You’re a detective who’s lost his badge, his gun and his memory – and there’s a dead body behind the fleabag hotel you just woke up in. Who are you? What happened? And where are your trousers?

Those questions are just the start of Disco Elysium, an award-winning role-playing game bursting with razor-sharp writing and imaginative (and mature!) plotlines. Bolstered by gorgeous visuals set in fascinating locations – from dive bars bathed in disco lights to the bombed-out ruins of a half-forgotten war – it’s a case RPG fans can’t miss.

Piece together your own backstory as you chase down leads with your strait-laced sidekick. Just ask the voices inside your head: upgradeable skills pepper your train of thought with random facts, cheeky insights and useful dialogue options. Eschewing combat for persona-oriented growth, it’s as innovative as it is interesting.

For instance, boosting your Drama skill helps you detect lies (and invent your own), while levelling up your Suggestion stat lets you plant ideas in other people’s heads. Prefer a more hands-on approach? Up your Physical Instrument skill to break down doors and shake down suspects.

Will you be a sympathetic detective, taking on charity cases and defending the downtrodden? Or will you meander the snowy streets, babbling about the end of days? Disco Elysium gives you the freedom to be as weird – and wonderful – as you want.