Elex II

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,055 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Elex II Game Cover
A great improvement over the previous game with a vast open-world and better gameplay, but it still comes with a steep learning curve.
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In ELEX II, players explore a post-apocalyptic world torn by war and magic, assumes the role of Jax, the previous game's protagonist, and navigates complex relationships with factions and characters to shape the world's future. The game features an open-world setting with non-linear quests and an extensive skill tree for combat customization. As Jax, players will have to make tough decisions impacting the narrative and face epic battles against powerful enemies.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,055 reviews
story315 positive mentions
optimization73 negative mentions
  • The game offers a vast and immersive open world filled with interesting locations and quests.
  • The jetpack mechanic adds a fun and unique way to explore the environment and engage in combat.
  • Character progression feels rewarding, allowing players to build their characters in various ways.
  • The combat system is clunky and unresponsive, making battles feel tedious and frustrating.
  • The story and dialogue are poorly written, often leading to cringe-worthy moments and lack of emotional impact.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs and performance issues, detracting from the overall experience.
  • story1,659 mentions

    The story of Elex II has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while it continues the narrative from the first game, it often feels repetitive and lacks depth. Critics highlight a significant reliance on "kill x enemies" quests, particularly in the later chapters, which detracts from the overall engagement of the plot. Additionally, some players found the character development and dialogue to be lacking, with many quests feeling like filler rather than meaningful contributions to the story. Despite these criticisms, there are moments of intrigue and interesting side quests that some players appreciated, suggesting that while the main story may falter, the world and its lore still offer some enjoyment.

    • “The story is interesting even if the delivery is kind of weak.”
    • “The game is very story driven.”
    • “The main quest has many shortcomings, a lot it must have been left on the cutting room floor, for what remains feels cobbled together in a rush to meet a deadline.”
    • “The story is a mess and has very little intrigue or mystery.”
    • “The main story is very weak, poorly paced, and feels unengaging.”
    • “The story itself is terribly written, and the fact that the last boss doesn't even have legs doesn't make this any better.”
  • graphics420 mentions

    The graphics in Elex II have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while there are some improvements in environmental detail and lighting, character models and animations often appear dated and subpar. Numerous reports highlight performance issues, including graphical glitches and inconsistent frame rates, which detract from the overall experience. Overall, while some aspects of the graphics are appreciated, many players feel they fall short of modern standards, making the game feel less polished compared to contemporary titles.

    • “The graphics are nice to look at.”
    • “The graphics are outstanding with an interesting story.”
    • “The graphics have been updated and I like the improvements to the environment.”
    • “Switching to DX12 will give you additional frames, but weird graphical artifacts, occasional crashes, and a persistent glitch whereby it’s just as bright at night as it is during the day.”
    • “The worst aspect of all this is that even if you crank the graphical options to their lowest settings (dropping the resolution to 720p and the scaling to 50%), Elex 2 still runs like a man with a broken pelvis… but now the game looks like an explosion in a Lego factory.”
    • “The graphics are so terrible that it took some time for me to accept this fact.”
  • gameplay348 mentions

    The gameplay of Elex II has received mixed reviews, with many players noting improvements over its predecessor, Elex I, particularly in combat mechanics and the introduction of new features like the jetpack. However, criticisms persist regarding dated graphics, clunky controls, and inconsistent mechanics that detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the open-world exploration and faction dynamics, others find the gameplay tedious and lacking depth, making it challenging to recommend broadly.

    • “The gameplay is solid.”
    • “Its open-ended gameplay allows for countless ways to experience the story, ensuring a highly immersive and personalized adventure.”
    • “The gameplay loop that was established with Gothic 1 and 2 still works flawlessly, motivating to get stronger, acknowledging threats to be tackled later and the constant rewards for exploration.”
    • “The gameplay feels inconsistent and lacks the polish expected from a modern title.”
    • “Gameplay is buggy, with clipping into enemies and causing your death, making it a frustrating experience.”
    • “The gameplay is tedious, the quest design is boring, and the story is completely uninspired and clichéd.”
  • optimization243 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including significant frame rate drops and stuttering, particularly in populated areas. While some users noted improvements with the DirectX 12 beta, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, requiring high-end hardware to run smoothly, and many are frustrated by the lack of timely patches to address these issues. Despite some players experiencing acceptable performance, the majority recommend waiting for further optimizations before purchasing.

