ELEX

There is a fantastic RPG at the core of Elex with some excellent world and quest design, remarkably diverse factions and environments awaiting those who can get past its slow start, clumsy combat and overall lack of fine polish.

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"ELEX is a single-player, fantasy open-world game with an interesting plot, set in a unique post-apocalyptic universe. The game offers a seamless exploration experience, tactical combat, and a highly interconnected quest system. However, it is quite grinding, has bugs, and can be hilarious at times. Despite these flaws, ELEX delivers a highly emotional and replayable experience with its masterful music and immersive atmosphere."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 9,943 reviews

story1,991 positive mentions

stability379 negative mentions

The game features a rich and immersive world with diverse environments and interesting lore.
The story is engaging, with meaningful choices that impact the gameplay and character relationships.
The game offers a unique blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements, providing a fresh take on the RPG genre.

The combat system is clunky and unresponsive, making battles frustrating, especially in the early game.
The game lacks clear direction, with quests that can be confusing and difficult to track.
Many players find the difficulty curve to be punishing, with early enemies being overwhelmingly strong compared to the player's starting abilities.

story
7,359 mentions
27 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story of Elex is a complex blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements, featuring a protagonist named Jax, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and revenge after being betrayed by his own faction. Players appreciate the depth of the narrative, with choices that significantly impact the storyline and character relationships, although some criticize the pacing and execution, particularly in the early game where quests can feel tedious and combat is often punishing. Overall, while the story has its flaws, many players find it engaging and rewarding, especially as they progress through the game and uncover its intricacies.
- “Elex is a great game telling an in-depth story that unfolds as its world is explored.”
- “The writing is exceptional, with well-realized characters and intricate world-building that will keep you invested in the story from start to finish.”
- “The story is quite well written with multiple far-reaching choices, however there were few points that disappointed, like for example after reaching a faction the main faction quests have nothing to do with the global world story anymore and become simple 'go fetch' or 'go kill' quests.”
- “It had so much potential to be better, but the voice acting, the story, gameplay, the graphics and all were just so sub par.”
- “The story is a mess.”
- “The story is terrible and cliched, the graphics are completely outdated for the price, and the lip-syncing is so terrible it ripped me out of any sense of immersion.”
gameplay
2,010 mentions
19 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Elex has received mixed reviews, with many players highlighting its clunky mechanics, frustrating combat, and steep learning curve. While some appreciate the depth of RPG elements and the unique world design, others criticize the unpolished execution, particularly in combat and character controls, leading to a challenging but often tedious experience. Overall, the game is seen as a rough gem that may appeal to fans of the Gothic and Risen series, but it requires patience to navigate its numerous flaws.
- “Not only does the jetpack open a lot of tactical possibilities against very hard foes, changing the entire gameplay flow, but the entire world has been designed for vertical travel from the ground up.”
- “The gameplay and narrative is amazing.”
- “The whole game feels half-assed, from core mechanics and game design to writing and dialogues.”
- “The fact that every quest that has combat always puts me against enemies way above my level makes it so that my main gameplay loop goes around kiting enemies in the dumbest way possible.”
- “The gameplay is a clunkier version of Gothic 4's gameplay, akin to a very poor Dark Souls for those who never played Gothic.”
graphics
1,820 mentions
31 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The graphics of Elex receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the environmental design can be stunning and immersive, the overall graphical fidelity feels dated, often reminiscent of games from the early 2010s. Some appreciate the artistic direction and atmospheric visuals, while others criticize the character models and animations as subpar, leading to a general consensus that the graphics do not meet the expectations set by modern AAA titles. Despite these criticisms, many players find the visuals adequate for the gameplay experience, especially when considering the game's focus on story and exploration.
- “The graphics, while not cutting-edge, are impressive in their own right, particularly when showcasing the game's diverse environments.”
- “From the verdant landscapes of Edan, the icy crags of Xacor, to the ruin-strewn wastelands of Tavar, each region has a distinct aesthetic and environmental narrative.”
- “Graphics are very nice and the monsters/animals are cool too.”
- “The graphics are laughable, the controls are sad and pathetic, just terrible, the voice acting, no, there was no acting, it was just horrible voice.”
- “The graphics are dated, the UI is obsolete, there are no autosaves, and so on.”
- “The graphics are terrible for a game to come out in 2017, loads of unneeded talking and the combat is about as clunky as trying to open a door with a spoon.”
stability
397 mentions
4 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a variety of glitches and bugs that can significantly impact gameplay, including game-breaking issues and crashes. While some users have managed to enjoy the game despite these problems, others found the experience frustrating and unplayable at times. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the game has potential, its numerous technical issues detract from the overall enjoyment and immersion.
