[h1]Elex, like so many other games, may not be perfect, but it's still a joy to play[/h1]
I've played Elex on console and now also on PC, and while I've had many frustrating moments, the game is unique, sometimes tough, a little janky, but very immersive and atmospheric. The studio Piranha Bytes (the creative minds behind the Gothic and Risen titles) may have closed, but don't let that stop you from playing this odd gem from a German developer. It'll scratch your sci-fi/fantasy rpg itch.
The setting:
Elex takes place on the world of Magalan, after a comet struck the planet. The comet brought with it a new substance, Elex, and the survivors learned to use it to help themselves survive in a new world where new factions fight for supremacy. Elex is a strange substance, able to change properties depending on what you do to it. The Albs refine it, consuming it to grow stronger, at the cost of their emotions. The Berserkers grow special plants to cleanse it, turning it into Mana and rejuvenating the land with new plant life. The Clerics use the Elex for technology, but also dedicate themselves to the religion of Calaan. Then there are the Outlaws, dedicated only to the acquisition of profits and scrap, thinking only of themselves.
You enter the game as Jax, a commander of the Albs. Shot out of the sky, you start the game suffering from Elex withdrawal, your character incredibly weak and vulnerable. The story follows Jax as he looks for answers, and eventually changes the fate of the whole world.
A lot of work went into this game, especially so when you consider the small team behind it. The music really evokes a sense of an old world gone forever, a civilisation and way of life that can never be recovered. In some ways the music reminds me of Fallout 3. Open world exploration, for all its dangers due to Jax being so weak, running and jetpacking away at top speed any time you encounter [i]anything[/i], is beautiful and surreal, even if some buildings and structures are repetitive.
Combat is a mixed bag. I stick to using bows a lot at the start, but you have to pick your targets wisely. If foes are too strong they will reach melee range and destroy you, and if you jetpack away they start barfing up egg-and-bacon balls to hit you with their stomach contents if they can't run up to you. You discover pretty fast that you can't afford to get hit [i]at all[/i] because you are so weak. You should expect to die a lot while you learn how to play.
But once you know what you are doing? Hoo-hoo, it [i]does[/i] get fun. Sure, there are problems with the gameplay, and the grind for some achievements is a bit too much, but there is no such thing as a perfect game. I mean, I love old Final Fantasy and Assassin's Creed games but I still find faults with them.
Some fun stuff:
- companions dialogue
- when you finally do get overpowered and start wrecking machines and mutants
- fighting the Outlaws' bomb
One of the interesting things about this game is the way it deals with alignment and choices. There isn't a set 'good vs evil', but rather, an emotions vs cold... revolving around dialogue responses and Elex consumption. There are three different endings related to your Cold level, so it's an important feature.
In terms of character progression, it's a little unusual. Earning stat points like strength and dexterity doesn't do anything to Jax other than unlock the ability to be trained in skills. The skills come under broad headings, with three of the skillsets locked under each of the three major factions - if you want one you have to join their faction. Unfortunately they get really expensive later on if you want the best skills. You only get 10 points per level (11 with one of the skills), but spending them on stats changes... eventually it will cost 2 points per 1 attribute point, and then it will cost 5 skill points per attribute point. Even drinking oceans of Elex potions takes a long time to build up these attributes.
The game has issues too. The jetpack is great but also kind of useless - great for vertical movement, crap for any forward, back or side-to-side. Also it can't be upgraded. And it depletes kind of fast.
Melee combat, or any combat for that matter, can be easily ruined as soon as you get knocked down. Quite often you're stun locked as, while you are on the ground trying to get back up, you're still getting hammered by rockets or melee attacks. Oh, and there isn't any kind of block, per se, only parrying, which means defending is useless too as you still get damaged. Trying to run just means egg-and-bacon balls or rockets up your bum.
At least one of the companions seems half-done. Falks gets to a point in his own personal story where he undergoes a change, but after that, nothing. There should have been more character development but perhaps they ran out of time or money.
Sneaking is only useful for stealing from people. Anywhere else is a waste. I felt like there were some places where sneaking didn't even work for stealing purposes either, like I couldn't figure out who could see me. Sometimes it seemed like guards had eyes in the back of their heads.
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Elex isn't like other games, but that's a good thing because as a gamer I don't want all my games to be identical. I think the frustration of how weak and useless you start out as makes the eventual rise to power so much more rewarding. In other games you level up but so does everything else, which always struck me as unrealistic. Here, you have monsters and wildlife straight from the start, right next to you, with skull icons on their health bars. It's refreshing, realistic, and keeps you on your toes.
Despite its flaws, I still thoroughly enjoyed Elex, on both platforms. I played with a ps4 controller and only had a few setup troubles with camera panning speed that I ironed out easily. Game engine is very stable and ran smooth for me with no crashes.
Highly recommended.
