ELEX II Reviews
Most evident in its clunky, annoying combat system, Elex 2 is living in a janky Euro RPG past that its closest peers have nearly all transcended by now.
Elex II is a perfect continuation of the Piranha Bytes RPG formula, but it is unlikely to win over new fans. The graphics and gameplay are very similar to the first game and are beginning to feel increasingly dated, a feeling exacerbated by all the fantastic games released in the last few months. If you're already a fan of Piranha Bytes then this is exactly what you've been waiting for, for good and ill.
Elex II returns with an acceptable proposal that will delight Piranha Bytes fans but without achieving the qualitative leap it needs to attract the general public.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Elex II is not without its flaws and some of them can sometimes be quite jarring, but underneath them all is a nice action RPG that gets more than a few things right and that can provide many, many hours of entertainment.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Elex II is another example of Piranha Bytes aiming far too high. It's a plodding, often clunky adventure with few bright spots.
This may have stood a minor chance in the bone dry days of summer, but with so many truly remarkable open world experiences currently on offer at the moment, it’s tough to see why anyone would opt for Elex II.
Elex II is an ambitious and slightly bonkers open world RPG hampered by badly written and unpleasant characters.
Although Piranha Bytes' Elex 2 is not without its minor shortcomings, it is the definition of what all open-world RPGs should be.
To sum it all up, Elex II is a blast, both literally and figuratively. What Piranha Bytes was able to achieve in Elex I they were able to build upon, expanding on a world that lives and breathes independently and because of your character. Aside from those little technical issues, the game is sound. I feel like you could also easily get into playing Elex II without having played the first game. However, if you want to understand all of the references, maybe at least watch a recap video first. Either way, this game holds a lot of promise, especially when you consider all the different routes you can take on your playthrough. Who knows where you'll end up?
Like most RPG’s Jax will not save the world alone, Elex 2 does offer some companions to take along on the journey. Only one at a time can accompany the player but because the AI is so laughably bad in this game, they really only serve a purpose as a ‘meat shield’. Honestly, my companions were getting dropped more than they were hitting enemies in almost every instance. It was about this time that I really began to wonder what people were talking about when they praised the original game so much. Maybe it is that much better than this one, but Elex 2 is pretty bad. Worse than that I personally didn’t find it fun, no disrespect to those that love it. As I said at the outset, I don’t mind ‘janky’ games, but Elex 2 was just ‘bridge too far’ for me.
Elex II is a baffling game. The combat is clunky and can be very difficult, and the game has more than a few bugs, with other issues like a glacial pace. However, the game is genuinely interesting to explore and fun, for all its problems - and there are many. The story and its turns are engaging, and it's impossible not to see the care and enthusiasm from Piranha Bytes. Elex II is Eurojank, and I can't help but enjoy it because of (or despite, take your pick) that.
Elex II is your usual Piranha Bytes game. Long, classic in the RPG formula and aesthetically clean, but as always plagued with non optimized combat phases and the trademark issues with anything technical. However, it is still a step forward for the future of the franchise and for Piranha Bytes.
Review in Italian | Read full review
There are lots of problems, and yet Elex II will hold your attention with a tight grip, even after 60 hours of playtime. All thanks to the crazy setting, worldbuilding, and exploration gameplay.
Review in Russian | Read full review
When Elex came out in 2017, it filled a niche despite its many issues. Elex 2 is bigger and its world is denser, but Piranha Bytes hasn’t really fixed much of what was wrong about the first game. Janky movement and weak combat top the list. Annoying mechanics and glacial progression are right up there, too. Elex 2 has ambition, I’ll give it that. If it pared that ambition with polish, a more coherent narrative, and better pacing, Elex 2 might be a more viable alternative to those other RPGs that are getting so much deserved attention.
Elex 2 asks a lot of you and only gives so much in return. The game provides several special concepts and attempts, but the team's resources limit their potential the entire way. As long as you know what Elex 2 has in store, you might find something there for you.
Elex II ignores current game design ethos and rages to its own weird beat. Weird, fun, tough, and unpredictably funny, Elex II is feels like a DIY punk-rock open world game, janky and awesome all at the same time. Steer clear if you insist on perfection in your games, but if you are willing to go for the ride and appreciate the flaws instead of being bothered by them, you'll find a deep and fun adventure unlike anything else on the market.
Elex 2 is a typical Piranha Bytes game – for better or for worse.
Review in German | Read full review
If you like classic RPGs and are able to make big concessions on the technical side, Elex 2 is a game not to be missed.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The use of the jetpack meant that the map had to have more to it. There could no longer be somewhere players couldn’t/wouldn’t go. This is probably the first game of its kind where I honestly believe I saw at least 90% of the map. ELEX II is one hell of an experience and made swooping around the map to unlock fast travel points and complete the main story feel like an adventure rather than just ticking off boxes. The freedom ELEX II allows through the traversal mechanics is something that I have never encountered before in a game like this but will now always think about going forward.