Elex II

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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

72%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,272 reviews

story190 positive mentions

optimization44 negative mentions

The game features a beautifully crafted open world with plenty of exploration opportunities and hidden treasures.
The jetpack mechanics are a fun addition, allowing for unique aerial combat and traversal.
The character progression system is satisfying, with a variety of skills and abilities to choose from.

The combat system feels clunky and unresponsive, making battles tedious and frustrating.
The story is poorly executed, with many plot holes and a lack of meaningful character development.
The game suffers from performance issues and bugs, impacting the overall experience.

story
945 mentions
20 % positive mentions
70 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The story in Elex II has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it feels disjointed and repetitive, often relying on "go here, kill X enemies" quests that detract from the overall narrative experience. While some appreciate the continuation of Jax's journey and the lore-rich environment, others criticize the lack of emotional depth in character arcs and the overall pacing, particularly in the latter chapters where the story becomes grindy and less engaging. Despite these criticisms, the game still offers a variety of side quests and faction interactions that some players find enjoyable, though many agree that it does not reach the heights of its predecessor, Elex I.
- “The story is interesting; I enjoyed it and love the improvements to the crafting over the first game.”
- “The main quest is enthralling and compels you to want to know more without being too overwhelming, whilst the side quests are both fun and add depth to an already rich, emotional world.”
- “This game has really surprised me; it's excellent, the story is good, the voice acting is good, the leveling system is unique, the world is full of content, and if you've played the first one, then you will agree with me that the combat is so much better.”
- “The story, albeit a bit contradictory, seems interesting and mostly all right.”
- “The story itself also lacks much to care about at all.”
- “The story is convoluted and not great.”
graphics
213 mentions
20 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The graphics in Elex 2 have seen some improvements, particularly in environmental design, but many players feel they still fall short of modern standards, often describing them as outdated or sub-par compared to other recent titles. While some appreciate the aesthetic and world-building, numerous reports highlight graphical glitches, poor character models, and performance issues that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are a mixed bag, with some praising the improvements while others lament the lack of polish and optimization.
- “Visually, it impresses with good graphics that bring its universe to life.”
- “The graphics are outstanding with an interesting story.”
- “Graphics are a huge upgrade from Elex.”
- “The graphics aren't the best, but the gameplay is flawless, the dialog is fun and entertaining, and the quests are creative.”
- “Then the game starts and the terrible graphics slam you in the face.”
- “The graphics are a huge downgrade from the first game, even though the same map layout is used.”
gameplay
171 mentions
25 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Elex II has received mixed reviews, with many players noting improvements over its predecessor, particularly in combat mechanics and the introduction of the jetpack. However, criticisms persist regarding janky controls, clunky animations, and a lack of polish, which can detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the open-ended nature and immersive world, others find the mechanics repetitive and the gameplay lacking in challenge and depth.
- “Its open-ended gameplay allows for countless ways to experience the story, ensuring a highly immersive and personalized adventure.”
- “The graphics aren't the best, but the gameplay is flawless, the dialogue is fun and entertaining, and the quests are creative.”
- “The actual moment-to-moment gameplay is an improvement over the first in every way.”
- “The controls and gameplay are full of jank.”
- “The gameplay is tedious, the quest design is boring, and the story, if you could call it that, completely uninspired and clichéd at the least.”
- “The gameplay is a solid 1/10.”
optimization
131 mentions
11 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
34 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including significant frame rate drops and glitches, even on high-end systems. While some users noted improvements after switching to the DirectX 12 beta, the overall consensus is that the game remains poorly optimized and requires substantial patches to address its numerous technical problems. A few players experienced stable performance, but these instances are exceptions rather than the rule, leading to widespread disappointment among the community.
- “I have had zero issues when it comes to performance.”
- “If you are worried about performance, then that's been greatly improved and the next patch apparently is going to further improve this.”
- “Edit after 45+ hours: it appears that the DirectX 12 update has much improved the game's performance.”
- “To crown this gem, the game runs horribly poorly even on a 4090 and 7800x3d and piles of fast RAM and storage. 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, and it can stay there quite a while. Often, it's just some region that has the awful performance.”
- “The last update the game had was in April 2022. As of writing this review, it's July 2023, and the game has not seen any new updates to bugs or performance patches.”
- “A very good game but suffers from terrible performance, even on a 3080 12GB with 64GB RAM at 3600MHz and a Ryzen 9 5900X - it needs much more optimization, but I doubt the devs will do it.”
music
53 mentions
15 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it mediocre and lacking the emotional depth of previous titles, particularly those composed by Kai Rosenkrantz. While some appreciate the ambient quality and the nostalgic reuse of tracks from Elex 1, others criticize it for being bland, repetitive, and poorly integrated with the game's atmosphere. Overall, the soundtrack fails to leave a lasting impression, often detracting from the immersive experience.
- “The soundtrack and effects are good.”
- “When you entered the new camp for the first time and you heard the melancholic guitar soundtrack, you felt that.”
- “The beautiful environment, ambient music & multi-level quests chock-full of twists & turns, or unbelievably short and fun quests, where 'all is not as it appears', is adventurous & fun.”
- “Mediocre, soulless music.”
- “The music is annoying and is not synchronized to the story, so I turned it off.”
- “The music is bland and gets quickly unbearable because it plays continuously, which in an RPG, requiring by definition long game sessions, is always a bad idea.”
stability
52 mentions
12 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
87 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a variety of bugs, glitches, and performance issues, particularly with graphical fidelity and combat mechanics. While some users experienced minimal problems and found the game relatively bug-free, others faced frequent crashes, freezing, and frustrating gameplay due to clunky controls and erratic NPC behavior. Overall, the game's stability appears to be a significant concern, with ongoing patches needed to address the numerous issues highlighted by players.
