In the midst of a prolonged leadership dilemma that has been consuming Disco Elysium, many enthusiasts have chosen to divert their focus from the internal disputes and instead direct it towards an unexpected competitor – a role-playing game set in a fantasy world, featuring the most inept cleric. This change of interest comes just before your city’s inaugural election.
Recently, the intriguing game Esoteric Ebb made it into the main event at this year’s London Games Festival. We were fortunate enough to have a conversation with its developer, Christoffer Bodegård from Sweden.
Initially, it’s evident that the game carries a distinct Disco vibe, but interestingly enough, Esoteric Ebb was conceived during a period prior to the release of Disco. Its unique origins trace back to an unexpected inspiration.
“I was on vacation, and I was really bored, because I hate vacation,” Bodegård remarks casually.
Yearning to break free from a stretch of exhaustion, ignited by thrilling Dungeons & Dragons sessions with my pals and an insatiable ennui, I drafted a blueprint for my dream Role-Playing Game. Seizing the moment, I decided to bring it to life myself.
He discovered it was quite impractical, even a bit foolish, to attempt creating a whole Role-Playing Game on one’s own, he chuckles. “Role-playing games should be quite expansive,” he adds.
Regardless of the magnitude of the task at hand, Bodegård observed that his game was generally progressing as intended, with a notable exception: “I was able to achieve all the key elements such as exploration and social interaction, but I struggled with the third essential aspect, which was combat.
Bodegård decided to abandon the project. He believes that creating a role-playing game without any combat is unfeasible and won’t be successful.
Three months later, ZA/UM released Disco Elysium.
He enthusiastically expressed that they addressed every issue in his design document, providing answers to all his questions. He mentioned that this project was the game of his dreams.
Revitalized, Bodegård swiftly delved into examining the game, aiming to understand why Disco was so effective and continually refining his own version of the game. This led to the creation of a fresh prototype each year until he finally shared it with the Disco Elysium subreddit in 2022.
The general feedback was overwhelmingly favorable, yet many people made the same reservation: It appears quite alike to Disco Elysium.
Following three years of dedicated effort, Bodegård managed to transform his project into Disco Elysium. Now, it was his chance to personalize it anew.
As a dedicated gamer, what truly mattered to me when it came to Disco was keeping its interactive storytelling. I firmly believe that this element was the key factor behind Disco’s triumph. To put it in game terms, more than half of the text you see unfold is dynamic content, constantly evolving and reacting to player choices.
“Once I realised that I could pull it off, everything else was just auxiliary,” he explains.
Bodegård confesses to being primarily a writer, yet he admits that initial versions of the game might appear rudimentary due to his autodidactic approach to game design. To put it simply, he found learning UI design from the ground up to be extremely unenjoyable.
Fortunately, he wouldn’t need to labor extensively anymore, as word about the game got to independent publisher Raw Fury. Their funding enabled Bodegård to concentrate solely on writing, while they hired artists to handle the visual aspects of the project.
In this setup, Bodegård handles the writing, design, and programming tasks, whereas visual assets, music, and audio are produced by the other developers he collaborates with at their local incubator – these collaborative spaces for developers to brainstorm and exchange ideas being a significant aspect of the thriving Swedish game development community.
As a passionate admirer, I must clarify that, contrary to popular belief, I do not and will not refer to the creation of Esoteric Ebb as a solo endeavor. Instead, I proudly label my collaborators as my ‘escargatoire’, a term that pays homage to their invaluable contributions. On our game’s official website, you can find a comprehensive list of these talented individuals who have been instrumental in bringing Esoteric Ebb to life.
Given additional time, Bodegård has focused more intensely on his specialties, rather than resting on past achievements. Instead, he’s been diligently developing the extensive array of dialogue choices a game like this necessitates.
At first glance, Esoteric Ebb appears to be a comedic game. The writing within it is abundant with humor, seamlessly transitioning between clever wit and absurd slapstick scenes. Taken together, the script and setting make the game feel just as much like Monty Python and the Holy Grail as it does Disco.
Although Disco Elysium is typically humorous but presented in a serious manner, Bodegård sees Esoteric Ebb as a comical game on the surface, yet it carries a substantial, serious undertone beneath.
He clarifies that Esoteric Ebb offers an entirely different, humorous, and enjoyable experience compared to Disco Elysium. However, delving into its core, the significant aspects are the profound themes it presents.
It needs to be humorous and engaging, but ultimately, it should delve into something intriguing. If it doesn’t, then why spend all that time immersed in this world?
One could argue that Bodegård masterfully blends humor with seriousness through the way the game approaches its magical spells.
In Esoteric Ebb’s realm, magic is prevalent, while Bodegård’s magic manifests through language. Your spells in the game can be cast upon any character, resulting in a distinct outcome for every spell-target pairing. Each of these outcomes has been meticulously designed by Bodegård himself.
Given the substantial volume of material, Bodegård has thoughtfully picked out the most enjoyable spells to work with, executing them to the fullest extent possible.
In contrast to numerous other RPGs, I find Bodegård’s magic system intriguingly grounded in its strange and unpredictable qualities, reflecting how the average non-magical person might perceive and grapple with the consequences of magic.
If you use the spell ‘Charm Person’, it essentially manipulates another person’s thoughts. From a philosophical standpoint, that’s quite chilling. As you craft conversations with such implications, you can’t help but notice how they start to delve into politics.
Wow, it seems like you’re manipulating others’ minds. Such an action is unacceptable and against the law. It’s crucial that you are held accountable for this. Your actions are troubling, borderline dictatorial, and definitely not right. This kind of behavior is highly problematic.
Bodegård carefully examines the full range of effects from his spells, pushing each implication as far as it can go, in a way that borders on the absurd.
In his universe, he can conjure up food and drink with no actual materials. Jokingly, he mentions, “It doesn’t have a great flavor,” but soon becomes more earnest.
If food holds significance within our community, as it often does, one could potentially earn a considerable amount by engaging in such activities. However, the intriguing point is: Does food retain its value in our society when it can be produced from nothing?
Bodegård’s magic goes beyond typical role-playing game spells; each one represents a deep, exploratory thought process taken to its ultimate outcomes.
From my perspective as an avid reader, this work offers a captivating exploration of how a fantastical magical system mirrors our own societal values. In a unique twist, it manages to be both thought-provoking and hilarious, making me laugh all over again!
Bodegård explains that Esoteric Ebb is fundamentally centered around this idea: “Exploring the concept of what if magic were accessible to everyone,” he says, “and developing it into an engaging narrative.
“The player also gets to play around with that, and that’s what makes it so much fun.”
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2025-04-15 18:35