Quick Version: If you are a big fan of Planescape: Torment, or Tides of Numenera, then Stop. Buy this Game. Play this Game. Thank me for the several minutes of your day that I just saved you from reading any further.

Anyhow....this game. My God. "Game" almost seems to lessen the impact of Disco Elysium. I would say that it is one of the most successful pieces of interactive fiction/storytelling that I have ever come across. It's clear that it had specific goals, in terms of what it was trying to be - a mirror to hold up to the player, and force them to confront the dichotemy of how we conceptualize ourselves vs. how we often are objectively in the world. And drawing the dividing lines between what is the materialist perspective, and the metaphysical. I feel like this game gives you such a huge amount of latitude in being who you want to be, and it will call you out, breaking the fourth wall on occasion to say "I see you. I see who you are, and what you are doing." I'm still not certain if this game is as brilliant as I think it is, or if it's just incredibly well-done illusion. At any rate, the writer is truly a top notch creative talent, and a fantastic worldbuilder.

I almost don't want to talk very much about the story, for fear of giving too much of the good stuff away - I think I would have appreciated being able to determine my characters gender and some elements of their backstory, but I appreciate that aspects of the main character needed to be set in stone in order for the whole narrative goal to be accomplished.

I will say - this can be a dense, metaphorical game. The mechanics of the "Thought Cabinet", where you internalize certain idea-fragments in order to determine what your characters core beliefs are was clever and original, as was the stats system - although sometimes it felt there was a little too much to invest in. Replayability also strikes me as very high.

One warning I will give: This is NOT a traditional RPG. There is no traditional combat and if you're not into reading a lot of text, not much into politics and philosophy and what not, you may find this game a bit dull. But try it anyhow, because I think even folks who might not normally go for this sort of thing will appreciate being able to play the game as a totally crazy psycho hyperstart loon cop.

I am going to be thinking about this game for a long time - one of the best I've had the pleasure of playing in a long, long time. 5/5 for sure.