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Xbox X|SWe've documented 24 accessibility features for Disco Elysium, including Fully Voiced (Or No Speech), No Quick Reactions, No Button Combos, No Repeated Pressing and No Holds. Its accessibility is strongest in Visual and Controls but it also has features in Reading, Getting Started, Navigation and Audio to reduce unintended barriers.
This report is created with input from accessibility experts and the player community to help people find games that have the accessibility features they require. Once you have found potential games on the database, there are excellent specialist accessibility sites that offer in-depth reviews to guide your purchasing decisions.
External examiner, Angela Hickman Newnham, first checked Disco Elysium accessibility 2 years ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 2 years ago.
Accessibility Notes
You can adjust the text size, although this doesn't make it especially large. You can zoom in at any point to get a clear view of the scene and make the characters and objects large and easier to differentiate.
The "detective mode" option highlights all of the interactive objects in green and allows you to cycle between them for ease of access and exploration and to ensure you don't miss anything.
here isn't a tutorial or an immediate opening goal, so getting started and learning controls can be difficult. You will quickly begin to acquire missions that give you direction, and eventually a map.
There is not a difficulty setting to make the game easier, but there is a "hardcore mode" that can be selected to make the game more challenging.
There are a few instances of screen flash, which are forewarned by talking about "taking a photo" or "shooting a gun" in the preceding dialogue, but there is no way to disable or avoid them.
The game map isn't available right away. When it becomes available the information it provides is a rough sketch of the town and a list of skill checks that are available (whether or not they are locked for you) which shows who the name and portrait of who you go to see them, as well as the general area they are found in. This list of skill checks is not sortable in any way, so the map isn't really useful for navigating spatially, and can be confusing as an organizational tool. Fast travel is available for some regions of the game via the map, and fast travel locations are identified when you locate a new area, but there is no tutorial or guidance on how to use this feature in game, which increases the confusing layout and use of the map.
There is a pressure applied from the beginning in regards to outstanding debt and coming up with money every day to continue paying for lodging, which may feel really stressful. There are also a small number of non-critical missions that are time sensitive in relation to the in-game clock (must be completed on a specific day or time), these are noted in the journal with a clock symbol.
Game Details
Release Date: 15/10/2019, updated in 2021
Out Now: Mac, PC, PS4, Stadia, Switch and Xbox One
Skill Rating: 14+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Narrative, Role-Play (Adventure and Puzzle)
Accessibility: 24 features
Components: 2D Side-On and Hand-Made
Developer: Studio ZAUM (@StudioZAUM)
Costs: Purchase cost
Controls
We've documented 5 accessibility features for Controls in Disco Elysium which deal with how you control the game, different options for alternative inputs and whether you can remap these settings to suit your needs.
Button Combinations
Specific button operation required to play
Holding Down Buttons Optional: Holding down buttons for prolonged periods (a second or more) is not required or can be switched to toggling the action on and off. This is in addition to the movement stick/button which is not considered a hold for this purpose.
Rapid Repeated Pressing Optional: Quick, repeated button pressing (more than 2 times a second) is not required, can be skipped or switched to holding a button to trigger a repeated action.
No Simultaneous Buttons: Only one button or key required at a time, in addition to direction stick(s).
Controller Vibration
Vibration Optional: Controller vibration not used in the game or you can disable it.
Informative Vibration: Controller vibration indicates events or interactions in the game, echoing visual and audio cues. This can provide additional information about progress, approaching enemies or hitting a target.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play Disco Elysium, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Shadows Over Loathing (12 Controls Features)
- 1428: Shadows over Silesia (11 Controls Features)
- Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney (10 Controls Features)
- Baldur's Gate 3 (9 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Difficulty in Disco Elysium which deal with how you can adjust the challenge of play, and whether this is locked once chosen or can be adjusted as you play. The following games are similar to Disco Elysium, and offer accessibility features for Difficulty:
- Baldur's Gate 3 (3 Difficulty Features)
- Norco (3 Difficulty Features)
- Neo: The World Ends with You (3 Difficulty Features)
- She Dreams Elsewhere (3 Difficulty Features)
Getting Started
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Getting Started in Disco Elysium which deal with what support is offered to get started with the game. This includes customising the experience when you first open the game via any onboarding processes it provides as well as tutorials and other assistance when you first start playing.
Assistance Getting Starting
These features aid your play of the game in terms of cognitive load on learning controls, dealing with pressure and coping with the environment and challenges.
View Control Mapping: You can view a map of controls during play. This clearly displays the mappings of actions to buttons/keys/mouse/keyboard without having to leave the game. This includes games that always display buttons to press during play.
Reaction-Time Not Critical: Individual game actions don’t need quick reactions, or there are settings to lower the requirement for quick reactions. This means you don't need to quickly press a button in response to an on-screen prompt, target a fast-moving target or skillfully complete a scenario against the clock.
No Jump Scares: No sudden loud noises or popping-up scary visuals that unexpectedly appear without warning, or the option to disable them.
Assistance For Progressing
These features aid your progress through the game offering different ways of maintaining your progression.
