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Disco Elysium has the craziest skill tree I've ever seen

by: Randy -
More On: The Sinking City Disco Elysium

I thought something was strange, but now I know for a fact. Disco Elysium (originally No Truce with the Furies) is on some otherworldly writing. The Fallout universe, with a nod and a wink, used to own the skill-naming universe—with the occasionally creative perk name like "Pain Train," "Black Widow," and "Wasteland Whisperer." But Disco Elysium, the upcoming urban fantasy detective RPG from ZA/UM, just went all mind-blown. 

This is your Thought Cabinet. If you were in The Sinking City you might call it a Mind Palace. If you were Sherlock Holmes it would be your Brain Attic. This Thought Cabinet is how your mind works. How it takes in, sorts, stores, and even how it intentionally forgets information. Just like Lady Killer gives you a bonus to murdering women in Fallout, uh, Inexplicable Feminist Agenda, I'm guessing, unlocks similar options in Disco Elysium.

Imagine the dialogue trees and character abilities that grow out of perks called, like, Hardcore Aesthetic, Some Kind of Superstar, or—did he just say Over-Productive Honor Glands? What kind of world are we working with in Disco Elysium when you can build yourself up with Cop of the Apocalypse, Homosexual Underground, or Magnesium-Based Lifeform?

We even get a glimpse of further thoughts, both explainable and inexplicable at first glance. I mean, I might have a chance at figuring out what Hobocop or Fairweather T-500 are. But what the heck is Apricot Chewing Gum Scented One? Col Do Ma Ma Daqua? Even something as seemingly simple as Date of Birth Generator has me second-guessing the things I know about language.

I'm telling you, the second I start to get a grasp on what Disco Elysium even is, then it throws a 90 mph curve ball. Even these illustrations make me uncomfortable in all the best ways. Taken in all together, this Thought Cabinet looks like it was drawn up for Dante's Inferno. Ugh, I'm shuddering with fear and happiness at the same time.

Please tell me you've marked your calendar for Disco Elysium's October 15 launch on PC.