Episode #23
EP19: Disco Elysium - Games Every Designer Should Play
Welcome to Episode 19 of Games Every Designer Should Play, the podcast that explores the world of game design by analysing some of the greatest games of all time. Join experienced Game Design lecturers Stuart Lilford, Adrian Mills, and David Grant as they discuss Disco Elysium and what this critically acclaimed RPG can teach aspiring designers. Major spoiler alert for the game! We discuss the story, characters, key choices, and ending in detail, so we strongly recommend playing Disco Elysium before listening. In this episode, we explore how Disco Elysium reinvents the RPG by removing traditional combat and making dialogue, personality, thought, and internal conflict central to the gameplay. We discuss how taking something away from an established genre can lead to innovation, and how the game's unusual skill system allows different character builds to fundamentally change how players perceive and interact with its world. We also examine player choice and alternative solutions, why failure can create some of the game's most memorable moments, and how its distinctive writing, humour, art direction, and worldbuilding contribute to the experience. Along the way, we discuss some of the game's more divisive design decisions, including pacing, traversal, skill checks, autosaving, and whether its commitment to lengthy dialogue makes Disco Elysium a game that simply isn't going to be for everyone. Featuring community feedback and the verdict: Is Disco Elysium a game every designer should play? Email us your comments or questions about the game we'll be discussing next at shouldplaypodcast@gmail.com It's Adrian's turn to choose the game for the next episode — and he's selected something very different from Disco Elysium. A game that tells its story with very little dialogue and asks you to take down some truly enormous opponents... Listen to the end to find out what's next! #DiscoElysium #GameDesign #GamesEveryDesignerShouldPlay #RPG #NarrativeDesign #GameDevelopment #IndieGames #Storytelling #GameDesignPodcast Thank you for tuning in! ✨ We are @ShouldPlayPod on Instagram, X, Bluesky, Threads, and YouTube. === CREDITS === Music by Vasil Trofimov from Pixabay. Sound Effects by floraphonic from Pixabay. Thanks to Gary Mitchell for Technical Support.
