the Whirling-in-Rags and you’ll see a curtain blocking your way. Ignore the petrified screams of the shop owner and pull the curtain back to find a warded door. With your high Physical Instrument skill you can bash that door down with minimal damage and enjoy exploring the area behind it.
Hopefully this makes it easier to decide which kind of detective to play when Disco Elysium -The Final Cut arrives with a -20% launch discount on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on March 30, 2021.