Elex
Release Date: October 17, 2017
RPG, TPP, science fiction, post-apocalypse, sandbox, action RPG, romances, singleplayer
OpenCritic
Steam
A third person action-RPG developed by the creators of the legendary Gothic series - German studio Piranha Bytes. In contrast to the aforementioned Gothic, Elex is set in a dark post-apocalyptic universe that combines elements of both science-fiction and fantasy and where technology meets magic. In terms of mechanics, the game is similar to other modern action-RPGs.
Last Update: October 19, 2017
Elex Game Guide
The unofficial guide to Elex provides a complete collection of information and hints that will help you complete the game. You will find a walkthrough of all the quests, tips about character development, maps, practical advice and more.
Videos and Screens
[1:37] Elex launch trailer
[0:44] Elex 2016 vs. 2017 graphic
Game Revolution: 2.5 / 5 by Cody Perez
The world of Magalan is intriguing with its blend of technology and magic, but it's unfortunate that the game tucked inside of it is only fun to play half of the time.
PlayStation LifeStyle: 5 / 10 by Ahmed Mohamed
There's a lot of fun to be had in ELEX at higher levels, but the game opens far too slowly and spreads itself out too thin to make any sort of impact. It's a game that begs to be smaller in scope, and richer in depth. And while its animations and visuals are mostly uninspiring, there are some real moments of beauty that are found in its caves and crevasses if you choose to explore the land of Edan.
PlayStation Universe: 3 / 10 by Garri Bagdasarov
ELEX is bad in almost every way. It's a poor attempt and impossible to enjoy anything outside of its interesting setting and backstory.
The main pros of the game
- Immersive World Design: Many players praised the handcrafted, expansive world of Magalan, noting its depth and detail. The environment is described as fascinating, with various regions and a rich post-apocalyptic setting that encourages exploration.
- Strong Story and Lore: The narrative and lore of the game received positive feedback. Players appreciated the intricacies of the factions and the moral choices involved in the story.
- Nostalgic Appeal: Long-time fans of Piranha Bytes appreciated the game?s homage to classic RPG mechanics, reminiscent of earlier titles like Gothic and Risen.
- Jetpack Mechanics: The inclusion of a jetpack was highlighted as a fun and unique aspect that allows for vertical exploration and adds to the gameplay experience.
The main cons of the game
- Combat System Issues: The combat mechanics were widely criticized. Many players found the combat unresponsive, tedious, and frustrating, with poor hit detection and long animation times that hindered gameplay.
- Pacing and Progression: Players noted that the game felt artificially prolonged, with a slow progression that made it difficult to stay engaged. Some felt that the main story could have been completed in a much shorter timeframe.
- Difficulty Spikes: The game was described as punishing, especially in the early stages, where players often faced overwhelming enemies. This led to frustration and frequent deaths, particularly for new players.
- User Interface and Controls: The interface and controls received negative feedback for being clunky and outdated, making basic actions cumbersome.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Quality of Life Improvements: Players expressed a desire for better quest tracking and clearer guidance on objectives, as the current system can lead to confusion and frustration.
- Enhanced Combat Mechanics: Many users hoped for a more refined combat system that feels impactful and responsive, with suggestions for improvements in targeting and dodging mechanics.
- Diverse Weaponry: There were calls for a wider variety of weapons and more engaging gunplay, as some players felt the existing options were limited and did not provide a satisfying experience.
- Voice Acting and Animation Improvements: Some players suggested that the voice acting could be eliminated altogether if it couldn't meet a higher standard, and that animations, particularly in combat, needed to feel more impactful.
Summary
- Overall, while ELEX has its strengths in world-building and storytelling, the game suffers from significant gameplay and combat issues that detract from the overall experience for many players.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 3815 votes. 3428 players anticipated the game.
Elex Description
Elex for PC, PS4 and XONE is an action RPG developed by Piranha Bytes, the creators of the Gothic and Risen series, and published by Nordic Games.
Story
The action is set in a fictional post-apocalyptic universe. This dark world is a place where magic and advanced technology coexist together. The game takes us to the planet Magalan which has been struck by a meteor; the catastrophe doomed its civilizations. However, it does not mean that nobody survived - a handful of survivors still live and have split into two groups: those who still have access to the remnants of advanced technology, and those who decided to connect with the nature and revert to simple tools and weapons.
Along with the meteorite, something else arrived at Magalan – the eponymous, mysterious element: Elex. With it, all kinds of armaments can be manufactured; it also enables people to using magic. The trade-off is that the usage of this resource has a side effect – it causes the user’s body to degenerate. The inhabitants of Magalan don't seem to care, though, and keep fighting over its deposits.
Although the society of Magalan is divided into two main groups, the planet is a home to numerous minor factions. The Berserkers seek harmony with the nature, the Clerics demand an altogether ban on using Elex, the Bandits are considered terrorists, while the Albs desire to subjugate all inhabitants of the globe and are known for easily abusing the alien element. The players assume the role of a commander of the last of the aforementioned groups. During a battle, his fighter is shot down and he ends up stranded on the enemy territory belonging to the Berserkers.
Occasionally, we will be faced with decisions that influence the shape of the story, just like in Gothic or Risen. Our choices will determine which faction the protagonist will join.
