Importance Score: 40 / 100 🔵
Disco Elysium Expansion ‘Locust City’ Presentation Surfaces After Cancellation
Details of Project X7, a standalone Disco Elysium expansion that was cancelled in February, have emerged. The cancellation coincided with layoffs at ZA/UM, which saw 24 employees, including Argo Tuulik, the last writer from the original game’s credits still at the studio, depart. The news was met with disappointment within the gaming community.
Leaked Presentation Reveals ‘Locust City’ Details
Jamrock Hobo, a Disco Elysium YouTuber, recently released a nearly 15-minute internal presentation showcasing Project X7, nine months prior to its cancellation. Despite initial skepticism due to the upload date, the presentation’s authenticity is quickly confirmed by the voice of Dora Klindžić, a former ZA/UM writer who also worked on Summer Eternal. The leaked material provides a poignant look at what could have been.
‘Locust City: An Elysium Story’ – Co-op Gameplay and Characters
The presentation reveals that Project X7 was titled ‘Locust City – An Elysium Story,’ envisioned as a “single-player co-operative game.” Players would have had the ability to seamlessly switch between two playable characters: Cuno and Cunoesse. While these characters, known for their disruptive behavior in Disco Elysium, might appear unconventional as protagonists, the presentation highlights Cuno’s significant character development in the original game, particularly along his dedicated narrative path, suggesting a compelling basis for a focused follow-up.
Gameplay Mechanics: Skills, Thought Cabinet, and Narrative
Locust City was planned to feature distinct skills for each character, some returning from Disco Elysium, such as Inland Empire for Cuno and Authority for Cunoesse. New skills were also designed, including Pursuit and Ambush for Cunoesse, and Scar Shield and Beastmaster Racoono for Cuno, expanding gameplay possibilities.
- Thought Cabinet Returns: The thought cabinet mechanic would have been reintroduced, incorporating character-specific thoughts unlocked through interactions between Cuno and Cunoesse.
- Narrative Journey: The game’s narrative was structured across five acts, following the duo’s flight from Martinaise to Cunoesse’s home after a murder. Act two would feature a train journey prominently.
- Co-operative Skill Checks: An innovative feature would have allowed players to combine the characters’ abilities for collaborative skill checks. This mechanic would likely have appealed to players who appreciated the partnership with Kim Kitsuragi in Disco Elysium.
Multiple Endings and Character-Specific Details
The presentation indicated that Locust City intended to offer multiple endings, with four or five different outcomes influenced by player choices, adding replayability and narrative depth. Further enriching the gameplay were:
- Separate Inventories: Each character would possess individual inventories.
- Item Effects: Items would have varied effects depending on the character. A notable example given was a hat that improves Cuno’s Encyclopedia skill but boosts Cunoesse’s Authority due to the perceived height increase.
- Character-Dependent Sound Design: Even the audio experience was designed to change based on the currently controlled character.
The Significance of ‘Locust City’
The title Locust City refers to Cuno’s shoebox of locusts from Disco Elysium. Players could interact with this insect colony, observing the evolving civilization within, shaped by in-game decisions and items added to the box. The locusts were envisioned to develop political structures, potentially engage in warfare, or strive for freedom. This quirky concept encapsulates the独特 and imaginative storytelling style associated with Disco Elysium.
ZA/UM’s Future and Summer Eternal
This leaked presentation offers a compelling glimpse into a Disco Elysium follow-up that will unfortunately not come to fruition due to its cancellation. ZA/UM is currently focused on a mobile adaptation and a new title, stylistically similar to Disco Elysium but set in a different universe. Argo Tuulik and Dora Klindžić, key figures behind Locust City, have established Summer Eternal studio, working on a game bearing the same name. Additionally, ZA/UM’s original founders, who departed in 2021, have formed Red Info studio to develop an as-yet-unannounced project.