- “Performance is fine, the graphics are nice, mostly bug free.”
- “It's not buggy or broken.”
- “Even if people tend to call everything unfinished in early access times - this is no buggy alpha!”
- “I have spent hours battling through glitches and crashes, and couldn't even finish the story.”
- “In 33 hours of gameplay, I experienced two game-breaking glitches where the screen goes black both times in combat and I have to restart my gaming computer.”
- “This game is so buggy that I cannot find any joy in playing it; I tried to refund it, but of course Steam tells me I have played more than 2 hours.”
music
336 mentions
36 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its atmospheric qualities and ability to enhance immersion, while others find it forgettable or poorly implemented, often overpowering dialogue. Many comments highlight a lack of memorable tracks, with some noting that the combat music feels mismatched to the gameplay's pace. Overall, while the soundtrack has its moments, it generally fails to leave a lasting impression on players.
- “The sound design and music score are top-notch, adding depth and immersion to the world.”
- “Exploring the world is made even more enjoyable with a smooth, calming soundtrack that helps the sense of wonder to everything going on.”
- “Music and audio are top notch bringing the character of the world of Elex alive with a calming harmony upon serious winds of existential manifestations and violent survival driven moments of fear triggering adrenaline.”
- “The music is the closest thing this game has to a good quality and that's solely because it's barely noticeable.”
- “Talking about the music, it pissed me off a bit, because it's a strange mix of calm and dynamic music, so we don't know how to feel during exploration.”
- “The music is trying way too hard to be dramatic and comes across as awkward and inappropriate.”
atmosphere
272 mentions
60 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive world-building, blending gothic and sci-fi elements, and rich lore that captivates players. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a charming and engaging environment, despite some criticisms regarding graphics and gameplay mechanics. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, drawing players into a unique and detailed world filled with intriguing stories and diverse locations.
- “The world feels large without being empty, and there are tons of interesting snippets of stories left around from the old world, which adds to the atmosphere.”
- “A vast, open and vertically epic world with a beautifully executed post-apocalyptic atmosphere that is full of gothic-esque content.”
- “The atmosphere and depth of the game are unlike any modern game I've played.”
- “But the worst aspect is the lack of immersion and atmosphere I felt.”
- “Combat is super clunky, the world seems lifeless, and the atmosphere is not right at all.”
- “A game that is a larger, shinier copy of Gothic 1 & 2 with more pixels and shittier gameplay and a lesser story and atmosphere.”
grinding
270 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
99 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players describing it as tedious, frustrating, and poorly designed. Many reviewers noted that the early game requires excessive grinding to progress, often leading to a sense of futility as combat encounters feel unbalanced and rewards are minimal. While some players found satisfaction in the eventual power gained from grinding, the overall sentiment suggests that the experience is marred by clunky mechanics and a lack of meaningful progression.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding and difficulty of fighting aspects while progressing is immensely absorbing; it took me 4 days straight, almost non-stop, 45.9 hours to achieve level 26 until I'm almost unbeatable, though I still occasionally die from unexpected encounters with big trolls and mutants.”
- “The fights are so tedious—and the rewards are so paltry—that it never feels remotely worth it.”
- “It's a very frustrating and overly grindy experience for very little reward.”
replayability
196 mentions
33 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability due to its multiple factions, each providing unique abilities and storylines, encouraging players to explore different paths and outcomes. Choices made throughout the game significantly impact the narrative, leading to various endings and playstyles, which enhances the overall replay value. However, some players feel that the necessity of multiple playthroughs to experience all content can feel forced, leading to mixed opinions on the replayability aspect.
- “The game's faction system adds depth and replayability, allowing players to align themselves with different groups and experience varying storylines.”
- “The replay value is near endless with so much to do and so many options that you don't realize are options until the dreaded 'this will affect the story' pops up.”
- “The game has high replay value because you can choose any of the 3 factions, each faction offers unique skills and traits to develop the main character so you can just pick one and try things out!”
- “Not being able to have everything and do everything in a single playthrough is pure shit and forced replayability.”
- “As replayability for an RPG, I can say you can exhaust nearly everything with 2 playthroughs; builds end up with similar playstyles in the end.”
- “Personally, the thing that held me back the most must be how you have to do errands for the 3 different factions (the clerics, outlaws, and the berserkers) before you can join them, but again that gives you insight into how they do stuff and how their moral code is. It makes you think twice about if you want to play that way, but it makes the replay value not that big after a while. In my opinion, it's a mediocre roleplay game with interesting elements and some old-school nostalgic control and feels.”
humor
186 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding it both entertaining and unintentionally funny due to poor voice acting, awkward dialogue, and amusing bugs. While some appreciate the clever writing and humorous NPC interactions, others note that the overall execution can lead to hilariously bad moments that enhance the experience. Overall, the game offers a blend of dark humor, comedic quests, and laughable glitches that contribute to its charm, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate its quirky style.
