Rue Valley is the kind of game that tosses you into the swirling vortex of chaos — not the swords-and-shields kind, but the deliciously messy, emotional rollercoaster kind.
You’re sitting in a therapy session, the kind where the therapist’s thick, judgmental eyebrows are more intimidating than his actual words. You’re supposed to be engaged, but instead, you’ve been mentally checked out for the entire hour.
The first thing your character does is apologize for zoning out. Well, only if you’ve saddled yourself with the Guilt-Ridden trait. Look, it was either that or Unkind, and I’d already chosen Arrogant over Awkward. Those are just some of the many charming emotional baggage options you get to lug around in this narrative RPG.
Crimson and Clover, Over and Over
You shuffle out of therapy and step into the great unknown — a run-down, off-the-highway motel. Nothing screams adventure like peeling wallpaper and broken vending machines.
Right outside, you find a blonde woman who’s aggressively karate-chopping one. Naturally, your character, crippled by a Total Lack of Motivation, can’t even muster the energy to engage with her, so you slouch by her, defeated, as she wages war on the cans behind the glass.
Then there’s the receptionist. If you thought small talk was torture, Rue Valley just cranked the dial to 11. This woman can yap. And yap. And yap. If you’re unlucky enough to get trapped in conversation with her, your only escape is to doomscroll your phone, play an idle game, or read the sad little leaflets on the counter. You know it’s bad when you’re reading a leaflet.
What’s particularly fun (or horrifying, depending on your chosen personality) is how your character can handle this situation.
Let’s say you’re playing as a reckless, arrogant jerk — naturally, you go full Karen and demand to see the manager. Shockingly, this doesn’t work. When has it ever?
Your dialogue options are influenced by your chosen traits, so whether you attempt to sweet-talk, bully, or outright flee, the situation unfolds in hilarious, often painful ways. You’re wrestling with your character’s neuroses every step of the way.
Now, after you manage to survive the receptionist, it’s time to head to your room. You’re supposed to unpack, but your character is freaking out, for reasons you don’t really understand but deeply relate to. You fail the check — I failed all of my checks during this demo — and instead of neatly folding clothes, you toss them all over the room. Panic attack over. A job well done.
The next thing you know, it’s morning, the alarm clock rings, and you’re back in the therapist’s office. The session ends again, you’ve spaced out again, and it’s hard to tell if the whole motel escapade was even real or if you’re stuck in some twisted, never-ending loop.
It’s not Disco Elysium 2 — and it’s not trying to be, either
If you’re getting Disco Elysium vibes, you’re not wrong — but don’t get too comfy. Rue Valley is less about communist propaganda or hunting down cryptids, and more about the deeply personal journey of navigating one’s own fractured mind.
The protagonist isn’t some eccentric, half-naked detective; he’s a guy who might be your neighbor — if your neighbor was caught in a Groundhog Day-style psychological purgatory.
Each day in Rue Valley isn’t just another cycle of motel misery, though. After your bizarre day ends, you get to reflect on your experiences and set an intention for the next one.
The game encourages you to explore different options and live out varying timelines, all while being pushed and pulled by your character’s emotional baggage.
As you navigate Rue Valley’s weird, introspective, time-bending world, you’ll meet an eclectic cast of characters. And slowly, you’ll start piecing together the puzzle of the time loop, all while grappling with your own inner demons.
It may not have the grand zaniness of Disco Elysium, but what it lacks in bombast, it makes up for in heart. The game is about untangling your own mind as much as it is about unraveling the mystery of the loop.
If this sounds like something you’d like, you can wishlist Rue Valley on Steam. It’s currently being developed by Emotion Spark Studio, and it will be published by Owlcat Games.
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