Developer: Piranha Bytes
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Platforms: PC, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Pricing: €49.99 on PC (-10% at €44.99 until March 1st)
Release date: 1 March 2022
Mar 1, 2022 at 1:00 PM
ELEX II returns to the post-apocalyptic science fantasy world of Magalan. After civilization was wiped out by a comet, the few remaining survivors organized themselves into factions, each with their own vision of what the future of the planet should look like. Not only did the comet kill most of the population, it also introduced an alien substance known as elex to the planet of Magalan. Elex is a precious and limited resource which can power advanced machinery, give people magical powers and re-shape creatures into new and different life forms.
During the events of the first game you play as Jax, an elite Alb commander who has been betrayed and kicked out of his organization. The Albs are a people who inject themselves with elex to gain power at the cost of their emotions and are led by an aptly named being called The Hybrid. While being hunted by your former friends, you team up with the other factions in the world to unravel the mystery behind your exile, The Hybrid and the state of the world.
Towards the end of the game you learn that (ELEX I spoilers) the comet was sent by an alien civilization as a terraforming agent to alter the planet to the aliens' liking. The Hybrid and his underlings were consuming the elex to evolve and guarantee a place amongst the aliens in the new world order.
Several years after Jax defeated the Hybrid, a new threat arrives from the sky, unleashing the dangerous powers of dark elex and endangering all life on the planet. In order to defend the peace on Magalan and the safety of his own family, Jax has to go on a mission to convince the factions to unite against the invaders and find his own son, Dex, who got separated from him.
Your journey across Magalan will bring you into contact with five different factions. It is entirely up to you to decide which faction - if any - you want to join.
- The Berserkers originate from survivors of the meteor strike who had no or little access to technology. They developed into a medieval-like culture of farmers, hunters and healers who learned to transmute elex into mana, a resource that powers their magic and has the potential to revererse the terraforming effect of elex to bring back life to the planet. After the events of the first game they started to convert the barren desert of Tavar into a green wonderland with a world heart. Officially Caja has become their new spiritual leader, as she's a powerful mage who has the power to "speak" to elex. Recently a schism has appeared in the faction as many Berserkers don't want to live a life without technology anymore and want to bring the faction into a new age.
- The Outlaws use elex to produce drugs called stims, contrary to other factions who use it for magical or technological advancements. They never had any grand vision or goal other than to get high. The law of the strongest is their mantra. When the Berserkers terraformed the desert of Tavar back to a fertile region, many people from other factions came there and settled down, chasing the Outlaws out of Tavar. Some stayed, and became part of the Berserkers. Others went to the crater landscape of Ateris, trying to continue their lawless way of life there.
- The Clerics are an overly righteous and highly technological faction who think it is their duty to shepherd the people of Magalan according to their religious tenets. They have purity laws that forbid the consumption of elex, which can only be used to power machines. Jax uncovered that the stories about their god Calaan were a lie, but that did not stop them from believing in their established teachings. They believe that they are the last bastion that stands between survival and destruction. Although they are low in numbers, they are feared because of their highly advanced plasma weapons that they use to proselytize everybody who doesn't want to join their mission.
- The Albs were formed by a splinter group of Clerics who didn't want to follow the elex purity laws. They consumed elex like candy and developed magical powers in addition to their deep technical knowledge but lost their emotions in the process. Their goal is to reach the next level of evolution. At first they thought they would be able to achieve this through the excessive consumption of elex but through this method they were corrupted by The Hybrid to commit horrible acts. After the fall of The Hybrid, the Separatists, a moderate group of Albs, convinced the Alb leadership to strictly control the elex intake. They still see themselves as superior to all other factions of Magalan and pursue their goal of evolution.
- The Morkons were once the peaceful inhabitants of Tomsontown but when the meteor struck, the survivors fled to the underground tunnels below the city,where they barricaded themselves from the dangerous outer world and slowly evolved into a vicious and isolationist subterranean tribe. Due to their limited access to food and other resources, they set up harsh rules for reproduction and acceptance of people from outside. Over time, these rules became a religion and they started to call themselves Morkons. Their goal became to destroy everyone who do not believe in their strict rules.
ELEX II is an open world role-playing game with an emphasis on player freedom.
- A focus on choices & consequences is one of the key aspects of the game. Solving quests in a particular way will lock away certain parts of the game and open up new roads. As in every Piranha Bytes game you can choose from different factions, which will also dramatically alter gameplay and how you interact with the world.
- Exploration is dangerous yet rewarding: exploration is actively encouraged and necessary for progressing in the game. Gear is the major factor in determining your strength, so exploring the world in search for better armour and money is a very worthwhile activity. Gear can be bought from vendors, obtained as quest rewards or found hidden in the world.
- Progression occurs in bursts rather than gradually over the course of the game. Even in beginner zones you will encounter enemies that are too tough to handle. You will feel weak at the beginning, having to move around carefully and avoid fights to survive. Elex has no loot of different colors and rarities that incrementally raise your damage output, instead finding a better sword will feel like a worthwhile upgrade to your combat skills and will allow you to slay enemies you had to flee from before.
- ELEX II offers a wide array of combat options, from swords, bows and magic to plasma guns. Before locking yourself in a certain playstyle, it is recommended to try out several styles to see how they feel. The Berserker faction is a good choice for players wanting to use magic while the Clerics and Outlaws are more suited to a ranged playstyle.
- Jax has access to a jetpack that allows you to easily reach heights. Rumour has it that the jetpack in ELEX II allows for flying too although this will require upgrades and is not available from the start.
Q: Do I need to play the previous game to understand what is going on?
A: ELEX 2 is a direct sequel and there are recurring characters and events from ELEX 1. Although you will more than likely be fine with reading the synopsis provided in this thread.
Q: Is there a character creator?
A: No, you play as Jax.
Q: Are there difficulty settings?
A: Yes, you can tweak the difficulty to your liking.
Q: How long is the game?
A: An average playthrough will take approximately 60 hours.
Q: Can my PC run this?
A:
- MINIMUM:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10, 64 Bit
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 3100 / Intel Core i5-7400
- Memory: 12 GB RAM
- Graphics: Radeon RX 5600 XT / Geforce GTX 1060
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 45 GB available space
- RECOMMENDED:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10, 64 Bit
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 2700 / Intel Core i5-9500F
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: Radeon RX 5700 XT / Geforce RTX 2060
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 45 GB available space
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