Elex

About Elex

Elex is an action role-playing game developed by Piranha Bytes, the studio behind the Gothic series. THQ Nordic published this title on October 17, 2017 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The story unfolds on Magalan, a planet struck by a meteor that introduced Elex. This resource powers machines, grants magical abilities, or mutates living beings. You play as an Alb, an emotionless soldier raised to be a weapon. After your glider crashes in the mountains of Edan, you lose access to pure Elex and begin feeling emotions for the first time. Stranded among former enemies, you must navigate a world where technology and magic collide. The fate of the planet rests on your choices regarding this scarce resource.

Gameplay

The combat feels weighty and requires timing rather than button mashing. You switch between standard weapons and powered armor suits depending on the situation. Melee attacks have heavy impact while ranged options include energy guns and bows. Magic casting uses mana pools that drain over time, forcing you to manage resources carefully during fights. Exploration drives the experience as you cross open zones filled with hostile creatures and NPC factions. Dialogue trees allow you to align with specific groups or act independently. Combat encounters often involve checking enemy weaknesses before engaging. The game tracks your reputation with various societies which alters available quests and trade prices. You can modify armor pieces or craft new items using scavenged parts found in the wild.

What Players Think

Player reception shows a divided audience based on data from 100 ratings on IGDB, which give the title a score of 63.8 out of 100. The community mood leans toward critical appreciation for its ambitious scope despite technical flaws. Average playtime hovers around 25 hours for main story completion but extends significantly for full exploration. Achievement data reveals a distinct challenge in side content, with only 22.7% of players unlocking the average achievement set. The rarest feat is "Master criminal" at just 2.30% unlock rate, indicating few players pursue the dark path fully. Review snippets frequently mention the writing quality while noting performance issues on older consoles. Many users report spending over 40 hours due to the sheer volume of side quests available in the open world.

PlayPile's Take

This title suits players who enjoy complex faction systems and deep lore despite clunky combat mechanics. The current price sits at $4.99 on WinGameStore, matching its historical low. At this cost, the 50 achievements provide enough incentive to explore every corner of Magalan. You will spend hours managing inventory and choosing which faction benefits from your actions. The emotional arc of an Alb learning to feel adds a layer not often seen in post-apocalyptic settings. Do not expect smooth performance or intuitive controls. This is a game for those willing to tolerate rough edges in exchange for a unique sci-fantasy narrative. Buy it if you want value for money and do not mind slow pacing.

Storyline

Being raised as an Alb and fed pure Elex to strengthen your body and to 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 course, you must decide how your life can decide the fate of the world.