First Look at Hopetown: The Spiritual Successor to Disco Elysium

Hopetown, a nonlinear RPG from Longdue Games, offers a unique narrative-driven experience. Founded by former employees of ZA/UM, Rockstar Games, and Bungie, the studio has unveiled a glimpse into its debut title, positioning it as a spiritual successor to the acclaimed Disco Elysium. The game plunges players into the shoes of a journalist who awakens in a remote mining town, nursing a brutal hangover. The mystery begins: what happened the night before? Players must unravel the events, navigating a simmering local conflict and deciding whether to mediate or escalate the tensions.

Early screenshots showcase a dialogue-rich gameplay experience where player choices profoundly shape the narrative. Multiple character archetypes are available, each offering distinct dialogue options and approaches to conversations. For instance, interacting with an elderly woman feeding pigeons allows players to select various conversational tones, resulting in different outcomes.

Longdue Games is preparing a Kickstarter campaign to fund Hopetown's development, with a dedicated page already live on the platform. While a release date remains unannounced, anticipation is growing amongst fans of narrative-focused RPGs.

Hopetown isn't alone in drawing inspiration from Disco Elysium. Dark Math Games and Summer Eternal are also developing their own psychological RPGs, further indicating a burgeoning interest in this compelling genre.