    • “I had no issues with performance or bugs at all, so I say good job there.”
    • “The game is highly optimized.”
    • “Edit after 45+ hours: it appears that the DirectX 12 update has much improved the game's performance.”
    • “The game is extremely janky, poorly optimized, and horribly put together in the end.”
    • “To crown this gem, the game runs horribly poorly even on a 4090 and 7800x3d, with multiple settings turned to low options I still regularly have the FPS drop from 115+ all the way down to 80, 40, or even 15.”
    • “The performance is so bad that I had to refund it; I will buy it again once they optimize the game.”
  • stability107 mentions

    The stability of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting numerous bugs, crashes, and performance issues, including texture pop-ins and frame rate drops. While some users experienced minimal glitches, the majority found the game to be a "buggy mess," often leading to frustrating gameplay and immersion-breaking moments. Overall, the game's technical state is seen as unpolished and in need of significant improvements.

    • “For being a smaller company, and being a Skyrim-like open world game, it's surprisingly bug free.”
    • “Optimization is excellent and I've encountered no glitches.”
    • “No glitches or freezes yet; hope it stays that way.”
    • “There are tons of bugs, crashes, and glitches.”
    • “The game is still a bit buggy but huge thumbs up from me for the fact that they are working on it actively and releasing patches on a regular basis.”
    • “It's a very buggy, janky mess (and I have a high tolerance for so-called 'eurojank') that doesn't live up to the first game.”
  • music99 mentions

    The music in Elex 2 has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive, bland, and often mismatched to the on-screen action, leading to a lack of emotional impact. While some appreciate the calm and atmospheric qualities of the soundtrack, others criticize it for being unmemorable and a downgrade from previous titles by Piranha Bytes. Overall, the music fails to leave a lasting impression, with many longing for the more evocative compositions of past games.

    • “The music is calm and soothing, with a mix of piano, violin, and drums, along with a light-voiced choir.”
    • “The atmosphere is a bit less impressive than part one, but it's still good, especially if you like 80's movies to which there are many references and a fitting soundtrack.”
    • “The music is amazing, creates that gothic melancholic feeling, we Piranha Bytes fans are used to.”
    • “The music is repetitive and low-key, only really being noticeable when combat is imminent or during narrative cut-scenes.”
    • “The soundtrack is okay-ish, but not memorable.”
    • “Often times its tone and the instruments chosen don't fit what's on screen, the melodies at times feel amateurishly written and the game's attempt at making the soundtrack dynamic was poorly implemented, damaging the overall atmosphere of Elex 2.”
  • grinding72 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received significant criticism, with many players finding it excessively tedious and repetitive, particularly in the latter chapters. Players noted that quests often involve killing large numbers of enemies with little variation, leading to a sense of monotony and frustration. While some appreciated the initial gameplay and exploration, the overall consensus is that the grind becomes overwhelming, detracting from the enjoyment of the game.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The game begins dropping missions that consist of 'go there and kill a swarm of enemies', something that was not hard at all, but grindy, time-consuming and not what I am used to in games from Piranha Bytes.”
    • “Even the main story in the last two chapters becomes a slog full of repetitive, tedious busywork quests that have you run around the map fighting groups of 10-20 enemies in different locations and then repeating the same 5 or 6 times.”
    • “The first two chapters were fun but then it becomes a tedious grind where you have to kill dozens of HP-spongy enemies in every quest.”
  • humor71 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its janky animations, awkward dialogue, and a mix of genuinely funny moments and cringe-worthy writing. Players appreciate the unintentional comedy stemming from bugs and character interactions, as well as witty side quests and humorous NPC behavior. While the main story may lack depth, the game's charm lies in its lighthearted approach and the amusing antics of its characters, making for an entertaining experience despite its flaws.

    • “The game world is peppered with a delightful assortment of funny moments and easter eggs that provide constant surprises and chuckles throughout the journey.”
    • “I loved the inclusion of Billy Idol and the general free-spirited approach of the creators regarding their content choices; the characters curse freely, say funny and sometimes surprising things, and there are cool references.”
    • “We continue to follow the story of grumpy yet super-cool hero Jax, who's got not only a son but also a good measure of dark humor which serves him well and makes him a lot more human.”
    • “The dialogues are absolutely cringeworthy and not funny or logically reasonable in any way.”
    • “Optimization is an unfunny joke; my RTX 2060 was running under load all the time, and the game doesn't even look average.”
  • atmosphere58 mentions

    The atmosphere in Piranha Bytes' games, particularly in Elex II, is often praised for its immersive and gritty quality, reminiscent of the beloved Gothic series. While some players note that dated graphics and inconsistent audio can detract from the experience, many appreciate the handcrafted world design, engaging quests, and the unique charm that draws them into the game. Overall, the atmosphere remains a cornerstone of Piranha Bytes' titles, providing a compelling backdrop for exploration and storytelling.

