From being fairly unknown to a critical success and Game of the Year nominee shortly after launch, ZA/UM’s Disco Elysium has done fairly well for itself. Fans and newcomers might want to check back in with the rockstar detective protagonist. The developer’s latest update adds Hardcore mode and widescreen support on Steam.
What exactly does Hardcore mode offer? For starters, every Skill Check now has increased difficulty, making it much tougher to solve the case. The player has less money and will find less currency as well so scrap becomes more important. If that weren’t enough, the cost of pharmaceutical items also goes up, thus making each failure all the more punishing.
It’s not all dour though. You’ll gain more XP for finishing tasks, thus leveling more quickly. Possessions become more valuable and though Thought Cabinet debuffs are more severe, the bonuses of thoughts can be used to your advantage. Disco Elysium is currently discounted for the Steam Lunar New Year Sale so check it out if choice-driven RPGs appeal to you.