The ending gave me one of the most touching, surreal moments I have ever experienced in any form of media. The rest of the game, too, is filled with humor and compassion and even hope amidst such a cynical, downtrodden world.

I recently read an interview by The Daniels, directors of Everything Everywhere All At Once, in which they say they Kurt Vonnegut's work is compelling precisely because Vonnegut first "acknowledges how awful everything is, first acknowledges how dark everything is, how meaningless it all is," before diving into why the world still has beauty. That same approach is what makes Disco Elysium compelling to me. I can't wait to play it again, and again, and again, and again.

Spoiler

Upon seeing the Insulindian Phasmid arise from the reeds, I expected its appearance to signify that Harry's mind was crumbling beyond all hope of repair...but then, Kim said he saw it too. And I cried.

"I'm glad to be me—an incredibly sensitive instrument."