Elex II

The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many noting improvements in environment visuals and lighting compared to the original, but character models and animations are frequently criticized as stiff, uncanny, and a downgrade. Performance and optimization issues, graphical glitches, and dated visuals—comparable to games from a decade ago—detract from the experience, though some players appreciate the artistic style and atmospheric world despite its technical flaws. Overall, the graphics are considered functional but not up to modern AAA standards, often undermining immersion.

The gameplay in Elex 2 largely retains the core mechanics of its predecessor, with some improvements, particularly in combat responsiveness and the addition of an enjoyable jetpack mechanic. However, many reviewers found the combat clunky and the mechanics somewhat dated, with issues such as awkward animations, poor AI, and repetitive quest design dampening the overall experience. Fans of the studio’s traditional style may appreciate the depth and exploration, but newcomers might struggle with the jankiness and technical shortcomings.

Elex 2 suffers from widespread poor optimization, resulting in frequent crashes, frame rate drops, and stuttering, especially in cities and areas with many NPCs, even on high-end hardware. While a DX12 beta version has improved performance somewhat, the game still demands powerful rigs and suffers from inconsistent FPS and persistent bugs, making the experience frustrating for many players. Despite occasional reports of stable performance on specific setups, the overall consensus highlights severe technical issues that hinder gameplay enjoyment until addressed by further patches.

Elex II suffers from numerous stability issues, including frequent crashes, glitches, performance drops, and buggy quest mechanics, which collectively hinder smooth gameplay and immersion. While some players report minor or rare bugs and improvements post-patches, many find the game clunky, poorly optimized, and overly glitchy, particularly in combat and dialogue systems. Despite its potential and enjoyable aspects, the widespread technical problems make it frustrating and unstable for a significant portion of players.

The music across these games generally receives mixed reviews, with many fans appreciating the atmospheric and fitting tracks that enhance mood and exploration, especially in earlier titles or remakes. However, several critics find the soundtrack repetitive, bland, or mismatched with game scenes, lacking the emotional depth and memorability of previous composers like Kai Rosenkranz. Attempts at dynamic music and licensed songs are often viewed as poorly integrated or detracting from the overall experience.

Grinding in this game is frequently described as tedious and excessive, especially in the later stages where players face repetitive kill quests against large, durable enemy groups. While the early game offers a decent pace and enjoyable combat, progression slows with grinding-heavy missions and minimal quest variety, leading to fatigue and a sense of slogging through content. Many reviewers advise that grinding hampers exploration and story engagement, making the endgame a repetitive chore rather than a rewarding experience.

The game's humor is a mix of intentional wit and unintentional comedy driven by janky animations, awkward voice acting, and cringe-worthy dialogues, which many players found amusing rather than polished. Humorous moments arise frequently from quirky NPC behavior, funny side quests, and playful references, contributing charm despite a generally rough narrative and presentation. While the humor style aligns with Piranha Bytes' signature dark and offbeat tone, reactions range from genuinely funny to annoyingly silly, often making laughter a byproduct of the game's flaws.

The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive, handcrafted open world that combines a unique post-apocalyptic setting with elements of magic and advanced technology, creating a distinct Piranha Bytes style. While some find the music and technical presentation occasionally inconsistent or unpolished, many players feel drawn into the richly detailed environments, engaging NPCs, and multifaceted exploration, evoking a nostalgic yet fresh experience reminiscent of earlier classics like Gothic. However, a few note that the atmosphere can falter due to story or sound design issues, suggesting a more focused world might enhance the overall immersion.

Character development in Elex II is generally praised for its depth, long-term progression, and rewarding nature, with improvements over its predecessor and engaging faction interactions. However, criticisms focus on poor character design, subpar animations, occasionally shallow or inconsistent dialogue, and lack of late-game upgrades, which detract from immersion and emotional engagement. Overall, while the system itself is solid and satisfying, aesthetic and narrative execution issues limit its full potential.

The emotional aspect of the game largely falls flat, with characters and factions feeling bland and lacking depth, often described as unrelatable or emotionally hollow. While the main quest offers some engagement and occasional emotional moments, poor voice acting, stiff animations, disjointed scenes, and uneven writing undermine the narrative impact. Attempts at emotional storytelling and meaningful player choices are hindered by awkward execution, resulting in a generally unsatisfying and unimmersive emotional experience.

The game offers solid replayability through multiple playable factions, each with unique skills and questlines, encouraging players to try different routes and experiences. However, replay value may be limited once the map is fully explored or if players are not interested in switching factions due to mutually exclusive questlines. Overall, despite some glitches, the variety of content and factions provides meaningful incentives for multiple playthroughs.

The monetization of the game is widely perceived as an overpriced cash grab, despite the absence of microtransactions or excessive DLC at launch. Some users acknowledge the developer’s intent to fund future improvements, such as a new engine, but feel that the current pricing and presentation lack value.