- “The game is slower than some RPGs, the combat can be wonky, the dialogue is bad enough to be funny... like... consistently.”
- “If you want a game with a good story, character depth, a really good karma system and funny dialogues within a stunning handcrafted world, then this is your game.”
- “The quests have a lot of funny twisting moments, especially your companion quests and these from the outlaws are very funny.”
- “The dialogues are not funny, but serious and to the point.”
emotional
158 mentions
87 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing the protagonist's lack of emotional depth and the unclear mechanics of the emotional/cold system that governs player choices. While some appreciate the attempt to explore the struggle between emotional and logical responses, others find the execution frustrating and the dialogue options often misleading. Overall, the game fails to create a strong emotional connection, leaving players feeling detached from the story and characters.
- “The heartwarming story of an albino autistic man going through steroid withdrawal.”
- “Jax going through emotional confusion became one of the more compelling subplots of the game.”
- “Interesting take on good vs evil and instead being emotional vs logical and Jax's struggle to use emotion.”
- “The awful voice acting, cancerous dialogue, and boring story all made this game agonizing to play.”
- “I could forgive a boring story, the wooden acting (it's insanely terrible and there is absolutely no explanation as to who you are or why you were shot down. Pretty much you get a crappy 30-second video where some guy on the side ambushes you but doesn't bother to make sure they finished you off).”
- “I don't know what annoys me more, the bland and boring story or the bad controls which you constantly have to fight against.”
optimization
123 mentions
37 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its stability and smooth performance on various hardware setups, while others report significant issues such as stuttering, low frame rates, and unresolved bugs. While many users experienced good performance at lower settings, others found the game poorly optimized, particularly at ultra settings, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary widely among players, highlighting a need for further improvements.
- “Well optimized game (low hardware requirements to run on high)”
- “An absolutely phenomenal game in every way, along with surprising and unexpected graphic easter eggs that flesh out the storyline in ways that are simply not even remotely justifiable... you get one hell of a lot more than you are paying for, and it runs flawlessly the way that only a fully optimized game can.”
- “Pro: excellent performance optimization.”
- “Elex is a pretty good RPG with a compelling story, an interesting world, and some pretty unique ideas; but I feel it is brought down by unintuitive leveling and progression mechanics, a generic art style that doesn't distinguish the game on a visual level, poor combat controls and balancing, and multiple performance issues and bugs that have still not been resolved nearly six years after release.”
- “The beginning of the game moves at a glacial pace, with nothing but endless dumps of exposition, walking, poorly optimized gameplay, and scripting errors galore.”
- “Another one of the biggest problems I had is the absolutely terrible optimization.”
character development
102 mentions
27 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
Character development in Elex is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the depth and customization options, while others criticize its execution and clarity. Choices significantly impact character progression and available skills, but many find the system convoluted and poorly explained, leading to frustration. Overall, while the game offers a rich world and potential for engaging character growth, it struggles with balance and polish, leaving some players feeling unsatisfied.
- “Whether you align with the technologically advanced clerics, the nature-bound berserkers, or the ruthless outlaws, your choice significantly impacts your character development, available skills, quests, and story progression.”
- “This game has a rich world to explore and many ways to approach quests and character development, with various quests and areas truly adding different experiences.”
- “Character development is off the charts here; I mean for the first 20 hours you're going to feel really weak, but it makes everything matter and thematically it's perfect.”
- “However, Elex stumbles when it comes to storytelling and character development.”
- “It tries to be Mass Effect, but the clunky combat, repetitive quests, and terrible character development system prevent it from attaining the same level of fun.”
- “There is little character development and the NPCs lack depth.”
monetization
38 mentions
8 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
26 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its lack of monetization tactics, featuring no microtransactions, loot boxes, or season passes, which many players find refreshing in contrast to modern gaming trends. Reviewers appreciate that they are purchasing a complete game without additional costs or exploitative sales practices, highlighting the game's integrity and value. Overall, the absence of monetization issues contributes positively to the gaming experience.
- “This game doesn't have loot boxes or any other microtransactions.”
- “No microtransactions, no loot boxes, no season pass.”
- “Ps: guess what guys… no need for DLC, no microtransactions… you are actually purchasing a full game!!!”
- “Though I know it won't be appreciated by the mass market gamers who love their Overwatch and glossy but shallow AAA games (with their microtransactions, loot boxes, season passes, and RMT).”
- “That's false advertising and should automatically remove the game altogether.”
- “A pirranha bite RPG with some rough edges but no microtransactions, DLC, season pass, loot boxes, premium currency, skins, or paid mods...”