- “The game is surprisingly bug-free for being a smaller company and a Skyrim-like open world game.”
- “Runs great on Linux and Steam Deck.”
- “Not one crash; it's not buggy like the good old Gothics and Risens.”
- “The game is pretty frustrating because of the bugs (sometimes you can't move the camera, sometimes your body flips around weirdly, sometimes the game freezes at 75% while loading).”
- “I had multiple crashes and many times glitches so bad as to create world fall-throughs and game restarts.”
- “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.”
grinding
40 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and poorly paced, particularly in the later chapters where repetitive enemy encounters and fetch quests dominate the experience. While some appreciate the initial fun of combat and character progression, many express frustration with the excessive grinding required for leveling and completing quests, leading to a sense of monotony and a lack of engagement with the story. Overall, the grindy nature detracts from the enjoyment, making the game feel more like a chore than an adventure.
- “Should have been much better paced, focused more on letting the player explore the world and not teleport them to mission areas, only to find grindy enemies.”
- “The game was really fun until chapter 2, then it suddenly became a grindy MMORPG-style game, where you need to do the same quests over and over - 'Hey Jax, we are a strong guild but we need your help, we are under attack, please go kill this whole army alone because we suck' - you will see this sentence plenty of times.”
- “The gameplay is tedious, the quest design is boring, and the story, if you could call it that, is completely uninspired and clichéd at the least.”
atmosphere
34 mentions
47 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Elex II is generally praised for its immersive and unique qualities, reminiscent of its predecessor, Elex I. Players appreciate the game's world design, exploration opportunities, and the distinct ambiance created by Piranha Bytes, despite some criticisms regarding technical aspects and combat. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a cornerstone of the experience, effectively drawing players into its richly crafted environment.
- “The world is very atmospheric and the exploration is multifaceted!”
- “But what truly separates Elex II from every other RPG is the immersive atmosphere.”
- “Piranha Bytes games never had a super thought-out and polished combat system, the main reason for me to play their games was mostly the world design, the atmosphere, the story, the lore, the quests, the NPCs, the factions, the soundtrack.”
- “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), and the environmental sounds like tapping on metal surfaces also seem rather unpolished.”
- “In my view, a more focused approach with a smaller world would unleash the unmatched atmosphere of earlier Piranha Bytes games.”
humor
33 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it delightfully funny due to awkward dialogue, quirky characters, and unexpected moments, while others criticize it as inconsistent and often overshadowed by poor writing and filler content. Notable highlights include the character Jax's dark humor and amusing side quests, though many feel that the overall comedic elements are hit-or-miss, with some moments being unintentionally hilarious due to technical flaws. Overall, while there are genuine laughs to be had, the humor often struggles to elevate the game's lackluster story and gameplay.
- “The game world is peppered with a delightful assortment of funny moments and easter eggs that provide constant surprises and chuckles throughout the journey.”
- “We continue to follow the story of the grumpy yet super-cool hero Jax, who's got not only a son (and highly entertaining arguments with the mother of said little guy about parenting style) but also a good measure of dark humor which serves him just great and makes him a lot more human.”
- “Elex II's writing features twists, funny moments, some RPG clichés, obnoxiously funny situations, darker truths about humanity, and some awesome surprises.”
emotional
19 mentions
84 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
Overall, reviews indicate that the game struggles to evoke emotional engagement, with many players finding the character development and narrative depth lacking. While some side quests add richness to the world, the main storyline and character interactions often feel disconnected and uninspired, leading to a bland emotional experience. Additionally, the music and voice acting fail to enhance the intended emotional moments, leaving players feeling indifferent rather than moved.
- “The main quest is enthralling and compels you to want to know more without being too overwhelming, whilst the side quests are both fun and add depth to an already rich, emotional world.”
- “You had an emotional bond to the characters and to the factions.”
- “This is where Elex 2 fails the most, because everything feels bland and unemotional.”
- “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.”
character development
16 mentions
19 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally viewed as a strong point, with many players appreciating the depth and long-term progression it offers, reminiscent of the previous installment. However, criticisms arise regarding the character design and dialogue quality, which detract from the overall experience. While the game provides satisfying character growth and engaging story elements, the visual and animation aspects are often considered subpar.
- “Character development is good, factions great and dialogues surprisingly well-written.”
- “Character development is long term, profound, difficult, and most rewarding.”
- “The character development was improved, getting stronger now means that your near combat damage is increased.”
- “The character development suffers significantly due to the terrible dialogue.”
- “Also, the faces and overall character design look awful.”
- “Lazy character design, gameplay feels chunky and dated.”
replayability
8 mentions
25 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a decent level of replayability, primarily due to the ability to explore different factions and character builds, which can lead to varied gameplay experiences. However, some players noted that significant bugs and a lack of new content after extensive exploration may limit long-term replay value. While many find the replay experience enjoyable, others feel it may not be compelling enough to warrant multiple playthroughs.
- “Hours on hours of gameplay, and there is replayability within it because of the different routes you can take!”
- “+ Replay value, as each faction feels different and brings different skills.”
- “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, there's not much replay value left.”
- “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.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, with players feeling that even at a discounted price, the value does not justify the cost. Many users express disappointment, suggesting that the developers prioritize profit over quality, leaving them feeling shortchanged.
- “The comments 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.”
- “Sure, it grabs some attention in some areas, but for the most part, it is just an overpriced cash grab. They are trying to gain money to make better-looking games and get a new engine.”