Kim Kitsuragi is a fantastically written character

[Stabbey]

It would have been easy to make Kim just a killjoy always telling you off for doing strange things, or just being dull and flat, but he's got just enough personality and wit to be engaging. He's got his own things which interest him and his own hidden history. You can open up to Kim and get him to open up to you.

Because he's with you just about every step of the way, you really do get attached to Kim. That could have gone wrong is if you were the only one to contribute thoughts. But Kim has his own ideas, and there's enough back-and-forth in the case to make Kim feel like a true contributing partner, not just a tag-along. The game gives you hints when he wants to step in and you can let him take the lead, and you can get him to have your back.

Really, the only possible flaw with how he's written is that he's perhaps TOO accepting of such a ♥♥♥♥-up that you are, and your total amnesia. That's a little hard-to-swallow for someone as high-ranked as Lieutenant, but it's the kind of flaw which is perfectly fine.

I know the premise of this game doesn't make sense story-wise for there to be a sequel, continuing the adventures of you and Kim, but I would certainly not mind seeing one.

[Sisyphus]

Greatest companion of all time, a real-world version of Dak'kon.

[alphyna]

Very well put.

[floyd ryan]

All these movies making so much fuss about cops and their partners. Now I understand!

[The Enigma]

I perfectly agree!

My first impression of him when watching trailers/previews of the game and meeting him at the cafeteria were along the lines of: "Oh no, a flat character who'll just follow me everywhere and only serve to clue me in about tedious stuff that the game otherwise couldn't share."

He does serve a rather 'game-y' purpose in that he offers guidance and also fills the gaps of your memory lapse, but damn is it implemented in such a beautifully natural and engaging way. Also him being an extremely reserved guy makes it quite believable that Harry is still the one visibly leading the duo.

I'd say as someone who role-played Harry as a detective fighting for his redemption, a lot of the good deeds I did was because Kim was watching over me and I finally had someone who at least vaguely believed in me.

Also, the scene where he sells his 'wheel spinners' just to offer shelter to his (thoroughly flawed) partner was so ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ touching. That's a very decisive moment in the game where your further actions will either tag you as kinda-principled or full-a$$hole.

Originally posted by Stabbey:

Really, the only possible flaw with how he's written is that he's perhaps TOO accepting of such a ♥♥♥♥-up that you are, and your total amnesia. That's a little hard-to-swallow for someone as high-ranked as Lieutenant, but it's the kind of flaw which is perfectly fine.

I'd argue that Kim is so resolute to maintain a professional image that he manages to maintain it even in the most f*ucked-up situations. Also, if the game-world of Disco Elysium is anything to go by, that sort of f*ucked-up people/scenarios might be something he's quite used to as a police officer constantly interacting with the messier parts of the world.

He might be secretly judging you (in fact the game offers many hints that he does), but he keeps it very professional not to add fuel to the fire.

[Sentient_Toaster]

Originally posted by Stabbey:

Really, the only possible flaw with how he's written is that he's perhaps TOO accepting of such a ♥♥♥♥-up that you are, and your total amnesia. That's a little hard-to-swallow for someone as high-ranked as Lieutenant, but it's the kind of flaw which is perfectly fine.

Is he tolerant if you play a complete bozo, though?

My first run was as a 4/4/2/2 "human can-opener" as one of the NPCs labeled me -- very good at methodically tracking down leads and tearing away at successive lies and omissions, able to eventually extract a full confession w/ method, motive, opportunity, and murder weapon. I did a bit of work for the union boss but crossed him in minor ways both times (e.g. investigating the room and later on figuring out whose it was; providing irrelevant signatures on the form); never demanded fines from people; showed leniency to Klassje, Ruby, the music-heads; drank occasionally but only for a couple of skill checks; avoided hard drugs.

If built, say, a 1-3-5-3 build with Electrochemistry or Half-Light as a signature skill and started boozing it up; with poor INT failed all Logic and Visual Calculus tests as a result, and with miserable Drama ate up lies; listened to Electrochemistry and Half-Light, indulging in drugs and violence; this would probably lead to a deeply negative assessment at the end, right?

[Stabbey]

Well yes, probably. There are checks for Kim's trust in you, and achievements for a good relationship and a bad one. But could you blame him?

Kim is a police officer, and he's here to do a job, which is to solve a murder, not to be a cheerleading squad for every action you take.

[Sisyphus]

Also saying racist things is a quick way to tank his opinion of you.

[Me]

The guy was cramping my style, though. So I found myself sending him off to bed early so I could do drug- erh, solve the case behind his back while he was sleeping.

[jack_of_tears]

Yeah, I really liked Kim and that day he was gone felt very lonely, despite the voices in my head. I found myself putting off parts of the investigation until he got back, so I could have him there to give his own input on the things we encountered.

[Kain]

He is, such a layered character, what I love is how you can little by little tear apart some of his stiffness and infect him with your madness, but he never loses sight of what makes him, well, Kim. It's refreshing to have a character that won't do everything you say, but still can be influenced as you develop some sort of friendship with him.

[The Enigma]

Originally posted by Kain:

He is, such a layered character, what I love is how you can little by little tear apart some of his stiffness and infect him with your madness, but he never loses sight of what makes him, well, Kim. It's refreshing to have a character that won't do everything you say, but still can be influenced as you develop some sort of friendship with him.

Well put, in contrast to most other RPGs the interaction wasn't solely centered around the player-character, Disco Elysium cleverly made you feel like you were his partner just as much as he was yours.

[Kain]

Just makes me sad he didn't accept the jacket.

[Stabbey]

Originally posted by Kain:

Just makes me sad he didn't accept the jacket.

Maybe more Composure would help? That's your Fashion Sense skill. "Force your fashion choices on others."

[Kain]

I wonder if it's possible to make Kim respect you but despise you at the same time, like being a great detective but also a racist or something, because so far I'm pretty nice to him, I just make sure my character is utterly insane in a way that gets the job done and Kim himself says my methods although eccentric works.

On the other hand I wonder if it's possible to make him like you, but completely disrespect you as a police officer, given how incredibly flexible and detailed the interactions in this game is I wouldn't be surprised if it was THIS layered.

[The Enigma]

Originally posted by Kain:

Just makes me sad he didn't accept the jacket.

Hahaha, I literally just went through that part earlier today.

Kim in a nutshell:

Logic = 5
Inland Empire = 1
Perception = 1
Volition = 20

Poor Kim secretly dreams of unleashing his rebellious side*, but his godly volition always prevents him of doing so.

*As is presumed with his wheel-spinners that he was keeping 'just in case', the conversation that you can have about his bomber jacket, that scene with the two vulgar jackets, and possibly more that I myself missed.