ELEX Reviews
ELEX follows in footsteps of the previous Piranha Bytes games. Don't be fooled by the attractive post-apocalyptic and seemingly accessible and open world, this isn't another Horizon Zero Dawn. This is a ruthless old school game that'll give you nothing for free.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Poorly designed in term of combat, storyline and mechanics, ELEX is a game that Piranha Bytes should be ashamed of, especially considering their previous RPG legacy with the Risen and Gothic franchise.
Elex is an unfortunate case of an intriguing world ruined by most of game which the world is tied to. With average gameplay, horrid combat, bad voice acting, bad sound design and a myriad of technical issues, Elex does little to encourage players to invest time in its vast landscapes, deep RPG mechanics and interesting ideas.
Piranha Bytes has created a legitimately interesting world to explore filled with choices and consequences, though it's technical limitations and budget nature are a hard sell for any gamer who isn't a fan of the Gothic and/or Risen games.
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.
You need to be patient and committed to get much out of ELEX, but give it a chance, and there's a soul in there that should grow on anyone who enjoys their RPGs.
ELEX is a game that, despite its promising setting and some good story ideas, fails in every single aspect in delivering a good game. Mechanically and technically speaking, it's a terrible game, making it impossible to enjoy whatever good aspects it might present.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
THQ Nordic and Piranha Games had a really ambitious project in ELEX, and one that surprisingly went under the radar for a lot of people after it was announced back in 2015. For me, it's an incredible surprise, and it's definitely a game that's worth playing if you're an open-world or action RPG fan. It may have a few technical issues here and there, but I can't remember a lot of open-world games in recent years that didn't have any, and it's nothing that should prevent you from appreciating the game – plus there's probably a patch on its way. Don't let this one pass you by, since there's a hidden gem in ELEX.
It is impossible to stay neutral about ELEX. You either love it or hate it. And if you love Gothic series, it will definitely be the first option.
Review in Russian | Read full review
In Elex we'll find the elements that had made Piranha Bytes great: an enormous world ready to explore, an interesting story and skilfull difficulty. The tecnhical problemas and low graphics can deminsh the experience. Definitly, this is not a game for impatient players.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Elex is a fascinating attempt to blend the likes of an open world RPG with the ideas that so brilliantly make the Soul’s series combat what it is. Shot down from the sky by one of his own, Jax sets out for revenge with nothing more than a bent pipe in the post meteor struck world of Magalan.
What we are looking here is one hell of a hardcore, post-apocalyptic, larger-than-life, sandbox RPG gem - a gem that's very rough around the edges, but a gem nonetheless. Unfortunately, it's currently inside the bowels of a large, sluggish, and sickeningly smelly beast: its battle system. Therefore, unless ELEX gets an extremely strong patch treatment, think a lot before a purchase.
A vast and rich world with a too-thin story and enough bugs to ruin any immersion.
There are few worlds more exciting to explore than the one in ELEX. Each location is intelligently crafted and filled with valuables items. The factions are clever and have their own nuances, and working for them is beneficial in a number of ways. Growing from a chump that gets knocked down by a slight breeze to the mightiest warrior takes quite a long time, but it's very fulfilling. However, while players can get accustomed to the combat, it never becomes enjoyable. The glitches, minor as they are, still detract from the experience. That being said, it is impossible to imagine an impeccably polished open world RPG. For this game, Piranha Bytes focused entirely on its strengths, and the results are very impressive.
ELEX has some good ideas that will appeal to fans of Sci Fi and Fantasy. Unfortunately, the game is plagued with issues that hold it back from reaching its potential. There's fun to be had here, but the hurdles to get there are severe.
Elex is an unfortunate case where it appears to be too ambitious for its own good.
Bizarre and brazen but totally sincere, ELEX is a rough diamond that offers everything a hardcore RPG fan could want in a very rough and ready package. For everyone else, however, it's a total oddity and one that's hard to unequivocally recommend.
Elex is an open-world RPG that aims big, but only manages to shoot itself in the foot.
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.
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.