You’ll soon be able to try out Disco Elysium‘s mobile version, which developer ZA/UM describes as a “total reimagination.” The studio announced recently that the game launches on August 5 for Android devices, with the first two chapters offered for free as a demo.
Rather than a direct port, ZA/UM has rebuilt the game in an attempt to make it better complement smaller devices. While the original Disco Elysium is an isometric story-based RPG with full movement controls, the mobile version repackages the art style, characters, and narrative into something more akin to a visual novel. It is now played from a first-person point of view, but you’re not moving the character. Rather, you survey rooms and look for items or points of interest to investigate, and all of the interactivity is designed around touch screens.
ZA/UM has talked about how this approach is an effort to “completely cater to the habits of today’s mobile users.” In addition, the developer is emphasizing that the mobile version is more compatible with quick, pick-up-and-play gaming, stating, “This story-rich adventure has been optimized for short play sessions, allowing players to dive in anytime, anyplace on their mobile devices.”