The Final Station is a Strugatsky novel experience in game form.

In the post-soviet space the Strugatsky brothers are very well-known. For movie and sci-fi lovers Tarkovsky is a household name, having shot "Stalker" and "Solaris" (Stalker is based on a Strugatsky novel "Roadside Picninc"). As for gamers - the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series (also Metro and Survarium by extension) isn't that unknown either, even though it deviates somewhat from the story and the atmosphere of the book and the film. And now the developers of Disco Elysium admitted being inspired by the works of the Strugatskys.

I don't see the in-game reference to the authors as a mere easter egg, but, rather, as a crucial world-establishing detail. For me personally encountering that reference was a pivotal point in the game. I too was frustrated a bit with the way things were going up until that moment, but immediately afterwards my perception shifted to a more contemplative one.

By stating its point of ultimate reference the story became coherent, as it was now MY immediate job to make sense of the world I was experiencing. The dream sequences, the overall weirdness, zero exposition - all felt justified. This did require some effort on my part though, the kind of effort usually not associated with games but with books (hello, imagination, my old friend), and I am very happy that it did.

IMO - the developers did something different in regards to narration and story-telling and, as a result, people are frustrated with the ending, because the product deviates greatly from the norm. I am, of course, not talking about game mechanics, but only about story-telling devices.

This game pleasantly surprised and charmed me. I felt privy to some arcane knowledge of utmost importance. I assumed that a lot of people would skim through and just ignore that reference, which I found, simply put, game changing. And so, this being the internets, I went out to right all wrongs with the tool as powerful and fundamental to our civilisation's success as the wheel - the ability to publicly voice my sh*tty opinion.

Excellent little indie gem, made with obvious passion.

The games are vastly different:

"I ate old man's liver" - is a punk chariot sim. Brutal and crazy.

"No, i'm not a human" - is an interesting visual novel of sorts, with detective elements.

"Sensation" - a peculiar hidden object game.

"All along the Toon Tower" - is an animated puzzle game in the style of early 20th century cartoons.

Decent couple of hours of good content, for a price of a chicken nugget.