Advanced in technology, civilized and with a population of billions, Magalan was a planet looking to the future. Then the meteor hit. Those who survived are now trapped in a battle to survive, a struggle to decide the fate of a planet.
At the center of this fight is the element "ELEX". A precious, limited resource that arrived with the meteor, ELEX XBOX ONE can power machines, open the door to magic, or re-sculpt life into new, different forms. But which of these choices should be the future of Magalan? Can technology, or magic save this world? Or will this new power destroy all those left alive amongst the ruins? ELEX is an action, role-playing open world game for PC and Consoles, developed by Piranha Bytes, creators of the award winning Gothic series and is set in a brand new, post-apocalyptic, Science-Fantasy universe where magic meets mechs.
Science Fantasy Advanced in technology, civilized and with a population of billions, Magalan was a planet looking to the future. Then the meteor hit. Those who survived are now trapped in a battle to survive, a struggle to decide the fate of a planet.
At the center of this fight is the element „Elex”. A precious, limited resource that arrived with the meteor, Elex can power machines, open the door to magic, or re-sculpt life into new, different forms. But which of these choices should be the future of Magalan? Can technology, or magic save this world? Or will this new power destroy all those left alive amongst the ruins? Combat From swords and axes, to bows, crossbows and harpoons, ELEX offers one of the widest selections of weaponry in the history of role-playing.
Pick up a shotgun, power up a plasma rifle or unleash a flame thrower – there’s a weapon and combat style for every fighter out there. Be it a hammer, a rocket launcher or the power of magic, ELEX balances science, fantasy and brute force to let you choose the combat style that fits your role best! Exploration Thanks to the open world, you have access to all five regions of the game world right from the very start. Go where you want, choose your battles and your allies, the only thing in the world that will stop you, are the mutant creatures that live in Magalan’s Elex polluted landscapes.
Walk, run, or punch your jetpack into action, if you can see it, you can reach it. Open world role-playing has never been more open. Role-Playing Find a companion, choose a faction and influence the world.
In ELEX there is no traditional class system. Instead you must earn the trust of experienced teachers to develop the skills you select. But skills alone won’t be enough to survive in this harsh and challenging world.
Your attitude towards the people you meet will influence those around you. Will you make an ally or an enemy? Is now the time to show emotion or take the course of logic? Every choice will forge the future of your game. Story Being raised an Alb and fed pure Elex to strengthen your body and be free from emotion, you lived in a world of cold logic and military discipline.
Set to rise through the ranks, a scourge to your enemies, your destiny seemed sure. Now, as the smoke rises over the wreckage of your glider in the mountains of Edan, you are trapped far from Xacor. With no access to pure Elex, you are experiencing emotions for the first time in your life.
Stranded amongst your enemies, outcast from your people, you must find a new path, you must decide how your life can decide the fate of the world. The Berserkers In Edan Wiping the planet clean, the meteor has given the people of Magalan a chance. The world can be regrown again.
Having found a way to transmute Elex into pure Mana, the Berserkers are transforming Magalan’s shattered wastes into lush, living woodland. Where Albs bring destruction, Berserkers bring life. As magic replaces technology, Magalan shall offer all its people a future.
The Clerics In Ignadon The site of the meteor’s impact, Ignadon is riven by constant volcanic activity. Thought to be devoid of life, Ignadon was the perfect hiding place for the Clerics to grow in power. Followers of the god Calaan, the Clerics see the consumption of Elex in any form as a sin.
Instead they use Elex to power their machines. Guardians of Magalan’s technology, the Clerics put their faith in Calaan, plasma weapons, mechs and the power of industry. A new and even more advanced Magalan shall rise from the ashes.
The Outlaws In Tavar A rocky, desert wasteland, Tavar is home to the Outlaws. Scavenging the ruins for weapons and equipment, the Outlaws will worship no god, they will not pledge themselves to the strict laws of the Berserkers, or surrender to a life of emotionless conflict. With the meteor came a chance for freedom, choice, a world where anyone can rise to the top.
The Outlaws live by the motto, that life may be brutal, but it’s free and easy, and that all shall be rewarded for their strengths. The Albs in Xacor Where the meteor destroyed, it also gave the people of Magalan their future – Elex. Harnessing its power for technology is only the start.
By consuming pure Elex all the people of Magalan can be stronger, think clearer and free from emotion. Driven, focused, from their base in the mountains of Xacor, the Albs are reaching out to conquer Magalan. They claim that all Elex is theirs by right.
The Albs are sure that only strength can save and the weak must be sacrificed for Magalan to survive.
In Elex we'll find the elements that had made Piranha Bytes great: an enormous world ready to explore, an interesting story and skilfull difficulty. The technical problems and low graphics can deminish the experience. Definitely, this is not a game for impatient players.
At the end of the day, when you have learned to cope with all the objections of the game, you are fascinated by the huge world of Elex, its contrasts and designs, but you realize that the problem goes beyond its aesthetics. It is all these mismatches and imbalances in combat and the general experience that end up leaving a bittersweet flavor in a game that has everything to offer a deep experience in the field of RPG.
The biggest disappointment that I have with Elex isn't the poor control system, or the colossally horrific voice acting, or the overpowered enemies, or the character modeling from the 1990's. No, my biggest disappointment is that all, and I mean ALL, of these issues could have been addressed and refined if given two things: more time and more money. I feel that Elex could have been one of the best open world RPG games we have seen in quite sometime had it had the time and funding to develop into something wonderful, not just passable.
Despite its colorful and interesting world, the game feels like a chore to get through because of these performance issues. While the frame rate isn't as bad as some other titles out there, in order to get engrossed in a title there can't be any technical distractions. Unfortunately, that isn't the case for Elex on Xbox One, and it doesn't matter how great the content is, the lack of polish is what will push consumers away.
A wildly ambitious fantasy fighter that's sadly lacking the fundamentals.
Despite my issues with the game though, my time with Elex isn’t over just yet. I do enjoy the world and the concept, so I am willing to see what else the game has to offer in this respect. It’s just unfortunate that the game’s combat and presentation haven’t received as much attention. Elex needed much more time in the oven to be the game its promising previews made it seem to be, and with the dearth of games available this winter, I can’t recommend it to anyone but the most hardcore fans of the genre.
Sadly, for all its premise, Elex has to be one of the most uninspiring RPGs I have experienced in a long time.
June 1, 2017
THQ Nordic confirms the 17th of October as the release date for Elex. Watch video