Save Progress Anytime: The game automatically saves progress or you can save any time. This doesn’t mean you never lose progress, but it does mean you can stop whenever you want (without having to get to a save point) without losing progress.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play Disco Elysium, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- Norco (10 Getting Started Features)
- Baldur's Gate 3 (9 Getting Started Features)
- 1428: Shadows over Silesia (8 Getting Started Features)
- Shadows Over Loathing (8 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 5 accessibility features for Reading in Disco Elysium which deal with how much reading or listening comprehension is required, how well the game provides visual and audible access to the text and whether subtitles and captions are a good fit for purpose.
Reading Level
How much reading is required to play the game's main path or story and how complex the language is. The presence of voiced characters doesn't reduce this requirement, as it's recorded as a separate datapoint.
Extensive Complex Reading: Extensive reading required. The quantity and complexity of reading is suitable for someone who loves long books and enjoys extended dialogue or narrative descriptions.
Text Visibility
High Contrast Text: Text colour contrasts to the background or can be adjusted to be. The text in menus, instructions and other information is presented in high contrast with a solid background.
Subtitles
All Speech Subtitled (Or No Speech In Game): All spoken content has subtitles, or there is no speech in the game. This means there is no requirement to hear spoken dialogue or narrative to play the game.
Captions
Speaker Indicator: Textual captions indicate who is speaking (or there is only ever one person speaking). This can also be indicated visually in the game with character icons or placing text in speech bubbles next to the person speaking.
Voice Acted
All Dialogue is Voice Acted (Or No Speech In Game): All of the game dialogue and narrative can be voiced, or there is no speech in the game. This means there is no requirement to read the dialogue and narrative text to play the game.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play Disco Elysium, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Reading accessibility:
- Return to Monkey Island (7 Reading Features)
- Rusty Lake Hotel (7 Reading Features)
- Baldur's Gate 3 (6 Reading Features)
- Pentiment (6 Reading Features)
Navigation
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Navigation in Disco Elysium which deal with how the game provides guidance and assistance to navigate its worlds. These are only for games that have traversal and exploration in 2D and 3D spaces.
Clarity
Clear Mission Objectives: The game provides clear, structured missions with directional guidance and advice on which can be attempted next. This also indicates (ideally on maps where they are provided) which missions can't be attempted because you do not have the appropriate items yet.
Menu Navigation
Menu Audio Cues: Navigating menus provide an audio cue for each selection.
Menus Don't Wrap: Menus don't wrap and stop the cursor at the bottom of the list if you press down. Or menus do wrap but make it clear that you are back at the top of the list with sound or narration.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Navigation
If you want to play Disco Elysium, but it doesn't offer the Navigation accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Navigation accessibility:
- 1428: Shadows over Silesia (10 Navigation Features)
- Baldur's Gate 3 (9 Navigation Features)
- Thousand Threads (8 Navigation Features)
- Citizen Sleeper (7 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 6 accessibility features for Visual in Disco Elysium which deal with how you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.
Interactive Elements
Outline Interactive Elements: Characters, platforms and enemies can be outlined or highlighted for visibility. This can be with a large border around the character or a special visual mode that adjust the colour to make characters more visible.
Visual Distractions
No Screen Shake: No screen shake effect or it is included but it can be disabled. This includes the absence of screen shake for dramatic effect as well as to indicate hits on a target.
Audio Cues for Visual Events
Audio Cues for Visual Events: Audio is provided to indicate visual events. Game events or progress highlighted by visual icons, effects or animations are also accompanied by audio to signify that progress. This is useful for blind players.
Menu Audio Cues: Navigating menus provide an audio cue for each selection.
Motion Sickness Friendly
Motion Sickness Friendly: Doesn't have 3D movement elements that may trigger motion sickness, like motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision. Or includes the ability to disable motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision effects.
Colour Options
Colour Blind Friendly: Game doesn’t rely on colour or can switch to colour blind friendly mode with double coding or similar way to avoid colour dependance.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Visual
If you want to play Disco Elysium, but it doesn't offer the Visual accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Visual accessibility:
- Knights of San Francisco (8 Visual Features)
- The White Door (8 Visual Features)
- Frequency Missing (8 Visual Features)
- Upheaval (7 Visual Features)
Audio
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Audio in Disco Elysium which deal with how you can adjust the audio of the game and whether audio cues compensate for aspects of the game that are hard to see.
Adjustable Audio
Balance Audio Levels: Set music and game sound effects separately. This enables you to select your preference as well as ensure critical game sounds aren't obscured by other audio.
Play Without Hearing
Play Without Hearing: No audio cues are necessary to play the game well.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Audio
If you want to play Disco Elysium, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Audio accessibility:
- Roadwarden (3 Audio Features)
- Neo: The World Ends with You (3 Audio Features)
- Thousand Threads (3 Audio Features)
System Accessibility Settings
In addition to the accessibility features provided in the game, you can also use system-wide accessibility settings:
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch has some built-in features, including a lockable zoom, that can be used on all games.
PC
Windows has extensive accessibility features. Some, like colour correction, work with games. Lots of accessibility software can be used with PC games, from voice recognition to input device emulators.
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 4 has a range of accessibility settings. Some are system only, some work in games (invert colours and button mapping).
Stadia
Stadia offers some system accessibility features. Tandem enables you to use two controllers to play one character. This also enables you to connect other controllers like the Xbox Adaptive Controller.
Xbox One
Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games.
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors Andy Robertson, @growingupgamers and Jo Robertson
