ELEX Reviews
Inventive in some ways and stagnant in others, Elex will appeal to die-hard RPG fans and few others.
The best-case scenario for ELEX is that it'll be worth picking up on sale a year or two from now after it's been heavily patched to fix its rampant bugs and infuriating balance problems. It has enough good ideas that one day it might be talked about as one of those hidden RPG gems that people play and wonder why it wasn't successful at launch. But the frothy mix of joy and frustration that ELEX presents today skews too heavily toward the latter. I wish it well, but I don't think I'll be calling it up for a second date.
Hokey, uneven and janky, Elex is nonetheless a compelling throwback to a time before open worlds became choose your own to-do lists.
Elex is an open-world RPG that aims big, but only manages to shoot itself in the foot.
Elex is an unfortunate case where it appears to be too ambitious for its own good.
ELEX is a mixed bag so far, and that 'so far' refers to the starting area. The game density plus a min-max stats system means I haven't got further yet.
Elex has, somewhere, a good game under all the apathy of it's surface. There are some good ideas that one can easily miss because of it's poor narrative, gameplay or aesthetic.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
ELEX is the very opposite of the accessible games that have revolutionised the open world RPG in recent years. I enjoyed it as a modern looking take on the Gothic series, but newcomers will have to be prepared to fight against the systems through the beginning of the game. This has resulted in the game quickly gaining a cult following who celebrate its obscurity and lack of accessibility. I don't agree with this take and would argue that the best aspects of the game would only be improved by a more polished and refined presentation.
Elex is a raw diamond full of flaws but with too much value to consider it as an ugly and wrong game. Give it time, be patient and it will capture you.
Review in Italian | Read full review
ELEX is a game with great ideas and a huge open world. However, thanks to its terrible combat system and the graphics of a game from 2007, this game is just for the most hardcore fans of the open worlds and the exploration.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
All in all, though, the game remains an impressive, if flawed, effort. Toting an interesting setting and some standout design choices, ELEX goes farther than any previous Piranha Bytes game in making the case for sticking with it in pursuit of a certain old-school ideal of RPG gaming, even if it can come at a cost in polish and presentation.
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.
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.
Overall, Elex is a great game marred by technical issues on Xbox One. It needs more work on the console, but if you can look past the occasional problems, it's a rewarding role-playing game.
Whether it's that unmistakable Euro-jank charm or its commitment to providing a surprisingly robust role-playing experience, ELEX definitely has something going for it – it's just that most players will likely never make it far enough to find out what that something is. Piranha Byte's latest has ambition, but barely any of it is realised. As far as B-tier games go, this criticism is nothing new, but when so many amazing action RPGs are already available on PS4, you can't be blamed for ignoring this seriously shoddy release.
It's hard to explain, but this ridiculous and technically backward game has something special, something that allows you to fall in love with a fictitious world. However, in order to make sure that you can enjoy this game, you should pass a simple love test for Risen. Are you ready to go to the past? Then at your own risk take a step forward.
Review in Russian |
ELEX is pretty much the gaming incarnation of a mixed bag. While exploring the massive world of Magalan is an enjoyable experience and the lore easily pulls players in with lots of interesting quests, the mediocre combat, poor companions AI and severe balance issues prevent it from securing a spot in the ever more crowded RPG limelight.
Elex is a game that I like on a core and fundamental level.
Elex demands a certain species of patience, a particular brand of mental acuity.
ELEX is bad in almost every way. It's a poor attempt and impossible to enjoy anything outside of its interesting setting and backstory.