Ending questions (spoilers)

[Clown Reemus]

So there is that big insect in the end. Does it appearing makes the ending "good"? Has anyone seen it go aggressive with the detectives, or did it not appear at all, for some? It feels to me like a "True Ending" stuff, if you initiate a dialogue with it.
I would have also liked some "conclusion" slides for the whole troupe: Joyce, Ervart, Lena and others.
Overall the game is outstanding, and could use some more elaborating on its concepts. I, for one, am extremely interested whether the developers thoroughly thought the pale out as a concept, whether it ends somewhere, whether it has a final act, or what is it. According to the dialogues, it's like an anti-existential part of humanity that spilled over into the reality. But I hope there is more to it.

[Clown Reemus]

Like, anyone?

[Du-Vu]

Conclusion slides would have been nice.

That's the ending I got, too. Did you talk to it with Inland Empire, and figure out that it was affecting the old man with the same pheromones that let it hide? Also wondering if it always shows up, even if you didn't finish the cryptozoologist's quests.

[Clown Reemus]

Originally posted by Du-Vu:

Conclusion slides would have been nice.

That's the ending I got, too. Did you talk to it with Inland Empire, and figure out that it was affecting the old man with the same pheromones that let it hide? Also wondering if it always shows up, even if you didn't finish the cryptozoologist's quests.

Yes, the conclusion was the same.
When there are checks for it it says "never gave up on the quest" and stuff, so we got ourselves another mistery here.

[Vespertellino]

I talked to it, ♥♥♥♥'s brilliant tbh xB
Evrart is obviously in trouble, if you know enough about him at the end. There is also an option to tell Lena about phasmid discovery as you talk to your work pals.
Joyce is honestly whatever, she is such a dark horse, and you don't seem to be able to learn much about her anyway.

[Clown Reemus]

There is also a great foreshadowing, a call-back or call-forward whatever - if you shoot the body down and pass the Inland Empire check, you can ask "who killed you man", and the answer is:"... communism".

[kirill-busidow]

What is "Return"? It is about to begin.

What is exactly "Pale"? (Thought substance that appeared with humans but exactly? Shadow of thoughts like Warn in Warhammer?)

Also anyone opened depot North of cryptozoologists? I wonder if you can bypass killing mercs if you get to island with shooter.

[Clown Reemus]

Originally posted by kirill-busidow:

What is "Return"? It is about to begin.

What is exactly "Pale"? (Thought substance that appeared with humans but exactly? Shadow of thoughts like Warn in Warhammer?)

Also anyone opened depot North of cryptozoologists? I wonder if you can bypass killing mercs if you get to island with shooter.

The pale has no thorough explanation, but it is an absence of matter and concepts altogether. A void in the every meaning of the word. Cryptid says it came with humans, and it might be a representation of humanity's nihilism and everything associated with it, keeping humans down, but in the game it materializies into a... lack of matter.

[Deformerad Dallarydsbo]

This games ending ♥♥♥♥♥♥ my mind, I never would have believed it was an old communard who was responsible (unless I made the wrong choices) aswell as a phantasmal beast, atleast my Harry got forgiven and hopefully have his partner at the 41, but I think it ended rather abruptly, and especially the wife part being cut so short/ being rather nonsensical but all in all it was awesome, my head is tired after straight blazing through this game i'm going to sleep.

[mitspieler]

The wife... it wasn't even his wife. and it's been 6 or 7 years ago said his partner. I assume the low percentage on the "Enemy Of The Physical Realm" achievement is because not many people actually made it to call and talk to her (before banging the phone twice, giving the achievement). Anyhow, I wonder if you get all the end information without discovering her name.
Also, the relationship to her seemed to be the main reason for Harrys breakdown. I felt that was a bit weak, just explained with "she was super hot, you never got over it" o.O? And suddenly (after 6 years) you drink yourself into oblivion. And your partners just stand by and watch "you told us to ♥♥♥♥ off" o.O? Maybe I misread something but the whole reasoning for Harrys initial state is a bit shallow.

[Brother PaciFist]

Perhaps you missed that Harrier is not alive anymore. The pale is explained as the memory of humanity. Life after Death, death after life a new beginning. The mantra of the humanist organisation.

Another strong sign: Who survives 3 heart attacks in a week. day 1 day 2 day 3. And fights at mecenary tribunal at the end of the week.

In the very beginning with the inner dialogue with your reptilian brain you struggle to stay at sleep. At the end of the game you have another dialoque with a reptilian, cryptoplasmid. The game just goes full circle. Harrier is in limbo, between life and death.

The pale is a barrier of nonexistence. That does not really make sense for a physical world to be surrounded by a antimatter. Harrier is in his personal hell. In a spiritual world the pale barrier makes sense.

He can phone his wife far away on a another continent at the fish market by using random phone numbers. What is the chance for that? Those are just his memories, when he tried to make up with her.

In that way the whole story makes more sense for me.

Have fun.

[Du-Vu]

There are certain hints dropped that this is limbo, religious visions and people outright calling Martinaise a kind of limbo, but for me that's a mark against it actually being true. It's a fantasy setting the devs have been playing in for years. It could be some kind of afterlife, I guess, this is an intended successor to Torment, after all. But even if it is, it's not only Harry's.

Also a phasmid's an insect, not a reptile.

[Blue]

Did you guys also try to exit the end scene wearing the full set of armor? *I'm a cop wearing a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ exoskeleton! I don't need to show you my badge!*

The ending was brilliant, although I agree with others that slides or something would have been nice. I also wonder what becomes of Cuno. There's an achievement for hiring him as a detective, did anyone manage that?

[Brother PaciFist]

Originally posted by Blue:

Did you guys also try to exit the end scene wearing the full set of armor? *I'm a cop wearing a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ exoskeleton! I don't need to show you my badge!*

The ending was brilliant, although I agree with others that slides or something would have been nice. I also wonder what becomes of Cuno. There's an achievement for hiring him as a detective, did anyone manage that?

Cuno got selfaware in my game. He called himself in the first person "I am Cuno". Does healing him count for something?^^.

[Blue]

Originally posted by Brother PaciFist:

Cuno called got selfaware in my game. He called himself in the first person "I am Cuno". Does healing him count for something?^^.

Same in my game, he also did the "I'm watching you" sign during my last conversation with him. I was kinda expecting him to come and save the day or something, but at that point I was pretty much done with threats.

[Brother PaciFist]

Originally posted by Du-Vu:

There are certain hints dropped that this is limbo, religious visions and people outright calling Martinaise a kind of limbo, but for me that's a mark against it actually being true. It's a fantasy setting the devs have been playing in for years. It could be some kind of afterlife, I guess, this is an intended successor to Torment, after all. But even if it is, it's not only Harry's.

Also a phasmid's an insect, not a reptile.

I heard often that Planescape torment greatly influenced Disco Elysium or No truce with the furies.

If you compare Martinaize to Sigil, the city of doors, in the middle of the planes, you could find similarities. In sigil you have a goddess ruling over the city; the lady of pain. Explanation Sigil is the main location in Planescape Torment. A city in the middle of the neutral plane of existence, between the 9 planes of existence in the universe where Dungeons & Dragons takes place.

In Martinaize it is Goddes Solei Dei, the mass murderer. Very similar. You have the pale riders, the route to south, the lorry driver lady. So martinaize or the whole world of Disco Elysium IS the limbo, the state between life and death. The world Elysium is the greek word for paradise. So there are many links to limbo, after life etc.

It makes Harrier and the Revachol Police department even more badass. They are like some Limbo Cops.