Gameplay
Elex for PC, PS4 and XONE offers a grand, open world that can be freely explored without being interrupted by loading screens. The only limitation is our character’s level and the strength of the enemies who guard entrances to some regions of the post-apocalyptic universe. In the game, we visit dark swamps, snowy mountains, and verdant forests, as well as numerous other places. Of course, traversing such vast area and traveling between locations would be tiresome in the long run – this is why the developers introduced a quick travel system in the form of teleports. We may also use jetpacks that are part of the protagonist’s inventory.
In our travels, we will meet many interesting characters who have their own opinions on the world around them. Some of them are friendly, while others are hostile towards the protagonist. Of course, combat is an important element of Elex, and just like in the Gothic and Risen series the hero has to face many opponents, including mutated monsters. Our character has a wide and varied arsenal at his disposal, including both melee weapons, such as swords or advanced hand-to-hand combat gadgets, and rare firearms like laser rifles. There is no shortage of different armors, as well.
Game modes
Just like all previous Piranha Bytes games, Elex does not offer a multiplayer mode, for the developers focused solely on the single player story campaign.
Technology
The graphics of Elex represent high-level quality. The locations we visit in the game look very pretty, especially on state-of-the art machines. The title is powered by a modified version of the engine that Piranha Bytes used in their previous productions.
Last updated on December 2, 2015
July 25, 2017
The most anticipated games of the second half of 2017
After a satisfying first half of the year, the second half looks no less interesting. The publishers are planning releases for almost each and every of the most popular genres.
January 5, 2017
The most anticipated games of 2017 – Gamepressure picks
2016 has just come to an end. It’s high time we thought about what to play in 2017. Here are the top 30 picks of our editorial team.
November 22, 2016
15 RPGs we can’t wait to play – top upcoming role-playing games
„The Golden Age of RPG is upon us”, said Brian Fargo and got busy working on three separate projects. There are, however, many more RPGs worthy of attention out there, so we’ve cooked up a list of the best titles yet to come.
August 24, 2015
Elex Interview - “If we were to do another Gothic title, we feel like we’re in a closet”
How much Gothic can we find in Elex? How will our cooperation with factions work? We had a chance to talk to Bjorn Pankratz, the game director at Piranha Bytes, and we asked him to shed some more light on their upcoming RPG.
3
GAMES
in Elex Game Series
Game Series
Elex Series
A series of action RPGs in third-person perspective, set in an open world called Magalan. Games in the series combine elements of fantasy, science fiction and post-apocalypse, and the creators of the cult in Poland are responsible for their creation. Gothica, the German studio Piranha Bytes.
3 video games
Elex Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Developer: Piranha Bytes
Publisher: THQ Nordic / Nordic Games
Elex System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i5-3570 3.4 Ghz / AMD FX-6350 3.9 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 660 / Radeon HD 7850 or better, 35 GB HDD, Windows 7/8.1/10 64-bit
Recommended: Intel Core i7-4790 3.6 Ghz / AMD FX-8350 4.0 GHz, 16 GB RAM, graphic card 3 GB GeForce GTX 1060 / 4 GB Radeon RX 480 or better, 35 GB HDD, Windows 7/8.1/10 64-bit
Elex devs "don’t like stinking DLCs"
Elex developer says the game won't have any "stinky DLCs", because it doesn't fit the company's image.
video games
September 5, 2017
Elex 2 is happening - the sequel has been approved for EU grant
Whether Elex is going to be successful, we do not know. We do know, however, that Piranha Bytes is already making serious plans for Elex 2.
video games
August 23, 2017
Elex, the game from creators of Gothic and Risen, has a release date
THQ Nordic has finally revealed the release date for Piranha Bytes' upcoming game and it's coming faster than we expected.
video games
Mike Manka
June 1, 2017
Elex pushed back to Q3 2017
Did you hope to play Elex within a couple of months? Well, don't. The next action RPG from Piranha Bytes is not coming out until Q3 2017.
video games
March 7, 2017
Elex to feature 50-80 hours of gameplay and better animations – new info emerged
Recently we've seen a gameplay footage from Elex, and now the developers at Piranha Bytes decided to share a handful of interesting new details on their upcoming action RPG.
video games
August 22, 2016
Elex gamescom 2016 gameplay emerged online
Elex, the next action RPG from Gothic and Risen creators, has been showcased at gamescom 2016. A 9-minute long gameplay footage emerged online, giving a glimpse at the game's current state.
video games
August 19, 2016
Elex – new screenshots released
Piranha Bytes has released a set of new screenshots from Elex, their latest game currently in development, due to release in 2017.
video games
May 30, 2016
Elex estimated system requirements and release date
Elex will come out in early 2017, as stated on its Steam page. The same source reveals the game’s early system requirements.
video games
November 23, 2015
Elex on New Screenshots. Swords, Monsters, Cars, and Jetpacks in One Game
New screenshots from Elex just emerged. See how this new project from Gothic creators combines a fantasy realm with high-tech.
video games
August 13, 2015
Elex Officially Announced. It’s a New Project From Gothic’s Creators
The countdown on the website of the mysterious Elex project has come to an end, and Nordic Games has revealed its details. It turns out that it’s eventually Piranha Bytes (and not, as previously speculated, Vigil Games) that is working on the game.
video games
July 3, 2015