First Look at Hopetown: The Spiritual Successor to Disco Elysium

Hopetown, a nonlinear RPG from Longdue Games, offers a captivating new experience in narrative-driven gameplay. Founded by former employees of ZA/UM, Rockstar Games, and Bungie, the studio has unveiled a first glimpse into the game's mechanics, hinting at 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 and grappling with a fragmented memory of the previous night. Players must unravel the mystery of their arrival while navigating a simmering local conflict, with their choices determining whether to quell the tensions or stoke the flames.

Screenshots reveal a dialogue-rich experience where player agency significantly shapes the unfolding narrative. Multiple character archetypes are available, each providing unique dialogue options and approaches to conversations. For instance, interacting with an old woman feeding pigeons allows for diverse conversational tones, leading to varied outcomes.

Longdue Games is gearing up for 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 steadily growing amongst fans of narrative-focused RPGs.

Hopetown isn't alone in its inspiration from Disco Elysium. Dark Math Games and Summer Eternal are also developing their own psychological RPGs, adding to the burgeoning genre.