ELEX 2

Elex 2 is the second installment of the RPG series developed by German studio Piranha Bytes and published by THQ Nordic. The team has created the first three installments of the cult Gothic series, as well as the cooler-received Risen trilogy.

Storyline

Elex 2 takes place a few years after events presented in the original and shows their direct consequences. Players once again find themselves on the planet Magalan and take on the role of the hero named Jax, who has spent the last few years away from human clusters. In the end, however, there comes a moment when the threat he warned everyone about (but was ignored) becomes real, so the protagonist returns to protect his loved ones and the rest of Magalan's inhabitants.

As before, the hero is not doomed to go it alone. In the course of the adventure various companions join him and he can join one of the three main factions operating in the game world: magical Berserkers, fanatical Morkons or futuristic Albs. Outlaws and Clerics are still present, but this time they play the role of secondary parties. It is worth remembering that joining one of the organizations often blocks our access to some of the tasks given by other groups and also affects the course of the story.

Mechanics

In Elex 2 we observe the action from the third person perspective (TPP). The motive of the gameplay are tasks commissioned by NPCs - we're talking about story missions as well as quests and other side activities, which completion is not required to reach the final of the adventure.

Once again, the creators put at our disposal a vast, open world that we can freely explore. It consists of both areas known from the first part of the series and completely new areas of Magalan. Just like before, the territories created for the game are very diverse - there are densely forested areas, desert terrains or snow-covered mountains. In addition to the fast travel system, traversing this "sandbox" is facilitated by a jet pack, which after installing the appropriate upgrades allows you to fly like Iron Man. Along with the new jetpack capabilities go various changes in the game world; there are ruined skyscrapers, on whose roofs we can reach, and flying opponents, with whom we fight fierce battles in the skies.

And since we're talking about adversaries - clashes with them play an important role here. Enemies, which include both hostile humans and aggressive mutants inhabiting the planet, are eliminated using a wide range of white weapons, a large arsenal of ranged weapons (including bows and crossbows, rifles and futuristic laser and plasma rifles) or by using magic. The amount of damage our hero takes in battle is determined by the armor he uses.

In return for the undertaken activities we receive experience points and advance to subsequent levels. We also receive attribute and skill points. The former can be divided between the coefficients directly on the character's card, while the latter require additionally finding a suitable teacher in the game world. This way we increase the combat potential of the protagonist - it allows us to face more powerful opponents.

Game modes

Elex 2 offers only the single-player story campaign, which takes tens of hours to complete. In accordance with the unwritten rules that guide the German developers, the title does not include a multiplayer mode.

Technical issues

Elex 2 works on the basis of the proprietary Genome Engine technology of the Piranha Bytes studio, developed for the needs of Gothic 3, which has undergone a number of improvements. Three-dimensional graphics of this title presents a decent level of performance. The game is accompanied by the climatic soundtrack.