    • “The world is very atmospheric and the exploration is multifaceted!”
    • “But what truly separates Elex II from every other RPG is the immersive atmosphere.”
    • “The game has a great atmosphere and you really get drawn in; NPCs don't just treat you like some special hero and give you everything you want, you actually have to work for stuff.”
    • “There isn’t even an attempt to convey feelings or atmosphere through contextual or behavioral clues.”
    • “The game has no atmosphere and no immersion.”
    • “Everything is too loud and not really well integrated, the music doesn't really fit the atmosphere (especially in the ending), the environmental sounds like tapping on metal surfaces also seem rather unpolished.”
  • character development30 mentions

    Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its depth and long-term progression, while others criticize it for being superficial and hindered by poor dialogue and character design. Many players appreciate the rewarding nature of character growth and the engaging story, but feel that the overall execution, including voice acting and NPC interactions, detracts from immersion. Overall, while there are elements of satisfying character development, significant flaws in dialogue and design overshadow the experience for some players.

    • “Overall the game has a good story and character development, with much more attention to detail than a certain AAA RPG released in 2023.”
    • “Character development is long term, profound, difficult, and most rewarding.”
    • “Superb character development, huge land to explore, legendary weapons to collect, and countless missions to do.”
    • “The character development suffers significantly due to the terrible dialogue.”
    • “But the world also feels less alive than in Elex I and the character development feels shallow.”
    • “Very often you'll honestly spend 5+ minutes with an NPC just for him to have nothing to tell you, just endless lines with no character development or entertaining lines to tell them apart from one another.”
  • emotional29 mentions

    Overall, reviews indicate that the game struggles to deliver emotional depth, with many players feeling disconnected from the characters and story. While some side quests evoke genuine feelings, the main narrative and character interactions often fall flat, leading to a lack of emotional engagement. Additionally, technical issues such as stiff animations and poor voice acting further detract from the intended emotional impact of key moments.

    • “This... this side mission in this janky game made me so emotional.”
    • “A side character whose fate doesn't mean anything to the main plot made me feel things I yearn to feel again.”
    • “You had an emotional bond to the characters and to the factions.”
    • “The combination of a boring story and brain-dead AI makes the second installment in the Elex universe an overall boring and tedious endeavor.”
    • “For its current price, it's not worth it gameplay-wise; the story is boring and generic, although the voice acting is excellent.”
    • “Boring story that is exactly the same as Elex 1.”
  • replayability13 mentions

    Overall, the game offers a high level of replayability due to its multiple factions, each providing unique skills and quest lines, encouraging players to create new characters and explore different routes. However, some players noted that once the map is fully explored, the replay value diminishes, and glitches can detract from the experience. Despite these issues, many still find the game enjoyable enough to warrant multiple playthroughs.

    • “Hours on hours of gameplay, and there is replayability within it because of the different routes you can take!”
    • “The game has plenty of fun readily available content, fairly decent replayability, and can be considered a high-quality product for its quite affordable price.”
    • “+ replay value, as each faction feels different and brings different skills.”
    • “And as always, whichever faction you join, you are locked out of the quest line for the others, so replayability?”
    • “- not a lot of replay value unless you just want to try out aligning to a different faction.”
    • “Had some major bugs that got fixed, but after exploring the entire map, not much replay value left.”
  • monetization8 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized as a "cash grab," with players feeling that even discounted prices do not justify the value received. However, some users appreciate the absence of microtransactions and DLC at launch, suggesting that the developers may be focusing on improving their game engine and overall quality rather than exploiting players financially.

    • “No microtransactions, thank you!”
    • “The DLC policy is fair and adds value to the game.”
    • “I appreciate that the game doesn't pressure players into spending more money.”
    • “The things written above made me realize this was a cash grab even at 50% off the original price. I paid 25 euros and still feel I was robbed.”
    • “The other option is that someone decided to throw out a 'quick' cash grab, cobbled this from archival assets, and hoped for the best.”
    • “Sure it grabs some attention in some areas, but for the most part, it is just an overpriced cash grab that they are trying to gain to make better looking games and get a new engine.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

60% average critic score

Buy Elex II

Play time

30hMedian play time
37hAverage play time
16-45hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 31 analyzed playthroughs

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