Elex 2

Elex 2 is the second installment of the RPG series developed by the German studio Piranha Bytes, published by THQ Nordic. The team has developed the first three installments of the iconic Gothic series, as well as the less warmly received Risen trilogy.

Plot

Elex 2 takes place a few years after events presented in the original and shows their direct aftermath. Players once again find themselves on the planet Magalan and take on the role of a hero named Jax, who has spent the last few years away from human settlements. In the end, however, there comes a moment when the threat he warned everyone about (but was ignored) becomes real, so the protagonist returns to protect his loved ones and the rest of the people of Magalan.

Just like before, the hero is not left to fend for himself. In the course of the adventure he is joined by various companions and he can join one of the three main factions operating in the game world: magical Berserkers, fanatical Morkons or futuristic Albs. Outlaws and Clerics are still present, but this time they play the role of secondary parties. It is worth remembering that joining one of the organizations often blocks our access to some of the tasks given by other groups and also affects the course of the story.

Game mechanics

In Elex 2 we observe the action from third-person perspective (TPP). The driving force behind the game are tasks commissioned by NPCs - whese include both story missions, as well as quests and side activities, which do not need to be completed in order to reach the finale of the adventure.

Once again, the developers give us a vast, open world which we can freely explore. It consists of both areas known from the first part of the series and completely new regions of Magalan. Just like before, areas created for the game are very diverse - there are densely forested regions, desert areas or snow-covered mountains. In addition to the fast travel system, wandering through this "sandbox" is facilitated by a jet pack, which after installing the appropriate upgrades allows you to fly like Iron Man. Along with the new jetpack capabilities go various changes in the game world; there are ruined skyscrapers on whose roofs we can get to, as well as flying enemies with whom we fight fierce battles in the skies.

And since we're talking about adversaries - clashes with them play an important role here. Enemies, which include both hostile humans and aggressive mutants inhabiting the planet, are eliminated using a wide range of cold weapons, a large arsenal of ranged weapons (including bows and crossbows, rifles and futuristic laser and plasma rifles) or by using magic. The amount of damage our hero takes in battle is determined by the armor he uses.

In return for the undertaken activities we receive experience points and advance to subsequent levels. We also receive attribute and skill points. The former can be divided between the coefficients directly on the character's card, while the latter require additionally finding a suitable teacher in the game world. This way we increase the combat potential of the protagonist - it allows us to face more powerful enemies.

Game modes

Elex 2 offers only a single-player story campaign, the completion of which is a task for several dozen hours. According to the unwritten rules followed by the developers, the title does not include multiplayer mode.

Technical aspects

Elex 2 runs on Piranha Bytes' proprietary Genome Engine technology developed for Gothic 3, which has undergone a number of improvements. Its 3D graphics presents a good quality. We can listen to the atmospheric soundtrack.

Last updated on April 4, 2020