Today, Disco Elysium developer ZA/UM has supplied simply the tiniest tease of its subsequent venture: a sport targeted on the themes of spy and espionage presently being known as “Project C4”.
As a part of the reveal, we bought a take a look at a short teaser trailer, and had been briefed on a number of of the massive concepts we will anticipate in C4…in addition to what we should always NOT anticipate. For one, we had been advised C4 shouldn’t be Disco Elysium 2, however as an alternative takes place in a totally authentic new world. We additionally had been advised that it is explicitly not a 007-style spy story. Instead, it is impressed by the novels of John le Carré, particularly the Smiley vs. Karla trilogy (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Honourable Schoolboy, and Smiley’s People). It additionally contains parts of psychadelic sci-fi, borrowing from authors like Usula LeGuin and Philip Ok. Dick, and motion sequences impressed by Park Chan-wook.
Project C4, we’re advised, shall be in regards to the struggles of spies behind the scenes, espionage, allegiances, betrayals…and failure. Failure particularly will play a key position in Project C4 as a result of it seems like it should carry again one key component from Disco Elysium: the “fail ahead” philosophy. Like in Disco, failure in C4 won’t lead to a reset or reload of the sport. Instead, the story will transfer on, accounting to your failure. That means residing with the implications of your choices, comparable to who to ally with, who to be loyal to, and methods to spend your time. And sure, you are still on the mercy of your cube rolls.
A press launch gives a bit extra readability as to the story itself:
The world of [C4] is rife with shadowy characters who assist transfer the items for competing geopolitical powers in a sport of hid battle. The participant units out to finish a determined task which is able to put them susceptible to dropping their life, or a lot worse – being uncovered for what they are surely.
As an Operant serving a questionable world energy, the participant finds themselves locked in a vicious, clandestine wrestle for reality and affect. Yet it’s the thoughts that takes centre stage in Project [C4]. More susceptible and extra highly effective than the bodily world, it may be erased, modified, reordered, and naturally considerably altered by way of common use of psychoactive substances amongst different means. Players should metal themselves with no matter consolation they’ll so as to survive the violent canvas of the true.
Unfortunately, it is value noting that whereas the studio title is identical, lots of the individuals who labored on Disco Elysium won’t be engaged on Project C4. Numerous former ZA/UM members have left the studio since Disco Elysium’s launch, with a number of conflicting studies surfacing involving accusations of investor fraud and monetary malfeasance, and counter-accusations of some builders making a poisonous work surroundings. People Make Games endeavored to sum up and reconcile these accounts in a prolonged video report, however the finish end result has been the splintering of ZA/UM into a number of new studios purportedly engaged on religious successors, with now what stays of ZA/UM specializing in Project C4. That leaves little hope left for a real Disco Elysium 2.
We’re anticipating to see extra of Project C4 from ZA/UM subsequent week on the Game Developers Conference.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can discover her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a narrative tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
